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Starting solids

Introducing solids to your baby can be an exciting milestone for both you and your little one. However, it’s sometimes a daunting task, especially for new parents.

Here’s a general guide to starting solids to help build your confidence as you begin this new phase.

When to introduce solids

When to introduce solids

Experts and the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines recommend introducing solids to your baby when they are around 6 months old.1,2

At this age, your baby’s digestive system is ready to handle solid foods. Your baby also has a greater need for specific nutrients that milk alone may not provide, such as iron.

Signs that your baby is ready for solid foods include:

  • Sitting up without head and back support
  • Showing an interest in the food the rest of the family is eating
  • Keen to explore textured foods without gag reflex reaction
  • Being able to pick up and put food in their mouth
  • Opening their mouth when you offer them a spoonful of food
When to introduce solids

Should you keep breastfeeding or formula feeding while introducing solids?

National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines advise you to continue breastfeeding or formula feeding your baby while introducing solids, until at least 12 months of age.1

Breast milk or formula should still be the main source of nutrition for your baby as you introduce solids. You can gradually reduce the amount of milk they consume as they start to eat a wider variety of solid foods. If formula feeding, follow the feeding guide on the can.

By the time your baby is 12 months old, they should be eating around three meals a day, in addition to breast milk or infant formula.3

Introducing water and cow’s milk

Introducing water and cow’s milk

Introducing water and cow’s milk

Once your baby is 6 months old, you can introduce small amounts of water, on top of their regular formula or breast milk. This is more for practice than for hydration. Offer your baby cooled, boiled water in a cup or sippy cup, rather than a bottle.3

Cow’s milk does not have the right blend of nutrients for babies under 12 months. It cannot be used as a replacement for breast milk or formula until your baby is 12 months.4

From around 8 months onward, you can include cow’s milk as an ingredient with some of the foods you prepare for your little one, and you can offer dairy products such a cheese or yoghurts.4

How to start incorporating solids into a baby’s feeding routine

Introduce solids to your baby gradually, one food at a time. This can help you discover possible food allergies. Start with foods that are rich in iron, such as iron-fortified rice cereal.

Here are some tips to get started:1,5

  • Start with a small amount of smooth food, such as a teaspoonful of rice cereal, and gradually increase the quantity as your baby gets used to eating solids.
  • Offer single-ingredient foods, such as finely mashed banana or sweet potato, to help you work out any possible food allergies.
  • Avoid adding salt, sugar, honey, or spices to your baby’s food.
  • As they adjust to eating solids, offer a variety of flavours and textures, such as mashed, pureed, small chunky and finger foods, to help develop their oral motor skills.

What if your baby has feeding problems?

Babies with feeding problems such as food allergies or lactose intolerance may have trouble tolerating certain solid foods. It’s possible these foods could further impact their condition.1

It’s best to talk with a healthcare professional about what kinds of foods work best for babies who have feeding problems.

feeding problems

Introducing food allergens

It’s always best to check with your healthcare professional before introducing foods that can cause an allergic reaction.

Allergy specialists recommend that you introduce food allergens from around 6 months (not before 4 months) and before 12 months of age. This may decrease the risk of your child developing an allergy to certain foods.5

Try introducing small amounts of food that might cause allergies — such as peanuts, eggs, soy and fish — one at a time. You can start by applying a small quantity on the inner lip to observe possible reactions to that specific food. It’s good to try the new solid foods during the day, rather than at night, so you can watch your child and respond if they have an allergic reaction.5

If your family and baby has a history of food allergies (such as cow’s milk protein allergy), you should be cautious when transitioning to solids and introducing new foods. Talk with your healthcare professional for more advice.

  1. Infant Feeding Guidelines: information for health workers. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Published 2012. Accessed Oct 2024. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/infant-feeding-guidelines-information-health-workers
  2. Infant and young child feeding. World Health Organization. Published 2021. Accessed Oct 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding
  3. Introducing solids: why, when, what & how. Raising Children Network. Published 2023. Accessed Oct 2024.https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/breastfeeding-bottle-feeding-solids/solids-drinks/introducing-solids
  4. Introducing solid foods for babies. Better Health Channel. Published 2021. Accessed Oct 2024. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/eating-tips-for-babies
  5. Infant Feeding and Allergy Prevention. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). Published 2023. Accessed Oct 2024. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/infant-feeding-and-allergy-prevention
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Welcome to NovaNutrition

Please take a moment to read this important message.

