Starting Stage 2 Baby Food? Options to Try, When to Start
Stage 2 baby food is more about the consistency and texture of the food. The concept behind slowly transitioning from purees to thicker solids is to get your baby used to chewing and swallowing.
Of course, every child develops at their own individual pace, so check with your child’s doctor or nutritionist for dietary recommendations during the first 12 months.
A guide to the stages across most brands
While the different stages of baby food aren’t standardised, most popular brands follow these four stages:
- Stage 1: 4 to 6 months (watery puree of a single ingredient)
- Stage 2: 6 to 8 months (thicker texture that is strained or mashed)
- Stage 3: 9 to 12 months (mush that has soft, chewable, small chunks)
- Stage 4: After 12 months (finger foods and small, soft pieces of foods you share from your own meal)
At around 6 to 9 months, your baby is usually ready to move on to stage 2 baby foods. Not every baby will stick to this simply because every child is unique.
Here are some signs that your child is ready to move on:
- Tongue reflex: At around five months old your child will start losing their tongue thrust reflex. They won’t immediately push out the food you are trying to feed them.
- Gesturing for more: They’ll easily polish off the stage 1 foods and look hungry for more.
- Variety: They’ll have eaten foods from all the food categories (vegetables, fruits, legumes) and show no allergy or intolerance.
- Enjoyment: They manage spoonful’s of stage 1 foods easily, mouthing and swallowing happily.
At this exciting stage, feel free to give your baby most types of foods. Keep in mind the following safety points:
- Choking hazards: Avoid nuts, seeds, and popcorn. Make sure to slice round foods like grapes lengthwise.
- No honey: Children younger than 12 months should not be given honey because it could lead to a botulism infection.
- No juice: Stick with breast milk, formula or a little water and steer clear of juices.
- Safe feeding: Always strap your child into their high chair and keep an eye on them while they’re eating.
Baby Food Recipes with Sweet Potato
Sweet Potato is smooth and creamy, which makes it pair really well with other purees. This flavour mixes nicely with all of our vegetable purée pods- + Green Bean + Pumpkin = Sweet Potato Green Bean Pumpkin Purée
- + Broccoli + Beetroot = Sweet Potato Broccoli Beetroot Purée
- + Kale + Carrot = Sweet Potato Kale Carrot Purée
- + Capsicum + Green Bean = Sweet Potato Capsicum Green Bean Purée
Baby Food Recipes with Pear
Our delicious organic Pear Baby Food combines well with most flavours.- + Apple = Pear Apple Purée
- + Green Bean = Pear Green Bean Purée
- + Carrot Puree = Pear Carrot Purée
- + Mango + Apple = Pear Mango Apple Purée
