“Solid Foods” Thread

mmom3

Many of our are here or super close as our babies approach 6 months or so.  Wondering what your daily feeding routine looks like now?  Do you give a small bottle if you do a “solid meal?”    

mccurleya

I don't, but my babysitter gives him a little milk after solids. He eats solids twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. So far we've tried cereal, sweet potatoes, peas, prunes, bananas, and pears. But he had an allergic reaction to the pears. Every time he eats solids we start with a tablespoon of cereal and half a jar of whatever we've tried so far. If it's prunes, he'll want the whole jar.  For some reason he loves those. If he's not wanting to take the cereal, we mix the solid with it in the same bowl. 

cford08

We started solids around 4.5 months. We try to alternate, breast milk 5-6 oz bottle one hour then the next hour an ounce of food, then the next hour a nap if we are lucky. We usually aren't lol. He's had avocado, applesauce and sweet potato. We are now on sweet peas. I make enough for 2 weeks, freeze and use it all before going to the next food. DH side of the family has some people allergic to life so I'm being extra cautious. 

ashtuesday

N started solids at 6 months (so just a few weeks ago) and only gets one "meal" per day around 10 AM.  We've done rice cereal, green beans (disastrously), bananas, and sweet potatoes - apples start tomorrow. She eats 2-3 tablespoons and is still starving afterwards, so I give her a bottle maybe 30 minutes after her meal. I know I should just give her a bigger portion of food, but it takes sooooooo long and is such a process.  

ashtuesday

Also: I bought "The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers" because I love having a real book to reference.  But it is garbage.  I've found so many websites and blogs that are so much more informative - don't waste your money!

megpeg

Declan eats between 1/2 and 3/4 of a container at a time of the Plum Organics. I have every intention of making his food like I did for my other two but haven’t done it yet. He also eats cucumbers and avocado slices. His favorite is plain banana or mango carrot sweet potato. He eats this usually at lunch and dinner.

mccurleya

@megpeg I told myself I was going to make all of his food but I can't even find the time to do dishes... 

ashtuesday

@mccurleya @megpeg I make N's food, but from day one I told my husband "This is going to be short lived!"  I like feeling like I've made something for her... but is the effort really worth the final product?  I could buy her food and spend the hour I would've spent peeling and cutting and steaming and pureeing and portioning and cleaning with her instead!  Pretty sure the homemade baby food train will leave the station as soon as I go back to work.  @cford08 , you have my total respect for sticking with it - especially with severe allergies in the family, I see why it's a necessary extra precaution for you.

sgrn18

@mccurleya how did you catch the allergic reaction to pears?  I'm constantly worrying I wont catch a reaction.  

We started on rice cereal a few weeks ago and had been slowly working in different fruits and veggies (bananas, carrots, squash, starting pears today).  The sudden introduction of solids got him all constipated so we backed off the rice cereal and switched to oatmeal (per recommendation of the internet lol) but he is pooping now! 

I also had intentions of making his food.  Then I realized I'm tired and I dont want to and the jars are so convenient. Lol

mccurleya

@sgrn18 he would cry when he ate them and ended up with red bumps all over his belly and small parts on his limbs shortly after. When typically he eats like a grown man and has normal skin after. 

fatstagnation

We are doing baby lead weaning, and that's fun. but DH.

Our pediatrician said to start with veggies. "We're genetically programmed to like starchy and fatty things, but veg not so much so start with that. (Not sure I track the logic but...)"
So, I was making zucchini from the garden and I took a section with no seeds, peeled it and over cooked it in tiny cubes. I showed it to her on a plate, ate a piece myself, put a piece in her mouth. She mashed it. Didn't spit it out. Then dad started forcing pieces in her mouth and made her cry. over. and. over. again. 

So...DH and I had a talk. 

 and next feeding will be just the two of us just in case, and it will be bananas, there's a reason people start with bananas geeze. 

KZ1126

We started solids at 4 months and have just been doing 1 feeding in the early evening since she's in daycare all day. She's a total slob but loves it! We stopped for a little while thinking it maybe was related to her sudden sleep regression, but just started up again. Our pediatrician gave us a chart of sample feeding schedules but I am still so unsure of how she is supposed to be eating. Is it still a must have of 25 ounces of formula per day? google was unhelpful, does anyone have a sample guide as to how they are feeding? I don't think daycare will feed solids until she moves up to the next classroom so it is only possible in the morning and evenings. 

becausescience

@KZ1126 "food before one is just for fun" is the mantra I go by. Food shouldn't replace breastmilk or formula, but instead just adds on. But getting enough formula/breastmilk is top priority.

