when did you start solids?

I know the recommended age for starting solids used to be 4 mo. Now it's 6, but I'm wondering if I'm going to wait that long. My DS acts like he would like to eat, and so I can't see waiting 3 more months. What did you guys do?

 

I tried to add a poll, but for some reason can't figure out how. I've done one before. :blink:

 

Mine didn't really seem ready for solids, even when we started rice cereal at 6 months! I would ask your ped for guidance, too. And remember than once you start solids, your life/schedule will get a lot more complicated!!

 

We started right before the 6 month mark. At that time they were taking 30-40ounces of milk a day easily.
we did 1 "meal" at 6 months, then 2 meals at 7, 3 meals at 8, 3 meals & a snack at 9, etc. We slowly increased.

Theres a section near the bottom of this page that says "What if my 4-5 month old seems developmentally ready for solids?" that might be helpful

 

We started at about 4 months with cereal, but they were already getting cereal in their bottle to help with their reflux. But they really werent very proficient at it until about 5.5 months and even then they didnt get it everyday.

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ May 16 2009, 08:15 AM) [snapback]1315907[/snapback]
We started at about 4 months with cereal, but they were already getting cereal in their bottle to help with their reflux. But they really werent very proficient at it until about 5.5 months and even then they didnt get it everyday.


We also started Cereal at 4 months of age. Our family doctor said they can start Cereals at 4-6 months. We cannot start solids until they are 6 months old.

 

We started at 6 months but our pedi usually starts kids at 4. We used their adjusted age for all feeding things b/c they weren't drinking much formula/bm.

 

QUOTE(azucena @ May 15 2009, 11:08 PM) [snapback]1315751[/snapback]
I tried to add a poll, but for some reason can't figure out how. I've done one before. :blink:

I added one for you, I hope the choices are ok! I started solids with all of my kids at the 4 month mark. It is what my ped recommends.

 

We talked to our pedi about this at the 4-month appt and we're going to wait till 6 months to start solids (including cereal), maybe 6.5-7 b/c our babies have eczema so we know they're allergy-prone and we have a family Hx of allergies and diabetes. Since the risk of both increases with starting solids early, we're definitely holding off! Maybe I need to research this more but I'm not aware of any advantages of starting solids earlier than 6 months (other than adding cereal helping w/reflux) so I'm honestly not sure why people would want to start earlier, knowing the increased health risks it brings for the babies. (Not trying to start a debate here, I just really don't understand the reasoning.)

 

We started DS at 4 months because he was very interested in the spoon whenever we were eating. DD didn't show interest until about 3 weeks later.
Now at almost 6 months DS doesn't even like his bottle...he wants his cup all the time but he obviously is not ready to wean from the bottle yet...I think he will be a breeze to wean. I think it's good to start spoon feeding when they show interest...some show interest earlier than others!

 

QUOTE(SC_Amy @ May 16 2009, 08:38 AM) [snapback]1316046[/snapback]
We talked to our pedi about this at the 4-month appt and we're going to wait till 6 months to start solids (including cereal), maybe 6.5-7 b/c our babies have eczema so we know they're allergy-prone and we have a family Hx of allergies and diabetes. Since the risk of both increases with starting solids early, we're definitely holding off! Maybe I need to research this more but I'm not aware of any advantages of starting solids earlier than 6 months (other than adding cereal helping w/reflux) so I'm honestly not sure why people would want to start earlier, knowing the increased health risks it brings for the babies. (Not trying to start a debate here, I just really don't understand the reasoning.)



I didn't know about the health risks, but I really didn't want to start until they were 6 months and could at least sit up. It was more like 5.5 months. I had a lot of pressure from people to give them cereal in their bottles at night to get them to sleep (which is weird because 1 they don't take bottles at night and 2 when I did finally try it they were up more that night.) I'm with you on the why would anyone want to start earlier. I'd heard of waiting until you can't keep them from grabbing the food off your plate anymore and that sounded fine to me. I guess I'm just not in any hurry for my babies to grow up faster than they need to. I'm glad I waited, then started real slow, there's a history of diabetes in my family as well. Great info, thanks!

 

I started rice cereal at 5 months and switched to oatmeal at about 5.5 months. Veggies started at 6 months.

 

We started them on cereal (as I did with my other 2 boys) at 3 months as they were waking up to eat every 3 hours around the clock. as soon as we did cereal before bed,that they slept for 5 hours at night. I switched thier formula to a gentle kind (and cheaper) along with cereal before bed and now they sleep through the night! from 7:30pm-6am! I am truly convienced its the formula and cereal. Now they get cereal in the morning and half a jar of fruit and half a jar of veggies for lunch and cereal for dinner and veggies for dinner. The cereal in the morning was an experiment as they were eating 36oz of formula a day with the cereal at night, now after the cereal in the morning, the take a big nap!! before that they just took cat naps, making for an exhausting day. yes feeding them 3 times a day is more work but if your babies are ready for it, it is a pay off!
ps my babies are only 14lbs! not too big but not too small!

