3-6 board confuses me

tak2002 · January 2010

so many women there talk about feeding their kids food at 3, 4 & 5 months. is it really that common? i honestly thought people would wait until 6 months...

i'm not flaming or starting trouble...i'm just genuinely confused why so many people feeding before 6 months. one woman was even talking about how fun it is to start seeing her child try to pick things up with his thumb and pointer finger.... i thought that was a milestone that developmentally needed to be reached before solids?

things that make me go hmmm....

(i haven't had more than 6 hours sleep in a week, excuse any errors and if i'm missing the big picture here!!)

susanmosley · January 2010

it's pretty common. A lot of MDs suggest introducing solids at 4 months.

And if a 3-6 month old is beginning to pick up things with his thumb and pointer finger, he is way advanced in the fine motor department!

C_mommy · January 2010

I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.

goodheartedmommy · January 2010

C_mommy:
I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.

Some babies aren't ready for solids until 9 months, some are ready at 6 months. My older daughter didn't eat solids until 10 months, my youngest daughter couldn't wait to get her hands on food, so she started at 6. Make sure you're open to trying at 6 months...or you may end up with a very cranky baby on your hands. I think 7-7.5 months is a more realistic goal.

Also, I see you're TTC in 4 months--virtually all women lose their supply and convert to colostrum in pregnancy, and most of the changes are immediate. That's more of a concern than solids to me. Many women nurse while pregnant, but that is with an older toddler who doesn't rely so heavily on milk.

sophabelle · January 2010

a lot of things on 3-6 make me go hmmm.... i'm definitely holding off until 6 mo. to start solids.

Bride2b2004 · January 2010

goodheartedmommy:
C_mommy:
I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.
Some babies aren't ready for solids until 9 months, some are ready at 6 months. My older daughter didn't eat solids until 10 months, my youngest daughter couldn't wait to get her hands on food, so she started at 6. Make sure you're open to trying at 6 months...or you may end up with a very cranky baby on your hands. I think 7-7.5 months is a more realistic goal.
Also, I see you're TTC in 4 months--virtually all women lose their supply and convert to colostrum in pregnancy, and most of the changes are immediate. That's more of a concern than solids to me. Many women nurse while pregnant, but that is with an older toddler who doesn't rely so heavily on milk.

I totally agree with this. I think babies should have solids when they are ready. DS started at 5.5 mo (he goobled up oatmeal and chased down the spoon for more) and I EBF for a year + with no problem.

a003vp · January 2010

For me it was baby lead. She started at 5.5 months to grab food from mine and DH's plate, hand or spoon (what ever we had in our hands!). We didn't start until 6 months and then it took 3 weeks to get rice down. Now we have had peas, carrots and apple sauce. All home made, and I am very proud of myself for that. I think because of Formula, for what ever reason, leads into babies eating at the 4 month mark. I know if a baby has reflux they say to have them drink rice cereal starting at 1/2 months, that's what I have read on the boards.

kat.in.the.hat · January 2010

we started at closer to 5 months than 6 months and it was totally baby led. Some kids are ready earlier, some later.

sadielove · January 2010

My pedi was talking about her eating solids at 4 months, but I am going to wait until 6. MIL is not going to like that, haha!

lvisser · January 2010

With both kids my pedi said to start at 4 months... With Rylee I did (she was soooo ready) but did not start with Kai until 5 months... (and he is still iffy)...

Mrs.Teddy · January 2010

Hey ladies! I agree with the baby led appraoch, as we are nearing the 6 month mark I have been doing a lot of reading I think I am going to adopt a modified baby-led weaning approach, we did start L on cereal just over 5 months because he was acting ready, reaching for food etc, he did great for over 2 weeks and now refuses cereal, not interested at all, except maybe to finger feed himself some and play with it. WIth baby-led weaning you offer babe a variety of appropriate finger foods and allow them to feed themselves as little or as much as they want, still BFing on demand. Its mainly geared towards EBF babes as they already control how much and how often they eat. I will probably still give some purees if L is interested but I never force food on him I think that creates negative food associations. I guess what I am saying is watch your baby and listen to them and check out baby-led weaning I am finding it really interesting.

baby_soon_31 · January 2010

C_mommy:
I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.

Sorry to budge in, but introducing solids is NOT going to dry up your milk supply. Especially if you breastfeed exclusively / pump. I have breastfed my daughter until she was 2 y old and had more than enough milk to satisfy her. Babies do need to learn how to eat solids, good age to start is generally 4-6 months (whenever they show interest, by 6 months most babies do). They do not eat a lot of solids at that point, majority of food they get is still milk. It is probably going to be a few teaspoonfuls at most, most of which will end up on the bib and the high chair tray and their clothing... the important part is to be introduced to different textures and flavors. Another thing to keep in mind is that full term babies have enough iron stored up to last about 6 months or so, after that gentle introduction of solids is going to help them maintain appropriate hemoglobin levels (i am not saying that breast milk is inadequate)

sparky88 · January 2010

My Pedi told me to start cereal at 4 months, and solids at 6 months. And yup, my DD could pick up lots of things with her thumb & forefinger at that point--not just food but lots of things off the floor, individual blades of grass, etc. She showed a desire to eat food and it was BL. She eats a whole array of finger foods now at nearly 10M. And I still BF about 6x per day, no supply issues thus far. I just always make sure I offer milk before a meal.

dmogmo · January 2010

a003vp:
For me it was baby lead. She started at 5.5 months to grab food from mine and DH's plate, hand or spoon (what ever we had in our hands!). We didn't start until 6 months and then it took 3 weeks to get rice down. Now we have had peas, carrots and apple sauce. All home made, and I am very proud of myself for that. I think because of Formula, for what ever reason, leads into babies eating at the 4 month mark. I know if a baby has reflux they say to have them drink rice cereal starting at 1/2 months, that's what I have read on the boards.