When we introduced solids to DD we started first at night an hour or so after a bottle. Then later we started having daycare do breakfast, again like an hour after a bottle. I feel like we kept two meals for a while before adding lunch. Don't stress about solids too much, she's getting everything she needs from the formula. And if she's acting hungry, increase that first.

crossfitbabybump

I am still doing strictly breastfeeding. She has tried a few solids - strawberries are her favorite. She hates bananas. I am curious to try sweet potato! no allergic reactions to anything *knock on wood* !

she was NOT a fan of oatmeal/cereal either. I'm afraid I'll have quite the picky eater on my hands.

runsoncoffee

We are just getting our toes wet and doing primarily baby led weaning. We have really been loving the boon pulp silicone feeder for things such as peas, blackberries, even banana and chicken. Hes able to feed himself and gets so excited when he sees it come out. Definitely recommend! Even if you aren't doing BLW it's a great way to introduce more flavors and you can even put cold or frozen things in it to help with teething. Much easier to clean than the mesh feeders!

crossfitbabybump

@scoogy19 - we have the mesh ones and they are a pain! where can I find such silicone feeders??

runsoncoffee

@crossfitbabybump look up "boon pulp silicone feeder" on Amazon! I have seen them at target before too. 

mmom3

I just bought a 2 pack of the Boon at Target @crossfitbabybump.  

crossfitbabybump

awesome! thanks ladies!! I love me some Target

DDRRT1982

I’ve slowly introduced different foods over the last month and Sam has no interest.  I know it’s early, but all my other kids at least had some interest.  She is great at nursing, brings things to her mouth to chew on, but when she tastes food or feels it she just looks away.  Anyone ever experience this?  Did it get better?  

mmom3

@DDRRT1982 - my daughter was like this.  We tried introducing food at 5 months and she wasn’t having it.  She only wanted the bottle.  It took her 3-4 months before she was interested in food and by then we did more baby led weaning using something she showed interest in.  

abg2018

Baby started solids at 5 months and two weeks. After his second week and stressful weighing session, we're now feeding him 4 times a day- porridge and veg. We mix the formula with each meal as he only wants breast milk when I get home. We'll adjust meals when weight increases.

fatstagnation

@DDRRT1982 I'm glad you said that. V is not into anything we've tried either. She watchedsus drink like she's interested, she watches us eat and mimics chewing. but when i put a bit of food in her mouth (banana for ex) she looks like she's gonna cry and spits it out. We'll just keep trying and letting her play w food for now, I guess.

DDRRT1982

Same with Sam.  She acts like she wants it, opens up real big, and then bam looks at me like what is this shit?  It was kind of funny at first, but now I am just ready to move on.  We’ll keep trying, lol.  

crossfitbabybump

Alice absolutely loves strawberries! she had quite the mess going on last night but she ate them all! we're going to try green beans tonight... although I feel like she won't have the same kinda love for those haha! Has anyone been told to start introducing peanut butter slowly to your baby?

mmom3

@crossfitbabybump - yes our pedi said prior to 6 month appointment along with eggs.  I am very nervous as with my other kids - PB was 1 year and eggs were 9-10 months.  

ashtuesday

@crossfitbabybump Our ped said to start 6-12 months. We've been giving N a Bamba a day for the last week or two - so far, so good!  She loves being able to actually bite and chew something (and I love that it then basically dissolves in her mouth).

crossfitbabybump

Green beans were a HUGE hit! I'm so glad she liked them! although she is more into smashing the food up more and playing with it. But she is learning to pick it up and put it in her mouth! @mmom3 - we are going to try eggs this weekend. Kinda nervous but so far so good on everything else!

I've been in this group on FB for BLW for Beginners and they say babies can start having meat and/or basically anything that we are eating now. Alice will be 7 months old soon but the meat makes me nervous. Has anyone else tried any types of meat yet? Chicken? Turkey?

