What the experts say about starting solids

The advice in NZ is clear and reassuring: the Ministry of Health recommends starting solids at around 6 months, when your baby shows the signs of readiness — sitting with support, good head control, watching your food with intent, and reaching for it.

A few evidence-backed pointers health professionals repeat again and again:

• Food before one is about learning — milk (breast or formula) is still the main nutrition; solids are practice.
• Offer variety early and often — repeated exposure to a food (sometimes 10+ tries!) is normal before a baby accepts it.
• Let them self-feed — exploring texture with hands supports acceptance of new foods and fine motor skills.
• Mess is part of the mechanism — squishing, smearing and dropping is how babies learn about food. Contain it; don't prevent it.

Your best local resources: your Plunket nurse, your GP, and the Ministry of Health's healthy eating guidelines for babies and toddlers. When in doubt, ask — that's what they're there for.