Order in Which to Start Solids

Veggies before fruits made sense to me. If you give fruits first they will be less likely to like the veggies, or so it seems to me. One thing my doc said to do was introduce one veggie every five days or so that way if there is some type of reaction or sensitivity you can isolate what it was. Good luck to you!

Hi,
I am going through the same thing right now. My sister has 3 children (3,5 & 6) and she just gave me a book by Annabel Karmel...it is called "First Meals" It talks all about allergies, what foods to start and essential nutrition...ect. It is helpful for not only for first feedings but has info for todler years as well. I really like that book a lot!!! It says to start the first week with potatoes. I guess root vegetables are good to start with and you don't want to start with something sweet. I am going to start my 6 month old daughter next week on potatoes...I am super excited. Good luck to you!

I started with the vegetables and rice cereal first because the rice is easier to digest and the vegetables don't taste as good as the fruit. After my kids were use to these then i moved to oatmeal cereal and fruits. I did meats last. And I prefered grinding up my own meat to the baby food meat because it tasted better. It was at this point that I began just grinding up what we were eating for dinner and giving that to them. This cut down on the amount of baby food I had to buy.

Sometimes the old ways are still the best. I did with my son what my mom did with me. Start with rice cereal. I mixed it with formula because breast milk made it too watery. Then I did green and orange veggies, introducing them one at a time every 4-7 days to make sure there were no allergies. Then I introduced fruits with the same timetable. The logic behind introducing veggies before fruits is to prevent your baby from developing a sweet tooth and rejecting the veggies. It worked well because at age 9 my son loves almost all vegetables, especially broccoli. Ninety percent of the time he eats his vegetables first at dinner. Yes, he does eat sweets now; but they're not such a big deal to him.

If you want to make your own baby food, start with softer veggies like sweet potatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini. Peas and carrots are also easy to mash up.

You sound kinda like me. I also had a natural home birth and am breastfeeding. My son was strictly breastfeed until 9 months old, then I started introducing veggies, but he was almost strictly breastfeed until 1 year old. At 9 months he got to taste different veggies, but he never ate enough that it would offer him nutrition, it was more for the experience. I bought one of those baby food grinders to do it myself and I have to say I only used it a couple times. I found that the organic baby food is almost always on sale for $.60-.70 a jar and that would last 3-4 feedings. The organic baby food has no preservatives and if you look at the ingredients they are strictly fruits and veggies, occasionally ascorbic acid but that's just vitamin C so that's great. One different veggie every 4-7 days so you know, if he has an allergic reaction what it's to, then around 11 months I started fruits. I never did meat babyfood that always seemed gross to me, plus the way the babies body is they shouldn't have to digest meat until they can chew it anyways. By the time my son was a year (he actually had a full mouth of teeth well before that, but I waited until a year) I intruduced small bits of chicken and eventually other meat. He's now 15 months and eats almost anything we eat and doesn't like baby food anymore. It's just not interesting to him anymore, he'd rather eat the real fruits and veggies. He's still breastfeeding at night and around naptime and any other time he wants but he's finally eating 3 meals (small, but still meals) a day.

Hi Jasmin,

We waited until 6 months to introduce food to our little bundle of joy because we wanted her to have breast milk for as long as possible because I'd heard that she might wean herself too quickly if we introduced food too early. But she was always trying to grab what we were eating, so she seemed ready! We started with avocado, sweet potato, rice cereal, I think in that order, then other fruits and veggies (whatever organic produce we could find that looked fresh and tasty). I don't think the fruits first caused her to not like her veggies, for a while she just loved zucchini! We live in Italy in an international community where there are people from all over the world. Which food is introduced first is really cultural. In Italy everyone does raw, grated apple and pear first. I don't believe it makes a difference which is the actual first food, I think they are learning the mechanics of eating at first more than eating for nutrition anyway. It seems like some kind of fruit or grain cereal is what most cultures introduces first. And here no one worries about iron like in the U.S. for breast fed babies (we discussed this with our pediatrician). But do wait 5 days or so before introducing each new food in case one food is bothering your baby so you'll know which one it is. Also, our 8-month + one week baby girl isn't so interested in her food anymore but is still breast feeding all the time. I'm not sure if that's normal (hoping someone will write back to my query!), but that's our experience so far. Oh, enjoy that first meal and make sure to take photos or video. It was really messy, but so cute. I got all choked up seeing our little baby taking such a huge developmental step -- they grow so quickly! :)

