If your baby is 6 months old and ready to take solid food then here is what you need to do.

Always remember that at this age you should still be giving plenty of breast milk or formula. Solid food works just like a supplement at this age, however, baby first food should be pureed foods which could be cereal like rice or oatmeal. If your little one isn’t taking cereal, don’t worry because it is normal.

If you are breastfeeding, never mix your milk with cereal to help your little one start eating. Breast milk is too valuable to waste so always mix cereal with water first so that your baby gets used to the taste and then, later on, you can give cereal with your breast milk.

The consistency of the cereal should be initially runny, closer to that of a liquid. If the baby is easily taking that it means you can gradually increase the consistency of the food. Offer a few spoonfuls in the beginning and when your little one gets the hang of it then increase the number of spoons. Once your baby starts taking cereal once a week or so, you can gradually increase the frequency of the cereal meals and then you can try feeding them twice per day.   

Orange and yellow vegetables are the best first foods which you can give to your baby traditionally. Other good foods to begin pureed foods are bananas and avocados. When you begin giving something new to your little one you must at least apply the four-day wait rule challenge- you must try the new food for four days in a row before trying anything else. This helps you identify if your baby is allergic to a new food or not. 

According to a study, babies who don’t eat fruits or vegetables in the 6-12 month period, they won’t eat when they become older children.

There are some foods which should be avoided at this stage:

Raw honey causes botulism in an infant. You must wait for 12 months before giving it to your child.

Cow milk shouldn’t be given to the babies before 6 months. Once they are little more advanced with solids, you can give them some cheese or yogurt. They are hard to digest and might cause microscopic bleeding in their stool.

You mustn’t give big chunks of vegetables like carrot or even whole grapes. You can give baby puree which is cooked soft and easy to swallow.

Fish

There are certain types of fish which contain a higher amount of mercury; such type of fish must be avoided giving your baby. These include some kinds of tuna fish and others. Fish like Whitefish, canned tuna, salmon are safe to give to your little one more often. If you are still unsure, then you can always consult your doctor to ask which fish are safe to give to your little one.