Introducing solids

I know that I'm supposed to wait until 6 months but at my last visit to the pedi I discussed how much my DS is eating and she suggested that we may want to start solids at his 4 month appt b/c he's taking between 6-8oz a feeding and STILL acting hungry but that volume is too much for his little tummy and so he's spitting it up (ALOT of spit up)

They are 14 weeks so I know it's early but I don't know what else to do he's always grumpy b/c he's hungry yet feeding him more formula makes him spit it all up...

I tried calling my pedi today but I didn't get a call back so I don't know what to do. DH REALLY thinks that we should just start giving him some rice cereal but I don't feel comfortable doing this until at least consulting with the pedi especially since he's only 3.5 months old but I also REALLY dont want a constantly grumpy hungry baby on my hands

HELP what do I do....

If I should start solids how do I go about doing that? Do I start with rice cereal mixed with some formula and if so how do you handle feeding both solids and formula (scheduling wise)....

 

No advice, just wanted to let you know I am in the same boat, I could have written that post. He is drinking sometimes 42 ounces a day (but he spits alot up). We offer him 7 ounces, and he always finishes it and looks around for more. We were trying to hold out until their 4 month appt in the beginning of Feb, but I was thinking about just trying it now, I"m curious as to what others have to say about this.

 

Have tried giving the bottles slowly, burping after every 2oz's? How about offering smaller amounts more often? IMO it is too early for solids, they are not supposed to help fill-up the babies, they are to practice tastes and textures. If you were to start them definitly use a spoon, not in the bottle as that is defeating the point of solids (whereas people that use it for reflux are using it for entirely different reason and that is why it is the bottles).
If allergies run in your families at all I would DEFINITLY wait until 6 months to start.

HTH

 

We already burp every 2oz and there are NO allergies in our family what so ever but I AM hesitant to start so early but don't know what else to do....

I didn't realize that solids didn't help fill them up any further but were only for tastes and textures I wonder why the the pedi would reccomend starting solids b/c of his not being full issue...

hmmm

 

I think your instincts are right on this - it seems WAY early. I would look for a second opinion. And Kristi's right - even at 6 mo, solids should be just for fun and practice, not to fill up on. Even rice cereal can be very rough on immature tummies (not to mention stopping up the other end REALLY bad).

I wonder if maybe your DS just really likes to suck and it's not hunger so much. If he's spitting up that much, he's probably full. Have you tried using the slowest flow nipple you can find, to make the whole bottle experience last longer for him? What happens if you offer a paci after a bottle?

 

We just started rice cereal at 4mos to help with constipation at the suggestion of the gastro. We put the cereal in the last bottle before bed (1tbsp/2oz). I have noticed that it does not hold them any longer. In fact, my daughter seems even hungrier. I think maybe she's getting that carbo-low after the cereal. So, I'm not sure that it would make him any fuller even if you did add the cereal. Just my two cents.

Good luck!!!

 

Thanks for all the input

 

DS1 started solids (rice cereal) at 4 months. He was a bigger baby and needed more in his tummy. We started with rice cereal, very runny, mixed with EBM. You don't make very much at first.

Trust your instincts. For DS1 it was perfect for him to start solids at 4 months. For B &E they were 6 1/2 months. It just depends on your baby.