it is shown that there are less allergies present in children if they're exposed to

food in solids at six months of age. However, there are some parents that do introduce solids

earlier than six months, around four months. And there are also babies that may have reflux,

which may require rice in their formula, and this can be done as early as two weeks. Typically,

it's around six months also because babies get teeth at that age, and they can eat different

types of textures and different types of food. Traditionally, the thing that's usually introduced

the most is rice cereal, and that goes first. Typically, a doctor will ask for one to two

tablespoons of rice cereal for one week to make sure the baby doesn't react. I always

tell all of my clients, and I recommend to all parents that it's really important to

log your baby during this time. The only way you'll know if they have a true food allergy

is to see if they react to it. However, sometimes that reaction may not come until a day or

two after. So if you have a log that says introduced bananas Tuesday, and on Thursday

they have a rash, pretty much you know what's causing the problem. So babies are usually

introduced to cereals first, then vegetables second, and usually fruits last, because those

are the sweetest. But really you can introduce, as long as the baby is OK, you can introduce

foods any way you want in any manner that's easiest to do. There are a whole host of already

pureed baby foods, or you can simply make baby food at home by taking something as simple

as a banana and mashing it up with a little bit of breast milk and formula. It's really

important in the beginning to make sure the texture is very smooth and very soft, because

it's very new for a baby to have texture on their mouth. Most times, the first feeding

for a baby is a wonderful event. I know, I videotaped all three of my girls for the first

time they ate solid food. Most of it ends up on their face, on their clothes, because

most babies have a thrusting reaction with their tongue, and they end up pushing more

of the cereal out than they get in. The object of introducing the cereal altogether is just

to get them accustomed to texture, and to eating in this new manner instead of taking

food from a bottle. It's a wonderful experience for you and your baby, but one that should

be logged down, because of the allergies that could be present with different foods. So

please make sure you write down each food that you try, and wait four to seven days

before introducing another one.