What is weaning and why is it important?
Weaning is the process of introducing solid foods while continuing with your baby’s usual breastmilk or formula. As your little one grows, solids slowly become a bigger part of their diet and eventually provide most of their nutritional needs. The World Health Organization recommends introducing solid foods at around 6 months of age to support the development of the digestive system and enhance oral-motor skills, including chewing and swallowing, while providing adequate nutrients such as iron, zinc and micronutrients to support healthy growth.
A diet solely consisting of milk cannot meet their complex nutritional needs, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, as well as feeding difficulties and food refusal during childhood. Early exposure to diverse food tastes and textures also help babies accept a wider range of foods later in life and may reduce picky eating by familiarising them with new sensations at this crucial developmental stage. Additionally, it is suggested that offering a variety of foods, including common allergenic foods such as eggs and peanuts, around the time solids are introduced may help the immune system develop tolerance and reduce the risk of allergies and support overall nutritional needs. Moreover, transitioning to solids allows babies to bond with their families, making eating a positive and enjoyable experience.
When can my baby start eating solid foods?
As mentioned earlier, delaying the weaning process may increase the risk of feeding difficulties and insufficient nutrients. However, starting the weaning process too early before 4 months of age is not recommended as their digestive and immune systems are not yet developed to process solid foods into nutrients. While breastmilk or formula remains your baby’s main source of nutrition in the first year, introducing solids around 6 months should complement milk feeds rather than replace them entirely. Over time, as your baby eats a wider variety and greater quantity of foods, their reliance on milk gradually decreases, and solids become the primary source of nutrition.
Signs your baby is ready for solids
What if my baby is 6 months old but is unable to sit up on their own?
Rest assured, some babies may not be ready for solids until around 7 months. If your little one is unable to sit upright steadily yet, it’s best to wait and focus on building their core, back, and neck strength before introducing purees or other solids. You can support this development through play opportunities such as tummy time, reaching and grasping for toys, and practicing supported sitting on your lap, or with pillows.
3 dominant reflexes when babies start solids
1. Tongue Thrust Reflex
Some parents notice that their baby immediately pushes out food without much exploring, which can feel like rejection—but it’s actually a safety reflex. The tongue thrust reflex (also known as the extrusion reflex) protects infants from choking and aspiration. When the front of their tongue touches something, it will automatically push forward and out of their mouth, preventing solids or foreign objects from being swallowed before they are ready.
This reflex typically fades between 4 and 6 months of age, around the time solids are introduced. If your baby shows signs of readiness for solids, but still shows a strong tongue thrust reflex, offering food to the side of the tongue (rather than the front) can support the development of tongue lateralisation, an important oral-motor skill that helps with chewing and safely moving food around the mouth. Persisting with spoon-feeding purees when the reflex is still active can be frustrating for both of you and may pose safety risks, since your baby cannot yet coordinate swallowing effectively. Instead of force-feeding when the tongue thrust reflex is still strong, it is better to wait until the reflex has started to diminish — it doesn’t need to be completely gone. Once it begins to fade, babies can safely start exploring food in their mouths, even if some tongue thrusting still occurs.
2. Tongue Lateralisation Reflex
Tongue lateralisation is a reflex where your baby’s tongue will dart to the side of their mouth where an object is touching the tongue. This reflex gradually fades around 6 to 9 months, and voluntary tongue lateralisation emerges. Instead of a reflex, they start attempting to control side to side movements of their tongue with some control.
During this time, feeding can be messy, as they try to develop this skill. Around 9 to 12 months, tongue lateralisation becomes a controlled and integrated skill whereby they are able to manipulate the food bolus by pushing it to the sides for chewing. This skill is essential for chewing safely, since babies need to move food onto their gums and later teeth to mash it. Over time, tongue lateralisation also becomes more refined, including tongue tip lateralisation, which helps them clear food from the sides of the mouth.
