When to introduce meat?

[busymama77]

DS2 has already had purees with meat in them (apples and chicken, sweet potatoes and turkey), but to offer deli meat? Is this okay? Like turkey or ham? Or turkey breast - like at Thanksgiving?! DS2 will be 8 months tomorrow.

[Lauren82]

I think my youngest LO started eating meat around 9 months. I didn't give any to her to begin with, she would swipe it off my plate. I think tiny bits of soft turkey perhaps mixed with a little bit of gravy or potatoes would be a great start. I had one of those baby food mills and it was excellent for grinding up bits of meat.

[Tattooed Hand]

I would give either of those foods to my DD, but not as processed deli meat. There are too many preservatives and nitrates and such.

[Knitting Mama]

Originally Posted by Tattooed Hand

I would give either of those foods to my DD, but not as processed deli meat. There are too many preservatives and nitrates and such.

Not in every brand.

[hildare]

dd has been eating little chunklets of real meats since she started solids. it is, much to my chagrin, her favorite thing and the only thing she eats with real consistency and enthusiasm. as long as they are not choke-able size or you pre-chew a little (did that at first) it's fine for them. if you have an immersion blender and feel more comfortable doing that, roasting chicken or pan frying it in olive oil and blending with other stuff like avocado or pears works pretty well too.
i don't know so much about the deli meat, i would hesitate with that, but a big ol thanksgiving turkey? give it a go!

[RaeDyCo]

My DS2 (10 months) has had ground beef, chicken, turkey and lamb already. I just give shredded pieces and he has no problem with it. He actually likes meat, DS1 was not a fan for a long time.

I don't do deli meats until over a year as it isn't easy finding lower sodium, no preservative types.

[tzs]

soup meat is perfect for babes (homemade, i don't know if there are any good canned brands out there).
we started meats right away at 6 months with blw.
ground meats are great and if we ever got our hands on chopped liver or pates it would go straight to dd's plate.

[busymama77]

Oh and the other thing, he's cutting two teeth at the bottom so he doesn't have them in completely. Will that be problem right now with chewing and such? I'm sure they'll be in by Turkey Day, though.

[ErinYay]

Originally Posted by busymama77

Oh and the other thing, he's cutting two teeth at the bottom so he doesn't have them in completely. Will that be problem right now with chewing and such? I'm sure they'll be in by Turkey Day, though.

At 11 months with 8 teeth (4 top and bottom) V still only uses them to crunch crispy things and tear softer things, like bread. She copes with all sorts of meat well- I do tiny bits that don't need to be chewed.

[nola79]

I think you're good to go. Dd just turned 9 months, has no teeth, and has been eating tiny pieces of chicken and turkey breast for a few weeks at least with no issues. She even had meatballs over the weekend and no issues there either. She loved them!

[tzs]

you're fine with no teefs, i think.
dd had two on the bottom but the meat went straight towards the back for gumming. she real;ly only uses the front teeth for ripping tough pieces of crusty bread or stuff like apples with peel.

[Lauren31]

DD has wild salmon. That's about it.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Tattooed Hand

I would give either of those foods to my DD, but not as processed deli meat. There are too many preservatives and nitrates and such.

And the high salt content.
But 'regular' meat? I think it's a great first food, if your family eats meat. Lots of iron and zinc.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by nola79

I think you're good to go. Dd just turned 9 months, has no teeth, and has been eating tiny pieces of chicken and turkey breast for a few weeks at least with no issues. She even had meatballs over the weekend and no issues there either. She loved them!

Meatballs! Great idea. He hasn't had any hamburger yet....lots of things to try. So exciting!

[JudiAU]

Meat is fine, deli "meat" not so much. There are real and serious risks from processing (ecoli) so I would only serve top quality, nitrate free after a year. Also, the salt and preservatives are a real issue. But other less processed meats are fine whenever. Great source of heme iron.

Texture can be an issue so we do lots of things like meatballs in the begining. Baby loves garlic and turkish spiked ones.