Starting solids means gradually introducing a variety of foods to your baby alongside breast milk or infant formula until they are eating the same healthy foods as the rest of the family. Sometimes this is called weaning, introducing solids or complementary feeding.
On this page you will find a range of key messages and lots of helpful resources including our new NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde ‘Starting Solids Show’ videos, designed to help you get started with introducing first foods to your baby. This information will support the Fun First Foods Booklet: An easy guide to introducing solid foods you will receive from your Health Visitor or Family Nurse.
When is your baby ready to start solid foods?
In the first six months babies get all the fluid and nutrients they need from breastmilk or from infant formula. There is no need to introduce any other foods before this time.
Every baby is different but the evidence tells us that babies aged around 6 months old, who show signs of developmental readiness, are ready to begin having solid foods alongside breastmilk or infant formula. The signs of developmental readiness are described below, as per the Fun First Food booklet: • They can stay in a sitting position, they can hold their head steady • They can reach out and grab things accurately; for example, they may look at a toy, pick it up and bring it to their mouth by themselves • If your baby is around six months of age and the signs above are there, you can try offering a spoonful of soft food to see how they cope. For more information, you can check out the Fun First Foods booklet.
Key Messages
Up to around 6 months of age, babies get all the fluid and nutrients they need from breastmilk or infant formula. There is no need to introduce any other foods or drinks before this time.
From around 6 months, your baby will need more nutrients than milk alone can provide such as iron. If breastfeeding, continue to breastfeed alongside solid foods and if formula feeding, continue with first (stage) infant formula milk alongside solids.
If formula feeding, first formula milk (branded “up to 6 months/first stage”) is all your baby needs at any age, unless your Doctor or Health Visitor gives you different advice. There are many different brands and names of formula milk but there is no benefit to using anything other than the first stage milk. Therefore, you can avoid second stage, follow-on, hungrier baby, toddler formula milk, etc. For more information on this topic visit the First Steps Nutrition Trust website.
Cow’s milk (or any other animal milk or non-diary alternative) should not be given to babies as a main drink before they are 12 months of age. However, full fat cow’s milk (or unsweetened non-diary alternatives) can be used in cooking before they are 12 months of age. After that, these can be given as a main drink but it should be full fat and pasteurised and unsweetened. Semi skimmed milk can be used only from 2 years and skimmed from 5 years of age, if child is eating well.
Introduce a cup from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals. Using an open or a free-flow cup (without a valve) will help your baby learn to sip and is better for their teeth. You should receive the free flow cup from the Childsmile programme.
From around 6 months, water straight from the tap is the best drink in addition to baby’s normal milk. Bottled mineral water is not advisable for babies in the UK.
All food and drink should be full fat until 2 years of age. For example, full fat yogurt, cheese, milk (added only to food and cooking before the age of 1).
No salt or foods high in salt should be given to babies. These include processed meats (e.g. bacon, sausage, ham, salami), crisps or foods made with stock cubes/gravies/soya sauce (this is not an exhaustive list).
Babies should not be given honey before 1 year of age as their digestive system is not fully developed.
Starting Solids Show Videos
This is a series of four ‘Starting Solids Show’ videos by one of our Community Dietitians, Rachel. She covers everything you need to know about introducing solids to your baby as well as information on the new Vitamin D product now available.
Starting Solids Show – Getting Started (Part 1)
Starting Solids Show – Practical Tips (Part 2)
Starting Solids Show – All About Textures and Suitable Drinks for Your Baby (Part 3)
Starting Solids Show – More Healthy Meals & Snacks and a Note on Food Safety (Part 4
Starting Solids Show: Cookalong Videos
In these four videos, our community chef, Sandra, shows you how to easily prepare a range of tasty and healthy meals for your baby and the rest of the family. She also gives some information to help you on your starting solids journey and tips how to save money.
Starting Solids Show: Cookalong Videos – Stewed Apple with Apricots
Starting Solids Show – Short Video Recipes
Our community chef, Sandra, shows you how to make quick, tasty and healthy meals for your baby which the rest of the family can enjoy too.
Starting Solids Show – Short Video Recipe – Deliciously Creamy Porridge with Prune
Starting Solids Show – Short Video Recipe – Cottage Pie with Mash
Starting Solids Show: Short Video Recipe – Deliciously Creamy Porridge with Blueberries
Starting Solids Show – Short Video Recipe – Simply Mashed Banana
Everything you will need to get started
It’s going to be fun, but messy, at first so be prepared. You will need some essentials, e.g. a high chair, bib, free flow cup, soft weaning spoons and a plastic bowl. Also useful would be a messy mat and plastic containers and ice cube trays.