 

7 months, because they were preemies. With my other child I only waited till 6 months.

Before 6 months their digestive system is not fully ready to process food. Starting solids earlier also increases the risk of food allergies. Being able to sit up is a sign that their muscles are more mature, which lowers the risk of choking. All of those are pretty big deals, so to me it makes much more sense to wait.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ May 16 2009, 09:03 AM) [snapback]1315956[/snapback]
I added one for you, I hope the choices are ok! I started solids with all of my kids at the 4 month mark. It is what my ped recommends.

That's great! Thanks so much.

 

QUOTE(E&Msmom @ May 16 2009, 12:48 AM) [snapback]1315838[/snapback]
We started right before the 6 month mark. At that time they were taking 30-40ounces of milk a day easily.
we did 1 "meal" at 6 months, then 2 meals at 7, 3 meals at 8, 3 meals & a snack at 9, etc. We slowly increased.

Theres a section near the bottom of this page that says "What if my 4-5 month old seems developmentally ready for solids?" that might be helpful

Thanks for the link. It's interesting. I like the ideas they give to entertain a baby at meal time.(Especially the momicicle ) What got me thinking on this, was the other day I had Sam on my lap when I sat down to eat. As soon as I put my food in front of me, I swear he said, "YUMMM" and the expression on his face was like, "All right! Let's eat." When I started eating and didn't give him any, he started crying, and didn't stop til I moved him so that he couldn't see the food. I felt mean.

 

We started cereal about two weeks ago when my girls were almost 6 months. After discussing solid foods with the pedi at their 4-month checkup we decided to wait. Our pedi said that there are studies that show that food allergies are NOT promoted by starting solid food earlier. Basically, you can find a study out there to support any position you take on the topic. His recommendation was to watch for their cues (like reaching for your spoon, watching you eat, the disappearence of tongue thrust, etc.) He did, however, recommend that we start by around 6 months because children are more likely to reject solids foods if you wait too long.

 

I started very early, but I kind of had to. I never agreed that waiting until 4-6 months was acceptable for MOST babies. I and my siblings were all started much earlier, as were about twenty cousins. The consensus just used to be SO different. Anywho, at six weeks old my girls were eating an astounding 40-42 oz per 24 hours and still starving! Their bellies were growling at each feeding! I just didn't know what to do; I felt so bad for them. There was no possible way that I could give them MORE fluids, because JUST the milk wasn't getting the job done. I started adding rice cereal to their bottles at six weeks old. By eight weeks old they were taking it by spoon, along with other flavored oatmeals and all Stage1 baby foods. Now, at four months old, they take Stage 2 foods, along with cereal, oatmeals and of course milk. There were never any bad side effects, only good ones! I finally had full, content babies! I do not buy into the allergy thing. If neither parent has food allergies, then the chances of the child having them is lower than 1%. Neither me nor my husband have them. I introduced the foods one at a time and documented everything. Also, regarding the potential 'childhood obesity effect '...I find it ironic that child obesity rates have skyrocketed since standards have changed and we are now told to offer foods later. Hmmm, sounds fishy to me lol. I say read your babies and use that instinct. Good luck )

 

DD2 started solids at 4 months but DD1 is still only on bottles. Our pedi didn't want to switch her yet as formula is higher in calories and she needs all the calories she can get! She is our IUGR baby. I have let her try each new food as I introduce it to her sister just to have the allergy thing under our belt when she's ready for them and I won't have to keep up with waiting in between each food again.

 

we didn't start until almost 8 months. Breastmilk is their main diet for the first year anyway... Ours were definitely ready for solids when we (finally!) started, they took to the spoon like champs. We started with avocados, sweet potatoes, tried brown rice cereal which they didn't care for, then switched to millet. they are eating champs now.

 

We started our guys right at 6 months. I waited a little longer after the doctor gave us the okay because they were preemies. Now Nate only wants solids and won't take a bottle any more.

My mother told me the other day that she started me on rice cereal at 10 days old.

 

Most of my kids were between 4 and 5 months, but I have had 2 that had to be started before 3 months.

I was told by the pedi that 35-40 oz of formula was way too much in a baby so small and if they could use a spoon then even better.

My little Deka is an eating champ and now takes 2 1/4 cup servings of cereal a day by spoon. I will wait till between 4 and 5 moths with wis brother if his feedings stay the same. Fruits and veggies to follow at about 5 to 6 months.

 

My first ds I started around 6 months old.

My first dd I started at 3 months, as a pp stated, she was taking TOO much formula, 8 oz bottles up to 5 times a day already (she was born at 9 lbs 12 oz). She was starving so badly after birth I had to use formula until my milk came in, all she did was scream until I fed her some real food! She's now 2.5 and no food allergies, definetly not obese but a BIG girl, she is very tall and wears size 4-5 clothing, but no fat on her!

I'll follow the twins cues for food, right now they are satisfied with formula but are eating around 30-35 oz a day. If all goes well we'll start food around 4 months old

 

We didn't start until 9 months.