how long do I need to give my baby rice cereal for until i can give her mashed up peas/carrots/etc

There's no set rules, if your baby can swallow it without choking you can give it to them, just no major food allergens of course, like chocolate, nuts, shellfish, dairy, honey, eggs, etc. lol you can google food allergens to avoid in babies or ask her doctor! Also try not to add too much salt or sugar to her foods, it's okay to add some flavor just best to keep those things out because it is unhealthy for them 😉 Melody tried avocado as her first food, then oatmeal cereal, then purees....just stay with one thing for three days before trying something new to rule out allergies. By 6 months Melody was over purees and wanted finger foods, she could pick up her poofs with forefinger and thumb and put them in her mouth, chew them with her gums and swallow no problem! You will know when she is ready for more, and her gag reflex is strong so as long as you are right there with her to pat her back or stick a finger in her mouth and grab it, she won't choke, so don't be afraid after 6 months to give more solid things a try! (Soft, but pieces instead of purees lol)

A lot of people skip rice cereal all together because there really are no nutritional benefits to it. I went straight to avocado at 7 months

I never gave her rice cereal because there's no benefits and it has high arsenic levels. I went straight to purees

Try googling "baby led weaning", it really is the best way to go!

I never gave cereal, I thought it was just empty carbs and added iron.

I skipped rice cereal I went to solids right away