What first foods did you start your baby on??

Dora - posted on 10/02/2012

The best thing to try her on is the ones that most kids won't eat when they get older. That way she will like them now and not grow accustomed to the typical likes of kids. Things like spinach, sweet potato, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower ....then add just a bit of the fruit ones but not the typical again. Things like prunes, melons, etc. Just do tiny bits at a time and even add to her cereal to flavor it. Only about 1 or 2 tsp. to her cereal until she gets used to it. To much might cause diarrhea. When she can have finger foods, which will be later on you can try things like black olive slices, NOT whole ones. I got the tiny cans of sliced ones and my daughter LOVED them and still does. Very good to keep the bowels going. Also try unsweetened apple sauce in the rice cereals or a bit of juice in them in stead of water. Just don't introduce the sweeter tasting ones to soon or that is all she will want and not try others that most kids won't eat. Start them young and they will try anything later. Good luck!

Dora - posted on 10/02/2012

The best thing to try her on is the ones that most kids won't eat when they get older. That way she will like them now and not grow accustomed to the typical likes of kids. Things like spinach, sweet potato, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower ....then add just a bit of the fruit ones but not the typical again. Things like prunes, melons, etc. Just do tiny bits at a time and even add to her cereal to flavor it. Only about 1 or 2 tsp. to her cereal until she gets used to it. To much might cause diarrhea. When she can have finger foods, which will be later on you can try things like black olive slices, NOT whole ones. I got the tiny cans of sliced ones and my daughter LOVED them and still does. Very good to keep the bowels going. Also try unsweetened apple sauce in the rice cereals or a bit of juice in them in stead of water. Just don't introduce the sweeter tasting ones to soon or that is all she will want and not try others that most kids won't eat. Start them young and they will try anything later. Good luck!

Dora - posted on 10/02/2012

The best thing to try her on is the ones that most kids won't eat when they get older. That way she will like them now and not grow accustomed to the typical likes of kids. Things like spinach, sweet potato, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower ....then add just a bit of the fruit ones but not the typical again. Things like prunes, melons, etc. Just do tiny bits at a time and even add to her cereal to flavor it. Only about 1 or 2 tsp. to her cereal until she gets used to it. To much might cause diarrhea. When she can have finger foods, which will be later on you can try things like black olive slices, NOT whole ones. I got the tiny cans of sliced ones and my daughter LOVED them and still does. Very good to keep the bowels going. Also try unsweetened apple sauce in the rice cereals or a bit of juice in them in stead of water. Just don't introduce the sweeter tasting ones to soon or that is all she will want and not try others that most kids won't eat. Start them young and they will try anything later. Good luck!

Natalie - posted on 09/28/2012

Start with one teaspoon of baby cereal with bottle in the morning for at least a few weeks. Dont rush it as you will stretch babies stomach.Then gradually add to two times and then 3 meals. Dont rush it. Its a slow process enjoy it. Add one thing at a time so you know if baby react to food. Watch bowls,skin and when they get grumpy. Feed solid then milk.

Alison - posted on 05/07/2009

My baby started on rice cereal, followed by pureed apple and carrot (3 days apart). I cook and puree all her veggies and fruit, then freeze in ice cube trays. She now eats 3 ice cubes per meal - I usually give her 2 veggies (either mixed, or separate) and 1 fruit. She has rice cereal (fortified with iron) for breakfast with a fruit puree or bm. Any purees that seem to be a bit too sloppy I mix rice cereal with too, just to make it easier to feed her. She's loved everything we've given her so far.

Odette - posted on 05/06/2009

We started our baby iwth rice cereal mixed with breastmilk and she ate it for about 3 days. Afterwards, she wasn't as interested in it anymore! So we switched to sweet potatoes which she liked for another 3 days. Today we gave her banana, and she loved it!

Becky - posted on 05/05/2009

Quoting Christine:

this is all good info. I have been trying rice and oatmeal cereals and he just doesnt like them. He tolerates the mixed cereal with fruit but not a huge fan. I was thinking of starting him on sweet potatos this week so glad to hear all of your input!

I giggled when I read this - because my son makes the funniest looking face when he is eating cereal - though he does eat it.  Have you ever tasted the cereal that we feed to these babies?!?  It's NASTY!!!   Even if your taste buds had never had anything else (besides formula/breast milk) I think I would also gag when trying to eat it!!

Abigail - posted on 05/04/2009

My baby is just over the five month mark and we have started him on the veggies due to his major constipation problem! If you are giving your baby rice cereal it can cause some constipation. We do oatmeal, which he doesn't mind, and just got through some sweet potatoes. You are supposed to give him the same veggie or fruit for 5 days in a row to make sure the baby isn't allergic to any of it. Due to the constipation we are now giving him anything that starts with the letter "P". Apparently those are the best for not having constipation. Apples and Bananas can cause some constipation. I do think that veggies are the best to start with bc they are not as sweet. We are giving our baby some prune juice due to his constipation and he actually likes it. I do not think you are supposed to give your baby meat at this young age or up to the age of 8 months I believe bc the GI tract in a baby is not ready to digest something that complex. Good Luck

Christine - posted on 05/03/2009

this is all good info. I have been trying rice and oatmeal cereals and he just doesnt like them. He tolerates the mixed cereal with fruit but not a huge fan. I was thinking of starting him on sweet potatos this week so glad to hear all of your input!

