By Jordyn Koveleski Gorman | MS, CCC—SLP
Is my little one ready to start solids?
Your child’s milestone timeline is INDIVIDUAL, as it should be. Therefore, it’s important to look at signs of readiness for starting solids that are not just driven by a child's age.
Often times parents are led to believe that just because their child is 6 months old, they should be starting solids OR that they can’t start solids yet even though their child has all the readiness signs. Always look at your child’s skills FIRST. Ages are good to know and important to keep in mind, but skills matter most.
Your child may be ready right at 6 months! But if your little one is ready early or not ready until later- it’s ok! Follow THEIR lead and THEIR skills and be sure to talk with your pediatrician first for the green light! Read on for 4 readiness signs for starting solids.
4 readiness signs for starting solids:
1. Sits upright in their high chair.
Is your little one able to sit upright in their high chair for several minutes? It's important that your little one can support themselves while in their high chair as proper posture is key to a comfortable and safe start to solids.
2. Sits up on their own for short periods of time.
Can your little one sit upright independently on their own for short periods of time while on the floor? This may be a sign that they have enough muscle strength and trunk stability to start their food journey.
3. Brings objects to their mouth
Does your baby intently hold objects like teethers and then bring them to their mouth? This, along with the other readiness signs listed, is a precursor for starting solids and a great start to self-feeding!
4. Shows an interest in food.
Do you notice your baby intently staring at the food on your plate and watching closely as you take a bite? An interest in food is important when starting solids, as we want to follow baby’s lead when offering bites!
Checking all 4 of these boxes is a good indicator that your little one may be ready for their first bites!
Meet the expert
Jordyn is a mom, speech-language pathologist, and feeding therapist. Her goal is to educate parents on how to support their little one’s speech and feeding skills at home. Jordyn received her Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology and audiology from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2014, and her Master of Science in speech-language pathology from Towson University in 2016. She has been practicing as a licensed speech-language pathologist in both Maryland and Pennsylvania since 2016, and she holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Through Eat Play Slay, Jordyn aims to help YOU help your child and set your family up for feeding and communication success!
