When to Start Feeding Meats

I was told by my doctor that they could start on 2nd foods at 7 months. That's when I started my daughter on them which included meats and mixed fruits and veggies and she did very well.

I think the standard is that they are sitting up without help before you start these chunkier type foods.

I never would have thought about it on my own but at daycare, my provider suggested we start meats around 9-10 months maybe? I don't really eat meat so I never thought to fix it or give it to her at home.

I had two voracious eaters who loved the homemade pureed vegetables and the cereals, breads and pasta products so by 10 mos we were venturing to meats. I cooked, then pureed chicken, beef, etc and easily served them alone or in soups, stews, etc. Have fun!

I would talk to your pediatrician. I don't remember the reason but my pediatrician told me not to start meats until 9 months old.

Start to give her meats when she's about almost 1 year of age. when she has more than one tooth and can chew a little on her own. You would want to chew the meats for her and give it to her mushy so she can swallow easily.

We just saw our ped. last week & my boys are 6 1/2 mths old. She said it was fine to start the "2nd" stage foods @ 6 months. The 2nd stage foods have a variety of mixed foods & also some of the same 1st stage foods, but with more in the jar. I'm not sure if your baby was a premie or not, so if she was, ok it by your ped. before starting & same rule applies to 2nd stage foods, make sure you do the same food a couple days in a row, to check for any food allergies.

I just started giving my 9 mo old meats. I don't know if they can digest it well before then. I grind it up in the processor mixed with some applesauce or liquid to make sure its moist. I do opt for grass-fed meats or at least from Whole Foods (without hormones or antibiotics). The fruits I mix once I know she's fine with them alone. I used jars with my older one for awhile but don't with this one. I find it easier and tastier to just grind or chop up what we're having and she loves trying to pick it up. Hopefully she won't be as picky as my tot!

Meat is not necessary during the first year (or ever, really). Most babies prefer fruits and vegetables over meat. Mixed fruits are good after about 9 months old. A great book regarding children's diets is: Disease-Proof Your Child, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. We don't eat meat, and our daughter is also breastfed. If you insist on using meat, I suggest buying organic only, although organic status doesn't affect cholesterol and saturated fat content.

From what my doctor told me no meats until they atleast get teeth. I feed my 6 1/2 month old crackers and those gerber finger foods that dissolve in your mouth. As long as they chew they will be fine.

I would wait a bit longer. Check with your pediatrician and some other research tools like "Super Baby Foods". Regardless, the meat has to start off as mush not chunks--and very very small amounts. It takes different enzymes to digest meat products, and they have to develop with time. I personally recall that 6 months is too soon for meat products, from my research.

Hi C.,

When my daughter was getting her molars was when I started to introduce her to the new textured food. I made them very, very, very small pieces to be sure that she could chew and swallow without choking. I should say wait until she gets her molars to help with the chewing process!!

At 6 months old, they should be eating 2nd foods (pureed fruits and veggies). Our pediatrician told us that by 9 months, you can introduce "real" foods (this is also when you can switch to a generic formula, like Wal-mart's "Parents Choice" brand). I am Filipino, and my daughter's first "big girl" food was chicken adobo and rice, which she loved! For right now, I would stick with pureed foods, since a baby's stomach still needs more "refined" foods. Good luck!

you can start meats any time now. obviously they need to be mushy or cut very small. I make my little one shepherd's pie and she loves it. She also loves little chicken nuggets. Another easy one - not meat but sort of analogous is tofu. She will also eat homemade beef stew - meat is very soft. And though I don't eat fish, I have made her some (tilapia, perch, scrimp). Again it is relatively soft and easy to digest.

I think you're doing a great job feeding all the great fruits and vegetables. Those have natural enzymes that help your baby digest. Cooked meat requires the boby to use enzymes it has naturally developed to help digest that meat. I personally feel a 6mo. is too young to start feeding meat. Cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, mashed bananas or even little chunks of those can get your baby used to the chewing process.

I believe you can start meats around 8 months. your baby can have mixed fruits as long as she has tried all of them already- no more then one new food every 3 days so if an allergy were to occur it would be easy to point it out.

I started with meats around 7-8 months of age. My little one loved the stage 2 Apples&Chicken and Sweet Potatoes&Turkey. She is also a big fan of Tofu. Didn't do too much other than that. Now that she's 9 months, she eats shredded chicken, Gerber meat sticks (they hav multiple flavors). I should also add that she doesn't have any teeth yet and it's really nto an issue for her. She's ben eating finger foods for the last 1-2 months. I think it all depends on your baby and what they're ready for. She only eats about 1 jar of baby food per day and the rest is mostly finger foods. Teeth really is not an issue as long as the pieces are small and they can gum them.

How many eeth does she have? You must make sure she is able to chew before starting meat. Does she chew noodles from soup? Pasta? Baked potato? Baby hot dogs are good to try out. You don't want her to take a bite and swallow. She has to chew and her stomach must be ready to digest meat. Babysteps mommy.

This question is so ironic! I was just at the doctors Monday for my daughters 6 month check up (shes really seven months we rescheduled her 6 month). I told him I went through all stage one and was starting the meats. He told me to hold off on the meats until she was 8-9 months due to allergy reasons. I guess their more subseptable to allergies to meats when their younger. I also have a girlfriend who is a nanny and she sits for a 9 month old and just started the meats. Hope this helps!

W.