did you start solids at 4 mos, 6 mos, other?

nikinikinine · March 2011

Our pedi gives the okay to introduce solids starting at 4 mos, but reading online there are mixed reviews about when it's okay to start. The LLL, AAP, WHO, etc. push staying on BM until 6 mos, but it seems like it is commonly acceptable to introduce solids before 6 mos.

I'd like to start at 4 mos - to start the weaning process, but am skeptical as to whether this is too early.

When did you start and how did your babies do?

pea-kay · March 2011

I did it at about 5 months. I wanted to wait until 6 months (mostly because it's so much easier just to give babies bottles!) but we did it a little earlier to see if it'd help them sleep. It didn't affect it at all.

I took them on a work trip at 5.5 months, so I will say that we didn't feed them solids regularly and seriously until after we got back from that.

ProwdMommy · March 2011

Glad you asked this question. I am curious about the responses. I know that when DS1 was this age the recommendation was to wait until 6 mos. because the thought was that if you wait longer then the chance of allergies decreases. They have since changed that and now say that introducing earlier may reduce the chance of allergies. I will probably try solids at 4 mos. and see how that goes.

SoldiersGreenBean · March 2011

I'm not entirely certain what you mean by starting the weaning process. At 4 months, solids are entirely for practice. They should still be getting all of their nutrition from formula/BM.

We started at almost 7 months. DD wasn't ready until then, although DS was. We waited due to laziness. We had started DD1 at 5 mos, when she was ready.

kimarino13 · March 2011

We started at 4m, but in hindsight, I should have waited until 6m.

kafunder · March 2011

We were similar to Pea-kay and started at 5 months. At our 4-month appt our pedi advised us to wait until at least 5 months and when DD was eating at least 30 oz of formula a day. He said that since some babies drop their formula intake when they start solids, he doesn't like them to start until they are drinking enough that dropping a few ounces won't hurt them. At 4 months, she was only eating about 24 oz per day. She started eating 30 oz around 5 months, so that's when we started.

Also, we skipped cereals and went right to fruits and veggies. The pedi said that the med community is moving more toward that recommendation (at least for formula fed babies) b/c cereal is basically empty calories (except the iron, which formula fed babies don't need), doesn't prevent/help with allergy issues like they used to think, and can cause unnecessary constipation.

PolarBerry · March 2011

we have been trying since 4 months off and on. We are now at 5 and a half months and they still aren't very receptive to it. I just try once a week or so, and so far... they haven't liked it. One time, one of them liked it... but then the next day, she didn't. We are also pretty lazy about it though... because like PP said... it's just so much easier to stick to a bottle!

fallbride110406 · March 2011

We started around 5.5-6 months. I can't imagine starting at 4 months personally, that just seems so young.

babya2010 · March 2011

SoldiersGreenBean:

I'm not entirely certain what you mean by starting the weaning process. At 4 months, solids are entirely for practice. They should still be getting all of their nutrition from formula/BM.

We started at almost 7 months. DD wasn't ready until then, although DS was. We waited due to laziness. We had started DD1 at 5 mos, when she was ready.

Ditto the bolded. DD vomited a few times after I fed her rice cereal around 4 months, and even though DS did fine at first I still waited another couple months before trying again with both of them. And ditto the laziness - that was definitely on my part (it's SO much easier just feeding them a bottle!) I wouldn't say they were 100% comfortable eating solids until just recently though. DD would often play the, "Good luck getting me to open my mouth!!!" game. She's doing much better now. GL!

2shihtzus · March 2011

We were told we could start at 4 months but our pedi said she would recommend waiting until 5 months so that's what we did. Our boys had big appetites and were having no problems getting enough formula so that's why we started at 5 months, otherwise I would have probably waited until 6 months. My boys did great with it though, after they got used to the whole concept of eating from a spoon etc., they had no problems.

I agree with PP's too. I was all excited about making their food and giving them solids and then I realized...this is a pain! It is definitely more time consuming, more of a pain if you are out an about, etc.. I wouldn't be in a rush to start it and like PP said, I don't know if it will help in the weaning process since they should still be getting the majority of the calories from breast milk or formula (if you're going to start formula).

nikinikinine · March 2011

SoldiersGreenBean:
I'm not entirely certain what you mean by starting the weaning process. At 4 months, solids are entirely for practice. They should still be getting all of their nutrition from formula/BM.

