Should I feed my baby food before he is 6 months?

Lee - posted on 11/10/2012

Trust your instincts. you know your baby better then anyone else. your little boy will show signs when he is ready for food to be introduced.

My bub is 19weeks and ive slowly start to introduce food (one type every few days to make sure she dont have an allergic reaction to it) to her that was my choice as i feel she is ready for it.

But its told up to you what you do, no one can make that decision for you..

GOOD LUCK :)

Shenna - posted on 11/07/2012

It's completely normal! Depends on weight of your child and when they are ready. your child sounds as if he is ready for foods. Cereal tends to constipate babies! so be careful with how much you add! But your midwife approves then it is indeed time. Trust you will get more sleep and a happier infant!

Nikki - posted on 11/03/2012

Honestly I waited till 6 months and I am currently living in Lebanon (husband from here) and they want you to start before 4 months I was not having it! formula till 6 months then started with cereal then veggies then fruit one by one for 3 days at a time to make sure hes not allergic then moved on to protein at 7 months and now I mix everything....hes 8 months I feed him 3 meals a day with 4 bottles of formula in between.......just remember somethin that Ive been told DO NOT STRESS THE FOOD ITS JUST A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THEM AN DTO GET ACCUSTOMED TO EATING AND DIFF FLAVORS FORMULA/BREATS MILK MOST IMP AND IF YOUR DOC SUGGESTS VITAMINS FOR YOU BABY.........follow your mothers intuition! no one knows better than you! good luck :)

Krystall - posted on 11/02/2012

I started mine at four months but it isn't really necessary unless he is showing signs of hunger and interest in your food. My son wakes up for feedings and goes right back to sleep, he still doesn't sleep through the night yet and he eats solids (he started at four months). It's normal, some do and some don't haha. I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Aubree Del - posted on 11/01/2012

I started my son on rice cereal at 11 weeks. He's now 8 months old and is thriving and doing well. After we started rice cereal he started sleeping through the night. I exclusively pumped at the time, but it was only a couple of spoonfuls. You really do not need to worry about this affecting your milk supply. When he was 4 months old we started him on pears and peaches and slowly got him on a diet of mostly table foods. Now, he is down to 3 seven ounce bottles per day. I don't see an issue with starting some rice cereal now,

Jacqui - posted on 10/27/2012

U no ur baby better than any book!!! If u dont want 2 start weaning yet, have u thought about introducing a bottle of 'hungry baby' formula @ bedtime, & expressing so it doesn't affect ur own supply? In ROI guidelines r from 4-6months, which to me makes more sense than 6 months, as no 2 babies r the same. Good luck ;-) xo.

Amanda - posted on 10/24/2012

If he is hungry and if he is drinking a lot of oz. Give him cereal first and then veg so he gets use to swallowing the food. Keep trying every day .

Threenorns - posted on 10/23/2012

my opinion? that midwife needs to keep to her place - birthing babies. she clearly doesn't know anything about paediatric development.



get used to the waking up at night: kids don't truly sleep through the night until they're about 2 or 3. prior to that, they just learn to self-soothe. he'll wake through the night until he's a year or older and that's perfectly normal.



if he's teething, of course he's going to wake up! that "stuff" ***hurts***!



if he's going through a growth spurt, he needs nutrition, not pasteboard filler.



the easiest and teh best way to start him on solids is to wait until he starts himself. trust me, it's unmistakable: my youngest daughter at 5-1/2mo jammed both arms elbows-deep in orange mousse cake the waiter at the buffet let get too close to her and started jamming her fists in her mouth as fast as she could go. when i tried to take the plate back, she grabbed it and *growled* at me!

Mbali - posted on 10/22/2012

I started feeding my breasfed only son rice at the age of 5 months and this year his a happy 3 year old toddler

Tanya - posted on 10/22/2012

I'd rather wait. Closest to 6 months is best.

And you're right. There's absolutely no guarantee that he will sleep through. In fact, a lot of babies can have issues when introduced to solids.



(I know a lot of people always comment on these threads about putting cereal in bottles from as early as 2 months, and they say their kids are fine. But a lot of gastro-intestinal issues start surfacing in the teens.....!!! Think about the amount of grownups that are suffering with IBS)



Wait until 6 months.