If you are able to breastfeed, breastfeeding is best for babies. Breastfeeding has many benefits, such as protecting your baby from infection while their immune system develops. It is important that you eat a healthy, balanced diet in preparation for and during breastfeeding.

Infant formula is designed to replace breast milk when an infant is not breastfed. Combining breast and bottle feeding in your baby’s first weeks of life may reduce your supply of breast milk and reversing a decision not to breastfeed is difficult. The social and financial implications of using infant formula should be considered when choosing a method of feeding.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when preparing and using infant formula, including proper sterilisation of bottles and using boiled water. Improper use of an infant formula may make your baby ill.

We recommend that you consult your doctor, midwife, or health care professional for advice about feeding your baby.

Hydroxyzine In Australia: Your Complete Guide To Getting Relief (Without The Hype). Visit Our Pharmacy ↓


Hydroxyzine in Australia: A Doctor’s Review of a Time-Tested Prescription Antihistamine for Itch, Rash, and Sleep

Written for Australians over 30 who are tired of itching, hives, and broken sleep.

Disclaimer: This review is educational only. Hydroxyzine is a prescription-only medicine in Australia. Always consult your GP or specialist before starting or changing any medication.

1. Attention: The Itch That Will Not Quit

If you are over 30 and have ever lain awake at 2 a.m. with your skin crawling, hives flaring after a shower, stress, or a change in temperature, you know how much it steals. Lost sleep, irritability, poor focus at work, embarrassment at the gym or in social settings — chronic itch and hives are not minor problems. Many Australians try non-drowsy antihistamines, moisturisers, steroid creams, and dietary changes, yet the itch returns night after night.

Hydroxyzine is an older prescription antihistamine that many Australian doctors still turn to because it does two jobs at once: it blocks histamine at the skin level and calms the central nervous system. For the right patient, that “side effect” of drowsiness becomes the exact benefit needed to break the itch-scratch cycle and finally sleep through the night.

2. Interest: What Hydroxyzine Is and How It Works

Hydroxyzine belongs to the first-generation antihistamine class. It works by blocking H1 histamine receptors, so histamine released during allergic reactions cannot trigger as much itch, redness, and swelling. Because hydroxyzine crosses into the brain, it also has sedating and mild anti-anxiety properties. This makes it especially useful when itching, rash, or allergic symptoms are made worse by stress or are disrupting sleep.

In Australia, hydroxyzine is a Schedule 4 prescription-only medicine. It is usually dispensed as hydroxyzine hydrochloride 10 mg or 25 mg tablets. It is not currently listed on the PBS for general use, so it is usually written as a private prescription. In practice, the private cost is often modest, and many patients find the added sedation and itch control worth it.

Hydroxyzine in Australia: practical uses and doctor’s notes
Topic Why hydroxyzine helps What it means for you
Itching (pruritus) Blocks H1 receptors in the skin, reducing the effect of histamine Strong relief for hives, eczema, contact dermatitis, and generalised itch; sedating effect helps stop night-time scratching
Skin rash Reduces histamine-driven redness, swelling, and itch Useful for urticaria and allergic rashes; often combined with a non-sedating antihistamine in the day and hydroxyzine at night
Desensitisation in Australia May be used before allergen immunotherapy as pre-medication to reduce local or mild systemic reactions Australian allergy clinics may advise it before injections; follow your specialist’s protocol
Anaphylaxis management in Australia Adjunct only, for skin symptoms after adrenaline Adrenaline (EpiPen) is always first-line; hydroxyzine can help settle hives but never replaces adrenaline
Breastfeeding in Australia Low transfer into breast milk, but may cause sedation in infant Can be used short-term at the lowest effective dose under GP or obstetric advice; monitor baby for drowsiness
Periodic limb movement in Australia Sedation and histamine modulation may reduce sleep disruption and arousal Off-label but sometimes useful when itch or restlessness disturbs sleep; discuss with your GP or sleep physician
PBS listing in Australia Not generally PBS-listed; private prescription required Cost is moderate; generic hydroxyzine is available at most Australian pharmacies

3. Desire: Why Australian Patients Over 30 Ask for Hydroxyzine

Hydroxyzine for itching in Australia

Itch is one of the most exhausting symptoms a person can experience. It interferes with sleep, concentration, mood, and even relationships. For many Australians over 30, non-drowsy antihistamines such as loratadine or cetirizine simply do not control severe itching. Hydroxyzine offers a stronger, centrally acting option. By reducing itch at night, it also reduces scratching, which lowers the risk of broken skin, infection, and scarring.