Right now I EBF. I plan to wean from the breast and switch to formula once they start regularly having solids. My goal is to BF through month six, but if I start solids at month 4 I will also introduce a bottle of formula then to start tapering off my milk production so that by the end of month 6 they are formula only.

It's more about transitioning for myself so I'm not engorged/in pain. I, in no way, intend to replace BM/formula with food.

kafunder · March 2011

If I were you, I'd transition to formula before starting solids. It can be challenging to find the right formula, and you may have to try several kinds to figure out which one is right for your LO's tummies (I'm not saying all formulas upset tummies but you might experience this). If you're doing solid at the same time, it will be more difficult to determine which is upsetting your baby--the solids or the formula, especially b/c it can take 1-2 weeks to tell if a formula is causing tummy troubles and then another week or so to get the old formula out of your LO's system if you need to try a new brand. And, in the interim, when you've stopped the old formula and are trying a new brand can be awful as the two formulas mix in your LOs system). Just my two cents based on our experience of finding the right formula.

SoldiersGreenBean · March 2011

kafunder:

If I were you, I'd transition to formula before starting solids. It can be challenging to find the right formula, and you may have to try several kinds to figure out which one is right for your LO's tummies (I'm not saying all formulas upset tummies but you might experience this). If you're doing solid at the same time, it will be more difficult to determine which is upsetting your baby--the solids or the formula, especially b/c it can take 1-2 weeks to tell if a formula is causing tummy troubles and then another week or so to get the old formula out of your LO's system if you need to try a new brand. And, in the interim, when you've stopped the old formula and are trying a new brand can be awful as the two formulas mix in your LOs system). Just my two cents based on our experience of finding the right formula.

I agree with this.

You can wean from EBF to formula without having to add solids into the mix. If you drop a different feeding every few days or after a week, you probably won't have a whole lot of engorgement.

Haven1 · March 2011

We started oatmeal at almost 5 months. Their 4 month appt was really late, and I wanted to talk to the pedi before we started. I was also a little lazy. Bottles are so much easier!

They hated just oatmeal, so we switched to real food after a few days. Cereal is mostly for practice since it's much cheaper for them to spit out as they learn. Mine fell in love with sweet potato right away, thankfully.

Rangergal9 · March 2011

We didn't start till 5.5 months with my older DD and we'll probably do the same with the twins. Starting solids is such a hassle and I cannot imagine how much harder and messier its gonna be with two! LOL. They definitely don't seem ready and definitely don't need to eat more than they are ;-) So for now we are going to wait. We are traveling to visit family the end of April so we'll probably start after that visit cause I don't want to have to lug the stuff down there.

caden · March 2011

We bottle feed and I added oatmeal to their bottles around month 4 to help w/ their reflux. We didn't start spoon feeding solids until 6 months.

GSwans · March 2011

We did start at 4 months, but I didn't push it on them. Some days, they were more interested in others, and so we just "practiced" for the first few weeks, and it was just with rice or oatmeal. Once I tried a veg (peas, at 5 months) that's when the interested perked up. And still, we just did one meal a day, and stuck to introducing one new veg or fruit every 4-6 day.

monkski · March 2011

we waited until 6 months. I figured, why add another thing to do in our day when it wasn't necessary. I also think that it's important to wait until they were ready. One thing that helped me was when I heard to wait until you start feeling bad eating in front of LO. I knew it was time when they really acted like they wanted what we were eating.

smeyer · March 2011

We started a little bit of rice cereal around 4.5-5 mo. There was no pressure and I only tried every few days at first. Closer to 5-5.5 mo, I started giving cereal more regularly. We didn't start any purees until after their 6 mo well check.

Mrs.NYC · March 2011

i started purees a few weeks ago. both weren't that interested in cereal or oatmeal. so we have done purees once a day for the past few weeks. I don't worry about getting them to finish it, just practice and trying new tastes.

I am thinking after 6 months to move up to 2 feedings a day but for now once is good.

leviandlandensmom · March 2011

We started baby cereal mixed with a fruit or veg a week ago and they both absolutely love it. We give it to them around 6 at night- my DH will feed one while I feed the other. We do 1/4 cup rice cereal, 1.5 ounces BM, and 2 ounces of a fruit or veg. They did pears for 3 days, sweet potatoes for 3 days, and now they are on green beans.

I noticed they are sleeping better now and I think the food is helping.

I wouldn't start any kind of baby food at 4 months though, I think that's too young.