stage 1, 2, and 3 foods....???

Jara-Lee - posted on 03/21/2010

The main difference is the amount in each jar/box. The food is supposed to be used in 2-3 day, the stage 2 single-ingredient fruits & vegges are etactly the same as stage 1, there's just more. Some are a bit thicker, but usually just the ones with oatmeal/rice mixed in. My daughter is on stage 1 and 2. She was born 9/23.

Amy - posted on 03/06/2010

If you go to the beechnut or gerber websites it shows a feeding chart of what they think the baby should be eating. My daughter was born weighing 8 pounds and was 21.5 inches long and is not going on 6 months and only weighs 16 pounds and is 27 inches. She eats stage 2 foods all the time. She attempted the stage 1 meats but hated them and refused to eat them haha shes a little drama queen sometimes. the difference is the consistancy and like the 3rd foods have some different seasonings in them. I started my daughter on baby cereal the really runny kind made with formula when she was 2 months old and kept her on that for 2 or 3 weeks then introduced 2nd food veggies and now she is almost 6 months and eats 2 ounces of oatmeal and 2 ounces of fruit for breakfast. An hour or so later she will take a 2-4 ounce bottle. For a snack she takes a 4 ounce bottle.3 hours later eats 2 ounces of mac n cheese with 2 ounces veggies. She then has a bittle between lunch and dinner thats about 4 ounces and for dinner she has 2 ounces meat with 1 ounce veggies and 1 ounce fruit. And right before bed time she tops off a 4 ounce bottle. Her dr told me that she is obese but she is very small compared to all the babies I have seen so I dont know what to believe.

Cinys - posted on 03/06/2010

A baby's digestive system is immature compared to a full grown adult. The stages as directed on the package/box grows with your child and their digestive system.



It should say on the box when you can start them on that particular cereal/food.



Examples.

Nestle Mixed Grains with Fruit says stage 2. From 6 months.

Heinz Rice Cereal says stage 1. On the package is gives no age however from comparisons with other cereals on the shelves, Stage one is when your baby is old enough and no longer has the rooting reflex (or will not spit something out when you try to feed her/him) cereal.

I started Sabrina on cereal when she was 5 months without any problems. However I tried her on it, then waited a few days before trying it again to make sure it would not cause any difficulties.



They recomend a waiting period between foods (solids) if there are any complications before trying something new.



They now also say that baby's should not be given any solids until they are 6 months. Back in the day, my mother kept a diary of what she was feeding me and I was started around 3 months.



Things will change, doctors will have different views and maybe 20 years from now they will say no solids till 7 months or solids should be introduced at 4 months. Who knows.



However only you know when it's time for your child to try something new simply by observing them.

Are they still hungry after a bottle?

Is stage 1 digested quickly and easily, are they hungry sooner then before?

If you think your baby is ready, give them just a little bit and wait a few days before trying it again.



Hope that helps :D