I usually introduce rice cereal first, and when they seem to "get the hang of it" then I add the other cereals and start vegetables. It seems that for most babies, it takes about a month. I don't think there's any reason you should wait that long or couldn't do it sooner. I just figure that it is confusing enough to learn to eat without changing the taste or texture in the meantime. Once they are comfortable with the actual eating, I find they will usually welcome new foods. (That rice cereal must be boring.) Again, I haven't done it another way, and I'm sure you could do it sooner. I would assume it would follow the same "few day rule."

Yes, like the others said, once you put the spoon in the baby's mouth and back into the jar, you introduce normal bacteria from the mouth. If you then store the jar in a cool/dark place, the bacteria could start to grow and become potentially harmful. If the child is going to finish the jar, however, I do feed them right from the jar (plastic or glass).

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