I have a 5month old and she is hungry. I just started her on 2nds. She seems ok but my mom thinks should let her try some cream potatos and maybe fruit in those things they make for baby to suck on though the net. I don't know what to give when and all the internet sights are vague. What foods can you begin a baby on and at what point. She is eating really good but always seems to want more. She is pretty petite so I don't want to stunt her growth by not starting soon enough.
oh and do you wait for teeth; she hasn't got any yet but they are coming I can feel a little on the bottom
By 2nds, you mean the stage 2 foods already? They usually recommend 6 months for solids, but once they are on them, I think you can give anything that they can handle except for honey, egg whites, strawberries, and the other allergy and choking risks. The net things are supposed to be good for fruits.
And no, you don't have to wait for teeth...if they can handle the food, they can handle the food.
Usually, 6 months is advised for starting solids. Check with your pediatrician.
6 months is usually considered the best time to begin introducing fruits and veggies, although I think this is because a younger baby's tummy isn't ready to digest more complicated foods and you run the risk of creating allergies. I would talk to your pediatrician to see what he/she recommends at this age and for your daughter's size, though, because my pediatrician had no problems with me introducing fruits and veggies at 5 months (although I didn't do it). You're certainly not at risk for stunting her growth by not starting soon enough at 5 months, in any case.
You don't need to wait for teeth for solids (you chew with your molars, if you waited for baby to have molars to chew with, she would be nearly 2 before you were feeding table food). However, she's still pretty oung and I personally wouldn't do anything more than a puree for another few months. Around 8-9 months I was able to give straight table food in really small pieces that my daughter could pick up and eat. She never really ate baby food.
for what you are interested in I would try http://www.babyledweaning.com/ that site. It really helps. Our youngest REFUSED baby foods of all types, but was more than happy to feed her self.
The AAP's recommendation is still 4-6 months of age to start solids, so you are within that time frame. My pediatrician told us that as long as a food wasn't a known allergen in either of our families it was fine to give it to my son. That being said you should wait 3-4 days between new foods to make sure your daughter doesn't have an adverse reaction. The foods most likely to cause a reaction are high acidity foods (citrus, tomatoes, pineapple, etc). Most parents also tend to avoid nuts and nut butters because they are common allergens. Eggs (the whites in particular) and fish are also frequently avoided for the first year.
Our son loved fresh fruit in the baby safe feeder (with the mesh). Ripe pear was a big favorite. Using cold fruit also helps with teething and gives them something to gnaw on to make their gums feel better.
Also the idea that you should introduce vegetables before fruit because otherwise they won't eat the vegetables is a myth (research has shown it's not true). My son eats a variety of both fruits and vegetables and we started with mostly fruits. Definitely introduce both and keep in mind that a child sometimes has to try a food 10-15 times before they will decide they want to eat it.
don't worry about stunting her growth by not starting solids soon enough - breastmilk/formula is much more calorically dense than solid food and your little girl can get *all* the nutrition she needs from it for her first year of life, so the solids are really more of a "get acquainted with taste and texture" and not a nutritional necessity at this stage.
a few good resources:
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T032000.asp
"Child of Mine, Feeding With Love and Good Sense" by nutritionist Ellyn Satter http://www.ellynsatter.com/physical-products-books-child-...
At 5 months old my daughter was eating 2nd & 3rd foods, she would get fresh fruit in the net thing and she was even eating SOME table foods (mashed potatoes and itty bitty pieces of veggies) at 6 months old she started on bigger pieces and a bigger variety. 7 months she started meats, pork chops, chicken, steak and anything else i ate. at 9 months she started eating EVERYTHING, it didnt matter what i had on my plate she would steal it and just chow down
anxious to see answers
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I agree with some previous respondents: breast milk and/or formula are the most calorically dense and nutritious foods for your baby until age 6. There is some evidence that allergies are slightly more likely to occur with earlier exposure to solid foods. Read more about this in "Baby 411" (Denise Fields, etc.; find on Amazon), which will also give a very good guide for the appropriate ages for different types and textures of food, and how to structure your baby's daily diet.
Start with pureed baby foods - organic costs more, but Nature's Goodness (with Pooh artwork) and Gerber (with Gerber artwork, lol) also work just fine. It doesn't matter what you start with, though a sweeter vegetable like carrots or sweet potatoes might give them a better first impression than green beans. And have fun, and don't stress out, because it's an adventure for your little one! :-)
