The Gill Rapley dvd's really good too. Basically he needs to be able to sit up and hold things - ideally at 6 months. You can give him pretty much anything he can hold but no marmite or honey til 1 year and you have to watch the salt as you would whatever you were doing. In the first couple of days we gave #1 sticks of steamed veg, baked potato, banana, avocado, cheddar cheese, humous, pitta bread, cow's milk, toast, you name it. It's really easy if you can give stuff that you're having so you just make a bit more, but obviously it depends what you're eating meal by meal. It's so much fun to do! I love our pictures of her first few meals - they're hilarious. Think she'd have swum in it, if she knew what swimming was! If he seems to choke a little bit, do not panic - everything I've read tells me that it always comes back up. Just be calm and if necessary hoik it out with your finger; if you dont' panic, he won't see any need to. Might not even happen anyway, just thought I'd mention it.
Just do it alongside milk feeds and let your little one dictate what he wants and how much. To begin with it's all about just exploring and having fun with it, eating it all is a bonus - some babies take to it quickly, some take a while (#1 took to it immediately, but she seems to be exceptional) but until he's 1 you can pretty much just treat it as fun if he doesn't take to it very well.
