3 months and baby food? ?

kdrxoxo · March 2016

Has anyone started their LO on baby as early as 3 months ?

kdoak2015 · March 2016

It's not recommended.

rubirubi89 · March 2016

Nope.

alynny · March 2016

Yes, my LO just started baby food at exactly 3 months but she's been eating cereal off a spoon for about a month now already. Her doctor told me it was okay.

GoogleMD · March 2016

We are not starting food until 6 months, when the digestive system is more developed.

Petal19 · March 2016

No

sacrazy · March 2016

Our doctor talked to us about starting our daughter at four months, but she had some intolerance with my breast milk in the past and her diapers still have trace amounts of blood, so she wants to wait until six months. Your pediatrician should talk to you about it at your four month check up.

rachswi · March 2016

Zeke is 3.5 months. We haven't really started him on food so much as we've let him sample something we're eating (he's only gotten to suck on foods)... He's sucked on a carrot stick, celery stick, and an orange slice. His favorite has been the orange slice.

I'm not in a hurry to get him to stop breastfeeding but he is so interested in food (which is a sign that they're starting to be ready). We let him play with baby spoons (which he already puts the spoon part in his mouth) and he stares us down every time we eat with a look of "can I have that?!?" I'm fairly certain Zeke will love food and eating like a "big boy" but I also want to make sure his little body can handle it. When we truly start solids at 4 months we will probably start with just the cereal and then go from there

Lolo427 · March 2016

No way over here. The AAP recommends 6 months, and on the fact we're doing BLW, I am in no rush. She has her whole life to eat solids and before 1 thier nutrition is still milk/ formula dependant. LO is 4 months- I can wait another 2.

edit: APA to AAP...I use the APA for work, not for baby

doodleoodle · March 2016

I haven't, but she's been watching us intently while we eat for quite some time so I think she'll be ready soon. I did let her lick a clementine slice once and she hated it.

jdal1206 · March 2016

rachswi said:

Zeke is 3.5 months. We haven't really started him on food so much as we've let him sample something we're eating (he's only gotten to suck on foods)... He's sucked on a carrot stick, celery stick, and an orange slice. His favorite has been the orange slice.

I'm not in a hurry to get him to stop breastfeeding but he is so interested in food (which is a sign that they're starting to be ready). We let him play with baby spoons (which he already puts the spoon part in his mouth) and he stares us down every time we eat with a look of "can I have that?!?" I'm fairly certain Zeke will love food and eating like a "big boy" but I also want to make sure his little body can handle it. When we truly start solids at 4 months we will probably start with just the cereal and then go from there

Our LO is exactly the same way! He watches me with such interest when I eat...he started doing that about a week ago! I'm going to ask our pedi about starting him on solids at his 4 month check-up, these will in no way replace the breastmilk he gets but since he is showing an interest I'm thinking that it might be ok to give him some...I like your idea of letting him suck on things that he can't actually "eat"...I think while it isn't recommended to start solids before they are 6 months (or between 4-6months) because of their digestive system it is important to talk to your pedi and do what is best for your baby/family!

angelinthepit23 · March 2016

Our LO is a little over 3 months and is started to be interested in food as well. He loves putting spoons and his bottle in his mouth. But we aren't going to start the first foods and sippy cup until he's four months. And then it will only be for exploring what he likes, he will still get his main nutritional source from formula.

Note: just wanted to add this was with pedi approval.

chelseaepley · March 2016

No. We are doing BLW though so we may not even start at 6 months. Just whenever hes ready. But my pedi had DD start solids at 4 mo. But she was clearly ready. DS is clearly not though.

wulfpackgirl · March 2016

My LO is 4.5 months. Last night I mixed some cereal with water and fed him that for the first time. He ate a fair amount of it. We might start introducing some food in the next week or so. But he'll be 5 months on the 14th. Our Doctor recommends 6 months so I'm not in a big rush.

SJFTCA · March 2016

Our pedi just recommends starting when LO can sit up on his own, which of course varies from baby to baby. He went ahead and talked w us about solids at LO's two month appt bc he said it was possible that LO would be ready to begin solids before his four month appt.

kmd91 · March 2016

My son has been fascinated by food since he was about 2 months old. He will be 4 months tomorrow and has his 4 month checkup on Friday and we will discuss it with his pediatrician then. Now, we haven't given him any sort of baby food yet, though I've let him have tastes of a handful of our foods. When we are sitting down for dinner if there is some sort of sauce or anything liquidy I'll put a bit on my finger and let him have it. He loves it. It's nothing more than just a taste here or there (except this weekend when he tasted applesauce and was so into it I couldn't help but give him more, but it was still less than a teaspoon total). I'm really hoping his pediatrician thinks he's ready to start on solids, because he's so into it. I know these days solids before 6 months can be controversial, but honestly after doing my own research I feel comfortable starting before then and it seems as though it's what will work for us.

cdepperschmidt · March 2016

No. DS will have his 4 month check up next week and I plan to ask about starting solids then. When he was born I planned to EBF until 6 months, but he is so interested in food, and shows all signs of readiness so I'm changing my tune.

helsbels222 · March 2016

Nope! Pedi said we will discuss introducing cereal at the next visit (4 months). No we won't dr. I don't plan on introducing cereal until 6 months!!

kdrxoxo · March 2016

Just curious he has been on cereal in his milk since 4 weeks bc of acid reflux and he just seems so use to it and like he wants more.

rachswi · March 2016

I believe this is part of the focus of baby led weaning. Your child will show you when he/she is ready to eat more than just milk. I haven't studied up on BLW but it seems like if they are interested in what you're doing and mimicking your motions when you eat, they're showing that they're ready. You can always let them start by just "playing" with the things they'll be using to eat (like a baby spoon or a baby plate or sippy cup).