Sarah - posted on 05/03/2009

i have always been told to do veggies first because a lot of babies will really like the sweetness in fruits and will get picky but my daughter started with bananas-hates them!!! then applesauce-beginning to get used to it, then pears and prunes were ok, then i did veggies and she absolutely LOVES carrots!

Ashley - posted on 05/02/2009

i started my son on rice cereal and mixed it with a little fruit for taste. and a few weeks later i started him on yellow veggies, still have yet to start the green veggies but he loves his food:)

Kelly - posted on 05/02/2009

i would reccomend just veggies to start off with. they will like fruits! peas and carrots first. never feed from right out of the jar. one jar should be two feedings. store in fridge. after opened will last about 3 days in fridge. and serve warm. for constipation try water after ur litlle one eats or 1/3 prune juice with 2/3 water. and that too should be warm. not cold. will be hard on stomach! If ur lil one has be on the cereal already, stick with that. like cereal in the morning, food in the after noon and cereal in the evening. Good luck!!

Shawna - posted on 04/29/2009

My daughter love Bananas, pears, applesauce,carrots, sweet peas,Squash, Sweet Potatos, but anything that has bananas in it she love's. but the first thing I ever gave her was Bananas and sweet Potatos

Kristel - posted on 04/29/2009

DD will be six months on Monday, and we are starting with foods this weekend. We are going to start out with homemade brown rice cereal from Super Baby Food, and then move on to millet cereal. I am actually going to stop at Whole Foods today to get the grains we need. Looking forward to feeding her the cereal this weekend, it should be an adventure.

Stacie - posted on 04/29/2009

I've just started my daughter on organic rice cereal mixed with breastmilk. She's taken to it quite well. I also tried bananas and applesauce. Doesn't like bananas yet, but loves the applesauce. I plan on making her food when she starts eating more, but for now, I just bought a big jar of organic applesauce from Whole Foods - which will last forever. You should be able to get fruits and veggies as you normally buy them and just mash them up. I love knowing exactly what's in the food my daughter will be eating (in the applesauce, the only ingredient is "Organic Apples" - love it!

Rentia - posted on 04/29/2009

My baby is 5 months and he is already eating squash, butternut, sweet potatoe, bananas, apples, pears and avocado. He loves the fruit and veg a whole lot more than the maize cereal and he refuse to eat the rice cereal. The pear really seem to help for constipation. You can also massage your baby's tummy in a clockwise direction. You can go to www.wholesomebabyfood.com for some ideas.

Amanda - posted on 04/28/2009

I started my LO on fruits first and then veggies and she loves veggies. She started on applesauce, then bananas, then prunes, then pears, then peaches, then sweet potatoes, then squash, then peas, then carrots, then green beans. She loves most everything but the prunes, and peas. We had no problem moving from fruits to veggies. We are going to try oatmeal soon, mainly bc she has almost finished a box of rice cereal. We started her at 4 months, I did talk to my mom when my LO wasn't getting full just on my BM and she suggested to try some rice cereal and it helped(around 2.5 months).

What works for some doesn't work for everyone. Good luck with your LO!!

Julie - posted on 04/28/2009

I make all of my veggies and fruit...I boil everything (with the exception of avacado, bananas) then I puree it using the water I cooked it in, then I let it cool in the fridge for 3 hours and poor into ice cube trays and store in zip lock bags when frozen, I also usually put a scoop or 2 of formula in it for extra neutriants. it saves us a lot of money, and its better for him.

Jaime - posted on 04/28/2009

My Son really loves the Squash, Sweet Potatos, and Carrots. I feed him these first and then I feed him the fruit that way he will like the Veggies as well as the fruit. If you feed your little one Prunes be prepared for mess dipaires. Also my son preffered the mixed cereal over the rice or oatmeal.

Susan - posted on 04/28/2009

I have only fed rice cereal until my bub hits 6 months... then the recommendation is to start with MEAT. Not veggies for fruit. Sooooooo I'm going to be buying stewing cubes, boiling and pureeing them with the water they are boiled in. Then I will try chicken same method. Next will come veggies and fruit last since it's so sweet.

Most people will probably be surprized at the meat thing, but that's the first foods that the pediatric society in canada at least if saying to offer first. Of course you have beans in there too and egg yolks. It's protein first I guess the better way to say it, and then red meat first since it's the highest in iron.

The only reason i started giving my LO cereal was to get him used to eating from a spoon before the introduction to meat and veggies.

Amanda - posted on 04/28/2009

My son is 5 months and we started with oatmeal and veggies, that way he can learn to like them first, If he is really hungry we will do fruit. Get stage one it is very smooth. I mix it in with the oatmeal at dinner time, because he really does not like the plan atmeal. If you are useing jar baby food if you take the lid off it can be put in the microwave for 10 sec. If you are useing homemade baby food make sure that you cook the veggies all the way and then put them in the food processor, then can be frozen and then thawed and they will last up to 6 months. Have fun with all the new things that your child is learning.

Kim - posted on 04/28/2009

i'm wondering the same thing, only no constipation problems here! lol.. quite the opposite. we've tried sweet potatos, green beans, pears, peas, and bananas. so far she likes her veggies, and does not like the fruit. i find that a little odd because usually it's the opposite. anyway, with my other 2, juice helps -- apple, pear, etc, and so do prunes for constipation ... IF you can get her to eat (or drink) them! :D and, if your feeding her rice cereal, you could try oatmeal instead for a while too.