Starting solids questions...

maronesa

BACKGROUND:  We just started cereal for DD.  Her pedi said we could start with fruits and veggies any time we want, based off of her just about 5 months adjusted age. 

The nurse gave us a "chart" of how much to feed her per day.  It was labeled as "crawler" stage.  She is an "assisted sitter" at best; she still doesn't roll over yet!  

DD does not have a huge appetite, although she is gaining weight appropriately now. 

Also, she had multiple surgeries for EA/TEF and that means she will have difficulties eating throughout her life. 

QUESTIONS:  How did you handle starting solids with your preemie?  When?  How much?  Did you replace bottles with foods? Did you feed LO based off of actual abilities/developmental ages or where they "should be" based on actual age?  Anything I need to know that I don't have the question about?

Thank you so much! 

adrielegorburu

Im just starting out (DD is adjusted 6m) so this isnt advice so much as a plan. DD's had cereal added to her milk since the NICU, but we started spoon feeding cereal (very thin consistancy) last weekend. I made no change in her bottle schedule.  We "play/eat" with the cereal and spoon before her second feeding every day (the last two days weve done it twice a day) I only give her a few small spoonfuls and she loves to play with it. This weekend we start sitting her in her highchair so she gets used to it. I will also make her first foods this weekend and freeze them. Next week we will start to introduce carrots, sweet potato and pear. I dont plan on changing her bottle schedule at all yet, just a few spoonfulls right before two feedings a day. When I see she gets the hang of the spoon feedings I will start to introduce simple finger foods and then move on to other purees. When she seems to be "eating" more than playing I will start to reduce her bottles at the feeding we give solids (say 4 oz instead of 6 etc.) - DD JUST started to sit by herself but she is showing a lot of other signs of being ready for solids. Use your mommy judgment - I gave her a teething buiscuit to play with the other day and she did awesome, the package said for babies 9 months plus that are crawling - DD isnt there yet but I knew she could handle it.

bhilyer

maronesa:

How did you handle starting solids with your preemie?  When?  How much?

We started solids with JS around 6 months actual/4 adjusted.  He was showing all the signs of being ready.  He wasn't a sitter yet, but head good head control.  When we first started, I put in him in his Bumbo to eat.  (H is a whole other story!)

We never did rice cereal.  I started with bananas and avacados.   After he got better with the spoon, we moved on to other foods.  I've used this website to guide me through our food adventure: https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/

 

 Did you replace bottles with foods?

NO!  Your LO should be taking the same about of BM/formula.  At this point, the solids are purely for practice and not nutritive value.  

Start with one "meal" a day.  Once your LO can handle that meal and the same volume of milk, then add another.

 

Did you feed LO based off of actual abilities/developmental ages or where they "should be" based on actual age?

I feed the boys based off their abilities.  That being said, I gave them some Gerber Graduates munchies that are labeled "crawler" before they could crawl.

 

Anything I need to know that I don't have the question about?

You know your child best.  If you don't think she is ready, then hold off.  Rice cereal does NOT have to be the first food your LO eats.  If she still has her tongue thrust reflex, then she's not ready.   

 

Good luck!