Stage 1 baby food consists of thinly pureed fruits and veggies, and may also include small pieces of cooked peas and bananas. These foods are suitable for babies between 6 to 8 months old who are beginning to develop the motor skills required for self-feeding.
Stage 2 baby food is made with more ingredients and contains a variety of flavors. These foods are a great way to start your baby on a journey to healthy eating!
Once your baby has developed the motor skills needed for self-feeding, you can transition to finger foods. Ensure that these foods are soft and easy to swallow. They should also be cut into small, bite-sized pieces and able to be picked up with their hands or fingers without choking.
The ideal time to introduce your baby to solids is between 4 and 6 months. This is when they’re becoming more aware of their surroundings and are orally fixated to the point that they are trying to put everything into their mouths.
You can help your baby develop the skills they need to enjoy solids by modeling good eating habits yourself. Model healthy eating by offering a variety of foods that are nutritious and tasty, as well as those that provide iron (scrambled eggs or mashed sweet potatoes, for example).
Make your first feedings as pleasant as possible: Smile, talk to baby and be happy, says Parents advisor Jill Castle, R.D., author of The Smart Mom’s Guide to Starting Solids. Your happy demeanor will give your baby confidence in their ability to eat solids, and they’ll be more likely to try them.
Offer your baby one or two small meals a day for the first month or so. This will give them the opportunity to become familiar with different textures, flavors and smells of solids before they’re ready to move on to a more varied diet.
Don’t pressure your baby to eat solids when they are not hungry, or you risk getting them frustrated and cranky. If they seem fussy, offer only breast or formula until they’re full.
In the meantime, offer small half-spoonfuls of a variety of foods and watch for your baby’s reactions. It’s normal for them to look confused, wrinkle their nose or roll their tongue around in their mouth when they are introduced to solids for the first time. But if they spit out or reject the food, try again another time.
Avoid honey and cow’s milk until your baby is at least 8 months old, as they can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, which can cause infantile botulism. You can also start giving your baby whole milk yogurt, cottage cheese and hard cheese by about 8 months, and add lots of iron-rich foods, including mashed peas and carrots.
Stage 1 baby foods are the lowest on the allergy scale, so they are a good choice for your little one. They may be more easily digested than a more mature diet.