You’re getting ready to give baby’s first solids… congrats! This is no doubt a huge milestone, one that comes with a lot of anticipation and excitement. I remember with my first daughter, I had so many questions about starting her first solids. When do I start? What should I give her? Should I try baby-led weaning or not? We just introduced solids to my second little one, who’s about 6 months old, and I admit this time around was a lot less stressful. This time, I had a good feel for what works, what doesn’t work, what to avoid, and how to make the experience wonderful for everyone.

No doubt, you’ve searched Pinterest and read tons of articles about the right way to start solids. I’ll be honest, the first time around, I was so anxious to follow all the rules and do everything by the book. We focused a lot on baby-led weaning, and tried to let Naomi feed herself a lot of the time. What works for one baby may not work for another, even siblings. There are so many different recommendations from doctors too, even when it comes to what age to start solids. So it’s important to talk to your own doctor and see what’s best for your little one.

As we progress through solids with Tova, I know that what’s going to be best is to follow her cues and see what she’s comfortable with. There are so many RIGHT ways to try baby’s first solids. So here are some things to think about before your baby tries food. I know it helped me to consider these things:

** DISCLAIMER: This is just what worked for us. Consult with your pediatrician before starting solid foods and discuss any potential allergens.

1. Look for signs of readiness. Is your baby reaching for food? Staring curiously at your food when you eat? Is she holding her head up and sitting up well? These are all signs of readiness. We knew Tova was ready because every time we ate, she’d get this cute stare on her face, completely fascinated by our food. Sure enough, when she took her first bite, she devoured it. She still struggles with pushing the food out of her mouth with her tongue, but that’s a normal baby reflex that eventually goes away.

2. Make sure baby is healthy and not that hungry when you start. We planned to start Tova at 6 months, but she got a terrible cold that lasted two full weeks. In that two weeks, she could barely breathe and wasn’t really taking bottles. I didn’t think it was a great time to start, so we put it off, even though we were excited. I also like to feed her when she’s already had at least most of her milk, since she’s not really getting nutrients from the food anyway. It’s just for practice and to get her used to eating, so I don’t want her to feel angry or frustrated when the food falls out of her mouth, which it tends to do.

3. Give healthy, whole foods. People sometimes roll their eyes at me when I say I make my own baby food, but honestly, it’s just as easy and much cheaper, especially at this age, when they’re not really eating anything but simple one-ingredient meals. If I’m making sweet potatoes for the rest of us, I put an extra in the oven, blend it up and put it in ice cube trays. I started my first daughter with avocado, and my second with sweet potato. Both are great options for baby’s first solids, as are butternut squash, oatmeal, and apple. Here’s a great printable of foods to give and at what age.

4. Have the right gear. It’s so important to have a comfortable, safe high chair for baby. I have been using Babybjörn products since my first daughter was starting solids, so I was really excited to receive the new Babybjörn high chair and matching plates, spoons, cubs and bibs for Tova. There are a few reasons why I love this high chair. It’s got a sleek design that blends in with the rest of our home, and folds up completely so it’s easy to put away. It’s actually table height, which I wasn’t sure about at first, but turned out to be perfect. Tova can eat dinner with us at the table; I can easily feed her and myself at the same time. It has no fabric on it, so it’s really easy to clean. The utensils and bibs are awesome too, and so easy to clean. Plastic bibs like these are a must for baby’s first solids. Everything is food safe and BPA-free, so you know they’re safe for baby.

I know Tova’s going to continue to love her Babybjörn high chair and grow into it over time. She’s been loving sweet potatoes for the last week, and I’m excited to see how she likes carrots next! What was your baby’s first solid food?