Hydroxyzine skin rash in Australia

Skin rashes caused by histamine release — such as urticaria, dermographism, or allergic contact dermatitis — can respond well to hydroxyzine. Many Australian GPs prescribe a non-sedating antihistamine for daytime control and hydroxyzine at night to settle the skin while you sleep. This combination often helps patients feel more comfortable and less self-conscious during the day.

Hydroxyzine and periodic limb movement in Australia

If you have periodic limb movements, restless legs, or jerky movements at night that fragment your sleep, and itching or urticaria is part of the picture, hydroxyzine’s sedating properties can reduce arousals and improve sleep continuity. It is not a first-line treatment for primary periodic limb movement disorder, but it may help where histamine-driven itch or skin discomfort is worsening sleep. Some Australian sleep physicians and GPs consider it as an off-label option in selected patients.

Hydroxyzine and desensitization in Australia

Australian allergy specialists sometimes use hydroxyzine before subcutaneous immunotherapy (desensitisation) to reduce large local reactions or mild systemic symptoms. However, premedication must only be used under specialist instruction, because it may mask early warning signs of a more serious reaction. If you are undergoing desensitisation, ask your treating allergy team whether hydroxyzine is appropriate for you.

Hydroxyzine and anaphylaxis management in Australia

In anaphylaxis, adrenaline is the only life-saving treatment. Australian guidelines clearly state that antihistamines such as hydroxyzine do not treat airway swelling or low blood pressure. Hydroxyzine may be used as an adjunct after adrenaline has been given, to help relieve skin itch and hives. It must never delay adrenaline administration. This is an important safety point, but it also shows that hydroxyzine can play a supportive role in allergy care when used correctly.

Hydroxyzine and breastfeeding in Australia

Many Australian doctors consider short-term, low-dose hydroxyzine acceptable during breastfeeding when the benefit outweighs the risk. Hydroxyzine passes into breast milk in small amounts and may cause sedation in the infant. If you are breastfeeding, your GP may recommend the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time and ask you to monitor your baby for unusual sleepiness, poor feeding, or lethargy. Always coordinate with your GP, obstetrician, or maternal and child health nurse.

Hydroxyzine PBS listing in Australia

Hydroxyzine is not currently listed on the PBS for general use. This means you will usually need a private prescription. The good news is that generic hydroxyzine is widely available, and many Australian pharmacies dispense it at a modest private cost. Ask your pharmacist for a price quote — many patients are pleasantly surprised that a medicine this effective is still affordable.

Hydroxyzine overdose symptoms in Australia

Hydroxyzine is safe when used as prescribed, but understanding the signs of overdose helps you use it confidently and responsibly. Overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, confusion, rapid heart rate, dry flushed skin, dilated pupils, difficulty passing urine, hallucinations, or seizures. If you suspect an overdose, call 000 or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 immediately. Keep the medicine out of reach of children and never share it with others.

4. Action: How to Get Hydroxyzine Safely in Australia

If you are tired of itching, hives, or sleep disruption, book a GP appointment. Before you go, note your symptoms, triggers, what you have tried, and how your sleep and mood are affected. Then ask your GP directly: “Is hydroxyzine a suitable option for my itch, rash, or sleep?”

Your doctor can assess your history, check for contraindications such as glaucoma, urinary retention, or heart rhythm concerns, and write a private prescription if appropriate. For many Australians over 30, this one conversation leads to the first full night of sleep they have had in months.

Your action plan for discussing hydroxyzine with your GP
Step What to do
1 Book a GP or telehealth appointment
2 Write down your symptoms: itch, rash, hives, sleep disruption, night-time scratching, anxiety
3 List the antihistamines or creams you have already tried
4 Ask about hydroxyzine by name
5 Get a private prescription and ask your pharmacist about sedation, timing, and price


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