And she doesn't have any teeth popped through yet so I know I am going to wait for teeth so she can chew it better. She's a late bloomer lol

megpeg

@crossfitbabybump we have been doing Chicken for a while. Just teeny pieces and he grinds them with his gums. No teeth here either.

mmom3

@ashtuesday - thanks for the suggestion on bambas.  I’m going to have to pick some up as our pediatrician wanted pb & eggs before 6 mo appointment.  

crossfitbabybump

@megpeg - great! then maybe well introduce some chicken, too! just makes me nervous with choking - although I've learned the difference between choking and gagging with her. Like last night DH thought she was choking on a green bean and I said, no she's just gagging, she'll get it. And she spit it out. We'll just have to make sure the chicken is cut teeny then! thanks!!!

mccurleya

@crossfitbabybump you could puree the meat 

maelily15

Like @mccurleya said, with DD1, we ninja’d up the meats into a purée so she had what we were having (we slowly introduced different spices, food was puréed without add ons). 
I’m kinda on the struggle bus with introducing foods to DD2. We talked to the pediatrician about it at our 4 month appointment and she was very specific that we should hold off on the eggs and peanut butter- our family doesn’t have any food allergies so she said it’s not needed to introduce early. Luna is showing major interest in real food but DH is staunchly against BLW because he’s afraid she’ll choke. Plus all the peds say to only introduce one new food at a time- every 3-4 days or so. She doesn’t turn 6 months until the 21st and all she’s had is rice cereal mixed with formula. 

crossfitbabybump

@mccurleya - mmm pureed meat lol! we do have a baby ninja thing my mom got us but we have yet to use it. She did very well with the eggs yesterday so I think we'll start chicken next! exciting times!! haha!

@maelily15 - my DH is very paranoid she'll choke, too. I have had to reassure him that there is a difference between choking and gagging. And that she needs to learn to do this stuff on her own eventually. There have  been a couple of instances where I have had to remove food from her mouth but just remain calm. Alice will be 7 months old though on the 19th. But she doesn't have any teeth yet so I was hesitant to start any harder foods like meat.

After she ate her eggs last night she slept a whole 8 hours straight! (I of course nursed her before bed, too.) But she hasn't slept that long... ever. lol

runsoncoffee

@crossfitbabybump we have also done chicken! Just give her a finger sized piece big enough for her to hold. She most likely wont eat much of it but can gum it and explore the taste/texture. We will probably try some ground beef this weekend too since we are having chili.

slr1229

My kid attacks the spoon and wants real food.  I’m lazy and baby will have Gerbee foods.

ashtuesday

We're on the Gerber train now too, @slr1229. I'm having trouble introducing new foods now that N's in day care. The plan was for them to feed her a mid-morning meal of something she's familiar with, and I'd try new foods with her in the evening. But she comes home way too tired to handle a high chair meal. Hopefully that'll get better as she adjusts!

crossfitbabybump

@scoogy19 - we're going to try chicken this week!! Alice is up for eating just about anything, although most of it ends up on the floor haha!

I did this past weekend have another mom on Facebook give me her rude opinion about BLW and told me she hopes I know the Heimlich and that myself and my pediatrician are idiots for doing BLW. Ummm... okay?

I told her that nothing screams FACEBOOK like barging in, wanting your opinion to be heard. I also told her that her rude comments and mom-shaming were not welcome on my page, only support. She unfriended me. Listen, it's my daughter. I created her, I carried her for 9 months, and I pushed her out of my vagina. Therefore, my kid, my vagina, my rules. She didn't like that very much. Oh well. Sorry NOT sorry.

I can't stand when other women, especially moms, do shit like that. You can by all means feed your child how you deem necessary. But I know what's best for MY daughter. Geesh.

Okay, rant over. Sorry

sgrn18

Man the mom shaming is EVERYWHERE.  I got shamed by my own mother when we started solids for giving him bananas instead of a vegetable.  I pretty much told her to shove it and that it's my turn to be the parent (in a not so nice way...hey I was pissed).  If I want to give my baby bananas, IM GOING TO GIVE HIM BANANAS!!  

People think they have some right to tell you how to parent on par with commenting on your body during pregnancy.  Ugh. Okay sorry I'll get off my soap box lol!

crossfitbabybump

@sgrn18 - I'm sorry to hear that my own mother doesn't even talk to me anymore.

ashtuesday

I'm sorry you ladies are dealing with this. But I'm glad @crossfitbabybump gave us all a new motto with "My kid, my vagina, my rules!" Heck yes!!