Question about starting solids

LifetimeOfLove · July 2011

When did/will you start LO on solids and why did you chose that age? Also, what food did/will you start with?

My MIL keeps saying DH was on cereal way before this age (4months) and she can't believe DS isn't on it yet. My pedi said at his 2 month appointment that if he is still EBF that I should start at 6 months and if I wanted to start earlier we'd talk at our 4 month appointment which is Wedneday.

TIA

ETA: DS sleeps through the night. He eats maybe 5-6 times perday (takes a good 30 minutes to feed) and seems content, not hungry after a feedng. He watches us when we eat and stares at every move we make but does not reach for the food.

elle980 · July 2011

We have our 4 month appointment tomorrow. I'm hoping the doctor will tell us that it is ok to start giving DS something because he still eats small meals now (and lots of them) so I'm hoping that some solids will help him eat more in a meal, stay fuller longer, and sleep longer!!! And as for what I'd start on....probably rice cereal or sweet potatoes, depending on what the doc says.

CutieBean79 · July 2011

We will be starting next week. At our 4 month appt, she suggested we start because DD is bigger for her size, can sit up assisted and has good head control, and because she isn't staying satisfied for very long anymore on just formula. It's a personal decision. You will probably have a better idea of what to do after the 4 month appt. GL!

Brit242 · July 2011

We started when she was 4months and 1week. She was still eating 10-12 times a day and at least twice at night so the pedi suggested we give her cereal at night and a veggie in the morning. Right now I give her 1-1.5 oz cereal an hour before her bedtime feeding. The pedi wants me to work up to 2-3 oz. And I also give her a veggie about an hour after her morning feeding. She usually only takes about 1oz. We're going to do each veggie for 4 days before moving onto the next veggie. Once she's tried all the veggies we're going to cycle through all the fruits. We'll still just do one feeding of solids a day though. Once she has gone through all the fruits and veggies we'll move up to two feeding a day since she'll be almost 6 months by that time.

Spin313 · July 2011

DS started at 5 months. DD is four months and will start next week. Ped says go for it and DD is very interested and leans in with an open mouth when we eat. We will start with oatmeal for at least a week and then move to peas. I plan to follow the same food pattern that I did with DS.

If DD wasn't so interested, I would wait until 5 months because she already STTN and is growing perfectly.

tistampsup · July 2011

Our pedi gave the go ahead at 4 months. Jake was in the 75th percintile for weight and 33rd for height. She said she wants to see his height catch up a little. He was eating formula like crazy and not sleeping through the night. So with solids, he'll cut back on the formula a little and slender out.

Jake was not sleeping through the night and up every 3 hours wanting to eat. It was horrible.

Klmorgan83 · July 2011

I seem to be in the minority, but we are not starting until 6 months. DS is content with his formula, sleeping mostly through the night, gaining wait well...we just have no reason to start it right now. They way I look at it (and my pedi) he's got all the time in the world to eat solids, so we're just choosing not to rush it.

LifetimeOfLove · July 2011

Klmorgan83:
I seem to be in the minority, but we are not starting until 6 months. DS is content with his formula, sleeping mostly through the night, gaining wait well...we just have no reason to start it right now. They way I look at it (and my pedi) he's got all the time in the world to eat solids, so we're just choosing not to rush it.

This is what I was originally thinking. Then people keep telling me I should start solids and I start second guessing myself.

TaraC9474 · July 2011

Klmorgan83:
I seem to be in the minority, but we are not starting until 6 months. DS is content with his formula, sleeping mostly through the night, gaining wait well...we just have no reason to start it right now. They way I look at it (and my pedi) he's got all the time in the world to eat solids, so we're just choosing not to rush it.

Yes

if you and your pedi are comfortable with the decision - don't second guess yourself! as i've said on here a bunch of times - i am tired of my mother's and MIL's comments about solids. i thought DD being in the 75% for weight would satisfy them but i still get, "she's a hungry girl!!" and then in the same breath she'll complain about how she makes her arm tired because she's a little turkey! Hmm

i just have to laugh ....

apricoty · July 2011

This is a very interesting and what seems well-researched article on when and why (or why not) to start your child on solids (seems to favor children starting solids no earlier than 6 months of age):

https://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html

Both in this article and numerous other sources, these seem to be the main tell-tale signs that your baby is ready to start with solids:

Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a ?pincer? grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.

Klmorgan83 · July 2011

LifetimeOfLove:

Klmorgan83:
I seem to be in the minority, but we are not starting until 6 months. DS is content with his formula, sleeping mostly through the night, gaining wait well...we just have no reason to start it right now. They way I look at it (and my pedi) he's got all the time in the world to eat solids, so we're just choosing not to rush it.

This is what I was originally thinking. Then people keep telling me I should start solids and I start second guessing myself.

If your baby seems happy where he his, then go with your gut. We didn't start DS #1 on solids until 6 months either and it worked out well for us, that's why we're doing the same. I have lots of coworkers (who have kids over 20) telling me they started at a month, or whatever age, and act like I'm doing something wrong...but I don't let them get to me. Formula/BM is supposed to be a babies main source of nutrition until age 1, so that's why we're not pushing it.

And honestly it just get's more difficult once you add in food, and with a toddler running around I'm all about easy!

Maggee206 · July 2011

I am a second time mom and an "old mamma" when I was born my mom had me on solids by 4 weeks! Needless to say she was shocked when first LO was not on solids right away (not to mention the infrequency of dr appts.). Just tell MIL that this is what your dr said to do (I find if I make it sound like I am disappointed too they don;t make such a big deal over it...an occassional reminder that you fear bringing LO to the dr with something you were explicitly told not to do helps as well).

As for solids, first one started at 4 months, he was EBF and by that time he was miserable, no longer STTN and very gassy. My current LO is 3.5 months and staring at food like he has never seen anything so wonderful in his whole life; I know most Dr recommend 6 months and all the studies show it is better but if I get permission I think I will start at 4 months.

Good luck.

apricoty · July 2011

Another good and important point is that each child is different and while it's best for 'most' children to start after reaching 6 months of age, there are some who might be ready a month or two earlier ... Put your faith into research and doctors and ignore MIL's and the older generation that is stuck in their ways and won't change for anything ... Breastmilk is always better for the baby, no matter what and if not breastmilk, then formula ... if they gain weight, are healthy and seem to be doing well on just that, then that's all they need.

Good luck! I have a 3.5 month old and I've been reading up on this and discussing the issue to death, so I feel like I have something to say on the topic

About the interest in food ... I, for one, think it's the least important 'development' in the baby as Stella has been showing 'interest' in food and staring at whatever was making its way towards my mouth by 2.5 months of age ... and I KNOW she was not and is not by far ready for any of it. As long as she can't sit unassisted and be able to deliver food to her mouth by herself, I won't start with any as it simply doesn't make any sense to me.

jandy09 · July 2011

We have decided to wait until 6 months. I do plan on starting with avocado and moving on to other foods like bananas first. If we do cereals I will make them.

My gma visited last weekend and commented that I should start cereal so maybe DD wouldn't want to eat so often. She is BF and eats every 2 hours and I am completely okay with that. Plus BM provides more calories than cereal. The older generations just don't understand this. You do what is comfortable for you and your LO (and pedi approved).

CMBall · July 2011

i was going to start morrighan on solids at four months anyway but my mom was watching her one night and my sister ....misplaced.... the bm i had given them. so she had squash for the first time then and ever since because she loved it so much she gets so upset if she doesnt have her baby meal. shes almost four months now anyway but they gave it to her at about three months and one week

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