Solids

Hi S.,

The experts say you should watch for your daughter to take an interest in the food that you and others are eating as a cue that she's ready for solids. My boys didn't develop that interest until they were 9 months old, so you may have a little bit of a wait still. We started introducing cereal @ 6 months old, but in retrospect we could have waited. It was really hard to feed them those first 3 months when they weren't really interested.

Good luck!

Talk with your pediatrician. Mine suggested 4 months old but when we went in for her well-baby visit, she changed it to 6 months old. Our breastfed baby was quite the chunker and was in the 90th percentile for weight and lower on the length and head circumference. My ped. suggested that we wait so that she not get any extra calories and even out first. If your child is plump, you may want to talk to your ped. Ours also said that once you make fat cells you don't lose them and there was no reason to have her make any more than she already had.

Also, my understanding is that feeding solids before 6-7 months is to train the baby how to eat from a spoon, not necessarily for nutrition. Your breastmilk is all she really needs. And once you start feeding her solids, your supply will probably go down.

Congrats on breastfeeding!

Do some research - books, pediatrician, internet on reputable sites...There are many studies out there that stress not giving babies certain solids too early. Things that you would never think of (honey can be very very bad) and allergens that can start lifelong issues if you feed them to babies too early.

www.askdrsears.com has lots of info that i trust - i trust the sears family with my life, and the life of my son.... :D they have good info on readiness cues. just remember that solids for kids under a year are not nutritionally necessary... but they are for experimenting with textures and stuff. :D
anyway, go there, it has the answers you need!

Hi S.,

Many women begin solids between four and six months. That's what my doctors told me when I had my first son. But I've learned that babies do not really need solids for a long time, though they will nurse more when they go through growth spurts. Most mothers want to introduce solids to get a break, but I've known many who've nursed exclusively until nine months and beyond. It's really up to you.

T.
____@____.com

I got to the point with both my boys where I couldn't not feed them solids. First, they were nursing every two hours, around the clock, and I was exhausted. Second, I believe that children should be at the dinner table, even as babies, and they would fuss and cry in the bouncy seat. When we held them, they grabbed food on our plates. Third, they were able to eat food without gagging on it. Fourth, they weren't sleeping because they were waking up hungry. Oh, and I know...someone...recommends they be able to sit up and hold their head up well, but by 5-6 months, that was never an issue with my two.

Our daughter will be 5 months on Thursday and has been strictly breastfed since birth. We just started solids on Sunday, and she LOVES it.

One of the strongest indicator's we used to determine when she was ready was her interest in our eating. I noticed her watching us about a month ago, but was trying to hold out for the 6 month mark (which is what many sources say is the best time). We could have waited, but I didn't see a reason to. She was gaining interest every time we ate.

We are only going to feed her once a day. I think she would eat more, but I believe it is suggested to not substitute their diet too quickly.

www.wholesomebabyfood.com has been an excellent resource for us. We have decided to make our own baby food, and it is so easy and cost efficient. We started our daughter on squash. Many suggest cereal, but I have not seen anything that gives a reason for that other than it's the norm.

I'm sure you'll be able to sense what is best for your daughter. I think this is a perfect example of the mother's intuition be the best indicator. Good luck!

My daughter is 5 months now too! She's my 2nd baby, and I breastfed both. I feed her 5-6 times a day. If she still seems hungry, like you're not giving her enough, you may want to try breastmilk mixed with rice cereal or oatmeal, and try to spoonfeed her. We've tried it a couple times, but she hasn't caught on much yet. She still spits it out. Then you can introduce some baby foods, like peas, sweet potatoes, etc. Or you can mix that with the cereal & breastmilk. Good luck!

Your breastmilk is the perfect food so dont get stressed out about a timetable of when to start solids. She will tell you when she is ready becuase she will look like a little bird....following the food, grabbing for the food, opening her mouth, etc. Also, if you have regulated her metabolism with a schedule of breastfeedin you can easily add a solid at your family's regular mealtime to involve her in that. Then she will still rely on your milk, but begin practicing for solid food. Another thing to think about: my doctor told me to start with cereal, but my nutritionist said to start with squash, applesauce, avacado, or pears. She said that breastmilk is so sweet anyway that you dont have to worry about her rejecting the other foods if you start with a fruit. Also, she said that the babies digestive system is not quite ready to digest grains as is it easier to digest vegetables. Just something to think about. Good luck!! We just started the boys on squash and they LOVED it!

Hi S.,

I just fed my son some oatmeal between 4-5 months. I really didn't watch or wait for any cues; I just decided to try it and see how it went. He eagerly ate the oatmeal: he was excited to be tasting it, he was able to swallow it, and would get excited when he knew he was going to be fed.

I would say if you are curious, give her a small serving of some solids and see how it goes. I know in America, we often do rice cereal or oatmeal, but some pureed fruit would be a good option, or even a mashed, ripe banana.

I think this is kind of bogus, but our Pediatric NP told us that one cue is if they seem really interested while you are eating--if their eyes follow your spoon. I think that is just plain curiousity more than being ready to eat.

First of all, I want to congratulate you for nursing! That is so awesome!

As for the solids, you should watch for her to be interested in what you are eating. Also you should check to make sure that she is physiologically ready to start solids. Babies have a "tongue-thrust" reflex for the first 4-6 months of life. That means that whenever something foreign enters their mouth, their tongue pushes it right back out.

When your baby's body is ready to start solids, the tongue-thrust reflex disappears. To check for the reflex, mix a little bit of rice cereal with water or breastmilk and use a spoon to put a little bit into the front of her mouth. If she swallows it, she's ready. If it comes right back out, she's not.

I found this info in "What to Expect the First Year (2003)" p 292-293.

*Chassidy

Hi S. :)

I think each child is different. Both of my boys (now 5 & 3) could have cared less about eating solid foods. I could eat an entire meal with them on my lap and they would not watch me, try to grab anything. My niece on the other hand would cry from her high chair trying to reach the grown up plates. We started our solids purly because our doctor told us too. We started rice cereal at 4 months....they could both sit in the reclined highchair, and hold their head steady enough to "eat." We wanted to include them in our meal time so that is why we tried. The goal of feeding them solids at this age is just for practice anyway, they are still getting the nutirion they need from you or formula. It is realy fun to watch them figure it out....get your camcorder ready :) Good Luck!

With our daughter, she started watching us eat all the time and smacking her mouth when we ate. That's the cue we used to start trying her on solid foods - and it worked.

HI S.
some of the cues to look for are she is able to sit up on her own. she has lost the tounge thrusting motion and she seems interested in your food. Good question. T.

I was going to say everything that Angela S said right down the the website. Except we started ours at 4 months on cereal, at recommendation of my pediatrician (every baby is different of course). Do a little research and then follow your intuition! good luck!

Hi S.

If the times between nursing seem to shorten . If she gets cranky after nursing with a full tummy . I would start with not runny rice ceareal but not thick either . Babies first trying rice ceareal have the gag reflex . My daughter loved cereal my son on the other hand did not . We waited tell 6 months and went right to baby food . To this day he is really fussy about what he eats . Good luck and be patient with her eating just because she gags or acts like she does not like it does not mean give up . My doctor told me it takes many trys for a baby to know if they like some thing or not . To many of my friends give up and then they have a hard time getting their babies to eat solids . Good luck