I start offering solids at lunchtime and then after a few days introduce a dinner as well. At dinner time I give the foods that are tried and tested and use lunch to introduce new foods...so should worst come to worst and there be some kind of reaction, it's much easier to deal with during the day than in the evening.

Initially we are talking maybe a tablespoon of rice cereal...then I mix with a tablespoon of fruit or vegetable puree/mash.

I then increase the quantities as bub gets better at eating off the spoon and more interested in food, and gradually cut back the lunchtime milk feed to increase the interest in food. When bub starts whinging for lunch earlier than normal, I then introduce breakfast.

I introduce a new food every couple of days and then it gets cycled through the repertoire. I mix green veggies in with the sweeter tasting orange veggies and try and offer different variations on the veggie mix every day. Same with fruit. Once they are used to eating and digesting a reasonable amount of food I would introduce protein, a little at a time so as not to cause digestion problems.

I also offer sips of water from a cup during each meal. It takes a few weeks for them to learn to drink from a cup so this is more for teaching purposes than actual drinking initially.

Once they are getting into their food I start offering finger food as well. Gets thrown around a bit to start with but they eventually get the idea!

I used a book to start off with until I got my confidence up!