Does your baby seem interested in what you're eating? Is he or she still hungry after regular feedings? Maybe it's time to introduce solid foods. But don't retire those bottles or nursing pillows just yet. Make the transition to solid foods gradually.

Breast milk or formula is the only food your newborn needs. Within four to six months, however, your baby will begin to develop the coordination to move solid food from the front of the mouth to the back for swallowing. At the same time, your baby's head control will improve and he or she will learn to sit with support — essential skills for eating solid foods.

Most babies are ready for solid foods between ages 4 months and 6 months. Look for these cues:

• Can your baby hold his or her head in a steady, upright position?
• Can your baby sit with support?
• Does your baby seem hungry between regular feedings or wake for nighttime feedings after a period of sleeping through the night?
• Is your baby interested in what you're eating?

If you answer no to any of these questions or you have a family history of allergies, you may want to postpone solids for a while.

Continue feeding your baby breast milk or formula as usual. When your baby's doctor says it's OK to begin varying the menu, mix 1 teaspoon of a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal — preferably rice, which is least likely to provoke food allergies — with 4 to 5 teaspoons of breast milk or formula. Even if the cereal barely thickens the liquid, resist the temptation to serve it from a bottle. Instead, help your baby sit upright and offer the cereal with a small spoon once or twice a day.

Some babies eat cereal with gusto right from the start. Others are less enthusiastic. Be patient. If your baby isn't interested, wait a week or two and try again. Remember, your baby isn't used to food with texture.

When your baby gets the hang of swallowing runny cereal, mix it with less liquid. Then gradually introduce pureed fruits, vegetables and other new foods one at a time. Wait at least a week between each new food.

By age 10 months to 12 months, most babies can handle small portions of finely chopped finger foods, including soft cheese, well-cooked pasta, graham crackers and ground meat. After your baby's first birthday, mashed or diced versions of whatever the rest of the family is eating will become the main fare.

You can offer mild juices — preferably the fresh variety with added calcium — when your baby is 6 months old. Limit it to 4 to 6 ounces a day, however, and serve it in a cup. Too much juice may contribute to weight gain and diarrhea, as well as thwart your baby's appetite for more nutritious solid foods. Sipping juice throughout the day or while falling asleep may lead to tooth decay.

Don't offer cow's milk, eggs, citrus or honey before age 1, and don't offer peanuts (including smooth peanut butter), fish or shellfish until age 3. Cow's milk, eggs, peanuts and seafood may trigger an allergic reaction if they're given too soon. Citrus can cause a painful diaper rash, and honey may contain spores that can grow in a baby's intestinal tract and cause botulism.

Don't offer your baby foods that pose a choking hazard, including:

• Small, slippery foods, such as whole grapes, hot dogs and hard candy
• Dry foods that are hard to chew, such as popcorn, raw carrots and nuts
• Sticky or tough foods, such as peanut butter and large pieces of meat
• Foods that may clump together, such as raisins

Also avoid home-prepared spinach, beets, turnips and collard greens, which may contain high levels of potentially harmful compounds from soil (nitrates).

When your baby begins eating solid food, mealtime is sure to become an adventure. Here's help making it more enjoyable — for both you and your baby.

• Stay seated. At first, you may feed your baby in an infant seat or propped on your lap. As soon as your baby can sit easily without support, use a highchair with a broad, stable base. Buckle the safety straps, and keep other children from climbing or hanging on to the highchair.
• Encourage exploration. Your baby is likely to play with his or her food between bites. Although it's messy, hands-on fun helps fuel your baby's development.
• Introduce utensils. Offer your baby a spoon to hold while you feed him or her with another spoon. As your baby's dexterity improves, encourage your baby to dip the spoon in food and bring it to his or her mouth.
• Offer a cup. Feeding your baby breast milk or formula from a cup at mealtime can help pave the way for weaning. Most children can drink from a cup with a lid on their own by age 15 months.
• Dish individual servings. Your baby may eat just a few teaspoons of food at a time. If you feed your baby directly from a jar or container, bacteria and saliva from the spoon can quickly spoil any leftovers.
• Avoid power struggles. If your baby turns away from a certain food, don't push. Simply try again another time.
• Know when to call it quits. When your baby has had enough to eat, he or she may turn away from the spoon, lean backward, or refuse to open his or her mouth. Don't force extra bites. As long as your baby's growth is on target, you can be confident that he or she is getting enough to eat.

Enjoy your baby's sloppy tray, gooey hands and sticky face. You're building the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.