Melissa - posted on 10/20/2012

I started both my kids on cereal just slightly before 4 months and soon after was into veggies and then fruits. My first I had to supplement with formula because I didn't make enough milk so because I could just make a bottle I didn't feed him often only once a day at first and then twice for a few months. My second was exclusively breastfeed and at her 4 month appt was underweight (mainly because my kids have high metabolism) I had already started her on cereal a couple times a day and her doctor told me to start feeding her 4-5 times a day to get some extra calories in her to help her gain some weight. But being that your kid is at a healthy weight it would be fine to wait until 6 months. If he's teething that might be what's keeping him up at night and not that he is hungry, of course if he's hungry I think you should feed him regardless of what time it is, but if you are making plenty of milk nursing him should be just fine. Babies also just go through sleep cycles and some weeks will be better then others.

Sarh - posted on 08/31/2010

OMG! Mixing rice cereal in a bottle is horrible! It posses a choking hazard and is just bad! Lorena, my son has been on baby food (he refuses rice cereal) since he was 3 wks old, but that is only because he has really bad reflux. My daughter (now 4 1/2 yrs old) also started rice cereal at about 3-4 wks old because she was a big baby and needed more. Lorena is absolutely correct there is no problem w/it early, but if you prefer not to give it to him you do not have to. My daughter never became over weight like they say babies will become when they have solids early and my son is not over weight either. Both of my children are larger babies, but not obese. My daughter was born at 9lbs 13.5oz and 22 in long and is now 4 1/2 and weighs 60lbs, but is almost 4 feet tall!!! My son was born at 8lbs 12.5oz and 21 3/4in and is now 11 wks and weighs about 16-17lbs and is about 23 in long. Solely up to you mommy!

Lorena - posted on 08/31/2010

my daughter is 7 months old and she has been eating babyfood since she was 2 months old and she is just fine it wouldn't hurt your baby to have a little rice cereal we mixed it with her bottles at night and it helped her sleep better this is just a suggestion i mean your his mom and you know your child better than anyone good luck

Sarh - posted on 08/31/2010

I don't understand why your midwife would tell you to start him on rice cereal for him to sleep through the night!! That is a myth and studies have showed that feeding an infant rice cereal or baby food does NOT aid them in anyway of sleeping through the night!! Sleeping through the night is all based on your babies ability to soothe himself back to sleep on his own. If he is waking at night just to play.. does he wake up crying or just plays and you hear him? If he doesn't cry when you hear him wake up then leave him, he may soothe himself back to sleep.
Your son does not NEED solids at all until a year. He is breastfed and this is enough for him. They say to introduce solids at 5-6 months to get them used to the motions of eating, new tastes, new textures, etc. But it is not mandatory! If your son is gaining fine, then there is no reason for rice cereal just yet. Go w/your instinct which sounds to be a very good one!

Lacey - posted on 08/31/2010

I started feeding my son rice cereal with breastmilk or apple/water when he was 6 wks old. We haven't had any problems other than he doesn't eat veggies. He's now 16 months and more active than most babies his age. So the choice is truely yours.

Andrea - posted on 08/31/2010

i started about 5 months with rice cereal. that can be a bit harsh on the tummy and bind them up. so i switched to oatmeal. i also made sure that my son had oatmeal before bed and then a bottle. when i was feeding him breast milk, i would give him a formula bottle right before bed and that would keep him content. my daughter started sleeping through the night at 2wks of age and my son did not sleep through the night until 5 months and apparently thats normal, but it bugged me a bit, because i was use to getting sleep. good luck let me know if u have more questions. :)

Ugwunwa - posted on 08/31/2010

Well, you know your son better than anyone of us here... For me, my daughter gradually started stoping herself from breastfeeding. i just keep forcing her, cos i have a good supply of milk, but sometimes she will just refuse., so i began with cereals, and baby rice along side formula.... the only time i noticed she accepts breast milk is at night and mid-day. so u know your child better, if he isnt refusing the breastmilk, u can keep up the breast milk, and add some baby food along side, because its at this stage (4months) they beginning to get hungry frequently except he is not a heavy eater... but try introducing the solid food, and see how he takes it. but the bottomline is you know your baby, and u can tell what his eating habit is....

