Hope this Advice can help someone out there.

It is recommended that babies are breastfed or formula fed for the first 12 months of life. By 6 months babies are also ready for solids. The reason you start solids around 6 months is because your baby's iron stores are

low and you need to increase the iron in their diet to prevent future nutritional problems.

You may find that you think your baby may be ready for solids earlier but if you start them too early you run the risk of your baby developing food allergies. Also your baby may not be able to digest the food which can lead to stomach problems or diarrhoea. It is important that you also don't leave starting solids too late, this may lead to the Iron deficiency known as Anaemia, poor growth or feeding problems because baby doesn't know how to chew.

A few things to remember before starting solids:

* Bottles are only for milk/ water. Never put mashed food into a bottle in hopes you baby will feed better. This can increase the risk of baby choking.

*Always have clean hands and clean work area before preparing baby's food.

* Always introduce foods one at a time. If you give them one food at a time it will be easier to pin point a certin food if your baby has a reaction.

When introducing solids for the first time only offer 1-2 teaspoons of food and slowly increase the amount over a few days so baby gets used to the change from a liquid diet to a mixture of solids and liquids.

Solids should always be offered after a milk feed. When starting solids always begin with a rice cereal such as farex. Make it up with either breast milk/formula or cooled boiled water. To begin with the rice cereal should be quite runny with no lumps but as baby gets more used to solids you can begin to use less liquids thus making the rice cereal thicker.

If all is going well with the solids you can begin to introduce fruit and vegetables into you baby's diet. Remember to introduce one at a time incase you baby has a reaction. A few fruits and vegetables to try would be Pumpkin (i find the butternut to be the best), sweet potato, carrot, Zucchini, potato, parsnip, cauliflower and broccoli For fruit you could try stewed apple, stewed pear, bananas, avocado. Once your baby has established solids you will find you are making some strange combinations of fruit and vegetable mixes that you baby will love.

At 7-8 months

If everything is going well with the fruit and vegetable mixes you can introduce your baby to meats, chicken, fish and Tofu. To begin with the meat/tofu should be minced. You can also introduce pasta and rices just as long as it isn't made with egg. By now you can also add your vegetables into your meat/ tofu and add a little grated tasty or chedder cheese into it.

At this age it is also a great time to introduce a sippy cup to your baby. Remember cooled boiled water is best for babies under 12 months.

At 8-9 months

It is a great time now to introduce independant feeding if you are up to cleaning up the mess. But remember if your baby is eating anything they must be supervised at all times. At this age you may find that you need to increase the amount you are feeding your baby. Great finger foods to try would be cooked, cooled vegetables such as carrot sticks or brocolli, soft fruits such as banana or avocado, toast fingers or bread with a little vegemite. Don't try to give baby foods which are too hard because there is a greater chance of choking.

Keep trying baby on a sippy cup.

9-10 months

If you have no egg allergies in the family now would be a great time to introduce egg. Start with the egg yolk first. Soft boil and egg so the yolk is still runny. Start with about 1/2 a teaspoon first and wait at least 24 hours to see if there is any reaction. If nothing happens slowly increase the amount you give baby until the whole yolk is taken. If baby has had no reaction to the egg yolk try the egg white. Give baby boiled egg with a little of the egg white and slowly increase until baby has had the whole egg. Eggs can be given 2-3 times a week if baby has no allergy. You can boil, poach,scramble, omelets or just added into other foods.

10-12 months

By now feeding baby should just be another thing that comes with being a parent. Baby should be having 3 meals a day plus snacks. Baby can basically eat the same things as the rest of the family but modified versions if you are eating spicy foods. At 12 months you can also start offering cows milk as a drink.

Some tips to help include solids into your baby's life

*Breast/formula feeding should continue until your baby is at least 12 months old.

*Learn when baby is hungry or has had enough to eat. If you overfeed your baby in the hopes that it will sleep better they will only bring it back up again.

* When you first start solids your baby may spit the food out. This may also happen when you try baby on a new food. Don't take it as baby doesn't like that particular food it just maybe that it is a new texture that baby is just trying to get used to

* Stay with your baby when they are eating to avoid choking.

* Meal times should be fun, relaxing and not rushed otherwise your baby may become distressed and you will find it harder to feed them.

If your child begins to choke.

It will probably happen a few times while baby is learing how to eat. The first and most important one is STAY CALM.

Get baby out of the high chair and lay them over your knee with their head facing the floor. Give your baby short, sharp wacks on the back between the sholders with the palm of your hand, going in an upwards motion.

If your baby is still choking put your little finger into the side of their mouth and do a sweep of their mouth starting from one cheek and going to the other. don't stick your finger straight into their mouth and you could further lodge the food.

If any of this doesn't work or baby stops breathing then call an ambulance and begin C.P.R.

Hope this all helps. I know when my babies started solids it was a stressful time not knowing what i could feed them.

Love Juzzy xoxoxoxo