Oh, and here's a site you might want to check out:
www.wholesomebabyfood.com

I agree, there are so many mixed opinions as to what to feed and when. I have heard babies dont have the enzymes to digest any complex carb before the age of one. That seemed a little extreme to me. Anyway I too was confused. My main advice is to wait until he is undoubtedly showing signs of readiness. Personally I believe the longer you wait the better. Your ped. will have his/her own opinion about it too, and will make sure you know it.
For me, I took all the information I had gathered and made my own call as to what and when. I was reluctant to do "cereal" because of the whole issue with gluten. I read a study about the rise in gluten intolerance today and the link between our high sugar/simple carb diet. And another that suggested waiting longer than the magical 6 month mark most literature and peds advise. I also was concerned that my little guy wasnt getting enough iron since he was exclusively breastfed and I couldn't find a natural/organic liquid vitamin with iron for him.
I fed him at 8 mos. His first food actually was avacado, then brown rice cereal (i use Earths best it's gluten free), sweet potatoes and then I used alot of Earths Best chicken and sweet potatoes baby food. I felt better knowing he was getting some meat, to make up for the lack of iron in breastmilk. The book I found invaluable, Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. Good luck!

From a resource perspective, obviously the more natural & fresh you can go, the better. There are tons of books out there that provide suggestions for doing this. It all depends on your time and inclination. Mine were preemie, so we had them on rice cereal from day one to help with weight and reflux, but if that had not been the case, I probably would have introduced oatmeal instead (whole grains are better obviously, for the digestion.)

When to introduce -- breast feed as long as possible, I don't think we introduced food until 6 or 7 months. (Other than the rice cereal and that was in their bottles.)

As far as what to introduce... My doctor recommended moving from least sweet to most sweet just b/c as children's taste bud's evolve, they will definately be drawn to sweeter things and will not form a "taste" for things that are NOT sweet. So we started with veggies like green beans and squash and then moved to sweeter veggies and finally fruits. I never introduced meat in a baby food form (it kind of grossed me out). To this day they are not big meat eaters but are still really good about eating their veggies (They are 5 now). So there may be some truth to this philosophy. As you introduce more things and stop breastfeeding, you'll want to provide a variety of colors, which helps to ensure balanced nutrients.

hmm i would say ask your babies pediatrician. my babies dr said to start rice cereal at 4mo, then introduce fruits and vegies at 5mo, and meats at 6mo. you start with rice cereal because its a food that shouldnt cause an allergic reaction. then you spred out from there with barley, oat meal, mix grain. what i did when i started fruits and vegies with my baby was i mixed 1/2 of a stage 1 cup of food into some rice cereal (so she was getting something familiar) until she was accustomed to the new food. i would reccamend that yu start with a cereal first and let him eat that for a month and then got to a fruit or vegie because the change to solids can make him gassy and constipated. also like i mentioned before talk to his pediatrician and she what they say is the best food to start them out on at that age. good luck!

Good questions, a lot of answers and there is a lot of bad information out there to unfortunately redirect us mamas the wrong way.
I made a lot of mistakes with my first son, who now had a wheat allergy because of it, even with my extensive training and 2 dietetic degrees! I wouldn't count on your pediatrician who get maybe 1 nutrition class, that being said.
Grains in general are not good for babies (or humans, to be truthful, unless the grain is ground and made into bread and consumed that very day because wheat germ goes rancid and loses its good qualities w/i 3-5 hours of being ground, but that's a whole nother story!) Babies don't even make enough enzymes to consume them properly, which is why they can lead to allergies later in life if introduced too quickly. This is why many babies stay satiated longer-they can't digest them well! My 3 year old now gets diarrhea whenever he has wheat products-and he was breastfed until he was 3! SO I speak from that heart, not to discourage and moms out there who have done it differently, as I myself made plenty of mistakes before finding out better info.
Here's a website that I trust that has a great article on introducing solids:
http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/86/1/Intr...

Here's a few quotes that I find shocking and yet believable:
*why baby food jars may not be the best way to feed infants, even if it's organic: Baby food jars contain a substance known to cause cancer, liver damage, and genetic modifications. The chemical, called semicarbazide, is found in the plastic sealing gaskets of glass jars with metal lids.
*why avoiding grains until 1 year is best: Grains are too complex, and the early introduction of grains is associated with later development of allergies and the formation of autoantibodies associated with diabetes.
*benefits of egg yolks:Feeding your baby one egg yolk every day from the age of five or six months will provide these (omega 3) essential nutrients, as well as vitamin A and amino acids.
*first foods: The first foods for babies, other than breast milk or formula, should be cooked fruits and vegetables and mashed bananas. These simple carbohydrates are the easiest foods for your baby to digest. The enzymes that break down solid foods develop slowly. Start with very simple carbohydrates and gradually introduce more complex carbohydrates and proteins later.