Micha - posted on 08/30/2010

My son was started on rice cereal at about 1.5 weeks for Acid Reflux. Now, they're telling me that I can start him on solids (A quarter cup of rice for two ounces of formula.) once a day, and move it up to twice a day in a couple of weeks, then go on to carrots, sweet potatos, squash, etc. after that.

Either way you go, though, do what YOU think is best for your son. You're his mother, and no one but you can make that decision.

Dawn - posted on 08/29/2010

Hello....i started to feed ALLL 4 of my children SINGLE GRAIN rice cereal at night before bed time only as early as 3-4 weeks when they wouldnt sleep very well.....This filled their tummys and allowed them to sleep longer...It was a very well used trick to getting well deserved rest. My kids are all very healthy. He/she doesnt need much....a little goes along way. If he is bottle feeding i would recomend getting a faster flow bottle or even making the hole a little bigger because the little grains wont go threw the hole and could cause an ear ache from sucking so hard.....

Krystal - posted on 08/29/2010

umm my son started baby food at 4 months an now he eats everything an he is 9 months today

Paula - posted on 08/29/2010

My daughter was a preemie. She only weighted at 4 pds 8 ounces when she was born. She is almost 5 months old now and she has been sleeping throughout the night. She doesn't want to sleep during the day but I try to have her lay down on me for a nap. I try not going to sleep but sometimes I do. She has already ate cereal, fruits and veggies. She doesn't eat that much but she is just growing good. I can see how u feel but try it out on ur baby to see if does work for u. What is the harm for him.

Vicky - posted on 08/29/2010

I started my daughter on baby rice when she was 4 months and its the best thing i ever did. even thogh the midwife advised not to my daughter i feel she was ready she was so much more settled on solids. she is on target for her weight and feeding her earlier has not affected her in a bad way, she is now a healthy 1 yr old with a good appetite. i would say go with your gut and he will let you know if hes not happy with it! =D good luck x

Vickie - posted on 08/29/2010

i waited until my 1st son hit 6months before i tried him on solids and will be doing the same with my 11 week old just because thats what i read in all the books. do what you feel best for your child

Ashley - posted on 08/29/2010

my son was on solids at almost 3 months and it was the best thing i have ever done.. he sleeps through the night and doesn't wake up..

Jamila - posted on 08/29/2010

This is a good question...I wanted to wait til 4 months buts my sis fed him solids while babysitting at 3 months and he ate it n enjoyed it so i gess it depends on the baby, try it or if ur more comfortable waiting then wait.

Aniesha - posted on 08/29/2010

Do what you feel is right. I actually had the opposite situation. The nurse told me not to start him before 6 months, but he was a huge baby. I couldn't keep up the breastfeeding, as he was just taking too much out of me, so I started him at 4 months, and it worked for us. Having said that tho, I know a friend who didn't start on solids til about 8 months I think. Different babies need different things. In the end, you know what's best for you child, not someone who has met them once!

Stacey - posted on 08/29/2010

I started my son around 9 months on rice but the time he was 10-11 months he was eating the same food as me. some foods helps teething aswell so look up on that. when babys get to a different age they do like to stay up longer.

Corinne - posted on 08/29/2010

Both my kids started on solids at 4months cause they were grabbing at my food and were constantly hungry. It's a choice only you can make. If you don't think your baby is ready yet, and he may not be even at 6,7, or8 months, then don't be pressured into it. As long as he's healthy and happy, who cares? x

Kami - posted on 08/28/2010

I started my son out pretty early on rice and oatmeal. It does seem to satisfy longer then just milk alone i can say, it did help with the sleeping at first he wasnt use to it but after about a week or so it started helping him sleep it atleast added two more hours to his sleeping schedule. I olny gave him rice as a night time bottle and in the middle on the night it took less milk for him to go to sleep half of the time he was asleep before the bottle was done.

Amanda - posted on 08/28/2010

Go with you gut! Dont do what others tell you. I learned the hard way when i was not making enough milk and the nurse told me to supplement (i wanted to breastfeed for at least 6 months) and because of that i had to use only formula beause my breasts dried up! So i went with my instincts and gut feelings when it came to my son and he is a healthy 9 month old 21lb baby!

