i'm nervous about feeding my 7 and a half month old solid food, I don't know what to feed him and when. Any suggestions?

Camille - posted on 03/04/2009

Both my boys were grabbing at my food by 6 months. It is challenging, just start out with one thing a week. Avocados, baked sweat potato's, cooked squash and tofu are great you can cut them into cubes. Offer several times a day. My mom got me a little good grinder. We put in what we are eating and then we know its fresh.

Meghann - posted on 03/03/2009

I started my son on rice cereal at 6 months and it took him a little while to get used to the new "technique" required for solid foods.  Our pediatrician suggested starting with orange veggies, then green and then adding fruit so he doesn't develop a sweet tooth.  We tried each food for at least 5 days before adding/changing to a new one just to make sure there were no allergies.  When we first started, I would only feed solids when Hunter was in a happy mood.  If he was fussy and hungry, it wasn't as  pleasant of an experience and he was patient enough to be fed.  I just started trying to feed him solids twice a day because he has gotten the routine down.  Definately ask your pediatrician what they suggest, but I would at least start with rice cereal for now!

Shana - posted on 03/03/2009

Check out this website: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com- it's great. I totally helped me find foods that were age appropriate for my daughter and different ways to make them.

They have charts for different ages that show what they can eat for fruits/veggies, grains, proteins, and how to prep them. I'll bet your son is ready for some mushier finger foods- I made sweet potato fries for my daughter- recipe on that website- and she loves them and their easy for her to feed to herself. Also, try avocado.

Shannon - posted on 03/03/2009

You could also try the mesh feeder. It works great with apple/ banana/ grapes etc. Anything that you would worry about them choking on. You just put the food in the bag and lock the handle on and give it to the baby. Works great with frozen apple for tender gums when teething.  Watch for the Gerber puffs as you child could choke on them if they don't dissolve fast enough.

Megan - posted on 03/03/2009

I would ask your pediatrition what they think about it, I think that every parent is different and you are going to get many different answers. I waited until my son had a couple of teeth before I gave him "table food," but that was just me.

Pamela - posted on 03/03/2009

Hello Amy, I have read a book called mommy made. It is great! I am making homemade baby food and it gives you all the recipes to do that, but it also gives you all the info you need to prepare yourself to give baby solids. It tells you when and what to give them and also tells you why to start w/ what they suggest.

I hope this helps.

Pamela Fisher

Independent Watkins Associate

Jill - posted on 03/03/2009

If he's already on jarred food you can start adding things like mashed potatoes, yogurt, apple sauce, etc. Until he can sit up and self-feed I would not give him anything harder than that. Once he can sit up on his own and learns to self-feed then you can give him cheerios, etc.

The number one food that little children choke on is hot dogs....just an FYI.

Gina - posted on 03/03/2009

I would keep with the mushy food until he has teeth and can chew. The gerber snacks that desolve in their mouth is a good start. Both my kids had teeth around 6 months and I started mashing up green beans, peas, or what ever veggie I cooked for the family instead of the jars. It was a little lumpier, but like I said, they both had teeth.

Jill - posted on 03/03/2009

My baby boy would not take rice cereal. So, I started him on smashed bananas to which I added water to make them looser. It is WAY more economical (and fun!) to make your own baby food. If you have a food processor or a blender you can turn just about any fruit or veggie into manageable food for him. Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and peas are my son's favs. Bake them until their very soft then mash and add water. Eventually you can add a bit of seasoning like cinnamon to the sweet potato or vanilla in the bananas. For now, stay away from strawberries, eggs, honey and, of course, nuts.

Amy - posted on 03/03/2009

he has been eating the jarred foods. right now he eats 3 different kinds of baby cereal, peas, sweet potatoes, bananas and peaches.  I guess i was just wondering more about texture.  When and how i should be advancing him to less pureed foods and what foods.  I really don't want him to choke and i have never been around a baby before him, so I have like no clue what so ever

Leanne - posted on 03/02/2009

here is an article from Baby centre.com; hope it's helpful! 

click on the link: http://www.babycenter.com/0_foods-that-c...

Tia - posted on 03/02/2009

if your baby doesnt want to eat baby food, try the gerber graduate foods. the diced green beans, carrots, apples, peaches etc, are perfect. both of my kids didnt like baby food much so i started them on the soft diced foods. they adored me! it filled their bellies. if he/she has teeth, it works perfectly too, they say that when they can crawl and use their pincher fingers they are ready for soft solids. try it out. your baby might really like it. also, the graduate ravioli's are awesome- they come in different flavors, my son will not eat chunks of meat but he will throw down some beef and tomato raviolo! it gets in the protein needed!

Anya - posted on 03/02/2009

oh sorry ...I did this 3x a day ...rice 8am...then @ lets say 12pm mask banana...then at 4pmmash avacado then @ a bottle with baby pablem

Anya - posted on 03/02/2009

Hi...I started our lil one when she was 6 months on baby pablem (rice because it was easier on the tum)almost soupy  but with some thickness & in her formula at night before sleep( 2 heaping teaspoons)..then she ate mashed banana and avacadoes and mashed potates ..I never really did baby food in the jars...most cause she didn't like them..most of her vitamins came from the formula anyway...

