[Jessghetti]

So Chelsea is 4 months and 3 weeks and I haven't yet started her on solids. I decided to postpone starting any until she was 6 months. I have noticed her eating a bit more then usual but she doesn't seem ravenous or anything.

She has been fussy somewhat, she is teething and isn't too happy about that. My mother worries about her getting enough to eat because she is only exclusively eating breastmilk right now. I have to reassure her that I've researched it and already asked her Pediatrician if it was alright.

Of course back when I was given rice-cereal at 3 months by my grandmother, apparently she had even given my brother cereal at 3 weeks! I know now that is HUGE no no.


So anyone else her have experience with delaying solids? When you did start your baby on solids what did you feed them? I keep hearing rice-cereal but I've read up that it doesn't really matter what type of food you introduce them to first. I've also heard that you are meant to introduce veggies before fruit?? ?

[EverydayJoy]

I started my little guy on solids early (4 months), but only out of desperation. He had all sorts of tummy complaints as a baby, would only sleep 45 min to 1 hour stretches all night long, and was just a fuss-bucket. I was just trying to get more sleep out of him, and since he would want to nurse every time he woke up, I thought maybe eating solids would get more sleep for him. It didn't really, he just had reflux really bad and wanted to nurse to wash the acid back down. He eventually got better around 10 months to a year old.
I started him on the rice cereal as well. But you know, it does sound reasonable to do fruit, because it would be less constipating as a starchy cereal. I didn't have any issues with constipation though, and then if they do get constipated, you can feed them the pureed prunes. They're fairly sweet so DS loved them. Only takes a little bit though! Heh.

[momof6lopez]

If she is content with BM, then that is all she needs technically until 1yr old. I EBF'd my first 4 kids and none of them started solids until 6mo or so. Rice cereal is the easiest to digest, therefore more moms choose this to start with. At 4mo, I would not start the fruit yet, as you will have to look out for alergic reactions and at 4mo, I would not be comfortable with how new her immune system is. It is feasable to start the cereal, at least once a day, in a bowl, off of a spoon. Do what your mom intuition tells you, it is most accurate!

[bcogoli]

My son was a preemie and not gaining weight so he started on solid food at 10 weeks. Since it went so well with him i did the same with my daughter. I say just go with whatever you feel comfortable with. Your mom so you know her needs better than anyone else.

[kaylakay]

I started Ava on solids at 4 months and it was the best idea ever.

She ate it all right up! She was less fussy and enjoyed the taste.

We started her on oatmeal and squash.

She is now a little over 7 months and eats 3 meals a day plus bottles.

[bcogoli]

Go Avalynn! That is great eating for a 7 month old. Grow baby grow!

[ohnicole]

I think that as mommy, you know baby best and are the best one to make the decision. We have food allergies in our family, so we decided to go with the recommendation to exclusively breast feed for at least 6 months. Our pediatrician was totally on board with this. Eleanor started solids at about 6.5 months. We started with oatmeal cereal, then applesauce. By the time she was around 7-7.5 months, we started letting her eat soft table foods, and she has been on table foods ever since. She has stayed right on track for growth all along and is a great eater now- veggies are her favorite

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[lindsey2000k]

We just started solids with Bryson so about 8 months.... and he is only getting a 2oz container of homemade food 1 time a day. Next month I will add in lunch & by 10-11 months we will do 3 meals a day.

Baby cereal is actually the worst thing you can give your baby. It has no nutritional value, is directly linked to childhood obesity, allergies, asthma.

First Foods: Why White Rice Cereal Is Bad for Your Baby | Parenting Squad


Just remember food before 1 is just for fun they do not need it and the main source of nutrition until then it should be formula or Breastmilk.

[melissalaw]

Lindsey gave you some great advise.

My pediatrician doesn't like babies to start solids until 6 and then just like Lindsey said it is more for fun and not so much for nutrition. I started Jacob at 6 months with both fruits and vegetables. We didn't do any cereal. He really seems to enjoy solids but he still prefers breastmilk over any solid food I can give him.

[humnck]

Addy tried cereal (a very tiny amount mixed with a lot of formula) just to get used to eating from a spoon at around 4 months. I tried this because she didn't seem to be filled by just the formula and wouldn't take more formula than what she was already eating. She didn't like cereal, so we waited a week, tried a veggie, she liked that more. My pedi always recommended veggies first to get them used to the taste, although now I hear that they are starting to recommend meats first (smell so gross, we never did baby food meats, waited until DD1 was old enough to pick the foods up and she ate the little ravioli's filled with meats or the meat sticks). Anyways, Addy is almost 7 months and she eats lots of fruits and veggies (baby food only though) and she has had some potato soup from my bowl and has had the little yogurt bites to get her used to chewing. She just popped her first tooth so I am planning on trying other things as soon as it has come through all of the way and it's "friend" pops through too

However, I say go with whatever you feel comfortable with, they don't need the food for the nutrition aspect as Lindsey and Melissa stated.

[Pitridge]

My feeling is that if the baby is growing well on breastmilk, then keep on it. My pedi told me that since Liam was growing great on BM there was no reason I should start until he's 6 month old. I am planning on doing it when he's 7-8 months old, I don't see a point in starting early if he's growing great with just breastmilk