when to start solids?....

[momx2]

Okay...I forget already! lol

What are the signs to look for when your babe is ready to start solids? All I remmeber with my first dd was that we started her around 4 mo.

My 2nd dd is now 4 mo...but I'm not really sure if she's ready yet or not. She's already got 2 teeth popped out; but she hasn't tried to gnaw on me yet (not that I *want* to get gnawed on) but I remember my first dd doing that around 4 mo...

[leeann82]

I think *they* now reccomend waiting until 6 months. A big change from when my first dd was born. I tried my twins at 5 months and they didn't want anything to do with it. I waited and tried again closer to six months and they were way more ready for it. They could close their mouth over the spoon properly and actually swallow, instead of just letting it run back out their mouths. That said, all babies are different. You'll never know if she's ready unless you give it a try. Of course, it is always best to start off with rice cereal mixed with breastmilk or formula

[grisaleen]

They want the baby to be able to sit by themselves unsupported, to have lost the tongue thrust reflex, and to appear interested in trying food. If your baby has no desire to try solid food on her own, then pushing it on her wouldn't be very effective. And like pp said, six months is the recommendation. At the earliest. You could totally wait longer if you don't think your baby is ready. It's not a major contributor to their nutritional needs for some time yet. Here's a pretty concise little article: http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art14083.asp

[haleysmom]

The AAP recommends AT LEAST 6 months. It reduces the risk of allergic reactions and the digestive system is not ready at 4 months



We will be starting in a week or so!

Also, don't be in a huge rush to get started. It's not for nutrition, it's to get the baby used to different textures/tastes. They can breastfeed exclusively for the entire first year! If they don't seem interested at first, don't push it, wait a few weeks and try again!

[Lisa-Rachelle]

We started Emma at 4 months. But she only gets it once daily, and just fruit so far. She adores it, and only did the whole "push it back out of my mouth" thing the first day. Now she gets every bit of each spoonful.

We started her after I noticed her trying to steal the food out of my hand or stick her hands in my drinking glass. She also loved the lick my lips after I ate. I figured, what the hey, nothing ventured nothing gained!

[mommy21princess]

I personally think it's best to wait. Why rush things. Our babies will eventually eat when they need it. We waited until six months to feed her anything. After that she only had one meal a day, IF that much many days she had none, until a year. Now she gets about three SMALL meals each day. Like another pp said they don't need any until around a year anyway. It's good to get them used to texture and things but it's not a neces. I've also had a GREAT time with feeding issues for my dd. She is a GREAT eater. Not messy and never has been. I think it's because she was a little older when she really started getting solids. If I was having to pump to be away from her then I would have a whole nother opinion on solids. I would rather give her solids when I was away to help supplement her than formula if I wasn't pumping enough, KWIM? I don't think it's wrong, just don't think it's best if it's not needed. Also like someone else posted the AAP recommends formula/bm until at least 6 months of age.

[Kimmomy2dom]

I waited until 6 months with Dominic. I'm waitng until AT LEAST 6 months with the girls. I felt like my baby grew up too fast when I gave him solids, LOL! That and really it's just more work, LOL. More to clean, etc. I don't need that extra junk to do with all the work I already have so just another reason for me to wait.
And, like everyone said, they don't really NEED it. They may find it interesting, etc. though! Everyone I knew when I had Dom wanted to give their baby solids as soon as they could, they thought I was nuts for waiting, LOL.

[earthydiva]

DS is 7.5 months and we have not yet started. He is definitely looking ready, so we'll start this week. Little guy is smacking lips and all. At the 6month appt my pediatrician encouraged us to wait, which I found interesting. His logic was that that the sooner babies are fed solids the more weight they gain and the more food they need. He noted that it is less likely that the milk supply would stay as high if we were relying on other sources for calories and he wanted to encourage me to stay with bf'ing as long as possible (he knows that that is our family goal as well). I was in no rush to start, so the logic made sense to me.

DS has been exclusively bf'ed and has been gaining weight pretty well, although he's been in the 30's percentile-wise since birth.

Happy feeding,
ED

[Manna00]

This is my question too. DS is 5.5 months along and 21 pounds. He's exclusively BF so far... but, like reaches for everythign and puts it straight in his mouth. He can sit up in his high chair (it has a high back).. but that's not really unassisted.

I'm just not in a hurry to start food. DS isn't "hurting" on what he's getting.. that's for sure!! I feel like maybe once DS is mobile (he's beginning to alligator scootch) and I feel like he NEEDS more calories we'll be more into the food thing... but for now, I'm not worried.

Now, convincing everyone else that my 21 pounder DOESN'T need food is a whole other situation...