Module 18

First Foods Introduction Tracker

Track every new food — what, when, amount, and any reactions — to build a complete picture of your baby's tolerance

Introduce one new food at a time, waiting 2-3 days before the next to identify any reactions. Start between 4-6 months when baby shows readiness signs: sitting with support, good head control, interest in food, and loss of tongue-thrust reflex.

Readiness Signs Checklist

Can sit upright with minimal support

Good head and neck control

Opens mouth when food approaches

Can move food from spoon to throat (no tongue thrust)

Shows interest in what you're eating

First Foods Log

Food	Preparation	Amount Eaten	Reaction (skin, stool, fussiness)	Liked?
Example: sweet potato	Steamed, mashed	2 Tbsp	None	Yes

Recommended First Food Sequence

There's no mandatory order, but starting with iron-rich and nutrient-dense foods gives your baby the biggest nutritional advantage. The old advice to start with rice cereal is outdated — meat, egg yolk, and liver are far more nutrient-dense first foods.

Suggested Progression (Weeks 1-8 of Solids)

1Week 1-2: Iron-rich purees — beef, chicken liver, lamb (iron stores from birth begin depleting around 6 months)
2Week 2-3: Orange/yellow vegetables — sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot (beta-carotene, vitamin A)
3Week 3-4: Green vegetables — avocado, peas, green beans, zucchini (before fruit, so sweetness doesn't create bias)
4Week 4-5: Fruits — banana, pear, apple, peach (natural sweetness, fiber, vitamin C)
5Week 5-6: Egg yolk (choline, DHA, fat-soluble vitamins), then full egg by 6-8 months
6Week 6-7: Legumes — lentils, black beans (iron, zinc, fiber, protein)
7Week 7-8: Grains — oatmeal, quinoa, millet (last, not first — baby doesn't need starch for brain fuel)

Important

Watch for allergic reactions: hives, swelling (especially lips, face), vomiting within 2 hours, wheezing, or sudden extreme fussiness. Call 911 for any difficulty breathing, widespread hives, or swelling of tongue/throat. Mild eczema flares and slight stool changes are common and usually not allergies.

Offer rejected foods again — research shows it takes 10-15 exposures before a baby accepts a new flavor. Don't give up after one face. That grimace is novelty, not dislike.