Helen - posted on 08/28/2010

I was intending to do baby led weaning at 6 months with my son, but he decided differently!

From a very early age we abandoned the amounts that you are told to feed them and went with what he wanted - he was soon down to 4 bottles a day, but 9oz a time (as in by about 5 months!) and I remember one feed when he was about 3 1/2 months and he went a bit crazy and had about 14 oz - we started with a 6oz bottle, which he drained and cried for more, so gave him 4oz, with same result, followed by another 4oz. He was still looking for more, but I stopped at that - didn't want him to go 'pop'!

Because he was so hungry I started him on baby rice just about 17 weeks, which was quickly followed by home cooked and puréed fruit and veg - peas, carrot, pears, apples, apricots, sweet and ordinary potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower etc etc.

Now he's 18 months, in 2-3year clothing and eats practically everything we put in front of him.

Like others have said - YOU know your baby best - go with your instinct and listen to what your baby is telling you, and you won't go far wrong.

As for waking up in the night - try reducing his daytime naps, or get him more active so he's a little more tired at night. While he's teething give him some baby paracetamol at bed time, it might help him settle a bit better.

hope this helps.

Nataleigh - posted on 08/28/2010

well i had tried my lil man on a rusk mashed up with a bit of warm water when he was 4months but much liked a fromage frais but its all trial and error its up to u if u feed him solids but it all takes time whether the lil one wants to take it but give it a try an see what u think. hope it all goes well

Gillian - posted on 08/28/2010

I breastfed my baby daughter until she was 10 months. Now she is 23 months. Due to going back to work and not wanting to take much milk from a bottle what my inlaws did when the were babysitting for her was they started her on jars of fruit. However real solids I started when she was 6 months as the docter advised to wait until then for the stomach and digestive system to be developed properely.

Lizzie - posted on 08/28/2010

Hi, you are doing fine with feeding your 4 month old rice cereal along with his formula this is appropiate practice with infants. What is not appropriate is feeding him fruits , vegetables and meats at this stage his stomach is not ready to digest these kinds of food, it will in most cases cause him to be gas-y , or constipated. At any rate, Your child may have a bottle when he awakes but it is up to you to keep a schedule of when you last feed him this way if he is crying you don't mistake this for hunger, but you want to observe you infant's cues and signals for what he or she wants and not give them a bottle every time they cry because this is not good practice , you could unknowingly teach your baby that this is a reaction for him or her wanting some attention .Just as you stated he is teething this could very well be the reason for him waking throughout the night, if at all possible try to work out a schedule for your baby and he will learn this schedule with lots of repetition on your part with keeping up it , I'm not saying this is a answer to what's happening with him wanting attention all the time but maybe it will help with his sleep patterns. I would like to say ,you can never spoil a baby by holding him to much or giving him to much attention, continue to nurture you infant and love on him this will make your bond stronger and he will know you are there for him. God Bless.

Susan - posted on 08/27/2010

My Ped, advised me to start rice cereal at age 4 mths. Then start with veg, then fruit last. I started adding table food at 7-8 months. At 1 year she was completely off baby food. She is 15 months now and eats everything, Not a bit picky. Very healthy.

Yaumara - posted on 08/27/2010

I started my son on the rice and oatmeal cereal at 4 months. I also had him eating pureed sweet potatoes with bananas at 4 months. He is now 12 and has always been very healthy. Good luck!

Christina - posted on 08/27/2010

my doctor told me to start at 4 months with baby cereal with rice but wic told us start at 6 months b/c they want wait til 6 months b/c of food allergy but my daughter was ready at 4 months so i gave her her baby cereal and bought baby food u can tell if she is ready by opening her mouth wide open and if she or he looka at u eating and open there mouth u know they r ready just start off little

Leanne - posted on 08/27/2010

dont rush into feeding solids i have 6 kids one of them didnt start til he was 7 months my youngest now almost five months still doesnt sleep all night and doesnt eat but when she wakes i try a cuddle and a dummy

