Introducing First Foods

I started my son (exclusively BF) with rice cereal mixed with breastmilk at 4 months and fruits and veggies at 6 months. My pediatrician said to do each food for 5 days just to make sure their were no sensitivities. Before he gets solids, he still nurses though as that is his main source of nutrition until at least a year. He'll nurse for about 10 minutes, then eat a half or whole serving of fruits or veggies. So far he's had squash, sweet potatoes, peas, apples, peaches, green beans, carrots, and probably some more I can't remember. Since you've got two weeks before your trip you can introduce a couple of foods that are easy to take. Now that we know he likes apples (you can just get regular apple sauce, but make sure it's the plain one with no spices) we just stick a carton in the diaper bag if we're going somewhere where it's not convenient to nurse and he gets his milk later! Good luck!

5 Months is too early for foods period. In an allergy family I would wait till 7-8 months. He will not starve. You can supplement if need be with Nutramigen or Alimentum, the least likely of the formulas to cause allergy problems. I would NEVER start any baby on grains. That's asking for allergy problems with the gut. I would start with meat first, then vegetables,then fruits. Then again by 7-8 months the baby will be picking up their own finger foods after initial spoon feeding. Put your baby on a good probiotic like 3 Lac or I-Flora for Kids.

You do not have to start with rice or any grain. We started both our boys on pureed veggies. This website is very helpful www.wholesomebabyfood.com - it gives you alternate ideas on foods that can be introduced first and how to easily make them yourself if you are able. We introduced food to both my boys at 5 1/2 months. The recommended age to start is 6 months, but both my guys got so hungry that I had to start earlier. Best wishes!

I wouldn't start with rice - it is extremely constipating, and you don't want to deal with that on a trip. I would start with oatmeal if you really want to get going on the solids.
My kids hated baby food, turned out they just wanted to feed themselves. So after messing up my first baby's system (by starting with rice on a family trip! :() I just stopped solids all together and about 6 1/2 months I gave him itty bitty pieces of whatever I was eating (within reason, of course I wasn't giving a six month old steak and salad!). With my daughter I didn't really even push the baby food, she ate maybe a total of three jars over a month. The rest of her food I just did what I did with my son.
I would put two grains of rice on the tray, when those were gone I would put one squished pea on the tray, then one soft carrot cube, then one more pea... you get the idea. Both my kids had a really good pincher grasp already at six months, weird, but it worked for us. They got to feed themselves, and it took quite a while, so I got to enjoy my meal as well. We all left the table satisfied :) Obviously they weren't getting any type of nutrition out of four grains of rice and three peas, but that really isn't the point of solids at the beginning anyway.
You could look at the trip as a time to get your milk supply up, as you will be together more than when you are working, baby can breastfeed which is more effective than the pump, and by the time you get back, maybe you will be ready to stock up the freezer with milk again! :)

I did pretty much what you did with your oldest, but I started both my boys at 5 months. Can't remember why 5 months, but that's what I did. My oldest did just fine, not issues whatsoever. My younger son did fine for a couple of days and then he just wanted his bottle (he was formula fed for health reasons - long story) and was not interested in food. I tried again a couple of months later, still no interest. Suddenly we were at 9 months, so we pretty much just did finger foods. He really wanted to be able to feed himself.

Remember that kids are different. Just because your older son has food allergies does not mean your younger son does. I would just begin with the rice cereal, see how he does, maybe introduce a stage 1 food and just go from there. Take your time and try not to stress. Some kids will love it, some won't. They don't really have to eat right now, so if he's not interested just back off and try again later.

Good luck!