Why? Not trying to start anything but to that's kind of a leap.

gumiberg · January 2010

we've dabbled with solids (avocado here and there since i eat them all the time) but it's just for fun. quite frankly, solids = more work so we are not in a rush to bust out the highchairs, spoons, etc.

i'd rather just plop them on the breasts and be done in 10 min, mess free.

cindy453 · January 2010

you know why parents are so eager to start solids? Because they are TIRED and everybody and their mother has told them it will help the baby sleep at night!

Emmy has reflux so the pedi said we could start cereal at 3.5 months. We tried it, it didn't help, so I've been really slacking on it. She gets some sort of solids whenever somebody else has to watch her. She LOVES it. She can put the spoon in her mouth, she reaches for it, etc. She has been reaching for our food for awhile.

The pincer grasp is not needed to start solids. A LOT of kids don't develop that until 9ish months. It's a very complex fine motor skill.

I think people can go just as far in the other direction with waiting too long. If your baby isn't interested- fine. But I don't think it's a bragging point to not even offer a baby solids until 9, 10, 11 months. Especially if the baby is READY.

Chrysallys · January 2010

C_mommy:
I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.

We delayed solids until DS was 5m3w. He was chomping at the bit to try our food but we held off even though everyone on the boards seemed to be starting at 4m. No way would I have been able to withhold solids from him until he was 9m.

Also we continue to breastfeed on demand and he hasn't decreased his nursing one bit. Babies get most of their nutrition through BM and formula throughout their first year regardless of starting solids.

Lotte134 · January 2010

cindy453:
The pincer grasp is not needed to start solids. A LOT of kids don't develop that until 9ish months. It's a very complex fine motor skill.
I think people can go just as far in the other direction with waiting too long. If your baby isn't interested- fine. But I don't think it's a bragging point to not even offer a baby solids until 9, 10, 11 months. Especially if the baby is READY.

I totally agree. Follow your babies signs.

And I really don't think you need to worry about your supply just because your LO is eating solids. DS started eating solids right at 6 months and is still nursing today. Yes, my supply has gone down a bit, but only because he didn't need as much milk.

anna7602 · January 2010

C_mommy:
I noticed this too, I plan on delaying solids till 9 months so that way I can continue to EBF for as long as possible. I know way to many people the started their kids off with solids at 3-4 months and they dried up because the kid was eating solids.

Solids are a supplement to BM at the beginning, not a replacement. You're not supposed to "dry up" just because your child started solids at 6 months. My supply issues came around 8 months because I had been continuously pumping for several months, I don't think it was because DD had been eating solids for a couple of months. And in any event, I was able to get over that hurdle and continue to BF until the present day.

Angela814 · January 2010

diana82:
a003vp:
For me it was baby lead. She started at 5.5 months to grab food from mine and DH's plate, hand or spoon (what ever we had in our hands!). We didn't start until 6 months and then it took 3 weeks to get rice down. Now we have had peas, carrots and apple sauce. All home made, and I am very proud of myself for that. I think because of Formula, for what ever reason, leads into babies eating at the 4 month mark. I know if a baby has reflux they say to have them drink rice cereal starting at 1/2 months, that's what I have read on the boards.

Why? Not trying to start anything but to that's kind of a leap.

I think that ff babies tend to start drinking more formula at that point, so parents start solids assuming baby needs them. Breastmilk changes as baby gets older so bf babies generally don't drink any more as they get older.

As far as starting solids goes, your milk supply should be fine. Just don't push too much too early, and always nurse before offering solids. We were able to nurse to just over 3 yrs with no problems in supply. I could actually still feel let down up to the point I started actively weaning.

nd01 · January 2010

I am waiting until the 6 mos mark but personally I am excited but I think it looks like fun to feed him (I know, I will regret saying this in a few weeks but there it is). I really am excited so that might be a reason too. It isn't a good one, hence why I am waiting, but between smiling and crawling, this is probably this biggest thing that will happen during that time frame.

However, if I gauged by what my baby was interested in, he would have been eating at 3 mos - he's just really nosy. He loves to stare at things and grab stuff so I am not letting that guide me as much. We'll just see how the first experiment goes in a few weeks.

cmrand4 · January 2010

I was thinking the same thing!! Someone mentioned starting solids at 4 mos. and replied that I was waiting til 6 mos. per the AAP recommendation. I was "corrected" that the AAP recommends between 4-6 mos....anywho, I'm waiting til 6 mos. to start solids. My LO is no where near sitting independently so if we're going by that it'll be awhile too.

caeliesmom · January 2010

The sources I read all say a baby's digestive system is ready for solids by 17 weeks; however, there are other developmental signs to look for that will develop between 4 and 6 months. Most babies are not ready for solids until 6 months, some will be ready before then and some after. It should not be based on a calendar since all babies are different.

I started at 5 months b/c dd was showing signs that she was ready, turning her head away when she wasn't interested in eating, sitting unsupported, showing interest in what others were eating, no tongue thrust reflex.

The AAP recommendation is 4-6 months. There is an article on their website though that says babies should be ebfed for the first 6 months, which I think leads to alot of confusion.

Most pedis tell parents they can start at 4 months and I think alot of people just get excited to be able to feed solids and go right home and do it b/c it's something they've been looking forward too.

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