I started my son at bang on 6 months (6 months ago now) and I remember being worried alot! His first foods were boiled to near soft carrot sticks and other boiled vegetables. My main concern was choking, and was on red alert for a week or so until I realised he wasn't going to choke! He only gagged a very few times, bringing whatever he hadn't chewed properly right back up again, then grabbed it and bit it in half and tried again. He wasn't overly windy, but obviously his nappy load increased! We moved onto lumps of steak and roast beef within weeks. Brocolli was a good starting food as he enjoyed grabbing the stalk and ripping off some of the head. Larger fruit I cut until he was about 10 months and he would just throw pears and plums off the highchair, but, now at 12 months he is a master! Do expect mess, but it's all part of the process! My main advice would be - relax. If you are worried, get a list of foods you KNOW are going to be ok and work through those. Try things that you wouldn't normally try. Go for weird cheeses and exotic friuts - they really do love them! And anything you can possibly eat with your hands, they can do! My son is a master with mash potato, porridge and even couscous by hand.