All equipment for spoon feeding must be cleaned thoroughly with hot soapy water and dried carefully, or washed in a dishwasher, or can be sterilised, until your baby is six months old.
Did you know?
Some of the shop bought baby foods can be up to 27 times more expensive than their home-made equivalents.
It is advised you never leave your baby unsupervised at mealtimes in case they choke. Please see your Fun First Foods booklet (page 13) for more information on safety and good practice at mealtimes. You can also watch the video below by British Red Cross on what to do if your baby chokes:
First teeth
If your child’s first teeth have not come through yet, it is still important to start them on the path to good oral health. In her video, Fiona, one of our Health Improvement Practitioners gives some tips and advice on how to do this.
Starting Solids Show – First Teeth (Oral Health)
You can also find out more information including teething, caring for your baby’s first teeth and healthy snack ideas on the Childsmile website.
Vitamin D is essential for keeping bones healthy. It is very hard to get vitamin D from foods or the Scottish sunshine alone, so it is important that you follow the Scottish Government recommendations below: • breastfed babies from birth to 1 year of age should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D • formula-fed babies shouldn’t be given a vitamin D supplement until they’re having less than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, as infant formula is fortified with vitamin D • children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D
Vitamin D supplements are now available free of charge for all breastfeeding women and children under 3 years old available at all pharmacies in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area.
Pregnant women and families on low income who have children aged up to three years old might be entitled to Best Start benefits. For more information, please visit:
Starting Solids events are now taking place across some NHSGGC areas: Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Glasgow City HSCP’s. Check out your local social media pages and see blue buttons for details of events:
The following are further information sources on all aspects of introducing solids to your baby and lots more, from premature babies, speech development, infant feeding and oral health to safety:
Premature Babies
The NHSGGC KIDS website provided information on prematurity.
Please note the information for introducing foods to premature babies (pureed food only at this stage) is very different from introducing solids to a baby born at full term and therefore, it only applies to premature babies. For more information on this topic, please see Rachel’s Part 1 video.
Did you know you can access ‘Fun First Foods’ booklet by Pubic Health Scotland in other formats:
Audio version of the ‘Fun First Foods’ booklet by Pubic Health Scotland
And in other languages: Arabic, Farsi, Portuguese, Russian, Vietnamese, Urdu, traditional and simplified Chinese, Polish, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Bengali, Slovak and Romanian.
First Steps Nutrition Trust (FSN) – click on ‘Eating well resources’ then ‘Infants & new mums’ and scroll down to ‘Eating well: the first year A guide to introducing solids and eating well up to baby’s first birthday’. (Please note that in line with the Scottish Government and NHS guidelines, it is recommended to start introducing solids with well mashed (not pureed) foods. Therefore, it is suggested that in place of some of the FSN Trust’s recipe suggestions to blend/purée the food, a well-mashed texture (not blended) is used from around 6 months, increasing the texture with age.) & Infant milks for parents & carers — First Steps Nutrition Trust –information on suitable milks for babies and lots more.
Lots of useful information for parents from Parent Club, Scottish Government
Complementary Feeding fact sheet by British Dietetic Association. Please note that the information on the vitamin supplementation, especially Healthy Start/Vitamin D for Scotland is different.
The most up to date information on Vitamin D can be found here. You will find information on the new free Vitamin D supplements within NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board area (as of July 2021) and lots more on Vitamin D.
Oral Health
Childsmile programme – improving the oral health of children in Scotland, Scottish Government & Public Health Scotland.
Please contact your Health Visitor or Family Nurse if you have any further questions about introducing solids to your baby.
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Those who are breastfeeding and children under 3 years in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde can get free vitamin D supplements.
Why is Vitamin D important?
Vitamin D is needed to support bone and muscle health. Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight. In Scotland, we only get right kind of sunlight for our bodies to make vitamin D from April to September. Our bodies may find it difficult to make vitamin D, for reasons such as, covering up, using sunscreen, how long we spend outside and cloud cover.
From October to March, we are unable to make vitamin D from sunlight and need to find another way to get vitamin D. Food options naturally containing vitamin D is limited which is why we recommend everyone should take a vitamin D supplement, especially during the winter. Vitamin D supplements are available to buy from your local pharmacy and supermarket.
National Recommendations
All those who are pregnant and breastfeeding should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Breastfed babies from birth – 1 year of age should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 – 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Formula-fed babies should not be given a vitamin D supplement until they are having less than 500ml (about 1 pint) of infant formula a day. This is because infant formula contains added vitamin D.
All children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Vitamin D supplements can be collected at your local pharmacy by asking at the counter.
Children vitamin D drops
1 drop a day is all your baby/infant needs.