Julie - posted on 03/02/2009

Everyone reply was great.

My son was very sensitive to certin food. he was even on a special predigested formula, so it was esier on his stomach. The Dr. had me start him on peas, green,bean, sweat ptotos, first. SHe said that is he eats the veggies first then when he eats the desserts apples bannans .....and so on it is a treat, if you strt him on the desserts first, she finds that most kids wont eate there veggies. IT worked. she had me feed him 1/2 of stage 2 jar twice a day of one food first. keep him on that food for three days make sure he dosnt break out in a rash or vomit after eating it or get supper dooper runs. If any of those things happen call the Dr. there is a chance the baby is haveing a allergy to that food. If you want to chat more write me.. Keep your chin up!

Tasha - posted on 03/02/2009

ALOT OF PEOPLE R DIFFERENT BUT I STARTED FEEDING MY BABIES WHEN THEY WERE AROUND 3 MONTHS AS LONG AS IT NOT HARD FOOD, MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE MASHED POTATOES AND BEANS JUST MASH THEM UP REAL GOOD. GIRL U BETTER GIVE THAT BABY SOME REAL FOOD BECAUSE THAT FORMULA AND BABY FOOD DONT FILL THEM UP!!

Debra - posted on 03/02/2009

i have 5 kids and cooked little pasts were good..or cherrioes broke in half was good

Charlie - posted on 03/02/2009

solid foods can be tricky. If he already takes down normal baby foods then that is a great start. Maybe you can start by mashing up some warm green beans or some soft carrots or mashed potatoes. Just take the forck and mash the foods to a soft but textured mix then feed him like normal. And then eventually just giving him small bites of soft food like those... Peas are a good one too. Don't be scared he will get it eventually its natural. If you are worried about the types of food to feed him talk to your pediatrician. And don't freak out if he doesnt get it at first my son is 6 months and just starting the softer solid foods and at first he would get all excited over the new texture and taste and would gag a little but babies are giving the same reflexes as adults so he will naturally gag on some things. Its new to him so take it slow if you have to. Good luck and Enjoy that little baby!

Crystal - posted on 03/02/2009

I started at 6.5 months wy son. I would ask your ped... my ped said to go with the green veggies first, then the oranges and then the rest (start with the greens, because the others taste so much better your baby might not take to them)... then move on to fruits once your child has finished with veggies. Make sure you give them 3-4 days per new food to check for allergies... and dont worry if you baby doesn't seem to like them at first, keep trying. Its a new thing that they arent familiar with. Good luck!

Lisa - posted on 03/02/2009

Definitely start your baby off with rice cereal and water. Don't be discouraged if baby pushes the food out of his/her mouth at first. After baby is adjusted to eating that, you can move on to baby food. Like the other women said, only introduce one new food once a week! My pediatrician said it was smart to start with veggies, so that they don't get used to the sweet in fruits and then refuse to eat veggies! GOOD LUCK and don't get discouraged :)

Mary - posted on 03/02/2009

Yeah sweet potatoes are great for you (make sure they're sweet potatoes and not yams). Yams are high in fat and don't have many good qualities while it's quite the opposite for sweet potatoes. :)

Jessica - posted on 03/02/2009

Wow, 7 and half months!  I started feeding both my daughters baby food in the jars at 4 months old.  My older was on all table food at 10 months old and my younger turned to all table food at 9 months.  Your baby will  LOVE solid food!  I would suggest starting with the level 1 in the tiny jars or if you don't feel comfortable with jarred foods, you can blend your own food.  Like for example, cook carrots and then put them in the blender and let it cool off before giving to your son.  Same thing with many other vegetables (potatos, sweet potatos, peas, squash, etc) and with fruits, you can give him applesauce or mashed bananas and mash up any fruits that are soft.

Mary - posted on 03/02/2009

Just ask your pediatrician... that's what they're there for. :)

But def get him on something, just formula or breastmilk isn't enough at his age.

Barbara - posted on 03/02/2009

I find that babies eat best when everyone else is eating.  Start him out with some rice cereal and give it to him when everyone sits down to dinner.  After that you can add some pureed banana or sweet potato, then more fruits and vegetables, but make sure to only introduce one new food every four days to a week just in case the baby is allergic or sensitive to it.  I know how nerve wracking it can be in the beginning, but you will get the hang of it.

Helen - posted on 03/02/2009

if you prefer jars of baby food then they are all lablled with the age groups on or if you have time to make your own anything mashed up to a pulp i found a hand blender was very useful mashed carrot and swede was my boys favourite, There also ready made breakfast cereals you can buy. if this is their first taste of food then little and often to start with and then you can move up to three times a day with little healthy snacks if required. Hope this helps from helen black