He also recommends a book previously mentioned in a post with this caveat: Several excellent books provide detailed instructions for home preparation of foods for children aged 5 months to 3 years, Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron being one of the best. I agree with most of her methods except for the use of microwaves, a certain hypervigilance about microbes, and the early introduction of cereals.
Good luck with your very important decisions! I have a 7 month old myself who has been getting egg yolks, steamed beet greens, banana, and these powdery supplements made out of bone meal that he absolutely loves (i mix w/ breast milk or water), that is great for teeth and bone development. It is by a company called Standard Process, one of the best out there, but not sold at stores, only through licensed practitioners (i.e., DCs, NDs, RDs, and others). Let me know if you are interested but can't find a local practitioner and I can see if I can refer you or order you some. Have a good day!
Cheers,
J.
____@____.com

Its actually a good idea to start with meats because by now baby needs the iron. Iron fortified cereals are also a good beginning. I don't think it really matters what you introduce first as long as you start with one-ingredient meals, so you can identify food allergies. A new food every three to five days is generally what most people do. Beginning vegetables before fruit is a good idea because kids will naturally prefer the sweeter fruits and may reject the vegetables if you offer fruits first. One of my daycare kiddos does not like fruits at all I think because we waited so long to introduce them. In some ways its good because he will probably always be a healthy eater, but I think fruit is also an important part of our diet.

Have fun!
~N.

Usually a baby is started with "single grain" rice cereal...then another kind of grain, then mixed grains cereal etc., s-l-o-w-l-y building up to different grains. Then, start with an "orange" or "green" vegetable first. Yes, sweets can wait. I didn't give my children anything sweet, fruit or otherwise until way after 1 years old.

There are different approaches. Just keep in mind, that a baby's digestive system and intestines are STILL developing, and is still developing for most of the first year of life. FOR THIS REASON, I would NOT give a baby meats yet. My Pediatrician does not recommend giving meats until after 1 years old. (that means baby food or otherwise).

Remember also, that there are certain foods you must NOT give a baby until AFTER 1 YEAR OLD...these include: egg whites (which is too concentrated of a protein for a baby and it will overload the kidney's), citrus, citrus juice, honey, tree nuts and peanuts, seafood, shell fish, peanut butter, processed foods/meats. The reason for this is that these foods can wreak havoc on a baby's body, and/or cause allergies since their internal organs are still developing. You really need to ask your Pediatrician.

Remember also, for the first year of life, a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition, comes from breastmilk or formula.

When starting solids, I would suggest that you nurse first...wait a few minutes, then give solids. If you give solids first, this is usually done to "wean" from breast, and it will affect your production as well.

Give each "new" food one at a time, and for at least 1 week. That way, you can evaluate if your baby has adverse reactions to a particular food. ie: allergies. THEN, introduce another "new" food, for at least a week. SLOWLY build up and take note of what foods he had already and "passed" fine. For me, I gave each new food to my children for 1 month, before I switched to a "new" food.

Start with 1 "meal" first...they will only take a few tablespoons. That's normal. A baby's tummy is tiny. Then, over time...(they say each month) introduce another "meal"....and then slowly, they will have 3-meals per day. But don't do it all of a sudden....their system has to adjust etc.

Anyway, ask your Pediatrician....each doctor has their own approach/philosophy about it...some more conservative some more liberal. With foods, for me, I prefer not rushing it. I rather give my baby's system time to adjust over time...it's not just about giving them a food "party" of tastes all the time and for our own excitement...but to let their body develop properly.

Take care, and you'll be fine,
~SUsan

hi Jasmin
I am a clinical nutritionist and specialize in infant care. Please, please do not listen to the idiots who tell you to put your baby on rice cereal first! this leads to lots of digestive troubles and candida issues not to mention potential allergies. second, while Dr. Sears is a great pediatrician he is not a clinical nutritionist - I have seen far too many children start with fruits and then not eat vegetables when introduced because they are not sweet like breast milk or fruit. Low allergy veggies such as green beans or even peas are a great way to start. I personally test all the infants for allergies through non-invasive testing to determine which foods they are ready to start with. if you would like I can send you an article that I believe is a good common sense guideline for starting with solids. If interested just send a reply.
K.

I breastfead my daughter for fifteen months.I started her on cereal at five months and veggies at six months.The fruit was the next thing, but i always gave the veggies first. She is now 2.5 will be 3 in august. She likes all kinds of veggies, and asked for salmon. Good luck, K.

