Graphic for post - Guide to Baby Food Stages - purees thru finger foods with baby led weaning. Images are a grid of bowls full of the different stages.

Acquire everything you need to know about Baby Nutrient Stages in this easy-to-read, comprehensive guide. It explains the different feeding stages, going over what every stage — Phase 1, ii, and 3, Finger Foods, and Baby-Led Weaning — is all about.

Graphic for post - Guide to Baby Food Stages - purees thru finger foods with baby led weaning. Images are a grid of bowls full of the different stages.

Medically reviewed past Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Baby Food Stages

Are you finding the baby food feeding stages confusing?

Well, you are not alone!

Stages 1, 2, 3, table foods, finger foods, infant-led weaning… ahhh… help! What does it all even mean? 🤯

Don't worry; I'thousand here for you!

I bankrupt down each phase into an easy-to-digest (pun intended) guide. 👊

What is in this guide:

  1. Baby Food Ages
  2. When Can Baby Starting time Solids?
  3. Overview: Purees – Stages ane, 2 and 3
  4. Overview: Infant-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
  5. Stage 1 Purees
  6. Stage 2 Purees
  7. Phase 3 Purees
  8. Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
Lineup of spoon and a fork with different stages of baby food on it.

Baby Food Ages

  • Phase i Purees: four-6+ months
  • Stage 2 Purees: six+ months
  • Stage 3 Purees: nine+ months
  • Finger Foods: 10+ months
  • Baby-Led Weaning: 6+ months

WHEN CAN Babe Kickoff SOLIDS?

When a baby can starting time on solids is determined past their own rate of development. Mostly, it occurs betwixt 4-half dozen months of age for purees and 6+ months for baby-led weaning. Some of the developmental milestones babies demand to reach in gild to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you swallow (see my guide here). Just retrieve, earlier yous start baby on solids, you should consult with your pediatrician to brand certain your child is developmentally prepare.

Spread of the different baby food stages one, two, three and baby-led weaning or finger food stage.

Purees – Stages one, 2, and iii

So, to start, Baby Food Purees are grouped into iii different stages — Stage One, Stage Two, and Phase Three. Without a dubiousness, they all consist of baby food purees. But they really range from unmarried-ingredient smooth purees to chunky combination purees filled with soft-cooked foods. Here'south a quick reference:

Stage Ane

  • the kickoff phase of feeding
  • single-ingredient sparse purees
  • smooth and piece of cake to swallow
Stage One Products We Honey
  • loftier chair
  • suction bowl
  • spoons
  • bib with food catcher

Phase Two

  • slightly thicker
  • combination purees made up of several unlike ingredients like fruits and vegetables
  • may too include yogurt, grains, and proteins

Phase Iii

  • combination purees with soft-cooked chunks of food
  • perfect for babies that need to practice chewing and swallowing foods

A NOTE TO FIRST-Fourth dimension Infant Food PREPPERS

Hold on, is information technology your offset time making homemade babe nutrient? If you answered yeah, then I advise you start this journeying by reading my in-depthGuide on How to Make Homemade Baby Nutrient. The detailed article goes over all the essential information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, knowing when your baby is set up for solids, introducing purees, making the best showtime foods for baby, and more! You lot can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes.

Babe-Led Weaning or Finger Foods

Basically, Baby-Led Weaning and Finger Foods are the aforementioned types of nutrient; they're just served to your baby at different times. Baby-Led Weaning is a newer arroyo to feeding your baby where y'all skip the puree stages altogether. Rather, you serve baby chunks of cooked nutrient. Whereas Finger Foods, or sometimes referred to every bit Table Foods, are typically served to your baby subsequently they master Phase 3 infant food purees.

In brusk, finger foods are served at 10+ months and baby-led weaning starts at half dozen+ months.

Y'all can read more hither: The Ultimate Guide to Finger Foods for Baby-Led Weaning.

