5 Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solid Foods

As a parent, deciding when to start your baby on solid foods can be confusing. How do you know if they’re ready? The truth is, your baby will show you specific signs. You just need to know how to read them. Once you learn what to look for, you’ll feel more confident about when to offer those first bites.

What to Look for Before Starting Your Baby on Solids

While many pediatricians suggest introducing solids around 6 months, every baby is different. The most reliable way to know your child is ready is not the calendar but their developmental readiness. The following five signs are your baby’s way of telling you they’re ready to take this next step:

Sign 1: Good Head and Neck Control

Before eating solids, your baby needs to be able to sit upright and hold their head up on their own. This control helps them swallow safely and lowers the risk of choking. If your baby can sit steadily in a high chair and look around with ease, they have the strength and stability to start trying solid foods.

Sign 2: Interest in Food

Curiosity is a great sign! A baby who is ready for solids often watches you closely at mealtimes, tries to grab food off your plate, or leans forward when a spoon comes their way. That eagerness shows they are excited to explore new tastes and textures.

Sign 3: Loss of the Tongue-Thrust Reflex

When babies are very young, the tongue-thrust reflex causes them to automatically push anything out of their mouths. By about 6 months, this reflex usually fades, making them more receptive to solid foods. Once you notice that your baby is no longer pushing food back out, it’s a sign they are ready to start practicing swallowing.

Sign 4: Ability to Chew and Move Food in the Mouth

Even without teeth, babies can begin practicing how to chew. If your baby can mash soft food with their gums and move it from the front of the mouth to the back, they are ready to try solids. Teething rings or toys are a great way to help them practice these skills.

Sign 5: Steady Growth and Appetite

A growing baby often needs more than breast milk or formula alone. If your baby is feeding well but still seems hungry afterward, it may be time to introduce solids. When they’re meeting milestones and showing an eager appetite, it’s their way of signaling that they’re ready for extra nutrition.

Not every baby will show all of these five signs at once. However, it’s highly recommended that your baby can sit upright, has good head control, and no longer pushes food out of their mouth with their tongue before introducing solids.

How Feeding Therapy Can Help Your Baby with Solid Foods

For many babies, the transition to solid food is smooth. But if your baby gags often, refuses most foods, or has trouble chewing and swallowing, a pediatric feeding therapist can help.

A therapist may:

Introduce new textures gradually so your baby feels safe exploring foods.
Use playful activities and simple exercises to build strength and coordination in the mouth and tongue.
Share strategies that make mealtimes positive and less stressful for the whole family.
Support babies who may have medical or developmental challenges that affect feeding.

With gentle, play-based guidance, feeding therapy helps babies build the skills and confidence they need to enjoy a wider variety of foods and get the nutrition their growing bodies need.

Reach Out Today

If your baby needs help with the transition to solid foods, Joy and Laughter Developmental Therapy can help. Reach out to connect with a pediatric feeding therapist, or start by completing our free online developmental screening tool: https://jldtherapy.developmentchecklist.com/.

5 Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solid Foods

How Tongue-Ties Can Affect Feeding in Infants and Toddlers

How Pediatric Therapists Help with Torticollis

Hip Dysplasia: What It Is and How It’s Diagnosed

How Your Baby’s Gross Motor Skills Should Develop

Schedule an Evaluation with Our Experts Today

Ready to get started? Our expert pediatric therapists are ready to help your child overcome their challenges so they can experience life full of joy and laughter. All you have to do is reach out, and we’ll get started with play-based therapy that works.

Give us a call at (408) 337-2727 or fill out the contact form below to schedule an evaluation with our team, and let’s make childhood fun again!

Ms. Jennifer
OTR, Founder and Executive Director

Jennifer received her Master’s Degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State University, after double majoring in occupational therapy and psychology for her undergraduate program. Jennifer has been working with special needs children since 2005 both as a therapist and as a respite care worker. She has experience in working with children across the developmental spectrum and from 1-22 years of age. While Autism has been her primary area of practice she also has hands-on experience in working with children with down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Tourette’s, Dyslexia, ADD/ADHA, sensory processing disorders, mental retardation, and other developmental delays.

Outside of work Jennifer enjoys camping, hiking, cake decorating, outdoor adventures, and spending time with her family.

Languages: English, Spanish, American Sign Language (ASL)

Specialty Areas: Autism, Feeding, Swallowing, and Pediatrics Advanced Certifications: Physical Agent Modalities (PAM), Swallowing (SWC), SPD Pro 1 Certification

Certifications & Continuing Education Jennifer has participated in that are often highly sought after by clients and mentees. Handwriting Without Tears (HWT): Is a nationally recognized handwriting program that helps children gain the skills needed for both print and cursive writing. HWT draws from years of experience and research which helps provide developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory tools and strategies to help children learn the skills for handwriting. Children are taught handwriting skills using interactive materials and activities that help promote the skills needed for handwriting. Visit https://www.lwtears.com/ for more information.

Jennifer has received level 1 certification in this program. Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Solutions: A feeding program that incorporates the principles and practices from multiple disciplines including psychology, pediatrics, occupational therapy, dietetics, and speech-language pathology. The SOS program incorporates sensory, motor, oral, behavioral, learning, medical, and nutritional factors to create a comprehensive program for each child. The SOS program has over 20 years of success for helping infants, children and adolescents learn to eat. For more information visit https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/sos-certification/.

