Is 5mths old a good chance to start something other than milk? What is mostly recommended for? How to make?

If you are thinking of weaning your baby at 5 months old, it will be considered early weaning. When baby shows these signs, it means he/she may be ready for solids: - baby Is hungry before the usual feed time - he/she dribbles and puts things in his or her mouth - baby can sit up with support - he/she shows an interest in your food Also, in certain cases such as infants who have not grown to the expected size or who lack iron (anaemic), they may be weaned earlier (between four and six months old). Here is an article on weaning that may be useful: http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/childrenhealth/Pages/When-and-How-to-Wean-Your-Baby.aspx By the way, introduction of milk should be after baby is 1 year old.

The current recommendation from medical authorities like WHO and UNICEF is to wait until 6 months of age before introducing solids as studies have shown that breastmilk or formula is enough to meet baby's nutritional needs for the first 6 months. However, some doctors recommend that babies can start solids by 4 months. I reckon a little after 5 months would be okay as long as you keep feeding baby milk alongside the solids. As long as baby has lost the ‘tongue thrust’ reflex (pushing out anything that you put in), reckon it'll be ok. You can start off by feeding baby veggie purees. Carrots and avocados are popular choices. Also, the traditional route would be to feed baby cereals.

I started with avocado purée as first food. :)