Final answer:
The first solid food typically introduced to infants is iron-fortified rice cereal, introduced around 6 months of age, due to its gentle nature and nutritional content.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first type of solid food typically introduced to an infant is iron-fortified rice cereal. This is often recommended because it's gentle on the baby's digestive system, has a low risk of causing an allergic reaction, and is fortified with iron, which is important for infant growth and development. Typically, solid foods are introduced around the age of 6 months, when a baby shows signs of readiness, such as being able to sit up with support and showing interest in foods others are eating. The process begins with pureed or semi-liquid foods and gradually transitions to more textured solids as the infant matures.
The diet of newborn infants exclusively consists of human milk, which undergoes changes in composition, like transitioning from foremilk to hindmilk, during a feeding to meet the baby's nutritional requirements. Only after the initial months does the introduction of solid foods take place.