When to Start Baby with "People Food"

Do you mean table food? We started with mashed bananas and avacados --which really was just like baby jar food, but fresher. I think it was about one year before we did anything major. At one year we gave cooked veggies, pasta, crackers, really anything that she could manipulate herself. We also would mash together anything that my husband and I were eating. For example, mashed potatoes, meat, bread. We also started scrambled eggs and french toast at that point too.

With my first son (he's now 4.5 years), I started him on table food (mashed up of course, and very small pieces of meats) when he was 12 months old. My pediatrician pushed me to wait until he was 1, although he was a bigger baby (80%), so I felt like he was fine to eat at 6 months of age. Well, looking back now, I wish I would have started earlier. He is the pickiest eater, and I can count on my 2 hands the things he will eat. Does it have anything to do with feeding him adult type foods later??? Maybe. With my second son, I started him on small foods/mashed when he was 7 months. He is now 18 months and is our "bottomless pit". He eats anything and everything. Could just be him, but I think starting him at that age was perfect for him. It is up to you, but I think it is ok if you want to start now or later. Don't let family pressure you.

The banana is a good idea, just mash it up well. Don't give your baby any eggs til she's at least a year old. The doctor could've told you that one. Any soft foods should be alright.I didn't start my kids on people foods til they had more than one tooth. Cookies might be okay for when she is really teething. Ask her doctor if your not sure she should have something.

My daughter is 8 months and has been eating people food since 6 1/2 months. She loves bananas, small bits of bread, yogurt, cheerios and she just got 2 bottom teeth in last week. She never liked the baby food, so if she act it and was able to mash it with her gums- I would let her have it. Your the mother so you know your baby the best, my son who is now 2 didn't have people food until he was 9 months, so it really depends on the child.

Hi J.,

Our daughter is 10.5 months. We started her at about 6, but very slowly. Mashed bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi (she loves) (even teeny tiny pieces), mashed potatoes...basically anything mashed. She loves 'yo baby yogurt'. She likes jello, sherbet ice cream (good for the gums). Once you get comfortable with her knawing on things, experiment a little. I read somewhere that's it's somewhat O.K. if they choke (a little) it's the way they learn to eat.

Now at 10.5 months were're giving her pretty much everything we eat. She has 2 teeth in front. She eats little peices of french toast. I'm not comfortable with the egg thing yet, but our ped. said french toast is O.K. She's loves Cheerios & cheese. And try the Gerber Puffs. They dissolve in your mouth. I'm also giving her Gerber Graduate sides (loves mashed sweet potatoes). The Gerber stage 3 stuff is a little too runny. Pizza....tiny pieces.

Now the fun starts....we were at Portillo's and gave her a little piece of hot dog....holy cow. If we let her, she probably would have eaten the entire thing.

Good luck...

I have 3 boys - 7, 5, and 3. My first I never gave people food until he was one bc I was crazy and was certain that he was going to choke. THe second never ate baby food- he hated it, hated it. He ate people food from 6 months on... just put it in small peices on her tray and she will eventually figure out how to get it into her mouth. And when she gags, it si only gagging. She is trying to figure out how to swallow. Frozen peas, gerber stars and wheels - they disolve very easily in the mouth. Kix are good... just trust your gut.. She will be FINE. I promise you!

At my daughter's 9 month checkup the doctor said she could be eating whatever we ate, just in small pieces, so she wouldn't choke.
I tried a mesh feeder with my daughter for a while. It worked really good when she was hungry and interested in eating, vs. using it as a banging toy. I got it at toys r us, but one step ahead has the same one. White with a green ring. Target and others sell similar ones, but the one I got came with multiple bags and two handles. Wheat germ is good for putting on sticky/wet/slimy foods to make it more grab-able.
I also avoided eggs, peanut butter, honey.. etc until she is older.
I don't know what type of cookies you meant, but the teething stick cookies are like a face crayon in my opinion, and the tip can break off in their mouth. If you mean snack cookies, just tell your concerned suggesters what you feel comfortable with her eating and what you don't. I really dislike constant snack foods when we go to the grandparents, after breakfast!, etc. I probably sound like the meanest mom sometimes when I say he (my 4yo son) doesn't need all that. I just have to remind myself it is short-lived.
Things are different today than when we grew up, so they may be suggesting what they have done. Good intentions, just speak up about what you are comfortable with.

To me that seems a little young...At the most I would try a mashed up banana, or something like that that you can mash into "baby food" or that would dissolve extrememly easily.

I would suggest looking at a book called "Super Baby Food" The author gives you a lot of information on introducing new foods at what age and which food are high allergents. Also she has a lot of good recipes if you are interested in making your own baby food or if you are just interested in healthy snacks - and some interesting suggestions for other issues. One thing though - she is a little extrem in her Vegetarian only attitude.

anything that she can chew easily with no teeth, or that will dissolve in her mouth (cheerios etc) is fine. With eggs you should only feed her the hard-boiled yolks since the whites can be allergenic. We actually never fed our son "baby food" - made our own and had a baby food mill if something seemed too lumpy for him. Check the book "Super Baby Foods" for ideas on what to give at each age.

My daughter has been eating table food since she was about 7 months, and she's almost a year now. She has 4 teeth at this point, and she eats almost anything I eat. Last night she ate tiny bits of pork chops and roasted carrots. She eats ground beef, rice, avocados, chicken, bananas, cereal, fish, waffles, toast - really almost anything! I strongly believe in introducing this stuff as soon as the baby is ready. I didn't stick with it with my older two, and now they are extremely picky. I believe if I'd have continued feeding them what I was eating instead of making special baby meals for them that they'd be better eaters now. Anyway, just remember that it's your decision and that whenever you and the baby seem ready will be the right time. Don't let anyone talk you into anything you're not ready for! Have fun with it.

In addition to what everyone else is saying I just wanted to point out that my pedicatrician said that when it comes to what a baby can "chew" it's not so much how many teeth they have but how good they are at manipulating food in their mouth. They can determine this by what sound the baby can make with their mouth. I can't remember exactly what sounds they are but I'm sure you could find out on some baby development website.