Babies need to be orally ready before starting solids

Starting solids is not about age, trends, or what other babies are doing.
It’s about whether your baby’s mouth and body are ready to safely handle food.

Feeding is a journey, not a race.
Babies need oral readiness — not pressure.

Many babies are simply not ready yet, and that is completely okay.

What oral readiness looks like

A baby who is ready to start solids usually shows most of the following skills (often around 6 months):

• Good head and neck control

• Can sit upright with minimal support

• Opens mouth when food is offered

• Brings toys or hands to mouth

• Moves food from the front of the mouth to the back

• Swallows smoothly without distress

These skills tell us the tongue, lips, jaw, and posture are working together.

Signs your baby may not be ready yet

(And why waiting helps)

If you notice any of the following, it’s often a sign that oral skills are still developing:

• Pushing food out with the tongue (tongue-thrust reflex)

• Gagging with every bite

• Trouble keeping food in the mouth

• Coughing, choking, or watery eyes

• Slumping or needing to recline to “manage” food

• Turning head away or closing mouth tightly

These are not failures.
They are signals that your baby needs more time.

Waiting allows skills to mature and makes feeding safer and more enjoyable later.

Milk still comes first

Breast milk or formula remains the primary source of nutrition in early feeding.

Solids are introduced to:

• explore flavors

• practice oral-motor skills

• build positive experiences with food

Not to replace milk feeds early on.

Start slow: texture matters

When your baby is ready, begin with textures that match early oral skills:

• Very smooth

• Very wet

• Easy to move in the mouth

Think: thin yogurt or cream soup
Not: thick peanut butter or mashed potatoes

A gentle but important note on peanut butter

Early peanut exposure can be important — but texture matters.

Peanut butter is:

• thick

• sticky

• hard to clear from the mouth

For new eaters, it should always be thinned with breast milk, formula, yogurt, or applesauce until it easily drips off the spoon.

The takeaway

There is no rush.
There is no competition.

When we wait for oral readiness, we protect swallowing, reduce stress, and support long-term feeding success.

If feeding feels confusing or stressful, support matters — and you’re not alone.

Thick vs. Just Right

Why texture matters for new eaters

Babies don’t struggle with foods because they are “picky.”
They struggle because their oral-motor skills are still developing.

Early eaters need textures that help them learn — not textures they have to fight.

TOO THICK (Not orally ready)

These textures are hard for babies to move, clear, and swallow safely.

What it looks like:

• Sticks to the spoon

• Holds its shape

• Doesn’t drip when the spoon is tilted

Common examples:

• Peanut butter straight from the jar

• Thick mashed potatoes

• Thick oatmeal or cereal

• Chunky or grainy purées

What you may see:

• Pushing food out with the tongue

• Gagging with every bite

• Coughing or watery eyes

• Stress or refusal

These are signals, not failures.

JUST RIGHT (Orally supportive)

These textures match early oral-motor skills and support safe learning.

What it looks like:

• Smooth

• Wet

• Drips easily off the spoon

Think:

• Thin yogurt

• Cream soup

• Pourable purée

What you may see:

• Easier swallowing

• Less gagging

• More interest

• Calmer mealtimes

The spoon test (simple parent trick)

Tilt the spoon slightly.

• Stays stuck? → Too thick

• Drips slowly? → Just right

If it doesn’t drip, thin it.

How to fix “too thick” foods

You don’t need new foods — just better textures.

Thin purées with:

• Breast milk

• Formula

• Water

• Yogurt or applesauce

Even allergy foods (like peanut) should always be thinned at the beginning.

The takeaway

There is no prize for thick textures early.

When texture matches skills, babies feel safer —
and learning to eat becomes easier and more enjoyable.