At what age can you feed a baby protein?

[RTjoke]

DS is six months exactly. We are neither doing BLW or purées. Sometimes he has finger food, sometimes I just mash-up our dinner. Our approach is quite messy so I bought a few Ella's Kitchen punches for meals out but then noticed all those with meat and fish say not to use before 7 months. Why is this? DS has had mashed up bolognaise and shepherds pie at home. Should I have waited? I'm a little confused.

[Thumbwitch]

Your baby will have been having protein from day 1, as milk contains protein.

The pouches to which you refer are probably at different levels of purée/lumpiness - you're supposed to start with completely smooth food to make it easier for them to swallow then progress up the lumpiness scale as they learn to chew.

[RTjoke]

Thanks. So given DS is happy eating finger foods and lumpy mashed up food he should be fine with the older baby pouches?

There seems to be so much conflicting advice out there. Given BLW allows babies to eat anything from six months I thought I could just mash up our meals but my HV said no egg, cows milk or red meat early on. DH was horrified I was going to feed DS prawns from our risotto too. Is there anything they really can't eat at this age (other than salty foods)?

[Thumbwitch]

Well you have to watch for choking hazards, and nuts are a classic for this - no nuts until they can reliably chew and swallow and not choke.
Limit salt, as you've said.
And no honey until they're over a year old - this is because of the risk of botulism from Clostridium botulinum spores which may be in honey, and which then start to grow in the gut - this isn't pleasant for anyone but is extremely dangerous for babies under 1yo.

Prawns? Why?
Can't for the life of me understand the milk or egg issue either, so long as
they're fresh. Or the red meat, for that matter!

[Thumbwitch]

[Thumbwitch]

(as an aside, HOW cute is that baby?!)