Introducing solids

cocojack10 · March 2011

Pedi told me we can give babies baby food starting at 5 months, and we can give cereal with milk a bit earlier, which I want to start this weekend. However, I forgot to ask the logistics of it.

Bottle first or after solids? I assume after. Do I cut back on the bottle for that feeding? How many times did you give solids? I assume initially only once a day until they get the hang of things.

Thanks.

DBEE05 · March 2011

We started solids this week. First day two tablespoons 2xs a day then 3 the next day up to 4 today. We were told to give the solids first then bottle and the trick was to give the solids before she really got hungry. We are doing this with the rice cereal for two weeks and then we can start throwing veggies into the mix. Have fun it was quite entertaining.

cocojack10 · March 2011

Thanks. I'm sure it will be fun. Want to start over the weekend so DH can witness and take video. LOL

Mrs.HisOnly · March 2011

When we first started @ 4 months the Pedi said that he didn't want me to cut back on the milk intake J was getting since the olids were really only giving him calories the formula was iving him the nutrients so we did the solids in between bottles. J never missed his bottle feedings even with the solids in between. To start we only did once a day for the solids. Once he hit 6 months the pedi said we could replace the bottle with the solids. He says formula is really expensive and we could cut back lol.

So now he has his morning bottle and then his "Breakfast" about 2 hours later and then his next bottle abotu 2 hours after that. So we eliminated a bottle. He eats a second meal around dinner time and same thing.

He also gets snacks in between as well. We started the puffs @ 6 months and the finger foods shortly after.

Mrs.HisOnly · March 2011

Mrs.HisOnly:

When we first started @ 4 months the Pedi said that he didn't want me to cut back on the milk intake J was getting since the solids were really only giving him calories the formula was iving him the nutrients so we did the solids in between bottles. He would have about 2 tablesspoons of oatmeal mixed with formula and then a veggie or fruit. J never missed his bottle feedings even with the solids in between. To start we only did once a day for the solids. Once he hit 6 months the pedi said we could replace the bottle with the solids. He says formula is really expensive and we could cut back lol.

So now he has his morning bottle and then his "Breakfast" about 2 hours later and then his next bottle abotu 2 hours after that. So we eliminated a bottle. He eats a second meal around dinner time and same thing.

He also gets snacks in between as well. We started the puffs @ 6 months and the finger foods shortly after.

When introducing foods we let him have one thing for 3 days and then switched. Once we knew he was good with the food we would combine them to eliminate the oatmeal. After the first month we stopped with the 3 days rule cause we don't think he's allergic to anything lol. The only thing he hasn't had yet is cinnamon and fish/shellfish.

cocojack10 · March 2011

Mrs.HisOnly:
Mrs.HisOnly:

When introducing foods we let him have one thing for 3 days and then switched. Once we knew he was good with the food we would combine them to eliminate the oatmeal.

Yeah, pedi told us about the 3 day rule, which makes sense. However, I forgot to ask i we introduce different types of cereal. We know Rice works well. Can we give oatmeal, barley, etc also? Taking into acct 3 day rule?

ANJ410 · March 2011

I started cereal the sameway with both of my LO's.

They woke up and got their regular morning bottle. About a half hour before they usually got their next bottle, I did the cereal. This way they were hungry, but not starving.

I made a regular sized bottle and used a little bit of it to mix with a tablespoon of cereal. You will see with the first few feedings that your LO's will make awful faces and let it run out of their mouth. They might even cry. That is because it is a completely new experience for them, both the texture of the cereal and eating off of a spoon.

Just keep spooning it in and keep the bottle nearby. You might need to let them drink a little bottle, then get a few spoonfuls of cereal into their mouth, then drink some more bottle, and so on and so on until they used to eating "real" food.

In the very beginning they won't be eating enough to fill them up, so they won't cut back on ounces. Once they get the hang of solids and start eating more at each meal then they will naturally cut back to somewhere between 24 and 32 oz a day.

cocojack10 · March 2011

Thanks Andrea! Very good tips.

ANJ410 · March 2011

Oh, and I did cereal 1x a day until my kids opened their mouths willingly, which took about a week for Nicky and about 2 weeks for Adrianna. Then I went to 2X a day for another week or two, then 3X a day by the time they were between 5 and 6 months old.

Mrs.HisOnly · March 2011

cocojack10:
Mrs.HisOnly:
Mrs.HisOnly:

When introducing foods we let him have one thing for 3 days and then switched. Once we knew he was good with the food we would combine them to eliminate the oatmeal.

Yeah, pedi told us about the 3 day rule, which makes sense. However, I forgot to ask i we introduce different types of cereal. We know Rice works well. Can we give oatmeal, barley, etc also? Taking into acct 3 day rule?

We didn't do the 3 days rule with cereal. We started with rice just cause it seemed like the more popular option. We started with the Gerber rice but then switched tot he Beechnut because it's much thinner so goo d for started out. Now we use oatmeal because the rice constipates him too much.

Mrs.HisOnly · March 2011

Oh! and don't be scared with the "caca face" they made when eating. Somethign it means absolutely nothing. 4 months in to eating solids and J still makes a stanky face when he takes the first bite of eating stuff he LOVES

I keep forgetting stuff. I also started giving J his formula on a spoon (like soup) about 2 weeks before starting the solids just to get him used to the spoon since i heard that's one of the biggest obstacles.

MrsJOSEnADRI · March 2011

I haven't started yet. I'll most likely wait until 6 months. But, I've been reading the blog, wholesomebabyfoods.com, to get all my info.

Albah · March 2011

I haven't started solids with Baby E just yet either. But with Evan this is a sample of what I did....

7am - Milk

8am - cereal

11am - Milk

12pm - baby food

3pm - Milk

5pm - baby food

7/8pm - milk

There was no specific way of doing things but when he first started with solids, I only introduced cereal in the mornings. After a couple of weeks I started introducing small amounts of baby food for lunch then dinner. I increased the amount I fed him with time (no real science to it either). And definitely introduce one solid at a time by following the 3 day rule to make sure they are not allergic to anything. And technically, they should get the milk first so that they drink it well and get the nutrients from it. Before the age of 1, solids are just for practice and getting used to tasting different textures, flavors, etc. Good luck and enjoy!

TayLynn · March 2011

Albah:

And definitely introduce one solid at a time by following the 3 day rule to make sure they are not allergic to anything. And technically, they should get the milk first so that they drink it well and get the nutrients from it. Before the age of 1, solids are just for practice and getting used to tasting different textures, flavors, etc. Good luck and enjoy!

ditto this advice, spot on!

I think most important is to have fun with it. Some moms get super stressed out about how much solids and all the details of it. Formula or BM is really their main nutrition and the solids are just for practice and fun.

Also ditto the rec for www.wholesomebabyfood.com

I printed out their charts to keep track of what we had tried and used their recommended guidelines for starting different foods like carrots, yogurt, eggs, strawberry etc.

Introducing solids

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