Directions for use:
1. Shake bottle before use.
2. Squeeze 1 drop onto a clean spoon or to food or drink and offer to infant or toddler.
Vitamin D tablets for those who are breastfeeding
1 bottle contains 120 tablets
Directions for use:
Take 1 tablet per day, with a meal, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner. Swallow with water or a cold drink.
How to access Vitamin D supplements
Pregnant women are provided Healthy Start vitamins containing vitamin C, vitamin D and folic acid at antenatal clinics.
Breastfeeders and breastfed babies will get vitamin D tablets (for breastfeeders) and drops (for baby) on the maternity ward before going home. This provides a 4-month supply. More can be collected for free from your local community pharmacy.
Vitamin D drops for all children under three years old are available for free your local pharmacy. Formula fed babies should not be given vitamin D supplement until they are having less than 500ml (about 1 pint) of infant formula every day. This is because infant formula contains added vitamin D.
For more information, speak to your Midwife, Health Visitor or Pharmacist.
If you are looking for more information Vitamin D and You leaflet covers the benefits of Vitamin D as part of a healthy diet.
Fun First Foods This booklet gives information on the different stages of weaning with tips, advice and recipes.
Starting Solids – this page provides lots of useful information and support on introducing solids (weaning) to your baby.
You might be entitled to Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant. Best Start food is prepaid card that you can use to buy healthy foods for children under 3 years. Best Start Grant are three cash payment; pregnancy and baby, early learning and school aged payments. Visit: www.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods
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This means that we work in a way that removes discrimination, promotes equality of opportunity and fosters good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and people who don’t
Conducting EQIAs is a legal duty for NHSGGC and helps us provide services that are sensitive to inequalities and meet the needs of our diverse community.
If you’ve been asked to undertake an EQIA in your service area you need to book onto a Lead Reviewers training session before starting. Click on the button below for more information and dates.
Please note: NHSGGC’s commitment to equality impact assess services and policies pre-dates The 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012. As a result, some terminology used within earlier assessments may not match current legislative terminology.
Laws are now in place which are designed to protect people from unfair discrimination due to their personal characteristics. Referred to as ‘protected characteristics’, these include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, sex, race, religion & belief and sexual orientation.
‘A Fairer NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’ explains how the organisation will uphold the law by addressing inequalities. This means, for example, making sure that services are working well for everyone and that people are getting information in a way they can understand. The document also covers people’s right not to be discriminated against in the workplace. It includes the organisation’s:
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The following dates are available for 2025 and will take place on MS Teams. To book, simply follow the Webropol link.
Equality Impact Assessments assess all organisational activity – including policy, plans, projects, service delivery and practice – in order to identify actions to address discrimination and promote equality.
Conducting EQIAs is a legal duty for NHSGGC and helps us provide services that are sensitive to inequalities and meet the needs of our diverse community.
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It is the responsibility of NHSGGC staff to arrange interpreting support for patients using any of our healthcare services. It is therefore vital that staff know how to access the support available.
Training includes information on: how to use telephone interpreting; accessing BSL Online interpreting; booking face to face interpreters, requesting translations and direct patient access to telephone interpreting.
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New on Turas Learn – the ‘Equality and Diversity Zone’
NHS Education for Scotland is pleased to announce the launch of the Equality and Diversity Zone on Turas Learn, NHS Education for Scotland’s platform for learning and support resources.
The Equality and Diversity Zone provides information and resources to support people at all levels to develop knowledge and skills in equality, diversity and human rights.
The resources you find here will help you to make your practice, services and workplace more accessible and inclusive, supporting better experience and outcomes.
We host and curate content from NHS Education for Scotland, NHS Boards, and other key partners on a Once for Scotland basis to make these resources as accessible as possible.
In the zone you will find:
information on equality duties, human rights and related tools and topics
a range of educational resources, including eLearning modules, guides and frameworks.
Anyone who works or volunteers in or with the public sector in Scotland (including third/voluntary sector or if you work in care homes, care at home or day care) can sign up for a Turas account. Log in with your Turas account to access eLearning modules and record the eLearning on your personal learning record.
Whether you are a student, support worker, clinician, administrator, project manager or Board member, there will be something for everyone.
Log into the Zone and you will find learning and practice support for:
Augmentative and alternative communication
Making communication even better
Corporate Parenting
Dementia and equality
Deaf awareness
Equal Partners in Care: Carer Aware, Caring Together
Equality, diversity and human rights
Equality impact assessment and planning for equality
Supreme Court Ruling Update – Thursday 17th April 2025
We are currently reviewing our policies in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on 16 April 2025 that ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex.
NHSGGC Transitioning in the Workplace – Guidance for Managers Nov 24 (under review)
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