Poll: When should you start solids?

Our peditrician said that we could possible start giving our boys cereal around 4 months old but that people are saying now to wait til they are 6 months old because of food allergies. She did say that if the boys are acting hungery, interested in our food, and can hold their heads up to go ahead and feed them. My boys aren't ready yet but I'm wondering what you all did and what your thoughts are on the subject.

Thanks!!!

 

Honestly, I feel you are a better judge than your doctor on this one. So long as you don't have a family history of allergies and your babies don't have healthy/eating problems YOU determine when to start your babies. My guys were ready at 5 months for cereal and 6 months for fruit and veg.

 

I started right at 4 months with all of my kids!

 

We started at 4 1/2 months, but even now they they are 6 months (today!), we only do one meal a day and its so little... they split a half a jar of veggies and a tablespoon of rice cereal mixed with formula each evening (well most evenings). We are going to start to introduce fruits and add a morning meal, but right now they eat so little at dinner, I don't feel like they are ready for two meals a day. I think you should go with what you think is best for your kiddos.

-Leighann

 

I think it depends on the child. For DS1 he was ready and willing to start at 4 months. I didn't start the twins until they were 6months because I didn't feel like they were quite ready. If they are interested in what you are eating, they can hold their head up then they might be ready. You can always try it out and see how they do. However, remember the first time feeding them might not go very well since they are getting used to the texture and eating from a spoon. HTH!

 

We started at 4 months with all 3 kids. First cereal and then veggies and fruits. Liam is now on 3 meals a day of the Stage 2 foods. I think it varies with all pedis and with all kids. My sister started some of hers earlier. My sister who has a baby just younger than Liam isn't feeding her boy as much food. Liam was just ready for it. I could tell the bottle wasn't enough for him as we got to the end of that 3rd month.

 

We started just before 4 months because they were both eating 40+ oz a day and wanting more. They took to the solids immediately and progressed through the stages quickly as well. I have very good eaters with large appetites. There is no way we could have made it to 6 months without everyone being miserable. Guidelines are just that - guidelines. Not rules! Every baby is different. Go with your gut and watch for your babies cues. They'll let you know when they are ready.

 

We started at 6 months -- primarily because I wasn't interested in doing it earlier (it seemed like a lot of work, though it was actually easier than I expected), but also because the most current advice supported doing that.

Also, I don't think they were ready any earlier. They seemed satisfied with their bottles, and they never did show much interest in our food. We tried solids at 6 months on the dot and they both gagged, so we waited a couple of weeks and tried again, and it went much better.

FWIW, it also took us a while to progress through the "stages" -- they were still on mostly purees at 10 months, and didn't go to all table foods until 16 months or so. (Even at almost 2 years, they still eat purees occasionally.) And we didn't add a 3rd meal till 10 months. Still, they are healthy and are good eaters overall.

 

I started giving Jack solids at 4 months because he was a very hungry baby! Sophie didnt start getting solids till 5.5 months as she wasnt ready before that. x

 

We started giving cereal at just over 4 months. But they were both already getting cereal in their bottles due to reflux.

Rachel

 

Our boys are BIG eaters. We started at 4 mos as they were eating 32+oz of formula. They are now five months and they eat cereal in the morning (you can't believe how much)and a jar of fruit. At night they get 4 oz veggie pack, 2.5 oz jar of fruit and oatmeal and they would STILL eat more if we gave it to them. I can't believe how much they eat!!!! I agree with PP, follow your instincts on what you think your babies need!

 

We officially started the fun solids at 4 months. They had a few tablespoons of rice cereal for reflux issues at 2 months.

 

We started rice cereal around 5 months, just a tablespoon or two. But we started veggies and fruit at 6 months.

 

My pedi is fine with starting at 4 mos - nothing major - just a little rice cereal to get them used to the feeding process. We can start veggies and fruits a little further down the road.

 

I started at 4 months to the day, as I was excited to start solids!

They love to eat!

We still have our good and bad days when they are either totally interested or could care less so we go w/ the flow...

 

My guys were not breastfed so I started cereal at 4 months. Just a little bit every day in the morning.

 

We started rice cereal at 4 months and quickly moved to oatmeal due to how binding the rice cereal can be. We didn't start the fruits and veggies until 5 months. They seem to be doing fine with it. My son is a better eating that my daughter. I think like everyone said, use it as a guideline and don't rush it if you feel like they aren't ready. My pedi just kept hammering it into us that we aren't feeding them solids for nutrition. That should still come from their formula. We are feeding them solids so they can learn how to eat. So if you feel more comfortable waiting a little longer, just wait.