The ages and stages.

  So, you are ready to feed baby homemade food, where do you start? One helpful tip our family Dr. gave us was to start with veggies. Why veggies? Simply because almost any baby will love fruits because they are so sweet. We started our son at 4 months with rice and squash. Rice is just a filler, really. The reason we start with such items it to get baby used to moving things around in his mouth. There really is no nutritional value to rice.


  I have been asked about nitrate levels in items such as carrots, beans, and squash. I hadn't heard much about this, really, but here's a wonderful article from a very resourceful website: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm. After reading the article, you take away from it that the likelihood of your baby developing nitrate poising is very, very low and that commercial baby foods DO contain nitrates, as they are a natural part of the vegetable and cannot be removed!


  So, what foods can you start your baby on and when? Here's a list form that awesome website above.


VEGETABLES:


4-6 Months:
 -Green beans
 -winter squash i.e. butternut and acorn
 -sweet potato


6-8 Months
 -carrots
 -cauliflower
 -parsnip
 -peas
 -pumpkin
 -zucchini and summer squash


8-10 Months
 -Asparagus
 -beans (legumes)
 -beets
 -broccoli
 -corn
 -cucumber
 -eggplant
 -lentil
 -potato
 -spinach
 -tomato
 -parsnips


FRUIT:


4-6 Months:
 -Avocado
 -Apples
 -Bananas
 -Peaches
 -Pears
 -Prunes

6-8 Months:
 -Apricot
 -Mango
 -Pumpkin


8-10 Months:
 -Blueberries
 -Cherries
 -Cranberries
 -Grapes
 -Kiwi
 -Melons
 -Papaya
 -Persimmon
 -Strawberry




*please keep in mind that these are only suggestions from the website. Use your best judgement in making and giving baby food to your child. Only you know your child. My son loves asparagus and potatoes and he's only 6.5 months. Other websites have other suggestions as to when to start your baby on certain foods. Also, be sure to speak with your Dr. as they may feel your child is not ready to start solid foods. 
  Items like broccoli or spinach are extremely fibrous and you may want to wait before giving these to your baby. It will create a lot of gas and make him uncomfortable. Don't introduce these items right at 4 months.


Again, I love this website for basic info: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/index.htm. Please use as a resource only and talk to your Dr. if you have questions or concerns.