Baby-Led Weaning Products We Love

  • high chair or clip-on chair
  • mat for under loftier chair
  • suction plate
  • self-feeding spoons
  • long-sleeved bib

Stage one baby food graphic - with single ingredient puree for baby.

Stage 1 Purees

Stage ane baby nutrient is the first type of puree you volition be introducing to your baby. Fabricated with a single ingredient and pureed until polish, these unproblematic purees are perfect for your budding eater. Besides, they are nutritious and full of season!

  • historic period: 4-6+ months
  • single-ingredient recipes
  • smoothen texture
  • can be thinned out (similar to a thick soup only dripping off the spoon)
  • first bites can be fruits, veggies, or grain cereal

Here are a few tips:

  • first, offer your baby one puree at a time to watch for whatever allergic reactions
  • too, consider offering different colors of nutrient and flavors to start developing their palette

Stage 1 Recipes

  • 15 Stage Ane Baby Food Purees (four-vi months)
  • 4 Homemade Baby Cereal Recipes (iv+ months)
  • 36 Good for you + Homemade Babe Food Recipes (iv+ Months)
Stage 2 Baby food puree - a combination puree for 6 months and up.

Stage 2 Purees

Meanwhile, Stage 2 purees will make your baby's mealtime more exciting with multiple ingredients. This time, you can focus on exposing your baby to various fruits, veggies, grains, and proteins. Plus, yous tin can also add together spices and herbs to come up up with appetizing and unique flavor combinations.

  • age: half-dozen+ months
  • combination of multiple-ingredient purees
  • polish texture
  • tin have a thicker consistency than stage one purees
  • great way to expose your baby to a variety of flavors and food colors
  • may include plain yogurt, grains, and proteins

Stage Two Recipes

  • xviii Stage 2 Babe Food Purees (That Baby Volition Actually Eat)
  • 15 Fast + Piece of cake Baby Food Recipes (made in under xv minutes!)
  • 18 Breakfast Ideas for Baby (six+ months)
Stage three baby food combination puree for 9 months and up.

Phase 3 Purees

In contrast, Phase 3 is full of hearty meals with multiple-ingredient purees plus soft-cooked chunks of food. This stage is all well-nigh giving your babe time to learn how to chew and swallow small pieces of soft foods. Then the adjacent footstep will be finger foods or tabular array foods.

  • age: 9+ months
  • combination purees and soft-cooked chunks of food
  • also a bully way to expose your baby to diverse food flavors and colors
  • features wholesome fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, yogurt, even spices
  • easy to make — but pulse your own meal with a blender to plow it into a baby meal

Stage 3 Recipes

  • xviii Phase 3 Baby Food Recipes (Easy, Delicious + Homemade)

Babe-Led Weaning or Finger Foods

As mentioned, Infant-Led Weaning is actually a newer approach to feeding your baby where you skip the puree stages birthday. Instead, you serve small chunks or strips of cooked food correct from the very start. Ultimately, y'all would exist feeding your baby the exact food you are having at that repast.

However, finger foods tin can exist served to your babe subsequently Stage 3.

To sum up, finger foods and the food you serve to baby for Baby-Led Weaning are the aforementioned foods. Just they are served at different times during your baby's eating journey. Finger foods are served at x+ months, while baby-led weaning starts at half dozen+ months.

If you want to learn more than, bank check out my Ultimate Guide to Finger Foods for Baby-Led Weaning.

  • baby-led weaning age: vi+ months
  • finger food historic period: ten+ months
  • both include chunks of cooked foods
  • can be served in 2-3 inch strips or chopped to pea-sized pieces

Remember, avert hard foods such equally hot dogs, popcorn, dried fruit, nuts, etc., that can be choking hazards.

Infant-Led Weaning (Finger Food) Recipes

  • 125 Baby Led Weaning Foods (Starter Foods + Recipe Ideas)
  • viii Baby-Led Weaning Repast Ideas for Baby + Toddler
  • 6 Infant-Led Weaning Breakfast Ideas
Lineup of spoon and a fork with different stages of baby food on it.