at what age do you start introducing real food?

[mom of twins]

i have almost 7 month old twin (in 3 days) and i feed them stage 3 baby food and formula (didnt get breast milk) and everyone keeps telling me to introduce them to real food. my sister was giving her 7 month old small pieces of bread, sliced cheese, pickles, mashed potatoes, shredded baked chicken, and stuff that kinda melts in your mouth. I have given my babies mashed potatoes before and they loved it but i was not sure if the other things they are ready for. they do pick things up with their fingers and put it in their mouths (most of the time) and i was not sure if that meant they were ready for real food. I am not really sure when babies are ready. so please any advice will help. i dont want my babies to choke on food cause im trying to make them ready for it when they are not. I know the drs say that they dont need the food and to not start them on it but i want other moms point of view. thanks

 

[Cheryl H]

I also cant afford to buy jar food, my youngest son got mashed pear and apple from 17 weeks and now at 8 months can eat pasta, sandwiches, cheese, rusks, fruit and veg (more or less what we are eating - somethings have to be mashed down smaller). He loves finger food.

All babies will choke a little bit when starting to eat lumps (more sort of "heave" at it) but dont panic as it teaches them to eat and swallow properly. Research now shows that it is better to introduce solid foods earlier as the cases of children attending speech therapy have increased as people are introducing solids later and kids arent using muscles in the mouth early enough.