The most dangerous thing about starting solids isn't choking...

🚨 The most dangerous thing about starting solids isn’t choking It’s the confidence parents lose when everyone tells them something different. One person says start at 4 months. Another says wait until 6 Avoid allergens. Introduce allergens early Feed more. Feed less. No wonder parents feel like they’re doing everything wrong 😵‍💫 The truth? Starting solids doesn’t need to be perfect. You just need to focus on the basics: Offer vegetables often, not just fruits 🥦 Repeated exposure to bitter flavours (broccoli, spinach, kale) helps babies accept them long-term. Fruits are fine too, just balance the plate🍓 2. Iron stores run low around 6 months 🩸 Filling them up is your job now. Best sources: beef, lentils, egg yolk, iron-fortified cereal. Pair plant iron with vitamin C to help absorption 🍋🙌 3. Bigger pieces are safer than tiny ones 🍠 Offer strips longer than your baby’s fist - they can hold them, bite off what’s manageable, and practice chewing safely. 4. Gums are strong enough to chew at 6 months 👶 Purées alone don’t teach chewing, so offer real textures alongside smooth food from the start 🙌 5. No salt, honey, or added sugar before 1 🚫 But introduce allergens (peanuts, eggs, fish, dairy) from around 6 months. 🥜🥚🐟 Waiting longer can raise allergy risk. 6. It can take 15–20 tries before a new food is accepted 🔄 Rejection isn’t refusal - keep offering without pressure 🙌 7. Spices and healthy oils are fine from 6 months 🌿 Cumin, cinnamon, paprika, olive oil can all help babies get used to real family flavours. Just skip the salt 🫒 8. Tracking foods makes everything easier 📱 In the BabyPlate app, you can log every food your baby has tried, see iron and nutrient totals, flag allergens, and get ideas for what to serve next - so you stop carrying it all in your head 💡