It's true that your really shouldn't start babies on solids until after six months ... unless you have one of those crazy all-food-must-be-mine babies. At around 4 months, my youngest began pitching a fit if anyone dared to eat in front of her. At 5 months, she began to actively attack my plate. When she literally threw herself out of my arms to get my banana I decided to give in. At 8 months, she now shuns purees and insists on super tiny diced foods so she can feed herself. On the other hand, my eldest had no interest in baby food at all until around 8 months and had no desire to feed herself until she was well over a year. You just never know.

As for making your own baby food, you can get by with a blender and a fine sieve if you don't have a food mill, but if you have a particularly texture sensitive baby the meat purees might not be quite smooth enough.