We always started at 4 months (that's what our pediatrician told me to do). We started with rice cereal. After about a week we'd introduce oatmeal. Once we knew that our babies were tolerating cereal, we'd introduce vegetables. Start with yellows/oranges and then greens. Start fruits after your baby has tried all of the veggies. We always started with "colorless" fruits first like applesauce, bananas and pears, then added orange fruits like peaches, etc. Finally, add meat. We always started with chicken and turkey and then added ham and beef. Happy eating. It's so much fun to watch a baby enjoy their first bites of food. :)

I've always done the following. Rice cereal first, then fruits, veggies then meats. After about 2 month or so on rice cereal I start to give her oatmeal. Wait a few days between trying new foods to make sure not allergies, etc are an isses. When I started the veggies I made sure my kids would eat that first then the fruits as a "dessert". Some people alternate back and fourth during the feedings but I like to hold off on the the fruits until the veggies are eaten hoping this will make for good eating habits. Good luck. Do what is best for you and your baby.

both of my children (daughter 2.5yrs, son 8 mos) started solids around 4 months (rice cereal, then other grains; then pureed fruits/veggies alternating)--both were big babies (girl was 10.8lbs at birth, boy is 21lbs already) and very active, both are great eaters and solids did not significantly impact their breastfeeding. have confidence and you'll do great!

what worked best for us was a tweak on the sears method. we did rice cereal first, then moved to peas and sweet potatoes. Then carrots and after carrots, we started fruits.

I've heard to wait till they show an interest in food and can't be distracted with something else. then, give them smushed up parts of what you are eating. bananas, avocados, squash are good first foods. I can't wait to see the other responses tho...its been so long since dd was this age that I need ideas too! lol

Hi Jasmin,

I breast feed too...my daughter is 11 months old and eating lots of solids and doing well. My doctor said to start her off with cereal..rice, barley, oatmeal etc..then to do veggies..the reason for this is so they don't develop a sweet tooth first and turn veggies down when it's introduced to them later. After veggies then do fruits, meats and by the time he is 7 months you can do yogurt and later do cheese....My doctor always said wait 5 days before introducing a new food to make sure there is no allergic reaction. Hope this helps.

Jasmin,

I'm a breastfeeder too. I started with veggies, then fruits, added cereal around 8-9 months and meat at some point after that. Both of my kids lost interested in purees before they turned 1 and just ate table food from that point on (cooked soft and/or cut into little pieces). I don't think there is any "right" or "wrong" way to introduce solids (as long as you don't have a family history of food allergies!). The human race survived for a really long time before Gerber started putting purees in glass jars!

:-)T.

Jasmin,
I think fruits or vegetables are fine. I would wait on grains and do the rice later. Grains are harder to digest than fruits and veggies. We started our baby on banana then sweet potato, apples (cooked down with water), peas, pears, potato, avocado ...we alternated a fruit then a veggie, waiting 4 days in between to check for reactions. Our baby eats every veggie and fruit we give him now! Then after 1.5 months of veggies and fruits we introduced rice cereal and then oatmeal and millet. He doesn't do any wheat products and only just started some gluten containing grains at 10 months (Barley). There are a number of books out there. Do what your gut tells you!
D.

Cathe Olson "Simply Natural Baby Food"

http://www.simplynaturalbooks.com/bkdes.html

There is so much advice out there that it can be overwhelming. In the end, follow your instinct and do what feels right for you and your son. Good luck.

I started with rice cereal, and one by one introduced all the grains to rule out allergies (very prominent in my husband's and my family). Then moved on to veggies, starches, then fruit. My breastmilk was the only sweet he received until about a year old. To this day he likes his carrots, apples, and bananas daily. I breastfed 'til he was a little over 2.5 years old.

Hi Jasmin. . . .

Isn't it so hard to figure what to do?!? I think you're doing the best choice by breast-feeding first. That's wonderful. Your son will get all he needs from you to sustain him and that's so important.

I really found "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron very helpful. As with anything take the parts that work for you and gleam from any source possible. This book was awesome at telling you good option and when to start.

I took the book's advice and my daughter's first food at 6 months was AVOCADO. No rice cereal for our family. She ate vegetables and fruits along with some oatmeal and yogurt later on until she was a year old, then we introduced meat once she had all her teeth and her digestive system was in-tact.

To this day she still eats an avocado almost every day.

Hope that helps!

Hello! I have an 8 month old and have recently gone through the beginning stages of feeding. She actually started at 4 months due to her large size. I was told many things just like you but my doctor recommended starting with rice cereal and then the orangy vegetables first. They're kinda in the middle as far as taste between a sweet fruit and a more yucky green vegetable. This worked great for us. At first we just did one meal per day and that was for dinner. We did cereal for 3-4 days and then carrots and on to squash. Each at 3-4 days to test for food allergies. This worked great. We then would do a green vegeatble and then a fruit and continuously alternate. A few months later we introduced the meats. With which ever order you decide to go with I do not recommend doing the meats first. They're too dry and shreaded that they're a little harder than the pureed foods. I had to keep giving her milk inbetween each couple of bites to wash it down. Regardless of which food you start with in the beginning it also seems like they don't like it just because they have to still learn to use there tongue to push back and swallow. Well, hope this helps!!