While its clear my LO is ready, I'm not planning to give him much non-breast milk till at least his 4 moth appt in 2 weeks. I'm okay with him sampling foods but I still plan to ensure he's eating mostly my milk and getting the necessary nutrients from me. We haven't let him sample anything more than a few minutes once a day here and there. Yesterday we mashed up ⅓ of a small banana (which is a suggested starting food for breastfed babies) and he looooooved it. But I'm not planning on upping the amount he gets because I don't want him to fill up on that.

fwiw, my SIL started her son on solids at 3 months and he's pretty much the least picky baby ever because he was exposed to so much as his palate was maturing. Each baby is different - follow their cues.

AmoLovesAud · March 2016

I'm most likely waiting till 6 months, or at least until she can sit up in the high chair by herself, but: last week I took LO in to see the doc for a lingering cough, which turned out to be from her swallowing spit from teething. Doc said I could let her gum up a frozen mini bagel, or give her a teeny tiny bit of very cold yogurt, something cold to soothe her gums that also has an interesting taste, since she doesn't like the cold gel toys. I guess that's kind of starting solids, in a way.

Ceridwen77 · March 2016

My DD has been interested in watching us eat for months now. However, I don't plan to start solids until 6 months. If we started solids when she first showed interest in food she would have started eating solids at 2mo, which doesn't make sense. I'm in no rush so we are going by guidelines to EBF until 6mo.

smnewby · March 2016

LO is going in for her 4month appt next Tuesday and I plan on discussing it with our pediatrician then.
I plan on holding off on solids until 6 months but maybe introducing a sippy cup sooner. However I will keep an open mind and if the doc recommends cereal or sampling sooner I will acquiesce to her recommendation!

natalknitter15 · March 2016

My baby also seems fascinated by watching me eat. However, he's also fascinated by ceiling fans and the cat, and I don't plan on letting him eat those anytime soon...
I think he's just curious about the movement. We plan to wait until 6 months.

VexedMommy · March 2016

I started DD1 on rice cereal at 2mo on the advice of my pediatrician to help with her reflux. The two things are probably not connected, but she has always had terrible issues with her bowels and digestion. Because of that, I am not going to start doing cereal or other foods with this one until she is at least 6mo.

nycmommy13 · March 2016

I was told 4-6 months, closer to 4 if formula fed and closer to 6 if breastfed. I breastfeed, but I think I'm going to start somewhere in month 5.

dramaphile · March 2016

4-6 is the recommendation. I'll probably wait until at least 5 months, and I'm going to skip rice cereal and just do veggies and fruit to start, and maybe oatmeal later.

Squirtgun · March 2016

We started right at 4months. Ruth's a tiny squirt (5months today and just now fitting into 0-3mo clothes). Her pediatrician reccomended that she start food to add more calories to her day. She's still nursing at least every 2hrs all day, so most nutrition is still from milk.
A lot of the AAP guidelines are based on an average baby. I feel like it's important to have a pediatrician you can trust to help you make those distinctions for where your baby deviates from the "average baby."

rox7777 · March 2016

We've played around with it some. He's had avocado mixed with breastmilk and banana the same way. He's always watching us eat, but he wasn't that interested in eating. He still nurses every hour during the day and he's 20lbs so I don't think nursing and weight correlate with the desire to eat.

If you're concerned about them "filling up" on food, nurse or give them a bottle first and then food.

ETA: We waited until 4 months when he was sitting up unsupported, he's 5 now and we're waiting until 6 to do BLW.

urby87 · March 2016

Official recommendation (at least here in the States) is 6 months, due to insufficient gut development at younger ages. They will likely be watching other people eat and grabbing for food earlier than that, though, as they learn to train their eyes on movement and work on grasping around 3 months.

Bootsie81 · March 2016

No for us. Her pedi wants us to take her to an allergist first because her older brother has food allergies and she has skin issues.

Kristi4938 · March 2016

We asked our ped at her 4 month checkup. He said we could now but 4 months is still on the early side. He recommended we wait another month and then start with rice cereal.

helsbels222 · March 2016

urby87 said:

Official recommendation (at least here in the States) is 6 months, due to insufficient gut development at younger ages. They will likely be watching other people eat and grabbing for food earlier than that, though, as they learn to train their eyes on movement and work on grasping around 3 months.

I so agree with this! LO has been watching us eat and shows interest. In fact, I have the cutest pic of her licking her lips while side eyeing DS' ice cream samich. Doesn't mean she's ready for food.

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