Food under one is just for fun. They do not need any solids under a year as nutritionally it doesn't help them. Lenora is almost 8 months now and I will probably start her on avocado soon, but I'm not rushing it.
So many people are giving their kids solids way too young, starting at 2-3 months old. It turns my stomach. Even major organizations like The World Health organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Health and Medical Research council suggest waiting until the baby is 6 months to start any types of solids. This includes baby cereal, purées, juice, etc. Many people are under the impression that they should be giving their baby cereal at 3-4 months old. This is way too young and you are setting your child up for digestive issues and allergies. Cereal in general should be skipped because of its dangers. Not only does it have a huge amount of sugar in it, but it can lead to diabetes, obesity, constipation and it greatly lacks nutritional value. You see, when rice cereal is made for babies, the most nutritious part is removed and the flour in the cereal becomes sugar. So, what you are really doing is feeding your child a spoonful of sugar with every bite.
Starting solids too early can cause many problems including allergies to food, childhood obesity, gas and constipation issues, weakened immune system and even respiratory illnesses.
If you do want to start your child on solids at 6 months, that is OK but just remember the longer you wait, the more developed their gut will be and it is not nutritionally required. Before you start him on solids make sure they are sitting up unassisted, at least 6 months old, can grab things with thumb and pointer and has lost the tongue thrust reflex.
I would suggest looking into baby led weaning and skipping purées. Remember, your breast milk is nutritionally sufficient until your baby is a year of age.
Good information here.
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