Yes, everyone's saying rice cereal b/c they're right. You want to get a rice cereal that's iron fortified. The reason that it's strongly suggested to feed baby rice cereal at 6 months is b/c your reserve supply of iron - that you built up during your pregnancy - is now either gone or almost gone from your breast milk. Baby needs iron cuz he's growing so fast and is making more blood for his sweet self. So get the rice cereal just make sure it's iron fortified. I got some good organic stuff and Henry's, Clark's has it too. Next I'd do mellow vegetables like squash, yams, carrots, zucchini...stuff like that. Do one at a time so you see how he reacts. I did fruits last but apple sauce and steamed apples are pretty harmless. Lots of moms told me that bananas & apples can help to firm up baby's poop. In other words if baby ever gets constipated don't do what I did and be sure you avoid apple sauce and bananas. Check out this website for suggestions on starting baby with solids it's a UK/Australian based site and I've found it very helpful. www.babycenter.com Good luck with the adventure into solids. :) Reba

I don't think you have to start in a certain order. My son's first food was rice cereal followed by papaya. He also ate a lot of banana. Basically, I ended up introducing fruit first and he eats veggies just fine. I have an American friend here in Rio that had a home birth as well and started with fruits. Her daughter will eat anything and everything and she is still breastfeeding (9 months and going). My son lost interest in breastfeeding at 8 months but I'm hoping to go 1 yr with the next one. Anyway, don't stress yourself too much. I way over stressed and it wasn't necessary. Start slow. Introduce what you are comfortable with. The only thing with fruits is that if you start him on one that is more constipating, the next fruit should be more poop stimulating. For example, Banana then papaya. You should even it out. Btw, when I started rice cereal, I mixed it with my breast milk and made a very soup like substance. Luka adored it.

Hi Jasmin,

It is so nice to hear of other home birth mama's! I have a 9 month old boy and I started him on veggies first like squash, which has iron and other vitamins and minerals. I then introduced avocados, apples and cucumber. Since your baby is still nursing he will get some iron from you. Make sure your diet is rich in iron, by eating lots of green leafy veggies. I am waiting to introduce grains as they are harder to digest. I prefer to feed my baby live organic food with all the vitamins and minerals already intact. You may want to check out the book, baby greens and the website, wholesomebabyfood.com.
Enjoy feeding your baby nutritious food!

Vanesza

Great job breast feeding!! A lot of first time moms give up. I breast fed all three of my babies.
I started introducing rice cereal at around 6 months because they seemed to be nursing too much like they weren't getting enough to eat. So from there i added one veggie at a time to watch out for reactions. The "old" way of doing things is start with your yellow& orange veggies then green veggies and fruit. To be all honest all of my babies as soon as they got their teeth wanted big people food. So we always ended up stopping the baby foods at around 1 year old. I stuck with the veggies for a while until they would eat non mushed up ones. :O)
The orange and yellow foods tend to be easier on the stomach and digestion. As were your green veggies are gassy.
Take care, and happy eating. make sure you have propper protective covering. LOL

Hi Jasmin:

I just got done taking a college nutrition class so I'm going to give you information from my text. The first food to give a baby and when is rice cereal. Here's why: Just before birth your body transferred certain vitamins and minerals to your baby, and your baby stored enough iron in his liver to last about 4-6 months.

"After 4-6 mnths, an exclusively breastfed baby needs iron. As lactation progresses, the iron in breast milk dwindles, making iron a concern for the 4-6 month old. By 6 months feeding the breastfed infant iron-fortified cereals is desireable. Iron deficiency is prevalent in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years due to their rapid growth rate and the significant place that milk has in their diets.

To prevent iron deficiency, breast milk, then iron-fortified cereals, and then meat or meat alternatives such as legumes are recommended. Once infants are eating iron-fortified cereals, parents should begin selecting vitamin C-rich foods to go with meals to enhance absorption of the iron. The best sources of vitamin C are fruits and vegetables."

The reason rice cereal is recommended as the first food is because of all foods, the risk of an allergic reaction is lowest with rice. "New foods should be introduced one at a time so that allergies or other sensitivities can be detected. For example, when fortified baby cereals are introduced, try rice cereal first for several days. Try wheat-containing cereal last. Introduce egg whites, soy products, cow's milk and citrus fruits still later for the same reason. If a food causes an allergic reaction (irritability due to skin rash, digestive upset, or respiratory discomfort), discontinue its use before going on to the next food. About 9 times out of 10, the allergy won't be evident immediately but will manifest itself in vague symptoms occurring up to five days after the offending food is eaten. Wait a month or two to try the offending food again; many sensitivities disappear with maturity. If your family history indicates allergies, apply extra caution in introducing new foods."

Personal note: if you run into any problems with allergies - you may want to look into naet and read "Say Good-bye to Children's Allergies" by Dr. Devi Nambudripad. If you are interested in talking with an naet certified doctor - I love mine and 2 of my grandchildren go to him as well. Let me know.

