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Babies: 3 - 6 Months
lindseylovestj
member
14 weeks old//eating baby food
lindseylovestj
member
I apologize in advance if this comes across as completely clueless sounding but I really am clueless! 
Today I gave my 14 week old daughter a little cereal with a spoon, she wasn't too crazy but when I mixed a little applesauce (baby food) in with it, she seemed to like it. Just out of curiousity, I gave her a little applesauce by itself. She loved it and ended up eating maybe a tablespoon of it total, if that. She would have eaten more but I was afraid of giving her a bellyache. She knew to swallow and had a good time!
After the fact, I looked it up online and now I'm just confused. Lots of places say anywhere between 4-6months, that it's ok to start on baby food, where others say they aren't ready until 6 months. I know she's not quite at 4 months yet but meets all the "signs" they have listed; sitting with support, good head control, shows interest in my food, etc. I know nutritionally the baby food isn't necessary and she is filling up just fine on the formula alone but I was wondering if it is hurting anything to give her the baby food "just for fun" since she seems to enjoy it.
Just wondering what other's opinions are and when you started your LO on baby food! Thanks in advance!
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Re: 14 weeks old//eating baby food
From everything I've seen and read and talking to my pediatrician 4 months is the absolute bare minimum for solids. I have given my son oatmeal a few times because he's meeting all the signs, well over double his birth weight, sitting UNassisted (assisted sitting doesn't count), but he's not into it so we're not giving it. At just 3 months giving solids is a very bad idea. Their bodies aren't developed enough to digest the food and it can lead to issues.
I will take your advice and just hold off. It's not necessary and even though it may be fun, I don't want to do anything that will hurt her and there will be plenty of time in a few months for baby food! :
They have the rest of their lives to eat food. I see no point in rushing it. There are no positives to starting food that early, only possible negatives.
She liked it once you added applesauce because apples are sweet. She liked the sugar. Once you start introducing the sweet foods it will be all the harder to get her to eat the veggies etc., as she'll be seeking the sweets.
The other thing to keep in mind is the common theory (whether or not you want to go along with it) is that it's best to introduce one food at a time and wait 3 or so days before the next food so you can monitor adverse reactions and know which food caused it. Makes it a bit easier to eliminate the problem foods.
Anyways decades ago 3months was the starting point for cereals...but research now swings between 4 and 6 months being the best for babies. Research has eliminated 3months as being ok...but there is still lots of debate over 4 or 6months.
Honestly- if we did ever have another one thing I would do is skip any sort of cereal completely
I'm thinking of doing this with Ginny. Rice cereal is nasty.
Ginny DX 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Charlie DX Specific Antibody Deficiency & ASD
I liked this NYTimes article that highlighted the AAP and CDC guidelines: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/health/manybabiesfedsolidfoodtoosooncdcfinds.html?_r=0