about to start

[@llli*dara]

My DD is going to be 6 months in a few days. She seems interested in food, when we eat she watches, she chews too! She trys to grab at food and gets all excited when we eat.

anhyone here make their own food? I want to start her on avocado. I know everyone in m life keeps saying CEREAL to start with, but I am not feeling that!

If I make food do I have to add EBM to it? I guess I will have to get a pump if I need to add it to her food!

What foods are easiest to make? I have a majic bullet and hope to use it to make her food.

[@llli*andrea.wolford]

dr sears has some great info on his web site about starting solids
There is good info here too on the answers pages.

The only thing I ground up was meats that were too hard to cut into small peices.
mostly I did baby lead solids.

IS your baby sitting up on her own?
Can she pick up food and get it to her mouth?

IF you don't want to use cereal you don't have to start with it.
Dr sears explains why most doctors like you to start with cereal on his web site.

[@llli*dara]

she is still wobbly sitting up on her own. She can do it but not for long and sometimes falls over! I am not 100% comfortable with BLS...it would have to be super soft that would basically melt in her mouth. She can pick up and put toys in her mouth but I am not sure about how she would do with food she had to pcik up.

I am hoping to puree her avocado for the first food that she eats. I was going to start a few weeks ago but she got a cold. After that I decided to wait until she is oficially 6 months!

[@llli*lianminyee]

My little girl won't be 6 months until October 15th (we won't start solids until probably a week later than that) but I'm already gung-ho about making my own baby food and have read up on lots of information pertaining to this (including checking this forum nearly daily!). Many sources tell you to add BM to the beginning purees so it becomes a consistency that your little one can handle. I exclusively breastfeed as well and, being a stay-at-home mom, have never pumped. I bought the Medela Harmony manual pump (for occcasional uses) yesterday and am anxious to get started... should be interesting.

If you want to splurge a little bit, I did, Williams Sonoma has a 'Cook for baby' cookbook ($19.99) that has wonderful recipes for your baby for their different periods of development. 6 months, 7-8 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months... or if you want, I could email you some ideas from the book. You'd just have to give me your email.

Good Luck!

P.S. Avacado is one that I want to start off with too. It's easy because you don't have to actually cook it... plus, I love Avacado!

[@llli*eelme.eelme1]

I can understand being concerned about BLS. It IS a little intimidating. But I've done it both ways (homemade purees and BLS). Both my babies didn't really eat solid foods until 9-10 mo. just little bits here and there. Personally, I preferred BLS. It was WAY easier - the purees take a lot of time and clean up. And I felt like my BLS baby was more "in charge" of what she was eating. That way, I knew she was really ready for whatever I was trying to give her. She didn't over eat. And she's learned to feed herself right away. Now at 15 mo. she eats EVERYTHING - including raw veggies and cooked veggies (and of course avacado). and she can feed herself with a spoon. There is a TON of research and advice here about BLS. But if you decide to do home made purees, that is good, too!

Just a word about avacado - it isn't very tastey to the babies at first - mine preferred sweet potatoes and carrots first - and liked avacado later.

Also, totally agree with cereal. Not a good first food and don't let anyone tell you it is! LOL