So, you now have iron-fortified cereals and meats and legumes providing iron in your baby's diet, and need to come up with sources high in vitamin C to help the body absorb the iron. The reason vegetables are suggested as coming before fruits is because you want to establish life-long healthy eating habits. It is common to prefer sweet tastes and while fruits are nutritious its wise to limit the percentage of sweets right from the get-go. The text recommends with fruit juice to limit consumption to 4-6 ounces a day, and never serve it in a bottle - only in a cup. I know everyone thinks of citrus fruit when they think of vitamin C, but veggies such as peas, carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, tomatoes, butternut squash, etc. also are good sources of vitamin C, as are strawberries, kiwi, watermelon, etc.

Foods to omit from a baby's diet are "sweets of any kind (including baby food "desserts")." (This does not mean don't give them fruit - we are talking about processed sugars here.) "The added food energy can promote obesity, and they convey few or no nutrients to support growth. Products containing sugar alcohols such as sorbitol should also be limited, as these may cause diarrhea. Canned vegetables are inappropriate for babies because they often contain too much salt. Honey should never be fed to infants because of the risk of botulism."

A great source of appropriate information is the USDA website. http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html

I hope this has been of help to you.

M.

I am a sinle mama of two girls...get this...one is 15 and one just turned 3 !
I have lots of experience breastfeeding. My first breastfed until well over two yrs old! She was a little tiny thing. My second was a big fat baby! I only breastfed her for 5.5 months...she wanted more food! I started with rice cereal and within a month she graduated to little baby jars of rice cereal instead of the kind you mix from a box. She LOVED it! From there I branched out to other baby jar foods(cereal, veggies, and chicken noodle). I tell you it will work, and they'll tell you if they dont want it, and it's all safe and nutritious.

Wendy

Rice cereal is not a great first food. Better to wait till they've been eating solids for a couple of months... grains should not be introduced till 7 or 8 months at least. As far as meat is concerned, I don't think (and many would agree with me) very young children should be eating it, period. Wait till one year, AT LEAST, for meat - longer if possible.

Instead, begin with sweet potatoes, avacadoes, or bananas (organic).
Making your own baby food is definitely the best route. The jarred stuff isn't worth it - not only does it cost more, but they have to sterilize it so it is shelf-stable, and in the process all of the nutrients are lost.
Avacadoes and bananas are nice because they do not need to be cooked.

I started my daughter on solids when she was 6 months, because she seemed interested in food. However once she got over the novelty of something new, she refused solids till she was just over 8 months. I would just offer her something every day or two and if she didn't want it, take it away. So if he's not interested right away, don't worry.

Hope this was of some help to you.

Hi Jasmin! You are already doing a great job by choosing to breastfeed your child. Introducing solids is just a step forward. It's more like a habit that you're trying to build for him. As far as nutritional value, the essentials are already coming from you. Build up on that. I believe that it's best to start your baby off with veggies before sweet fruits. It's easy to adapt to the fruity taste because it's sweet and we know that he WILL take it. Vegetable taste is acquired from repetition. If you must give your baby a somewhat sweet taste, give carrots. My children are now 5 and 4. They eat veggies, fruits and say no to candies and juices! I love the simple disciplines that the child learns everyday. It remains in them as they grow older. When your child is of age, give him vitamins. Check out my site for your family's wellness: www.globalsynergy.usana.com --> Remember, wellness is a choice. Make it for your baby. My business came as a bonus from loving the products soo much. Take care and God bless.

Check out weelicious.com for everything you need to know about feeding your baby and coming up with fast, easy and fresh recipes.
Best,
C.

Hi Jasmin,

My daughter is 7 months and I started her on Rice Cereal at 4 months but two tablespoon at first to see how she'd react and then I slowly increased the portion and made it thicker. I started my daughter on solids when she was about 5.5 months, you are supposed to start with the yellow vegetables first, which are, carrots, sweet potato and squash. For example, give your son Carrots first for about 3-4 days and then move to sweet potato for another 3-4 days and then squash for 3-4 days. It should take about 2-4 weeks to complete a food group (i.e. yellow vegetables). The reason you introduce each food slowly is because you want to see if your baby has any adverse reaction. Between 5-6 months, morning should be cereal, noon, yellow vegetables and evening should be green vegetables. Green Vegetables would be Peas and Green Beans and you would do the same feeding as you did for the yellow vegetables (3-4 days for each one). Over 6 months, that's when you introduce fruit and start off with Applesauce and banana and progress to all other fruits.

You can introduce meat also, but in my opinion, I am not going to give my daughter meat until she's almost 9 months. It is recommended to start with chicken, turkey, veal and progress to all other meats. I am going to give her meat that I cook, not meat in a jar.

I hope that helps. All this was recommended by my daughter's Pediatrician and I have always gone by my daughter's cues. She's been eating finger foods for a month now and it's so much easier that she's able to feed herself.

Good luck!

