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Feeding your baby

• Every baby is different. Recent health advice is to start your baby on solids at 6 months, but if you feel your baby is hungry earlier, talk to your health visitor.

• At 6 months old start introducing pureed solids, beginning with baby rice and then any vegetables or fruits. Use ones you're eating but don't add salt during cooking. Start with vegetables so baby gets used to the stronger savoury flavours before you introduce the sweet fruits.

• Whatever you do with baby food keep it simple. Start with single flavours, cook the vegetable like carrot, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, until just soft then puree till smooth, adding boiled water if too thick. When you start mixing flavours, use no more than three ingredients.

• Don't try to give your baby more than one new flavour a day.

• Try new things between meals as a taster so your baby doesn't associate things he doesn't like with meal times.

• If pureed peas get spat out, don't give up - it may take six or more attempts before that taste is accepted.

• From around 7 months start introducing a little chicken meat, tropical fruits, berries, dairy products, wheat and oats. Try pasta too.
• Around 9 months start using eggs, beans and fish.

• Children shouldn't be given nuts or seeds until they're 5 because of the risk of allergic reactions, and this includes peanuts and peanut butter.

By Michael van Straten, complementary health expert, www.michaelvanstraten.com

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