3. Gag Reflex
A baby’s gag reflex happens when the back of their throat contracts upon contact between an object and the roof of their mouth, the back of their tongue or throat. Gagging is common during their first few months of introducing solids as their brain registers most foods as too large to swallow. This protective reflex gradually lessens in intensity around 4 to 6 months of age, and matures to protect their airway as they develop oral-motor skills to handle more textured foods. Rather than forcing your baby to override their gag reflex, allow them to explore foods at their own pace so that they can confidently gain control over safe chewing and swallowing. If gagging persists, try gradually increasing the texture of foods starting from very smooth purees, then finely mashed, coarsely mashed, then introducing tiny lumps. If their gag reflex persists or happens frequently even with smooth textures, it may be helpful to reach out to a speech and language therapist for support.
It is important to note that gagging and choking are different! Gagging is a normal reflex whereas choking happens when their airway is blocked and they are unable to breathe. When a baby is gagging, they may cough, cry or vomit. Alarming signs of choking include the inability to cry, cough, or gasp, high pitched or no sound during inhalation, visible distress, pale or bluish skin, with a visible strain on their face. If you notice these signs, call emergency services immediately.
3 Common myths about weaning
1. Babies need teeth to start solids
Babies are born with strong natural gums that help them mash and break down soft foods. Waiting for teeth to appear before starting solids can unnecessarily delay your baby’s introduction to solid foods, potentially impacting their oral-motor development and exposure to important nutrients.
2. Allergens should not be introduced during weaning
Although allergens should not be introduced before 4 months of age, delaying the introduction of common allergens (e.g. fish, eggs, dairy, nuts) until 12 months of age may increase the risk of them developing a food allergy. Common allergens should be introduced around the time babies start solids. They should be introduced one at a time in small, age-appropriate amounts regularly to help them build up tolerance. Ensuring appropriate serving size and texture is important to minimise choking hazards (e.g. serving nut flour instead of whole or crunchy nuts). It is recommended to introduce allergens in the morning so that you can monitor any allergic reactions. If you experience uncertainty regarding your baby’s food allergies, do consult a paediatrician.
3. Babies need to start with purees during weaning
It’s a common belief that babies must begin solids with purees, but this isn’t true. While many parents choose Traditional Weaning (TW), where spoon-fed purees are gradually thickened, babies can also safely start with Baby-Led Weaning (BLW). BLW is becoming increasingly popular as babies self-feed soft, age-appropriate finger foods, which supports independence, fine motor skills, and oral-motor development. Some families also try a combination of both approaches to allow gradual texture progression while developing their baby’s oral-motor skills and independence. If you are interested in BLW, do speak to a speech and language therapist or a paediatrician.
Conclusion
Weaning is an important milestone marking your baby’s transition from a milk-based to a solid-based diet, development of oral-motor skills and feeding autonomy. It is important to follow the cues that your baby presents as they indicate whether they are ready for solids, preferences for textures and tastes, and satiety. Families are encouraged to provide a variety of safe textures and view weaning as a social and enjoyable process that fosters a positive mealtime experience. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to seek support from our speech and language therapists!
References
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https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/getting-baby-started-on-solids
Ben-Joseph, E. P. (2022, December). Feeding Your 4- to 7-Month Old. Kids Health.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/feed47m.html
Introducing solids, why, when, what and how. (2025, August). Raising Children Network.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/breastfeeding-bottle-feeding-solids/solids-drinks/introducing-solids
Grenawitzke, K., Rappaport, K., Suarez, M., Kalami, V., Ruiz, R., S, Bajowala. (n.d.). Readiness to Start Solid Food. Solid Starts.
https://solidstarts.com/readiness/?hcUrl=%2Fen-US
Zimmels, S. (n.d.). Gagging and the Tongue Thrust Reflex — Weaning Difficulties. Charlotte Stirling-Reed.
https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/2020/09/gagging-and-the-tongue-thrust-reflex-weaning-difficulties/
Andrews, B. (2017, March). The Seven Oral Reflexes. The Speech Dynamic.
https://thespeechdynamic.com/your-babys-mouth-reflexes/