I would say a variety! :) I would do everything from rice cereal, to peas and green beans to fruits--applesauce, bananas--everything--the more textures and tastes you can start at the beginning and continue with--even if your child doesn't like it--I've read it takes up to 12 times for an acquired taste to develop--the less chance you'll have of a picky eater at ages 2.5+. Everything! Remember--in countries like India they don't have baby food--so kiddos that age are already starting on spicy curries! Enjoy--have fun with it!! (I'm teliing you what I wish I would have done--I'm battling an extrememly picky eater at 7 yrs. old--had I done more up front I wouldn't have these issues now.

rice cereal first, then veggies, then fruits. don't offer fruits before veggies cuz they will prefer the sweet and reject the veggies.

I breastfed all three of my kids past two years. They all started on rice cereal (not as harsh as the rest of the baby foods and you are changing their gut flora). I started my daughter on fruits after that and she wouldn't do veggies except for apple/sweet potatoes or pear/winter squash. My sons I started with veggies first and that worked out much better. None of them had the meats (we're vegetarians).

Great job breast feeding! I started my son on rice cereal, that constipates a lot of babies, then I went to baby oatmeal. I prepared both with breast milk, not water. It then doesn't matter what order you introduce foods. They've had everything you've eaten through breast milk and in terms of sweetness, breast milk is sweeter than formula. I did things easy to make because I didn't want to buy baby food, I wanted to KNOW what I was feeding him. I did things like yams, bannana, zuccini, broccoli, green beans, peas, pears... then started non fat dairy products, then low fat, then boiled chic. Focus on WHOLE foods, things that haven't been over processed or that include ingredients that you don't know what they are.

Remember: at first it's just for the experience of different flavors and textures, they still get 99% of their nutrients from YOU. Also, in terms of allergies, I didn't do that whole idea of one food for 5 days... I just introduced one food at a time, but not for several days. Again, they've had things through your milk already.

Also, about quantity, I started once a day for about 3 weeks, then 2x a day with the cereal. Then a cereal one time and veg. or fruit another time of day. It really doesn't matter, because they get everything they need from you. However, in terms of time clean up... after they eat, do what works for you. There is a time you'll feel lilke all yuo're doing is feeding and napping.

Ruth Yaron's book, Super Baby Food has some good info on this. A common recommendation by drs is:
-start with rice cereal once a day(I like Earth's Best 100% organic) and mix with breastmilk-super watery the first time, then build consistency to thicker
-after several weeks start single-flavor foods, 1 at a time for 7 days (to see if there are allergies).
-Start with yellow veggies (sweet potatoes and carrots), then eventually try yellow fruits (apples, pears, etc.), then eventually add green veggies (harder to digest).

My dr. said feed solids AFTER nursing first b/c breastmilk should be the primary food untl 1 year.

Good luck!

Six months is a great age to start, I feel babies lose some flexibility if you wait too much longer. Rice cereal is a great starter because it is hypo-allergenic and easy to digest. Mix it with breastmilk, formula, or water. My babies tended to like it a little thicker, though it's recommended to start it pretty watery (to get used to texture). It was less messy that way too! Next was veggies for us. I started them maybe a week or two after starting rice cereal. I started with them by mixing them in increasing amts with the rice cereal. Fruits I did last, they are the easiest to like. I didn't bother with meats until they could eat "real" meat unless they came as a baby food dinner combo. The thought of eating pureed meat in a jar grosses me out!

Hi Jasmin-

My big boy is now 9 but I had a VBAC without drugs in the hospital, and nursed him for 15 months.

We started him on rice cereal at 6 months and then added vegetables I think a couple of months later. I made his baby food using mostly organic vegetables, and we have a Vitamix, which is a super powerful blender. I added fruit probably at a year. There are great cookbooks out there for babyfood. I used the Vitamix and then froze the food in ice trays. It made it easy to cook and I always knew how much he ate.

I know I gave you more information that you asked. I hope it helps. Good luck!

I did rice cereal with veggies first- sometimes once the baby tastes the sweet fruit, they don't like veggies. Veggies first, they like them and then fruit and they like it all.

My rule of thumb has always been 'when they can grab things off your plate they should bee able to try it!' Well, that doesn't always work. HAving a couple of teeth does help and so does being able to sit up. It is especially nice if they can sit in a high chair with you at meal time. Bland food to start. In my family allergies are a problem so I started them with a bit of banana or a mashed up potato...finger food. They have fun and can be with us at meals. I never agreed on spoon feeding a baby. Too much trouble, and they are getting all they need from mommy's milk at 6 months. So food should be fun! Cherrios on a plate, a piece of peach, (mushy) or squash....and eventually they learn to use a spoon :0}.

