Starting Solids: Baby-Led Weaning vs Purees

Starting solid food is one of the most exciting milestones of the first year, and also one that can feel unexpectedly stressful. What should you feed them? When exactly? How much? What if they gag?

This guide will walk you through the basics calmly.

When to start

Current guidance recommends starting solids at around six months, not before. Before this age, babies lack the gut maturity and the physical skills needed to eat safely. Signs of readiness include sitting with minimal support, showing interest in food, and having lost the tongue-thrust reflex that pushes food back out of the mouth.

Two main approaches

Baby-led weaning (BLW) involves offering finger foods from the start, letting baby feed themselves and develop autonomy over what and how much they eat. It skips purees entirely. Parents who choose BLW often find mealtimes less stressful and report that babies develop a more varied palate.

Traditional weaning starts with smooth purees and progresses toward lumpier textures and eventually finger foods. It gives you more control over what baby is eating and how much, which some parents find reassuring.

Many families combine both approaches, offering some soft finger foods alongside some spoon-fed purees, and this works just as well.

What you need

A high chair with a removable tray that can go in the dishwasher is the most important purchase. Look for one with adjustable height and recline so it grows with baby.

Silicone suction bowls, divided plates, and soft first spoons make mealtimes easier and reduce the amount of food that ends up on the floor.

If you want to make your own purees, a dedicated baby food maker steams and blends in one container.

About gagging

Gagging is normal, expected, and protective. It is your baby's gag reflex doing its job by moving food forward before it goes too far back. It sounds alarming but it is different from choking. Choking is silent. Gagging is noisy. Trust the reflex and try to stay calm.

How much is enough?

Food before one is just for fun and exploration. Breast milk or formula remains the primary nutrition source through the first year. Some days baby will eat a surprising amount. Other days they will inspect every piece and put nothing in their mouth. Both are fine.

Enjoy it. Mealtimes at this stage are wonderfully, messily joyful.