Starting Solid Foods: FAQs

Hopefully you found our video series useful. If you still feel a bit unsure, here’s some of our frequently asked questions. Don’t forget, you can text ChatHealth too.

Can milk be used in baby’s food preparation?  

Yes. From 6 months old, your baby can have full fat cow’s milk or milk substitute (such as oat milk) on cereals and in foods. However breast milk and / or formula remain the main milk source for drinking until 1 year. 

Does my baby need to change from their first infant formula milk?  

No. There is no need to change from first infant formula milk, your baby can stay on this for the first year of life (alongside solids from around 6 months). 

When can my baby start drinking tap water? 

Once your baby has started to eat solid foods from 6 months, you can offer them sips of water from a cup or beaker with meals. Water for babies over 6 months does not need to be boiled first.  

Should I discourage dummy use after 1 year? 

Yes. It is recommended to discourage dummy use after 1 year as they can change the shape of teeth and could affect speech development. 

What age should I start to discourage use of baby bottles?

It is recommended that feeding from a bottle is discouraged from 1 year. By 12 months, your baby will be eating regular meals of a varied diet and any milk feeds are in addition to this and can be offered in a sippy cup. 

Prolonged use of bottles can cause tooth decay in young children, as drinks stay in contact with teeth for an extended period of time. 

 What age can my child have cows milk to drink? 

From 1 year your child can have whole or semi- skimmed cows’ milk to drink. Pasteurised skimmed and 1% cow’s milk should not be given until 5 years of age, and children aged 1 to 5 should not be given rice drinks as they may contain too much arsenic.  

Find out more through these trusted sites

• Weaning – Best Start in Life – NHS
• Starting solid foods | Baby | Health for Under 5s
• Your baby’s first solid foods – NHS
• Vitamins for children – NHS
• Eating Well resources — First Steps Nutrition Trust
• Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)
• Baby and toddler tooth care – Best Start in Life – NHS
• Food allergies in babies and young children – NHS
• Allergy in Childhood | Allergy UK | National Charity
• Video: Looking after children’s teeth
• Video: Taking your baby to the dentist for the first time by Dr Ranj

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