When do you start feeding Stage 2 foods?
Hi P. - I know you've gotten a lot of advice but just thought I'd chime in! My son is the same age - the rule of thumb that I have heard is to start Stage 2 when they can sit independently (my son is just starting to do this at 7 mos) and then to start stage 3 when they begin to crawl. Basically, if they can do those things, then they are developmentally ready to move to the next stage of food. Best of luck!!
I think they pretty much say whenever your baby is ready for it. If you try it, and they spit it out because of the consistency, or have problems, you should wait a little longer. I just looked it up though, and they said 6-7 months for formula fed babies. However, stage 1 and two are not the same. Stage one is pureed and stage 2 is strained. Although they don't look any different, the consistency is different and how your baby digests it is different.
I went right to stage 2 cause my store only has stage 1 carrots, sweet potatoes and meats (which he's not getting till later). I wanted to start with green vegies so I had to buy stage 2 green beans and peas. There is not difference in consistancy and you can buy the stage 2 with only 1 food in them to test for allergies.
There is absolutely no difference between stage 1 and 2 except the quantity and flavors. Stage 1 is good for finding allergies since there aren't any combined flavors, but once you have ruled out allergies you can move to stage 2 because consistency wise they are exactly the same.
Stage 2 foods are a thick pudding consistency with no lumps and they are more likely than stage 1s to be combination foods.
Stage 3 foods have small soft chunks in them.
I assume that you've already been through the stage 1 foods from a rule-out allergy perspective. I am also assuming she has no swallowing difficulties or problems with her gag reflex.
She can progress to 2s now. Jar labels usually give age recommendations.
I pureed all my babies' foods, bought NO jarred babyfood, and was very cautious with their diets. Then I discovered that a well-meaning teenage babysitter was giving my 8 month-old McDonald's Fries for "a while now", not thinking anything of it because she knew that he tolerated mashed potatoes. Our babies are much more forgiving than we give them credit for.
Hey P..... start stage 2 when you've given all flavors of stage 1 for allergy testing and the baby stays hungry... the only difference between stage 1 & 2 is that stage 2 brings more variety and more quantity but the consistency is still as watery as 1...
I began feeding my son Stage 2 at 6 months. They are just a little thicker. Just buy one and try it, she will let you know if she is ready.
Once we had tried stage 1 foods and I knew she wasn't alergic to any of those foods, we went ahead and started the real deal...cut up of course and with monitoring. It is healthier and cheaper; in addition, developing her fine motor skills (to pick it up on her own). She (11 months yesterday) feeds herself for all meals including holding her own sippy cup... unless of course I give her yogurt or applesaws or something like that! :)
Blessings,
Amanda
We started at about 6 months, and our daughter didn't even get her first tooth until she was 11 months!
Yep, I agree. Once my babies had tried everything in Stage 1, we moved up to Stage 2 and same with Stage 3. =0) She'll enjoy all the variety she'll get from moving up!
By 7 months old I was feeding my oldest son off the table. I would fix him mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, sweet potatoes, anything as long as it is mashed well enough for him to swallow. The stage 1 foods are so that you can test for allergies. If she doesn't have an allergy to any of the stage 1 foods then start feeding her stage 2 foods. If you feed her the stage 2 foods that are combination foods, let her eat on them for a few days in a row to ensure no adverse allergies from eating it. But otherwise, if she can eat stage 1, she can definitely eat stage 2 foods and not have any problems. Good luck.
From what I remember, I combined starting them. For example, after I tried apples and sweet potatoes (stage 1 single foods), I went ahead with the stage 2 apples and s. potatoes mixed together. The only thing the pediatrician told me is not start much meat until 6 to 7 months. Their little kidneys cannot process through all of the protein in meats until around that age. Also, she said not to do more than one serving of meat per day until 9 to 10 months old. Once you've allergy tested all the stage 1 foods, I think the stage 2 is about the same except the stage 2 is cheeper for the amount you get.
Also, my son never liked the stage 3. He would gag on the chunks. I think the liquid/mush and solids together threw him off. We went straight to mushed foods and small solid bites after stage 2.
