**MrsT0514**

sbevmc09

MrsT0514:

sbevmc09:

We bypass cereal and go straight to purees.nbsp; I think they say wait like 3 days before introducing something new if you want to play it safe for reactions so maybe wait 3 days and then go for something else?nbsp; Real food is really better than any cereals though so I would definitely move to purees as soon as you're ready. Before a year solids should never replace a feeding, it's just for practice they should still be getting their nutrition from formula/breastmilk so like others have said feed them formula/BM and then a little later try the solids.I too would only do solids 1x/day at this point. nbsp;

I apologize to the OP for highjacking the thread, but sbevmc, I noticed that you skip cereals and go straight to purees. I'm interested in possibly doing this with DS, but I have questions. How much do you start with? Do you also mix purees with formula? And I assume you start with just once a day and only offer AFTER the bottle, do I have this right? I've been debating on whether I want to go this route or maybe start with oatmeal cereal. Either way I think we're going to skip the rice cereal though. I'd also like to err on the side of caution with any solids, as DS is MPI.

Hi  

Thought I would start our own thread so you would see my response!  

Yes, I do skip cereals and go straight to real food.  I do this for a few reasons.  1) grains are really hard for our bodies to digest.  This is true for adults too so I can only imagine what it does to a tiny, developing system.  2) they don't really have any nutrients so I don't see the point.  Basically it's a filler.  I would say a whole grain like oatmeal is better than white rice cereal, but I still don't think it's necessary, KWIM?

Yes, you can also thin out purees with formula, if needed.  Really good first foods are avocado and banana.  Just mash them up with a fork and thin them out with a little formula.  They cater to a baby's palate and are easy on their tummy. 

I honestly don't have a recommendation as far as how much.  As best I can remember when we first started DS really just took a few bites at a time.  He was also pretty late on being interested in solids though.  I know some babies are way more into it!  

And yes, you're right, offer after a feeding.  Start with once per day.  I would wait like 30 mins or so and then see if they want some.  You want to make sure they're still getting their nutrition from formula until they're older and more capable of eating a real food diet.

MrsT0514

Thanks for getting back to me! This was much easier than scrolling through the other thread anyway!

Thanks so much for the info. I've read up a lot of starting solids and such, which is great to have the guidelines in front of you, but honestly, it seems much more helpful to get others' anecdotal advice and experience. The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards skipping cereal and just going straight to purees. I figure this will be healthier and more nutritious than doing cereal, and since I'll be making all of the purees myself, I won't need to worry about any hidden dairy, preservatives, etc. I don't know, the cereal sorta seems like a waste of time.

We go tomorrow for DS' 4 month appt/shots so I'm sure the pedi will talk about starting solids then. I'm still not sure if I want to start now or hold off another a month or 2.

Sorry for the ramble and thanks again for the info!

sbevmc09

No problem

I felt much more confused/apprehensive about the whole thing the first time around.  I did a lot of reading and wanted to know others experiences too.  It's much easier once you've BTDT to be more relaxed about it and trust that it will evolve naturally. 

I know your LO has some concerns with the MPI so I'm sure it's that much more concerning as to how to proceed.

MrsT0514

Yeah, I can certainly imagine that its much more relaxed the second time around! Not to mention there are so many options when it comes to feeding your kid, and all of them can be considered the ''right way'', so it can be overwhelming when deciding what to do or not to do! But yes, with him being MPI I definitely have to be so careful with anything I put into his little body. Even down to probiotics...I need to make sure they're dairy free. The pedi wants to challenge him with dairy around 10 months, which is a ways away, but I get nervous thinking about it! This is all so new to us, considering neither me or MH have/had any food allergies.

But either way, I guess we'll see how it goes!

RissKay

Totally butting in here, but I did want to suggest that you try new foods in the morning, that way you don't accidentally miss an allergic reaction due to sleeping at night.  

MrsT0514

RissKay:

Totally butting in here, but I did want to suggest that you try new foods in the morning, that way you don't accidentally miss an allergic reaction due to sleeping at night. :nbsp;

Yes, that's a good point. I do plan on sticking to just one type of food for a few days to rule out allergies. Thanks for your suggestion!

sbevmc09

Ooh, good point about the early in the day thing.  I hadn't even thought of that.  Luckily we haven't yet had to deal with any allergies/sensitivities.  I'm sure it's very stressful having to worry about that.  ::fingers crossed:: he outgrows it in time for them to "challenge" it!

MrsT0514

sbevmc09:

Ooh, good point about the early in the day thing.nbsp; I hadn't even thought of that.nbsp; Luckily we haven't yet had to deal with any allergies/sensitivities.nbsp; I'm sure it's very stressful having to worry about that.nbsp; ::fingers crossed:: he outgrows it in time for them to "challenge" it!

Thanks! According to the pedi, most babies will outgrow it by 1 year, but some don't until later on. I'm really hoping he outgrows it before they challenge him!