I was planning to start my baby on solids at four months. It this a good idea?

Written for BabyCenter Philippines Last reviewed: November 2010

The BabyCenter Philippines Editorial Team answers:

It's best to wait until your baby is six months old to introduce him to solid food. 

By six months, your baby should have doubled his birth weight. You'll probably notice that he's becoming more active all the time. After six months, breastmilk or formula milk won't provide your growing, active baby with enough nutrients, so he'll start to need other food. 

Waiting until six months to introduce your baby to solid food protects his health. It reduces the chance that he will develop allergies or pick up an infection from food, because at six months his immune system is stronger. 

It's especially important not to give your baby food before six months if you have a family history of allergies or celiac disease. Celiac disease is triggered by the glutenin grains. Introducing solids earlier than six months also increases the chances of diarrhea. 

If you feel your baby needs to start solids before six months, talk to your pediatrician first. This is particularly important if your baby was born prematurely. 

Before you try your baby with solid food, look out for the signs that he really is ready to be weaned. 

Does he still seem hungry after a good milk feed, even after you've tried increasing milk feeds? Can he sit up when supported? Does he try to pick up food and put it in his mouth? 

The Department of Health says that babies should be exclusively breastfed for their first six months. This means no solid food or water before, at the earliest, before the end of their fifth month (23 weeks). 

Young babies will push food out of their mouths. This is called the tongue thrust reflex. Your baby may lose the tongue thrust reflex at about four months, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is ready for solids. Your baby will find it much easier to keep food in his mouth, and chew it, from the age of six months. 

If you do decide to wean your baby onto solids before six months, there are some foods that you should not give him. These are: 

• gluten, which is found in grains and cereals
• dairy products
• fish and shellfish
• citrus fruits
• eggs