Australian infant feeding guidance recommends introducing solid foods at around six months, not before four months, alongside continued milk feeds. But the calendar is only half the story. What matters just as much is whether your baby is physically ready to sit and eat.
The three readiness signs
1. Steady head and neck control. Your baby can hold their head upright and stable without it bobbing. This is the non-negotiable. It's also the minimum requirement for using the Hannie Portable High Chair, which is why we say "from around 6 months, once they have sufficient head and neck control" rather than a hard date.
2. Sitting with support. They don't need to sit unaided for long stretches, but they should sit stably when supported. That's exactly the support the Reversible Cushion and its Back Plate Support are designed to give in the first months of mealtimes.
3. Genuine interest in your food. Reaching for your plate, opening their mouth when a spoon approaches, watching every forkful travel from plate to mouth. That fascination is the engine of learning to eat.
Why the seat matters more than the spoon
An upright, well-supported seating position isn't a comfort feature, it's a safety one. Eating while slumped or reclined makes managing food in the mouth harder. A seat that holds your baby upright at the family table, with feet and trunk supported, sets up every meal that follows.
It's also social. Babies learn to eat largely by watching people they love eat. A seat at the actual table, rather than a satellite position beside it, means your baby is part of the meal, not an audience to it.
The practical checklist
- Around six months old, with steady head control
- Sits well when supported upright
- Actively interested in food
- Harness on, every single time, even for a 90-second snack
- An adult within arm's reach, always
If you're unsure whether your baby is ready, your child health nurse or GP is the right person to ask. Every baby's timeline is a little different.