Parental guidance: Baby's first foods

You could try cereals such as Kix and Cheerios, which are lower in sugar and will "melt" quickly in a baby's mouth. Wait as each is swallowed before feeding her another. "I would not let her put a fistful in her mouth," Sadow says. Put them on a tray and let her pick each one up herself, with your supervision. This will give her a sense of dining independence that she likely is beginning to crave, Sadow says. "I think the babies are kind of excited to feed themselves," she says.

Avoid nuts, raisins, hard carrots, gum, whole grapes, hot dogs, popcorn and even marshmallows because they are so gooey, Sadow says. Don't let the baby eat in the car while you are driving, because you won't be able to supervise well enough.

To help with your anxiety, take an infant CPR course, which should include how to handle infant choking. Many doctors' offices, including PM Pediatrics, offer such courses. "Every parent," Sadow says, "should be trained in basic CPR."