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As far as I know, it's usually suggested that ff babies start a bit earlier so they don't develop such a picky palate and bf babies closer to 6 months. Our ped said anywhere from 4-6 months, so we started at 5 because I was going back to work and would have to pump less at work. Our ped told us to do a little test...give the baby a very small amount of stage 1 food and just see what he does. If the baby spits it out, then they aren't ready. If the baby chews and swallows it (even if a bit awkwardly since its such a new experience,) then they might be ready. The baby should also be able to sit up (even if assisted.) Our ped said that all food before 1 is just for "fun" and practice. I know everyone has what makes them comfortable but this is what we did and haven't looked back. Good luck with your lil man!

we started at 4m, LO almost 5, started with cereal and the doc gave me instructions for introducing the foods: cereal, orange veggies, then green veggies, no mixing until all have been tried, fruit after veggies.

Rice cereal - 3 days
Oatmeal - we did exclusively for a week because he loves it
Barley cereal - 3 days
Mixed cereal - 3 days
Carrots - 3
Squash - 3
Sweet potato - 3
Peas - 3
Green beans - 3
etc etc

I do oatmeal or mixed cereal in the morning, veggies at dinner

Our pediatrician is very easygoing and I strongly believe that every baby is different and will be ready at different times. That said, we started introducing foods earlier than most. She had so many readiness signs, and was so interested in food.

We started giving her tastes of food, mostly in a mesh feeder, at 4 months. She tried a lot of foods, but it was all for fun and to let her try it out, not for nutrition at that point. At 6 months, we started actually feeding her purées and letting her feed herself more than a bite or two. Now at 6.5 months, she sits in her high chair at dinnertime, and eats avocado, banana, broccoli, cheese, beans, etc.

My babies were preemies so I knew they weren't going to be ready at 4 months and it was iffy if they would be ready at 6 months. At 4 months, they weren't gaining as much as the ped wanted so we were told to stay on high calorie formula and not start solids. At the most recent 6 month appt, they said we could start if the babies had an interest in food. I know my son did but my daughter maybe. Last night (babies turned 6 months last week but were 6 weeks premature), we tried solids (rice cereal per ped recommedation) and my son took about 10 spoonfuls (very slowly). DD had her tongue still out so I don't think she's ready... most of the rice cereal would come back out of her mouth and I don't think she ate much. I think I might wait another week or two to give her cereal again.

My ped did recommend starting with rice cereal because they are not sitting up yet and suggested starting with something single grain and waiting on oatmeal and whole grains. She also said the arsenic in rice cereal is no longer an issue. Though arsenic is naturally occuring and is in a lot of other foods like chicken and seafood. So skipping rice cereal isn't is going to protect from all the other food that has arsenic. Also low amounts of arsenic is ok.

This article does a really good job laying out the arguments on both sides: http://scienceofmom.com/2015/05/14/starting-solids-4-months-6-months-or-somewhere-in-between/

Our ped recommended starting early because of the new research on allergies, but DD was totally not ready (or interested) until closer to 6 months. We started with veggies, then fruits, then oatmeal. So far so good, now we're working on getting her to eat finger foods/things that don't have a smooth texture.

At our four month appointment our pediatrician talked to us about solids only because she knows some babies are ready before their 6 month appointment and she wanted to make sure we had our questions answered. She went through all the signs of when he would most likely be ready. We started oatmeal a couple weeks before he was 6 months.

@Dahlia: I love that article thanks!
We started just before 5 months, he was really into our food and had been sitting unsupported for a few weeks. I think, like a lot of stuff with babies, that it's best to do it when your child is ready. I kind of find it funny that so many people are fine with babies developing at their own pace for crawling and talking and everything but think that each baby should follow a certain timeline for eating and sleeping. Each baby is different and following their lead along with your gut and your peds advice is usually the best way, IMO

Last time I saw our paediatrician he wanted me to introduce baby to solids at 4 months - she is a large baby with a big breastmilk appetite. He wanted me to start with rice cereal, then all fruits and veggies, meats and lastly yoghurt and cheese by 6 months. Baby has a dairy intolerance, and he wants to have that introduced earlier rather than later.

We waited until 6 months for foods. My boys didn't really dig food until 8 months or later.

My pediatrician definitely said to wait until they can sit up, are interested in food, and the tongue reflux is close to gone. We start practicing around 5 months. It was good too because it gave us time to start out slow and start eliminating allergies. I wanted to not super wait because of DS reflux. I think at the 4 month appointment food is still a good conversation to have in case LO seems ready to try a couple things before the 6 month one.

Our ped said to wait until 6 months so that's what we did. I think the AAP guideline is 6 months?

We started with solids right at 4 months. DD was showing all the readiness signs and took right to purées from the very first feeding.

We started with veggies, introducing 1 at a time for a few days before trying something new. We did only vegetables for a while before starting fruit simply because I didn't want her to taste the sweet stuff and decide veggies were no good.

@catomd00: That's what I thought too, although I'm ok with starting with them being assisted sitting up (lo1 didn't REALLY sit up til she started crawling at 8 months.) Thanks for posting though because all of these answers were making me think twice!!

@Mrs Spoon: Exactly!! With lo1 I admit it was more exciting, but I'm just remembering the freezing baby food and the buying pouches with those attached spoon things, and the mess..it can wait if lo can!!

DD1 started solids at 6 months. DD2 is almost 4 months and will wait until at least 6- but she is my last baby and starting solids seems so big - maybe I'll wait to 7. She doesn't show any signs of being interested, she naps through dinner!

@wrkbrk: there's totally no rush. Like I said, our son was sitting up and curious and we had separate issues with reflux. It IS extra work and mess, but I'm really glad we started early because my son was starting to wean from reflux meds by 5 months and was off them completely by 5.5 months and I'm positive adding solids aided us in that regard.

Even when you do start solids, there's so much stuff out there like purees vs. BLW, allergenic foods, etc. So it's not worth going into it until both you and baby are ready and willing! If your baby is happy on formula and you're happy, you should totally wait.

@wrkbrk: Lots of people do both. Like it's common to send purée to daycare and so BLW at home, for example. My son had very little interest in self feeding and it didn't click for him until almost 12 months, so we mostly spoon fed while offering him finger foods at every meal he could try or play with (or mostly throw). But again, for us, calories in was important so I cared a lot about how much and how well he ate. but lots of BLW parents don't care at all about how much they actually eat because of the whole food before one is just for fun thing.

@wrkbrk: we do both purées and BLW type eating. Like, we'll give her pieces of our meals or cut up hotdog or blueberries, etc to feed herself.