I started with rice cereal because it is easy to digest and has little taste. My babies always spit it out at first, but they were used to only being breastfed or bottle fed, so solids felt weird in their mouths. Next, I fed them vegetables. My doctor told me that if you introduce fruits before vegetables, babies will prefer the sweet taste of fruits and not want to eat vegetables. I didi not introduce meats until a couple of months later. Meat is harder to digest. I recommend this:
Rice cereal
Carrots
Peas
Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Apple Sauce
Bananas
Pears

After this, you can mix it up. Add in prunes, or whatever other fruits or vegetables you'd like. My babies eventua;;y ate everything I gave them because of how I introduced the foods to them. Remember, they will spit it out first. Just put more in their mouth. Also, green beans do not go over well at first, but just keep trying.

I am also a breastfeeding mom of 6 month old baby (girl though). This is my second and my first breastfed until he was 2.5, so solids won't necessarily end the breastfeeding relationship. Like many posters, I started with rice cereal. I disregarded the advice about delaying sweet foods and introduced bananas and avocados, mainly because they are both super healthy and super easy foods to mash up and serve. Next I moved to sweet potatoes and butternut because they are also pretty easy to make on your own without using jarred foods. Just pop in the oven on 400 until soft and puree. I haven't noticed either child rejecting veggies because they had sweet bananas first. Sweet potatoes have iron apparently, so that is also a plus at 6 months. The idea of feeding my baby pureed meats seems very gross to me, so I am going to wait on meat until she's old enough to eat small chunks.

Hi Jasmin,
You are asking some fantastic questions. I can tell that you have really put some thought into this. The advice that you have gotten so far from the moms here is outstanding. JJ's suggestions are pretty thorough and mimic my beliefs. I won't repeat everything. I'll just add a few notes.
First of all, there is no need to hurry and introduce solids. Waiting longer is better, as early introduction can cause food allergies or sensitivities if the baby is not yet able to process the food.
There is a lot of info on this site about foods that tend to be most or least allergenic, etc., and has a ton of other great information: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm

Baby foods will be significantly lower in calories, protein, and fat than breastmilk, so your baby may actually lose weight when starting on solids initially, if they are used in place of breastmilk. Many jars of baby food only have 45 calories!
I found the book Super Baby Foods an amazing resource. I made my own baby food, and used this book for suggestions on ingredients that I could add to provide more of whatever I wanted to get in - fats, or protein, iron, etc. I don't remember all the details of what I used or when, but I remember that Quinoa was a great one, and also that at some point, I added flax seed oil to provide Omegas.
Do be sure to wait a few days in between introductions to check for reactions. Also, it is recommended that new foods be introduced early in the day, as opposed to night time. That way, if there is a reaction, it can be dealt with during the daytime, when doctors are around, and not cause the baby to be up all night.
Regarding fruits, wait on anything acidic. The wholesome baby food website has a great lists about foods that are most/least allergenic, plus a lot more fantastic information.
Hope that helps. I know that there is a lot of information out there. I think that it is most important to find resources that you trust, where you know that you have the same basic philosophical beliefs and (natural) health focus. Once you establish that you are on the same page, then you have a more reliable resource. It's just like asking questions about childbirth, and depending on who you ask, one may suggest natural birth, or another might tell you to get an epidural, or suggest a c-section. Mainstream doctors and people will not give you the same input that you would get from a resource that has a more natural, holistic focus.
You're doing great! How fantastic that your son has a such a conscious mommy looking out for his needs and taking such great care of him!
M.

My Doctor told me that traditionally fruit has always been first. There is the latest buzz about how veggies first will help prevent weight problems later, but there is no actual proof of this. It was also her opinion, being a pediatrician for 30 yrs & having kids of her own, that people feeding their kids fast food is what makes them fat! In other words, teach your kids proper nutrition and healthy life long habits! I agree 100%.
When you think about it most of us were fed fruit first & are just fine. She did mention rice cereal is better than oatmeal for first food (because of the fiber in oatmeal) and rice is more bland & easy to digest.
I like to think of what food a baby could eat if we had no modern day machines to puree and stick to those as a general rule for what baby could probably handle; meat being the last. Baby will get all the protein he needs from your breast milk until he is ready for meat (once teeth are in).

A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I'm a Mom of 2yr old boy & 5 mo old girl and work from home.

I don't think there is a "golden standard" to go by, but just keep in mind about allergies. They are very scary and very real. It takes about seven exposures to a new food before an allergy will manifest itself (rash, vomiting, diarrhea)and it quickly develops into much worse if not taken seriously. so introduce new foods one at a time very slowly. I must say it is really fun feeding your baby new foods. My second one rejected all baby food at 10 months and it was a challenge to find foods that she could mash and swallow safely, but somehow, she managed! Keep feeding him breastmilk as his major source of nutrition at least until he is 12 months old (you can't really tell how much food is actually getting INTO the child, anyway!) and then you can decide to switch to milk or continue BF. Have fun!