When Are Babies Ready For Solid Food?

Should your five-month-old feed herself raw carrot chunks and zwieback crackers? No! These are potentially life threatening choices for this age group who could easily choke and aspirate on these foods.

According to Pediatrician Henry Bernstein of Boston Children’s Hospital, "By four to six months, kids are able to handle pureed foods, but I don't include raw carrots or zwiebacks in that category."

So when can parents introduce their babies to solid foods? According to Dr. Bernstein, "Children can handle solid foods when their muscles and nerves are coordinated so that they can chew and swallow. Usually by eight to ten months, a healthy infant can have finely chopped foods or zwiebacks with minimal likelihood for choking. Parents should always observe their children when introducing solid foods into the diet."

Certain foods can cause children to choke or aspirate and should always be avoided in infants and toddlers. These foods include hot dogs, peanuts, grapes, carrots, and hard candies.

More on: Babies and Toddlers