Jennifer has taken beginning and advanced course work in this approach.SCERTS Model: The SCERTS model is a research-based multidisciplinary framework that helps to address many of the problems faced by a person with ASD. The SCERTS model aims to build a child’s skills in “Social Communication”, Emotional Regulation”, and “Transactional Support”. The SCERTS model aims to help children learn and spontaneously react in a variety of settings. To learn more visit their website. The Son-Rise Program for Autism: The Son-Rise program teaches a specific and comprehensive system of autism treatment and education designed to help families and caregivers enable their children to dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication, and skill acquisition. For more information visit https://autismtreatmentcenter.org/.

Jennifer learned this program second hand while providing intensive intervention with a child who’s family received specific training from the options institute.Zones of Regulation Curriculum: The Zones curriculum uses a cognitive-behavioral approach to teach children to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, by managing their sensory needs and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts and share. For more information visit their website at http://www.zonesofregulation.com/learn-more-about-the-zones.html. Jennifer has received first-hand training on this approach by the therapist who developed the curriculum.

Integrated Listening Systems: The iLs system helps to train body/brain integration through a staged approach, starting with the fundamentals of sensory integration and extending through more complex cognitive functions. The iLs program is based on “neuroplasticity” and the fact that the neuronal connections can be improved. For more information on this program visit https://integratedlistening.com/. Jennifer has received certification in the use of iLs for home and clinic use.

STAR Model: The STAR Institue for sensory processing disorders provides treatment, education, and research for children, adolescents and adults with SPD. The STAR Institue provides clinicians with a unique opportunity to receive ongoing education to develop advanced clinical reasoning and treatment skills for individuals with sensory processing.

VitalStim: VitalStim is the only FDA-cleared treatment for NMES (neuromuscular electrical stimulation) treatment for dysphagia. This modality is specifically designed to improve the mechanisms of the swallow. Visit https://www.ciaoseminars.com/home/vitalstim/ for more information. Jennifer is certified to provide treatment using the VitalStim+ system.”

Ms. Shivali
Physical Therapist

Shivali’s journey with kids began over 15 years ago, where she’s been fortunate to witness their incredible growth as a Physical Therapist. After graduating in 2009, she established her own practice in India, nurturing a deep understanding of individual needs and fostering a supportive environment.

Relocating to Virginia in 2013, Shivali embraced new challenges. She thrived in an outpatient Functional Movement based setting, collaborating with Speech, Occupational, Developmental therapists as well as movement aides and assistants to provide a holistic approach to her therapeutic interventions. Her passion for supporting families flourished as an Early Interventionist for Fairfax County, where she valued the importance of natural environments, parental participation and individualized care to support children and their families meet their functional goals. She worked as an Assistive Technology manager to handle all the therapeutic equipment for the county therapists and patients. Shivali brings a wealth of experience to her practice, having dedicated her career to supporting children from infancy through young adulthood. She has a deep understanding of diverse developmental needs, including those facing children with Delayed milestones, Torticollis, Down syndrome, Plagiocephaly, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, ADD, Muscular Dystrophies, Cerebral Palsyand genetic abnormalities. Her approach is multi-faceted, drawing from a range of evidence-based therapies such as Total Motion Release, DIR Floortime, Kinesio Taping, Learning Without Tears to name a few to create personalized treatment plans that foster each child’s unique growth and development.

The summer of 2022 brought the family to sunny California, where Shivali currently dedicates her expertise to supporting children within a school district and with Joy and Laughter.

Beyond the clinic, Shivali cherishes her role as a mother to two vibrant daughters. Together with her husband, they embrace adventures, exploring new parks and hiking trails. A culinary enthusiast, Shivali delights in creating healthy and exciting meals for her family. And for a touch of self-care, she enjoys crafting her own skincare products for her family and friends!
Shivali is thrilled to bring her passion, experience and playful spirit for pediatric therapy to JLD, empowering children to reach their full potential.

Ms. Jennifer
Speech Language Pathologist, Feeding Specialist

Since earning her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Arizona Jennifer has specialized in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders; working in hospitals, clinics and home health settings. For over 10 years she has been evaluating and treating children, newborns to adolescents, with a variety of disorders including, premature birth, autism spectrum disorders, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, tongue and tip tie, cleft lip and palate, organ transplant recipients and medically fragile children. She has transitioned medically fragile infants and children from tube feedings to oral feedings and advised physicians on feeding tube removals. She has completed training in the “Get Permission Approach to Feeding Therapy”, “Beckman Oral Motor Protocol,” and “Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training.” Additionally, she has specialized training in the underlying medical causes of feeding and swallowing disorders and in assembling and working with an interdisciplinary medical team to address often overlooked medical issues. She conducts training with local medical professionals to provide education on pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. She uses a whole-body approach when assessing and treating feeding and swallowing disorders.

Jennifer is a certified infant massage instructor and utilizes these skills to teach family massage techniques that improve parent-child attachment, muscle activation, and digestion. She also enjoys and has experience in providing pediatric speech and language evaluations and therapy to children with a variety of special needs including those who have a tracheostomy tube, are medically fragile, born premature, have developmental delays, autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cognitive disabilities, chromosome abnormalities, drug exposure, tongue thrust, etc. Jennifer has advanced proficiency in American Sign Language and has employed this skill to improve the communication within D/deaf and hard of hearing families and hearing families who want to use a total communication approach. She is TOTS certified as well.

Jennifer and her husband have three young children. They all love riding bikes, hiking, and exploring California together. She is scuba certified and loves traveling back home to Florida to dive in the warm water.