starting solidsfor 6 month old

you might want to do a search as there are loads of threads on this; Basically think of what you (hopefully) ate when you were pregnant, a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, fruits etc with a good source of iron either through meat/chicken/fish or via lentils/supplements etc. You would not have tried to sustain your unborn child (or felt very well yourself) on rice 3 times a day so don't expect that this is a great option for your infant. In the past (because solids were introduced much much earlier) there was a long drawn out process which started with "baby rice" (essentially a multivitamin) and gradually introduced mushy vegetable and fruit purees finally culminating int he addition of meats much further down the track. Some pediatricians and websites still advise this slow process however the major health authorities do not. The WHO, the American Dietetic association and many other major health bodies suggest that there is no evidence to suggest delaying certin foods beyond 6 months reduces allergy risk. They also suggest that animal products (meat and dairy) should be part of a daily diet as soon as solids are started as otherwise you run the risk of replacing high fat-nutirent rich breastmilk or formula with something like pureed apples which just simply doesn't have enough micronuitrients per gram to nourish your child's brain. If you do not want to give meat as an early weaning food then you will need to give a supplement, fortified rice cereal is one way to do this but do keep in mind that since it is pure starch it can lead to discomfort and constipation in many infants, especially formula-fed. The meat content in jars of baby food is generally very low (often less than 5 percent), so you are much better to make your own homemade food/purees. Depending on your baby's motor skills, you may be able to give finger foods (soft strips of cooked vegetables/fruits etc) from the beginning to encourage self-feeding and chewing skills. To be safe, never feed your baby in a reclined position (so not leaning back in a pram or carseat). If they start to gag/choke they should be able to lean forward and cough food out and reclining them prevents this. After a regular milk feed, offer whatever food you have chosen to start with letting your baby indicate whether they want more (turning their head or getting distressed clearly means "no thanks". If you give a puree you can offer it off your finger tip as this is more familiar/less intimidating. eat some yourself so your baby knows it is safe. In the first 2 weeks I started with banana, avocado, apricot, peach, lamb and chicken. Its good to introduce one food every few days so you can easily identify a reaction (allergic or digestive discomfort). For the same reason its best to offer in the morning rather than before bed. I didn't schedule it so much but rather offered food every time I was eating myself, some babies are not very interested but my wee guy very quickly demanded quite large amounts. It doesn't matter if you give fruit before veg or vice versa (studies have shown it makes no difference) but studies have also shown that when a food is paired with a sweet food (eg chicken with peaches) the baby will show a greater preference in the future even without the sweet food.

Hi Nil, I started 3 months ago with apple and then banana(watch out bcuz banana might be allergic for some which wasn't for mine). 1st week I only gave like 1 table spoon and once a day. In the 2nd week I added veggie soup made with potato&carrot. She loved it. I used to give in the morning after 1st milk the apple and in the afternoon the soup. By the end of week 2 I have started giving her also rice cereal. so we had morning rice cereal snack: apple puree lunch: soup! this was the menu until the end of 7 months. Of course she took her milk right after each solid she had. Hope this helps! Good luck1 Selale