Let's talk about starting solids

kristinasmall

Hi ladies! So, dd is 4.5 months old. As soon as she turned 4 months, I started rice cereal. (About 1T once a day). She did really well with that, and since I am trying to extend her naps and get to a 3.5-4hr schedule (she wasn't eating well anymore at 3 hrs), I also went ahead and started some baby food about a week later. So right now, our feeding schedule looks something like this:7:30am 6-7oz bottle, 1T rice cereal w/ small amount of applesauce mixed in.11am 5-6oz bottle, half jar stage 1 veggie (the tiny jars)2:30pm 6oz bottle5:30pm 4-5oz bottle, other half of veggie from lunch7:30pm 6-7oz bottleWhat I am wondering is if I started the fruits/veggies too soon? I'm asking for a couple of reasons. 1) She has started taking less formula. Sometimes only 4oz at a feeding where she used to take 6-7oz. 2) yesterday she started getting congested and its getting worse today. Food allergy maybe?  So I don't know how to proceed. Maybe just do rice cereal once or twice a day? With or without fruit? Or drop fruit & veggies all together? Or drop solids all together? I don't know what to do, but I need to figure out what's causing the congestion. She has a heart condition and nasal congestion is really hard on her. Help!!! 

aibrean

I started fruits and veggies about the same time (stage 1). My girl was very very ready (she rarely if ever puts her hands in her mouth and swallows well).

ASmallWonder

The stuffy nose is more likely a cold but if you're concerned, back off of whatever you've introduced recently.  But the reduction in formula is something you need to be mindful of.  Ounce for ounce, solids have less nutritional bang than formula or BM so they really need to be taking in very close to the same amount of formula as before solids.  They'll naturally decrease their intake as they increase their solids intake but that shouldn't be until closer to a year.  It sounds like she's filling up on her solids but they're not going to meet her nutritional needs the same way her bottles will so personally I think you need to back off of the solids.