Terri-lee - posted on 08/27/2010

Hi!
I read about 6 months onwards in EVERY book and leaflet i got, so thats all i knew... i casually mentioned it once while an older woman was around, and she had a huge go at me, "well IF you wait that long.." etc etc. and was very pushy about starting at 4 months instead. I was shocked and felt very confused. I found all the older mums had the same opinion, four months is about right... but all the nurses and doctors and young mums said 6 months... i was very confused and didnt know what to do.. so... i played it by ear. I think i ended up giving her the farex at about 4 1/2 months, she didnt like it. i didnt think she was ready but felt sooo pressured that i went ahead and did it anyway. she was constipated for a week and i felt sooo bad for letting others pressure me when i knew it wasnt what was best for her. Ill NEVER do anything just because other ppl want me to ever again, so im glad it happened, its made me much more stubborn haha. anyways she seemed to be ready around 5 and a half to 6 months. but every baby is different. some babies are super hungry and need more than milk and they might be the 4 month babies. but if your little one is very happy with milk and not seeming hungry all the time, then why not wait the medically recommended 6 months? now... if only i could get some ppl im my life to accept the fact that sweet junk food will not touch my babies lips till she is ONE and then SPARINGLY thereafter... lol

Adisha - posted on 08/27/2010

Thank you for all your replies. I am going to see what happens in the weeks to come. I spoke to a health visitor and she also advised me to wait till 6 months as feeding them food early can make them allergic to stuff as their immune system is not developed yet!

We live in a 2 bed flat and my son sleeps in the cot next to me. I like to see if he will sleep better in another room but we dont have much space in the second bedroom to fit a cot as well as other things. My husband does snore quite a bit and loudly, not sure if this can cause babies to wake up! Thanks for your replies again, its great to know all your opinions.

Janaki - posted on 08/26/2010

I suggest you try to introduce spoon feeding to your baby. Start with putting the spoon (with a little cereal or empty) in front of his mouth and normally if they're ready they'll just open their mouth (feeding instinct). If he just stares at it and look away, then maybe he's not yet ready. If he's waking up more in the evening, maybe breastmilk is not enough for him already. You can try buying small packets of one grain cereal (start with one grain and add up on the grains when he gets older) to try on your baby. Add breastmilk on his cereal so he is still getting mommy's milk. Remember that breastmilk is still his best nutritional source at this point. Also, just use mommy instinct because youre the best person to decipher your baby's needs. Good luck mommy, hope I helped. PS : just remember that baby's aren't supposed to be fed honey, eggs, peanuts, etc. because it may upset their very young stomach or may trigger allergies. :)

Amy - posted on 08/26/2010

I was mixing rice cereal in with my daughter's bottles at 2 months. At about 4 months I introduced the baby food. At first it was just the pears, sweet potatoes, stuff like that. The formula just wasn't enough to keep her full. Let your baby give you clues on if they're ready for solid food. Talk to your doctor too.

Janelle - posted on 08/26/2010

I would feed him if he is acting hungry. Don't deprive him of food if he feels he needs it. The reason for starting him on cereal is to help him feel fuller longer. Between 4-6 months is when babies generally start on food. Make sure that when you start him on food to start with one food at a time. For example, if you feed him peas make sure thats the only food (besides formula or breastmilk) that he eats for about a week. This is so you can make sure he doesn't develop an allergy and if he does you'll know it's because of the peas. But 4 1/2 months should be fine to start him off with cereal. You can add just a small amount to his formula or breastmilk to thicken the milk a little. Hope this helped.

Stephanie - posted on 08/26/2010

Sure you can feed him at 4mths well that's what my doc says is the time to feed them rice cereal he actually said to wait a little for the rest but you should just consult the doctor and go by what they tell you but for my other 2 boys I started at around 41/2 months.

Gena - posted on 08/26/2010

Wow this is a loaded question. And I can see where you would get confused. My son's doctor told me to start him on rice cereal & fruit at 4 months. Now the health specialist my son sees told me not to start him on food until 6months. I think you can try it whenever you feel your baby is not getting full enough. You will know if it is sitting wrong with the baby. I tried my son on cereal early and he was miserable for two days so I knew he wasn't ready. As long as your baby is getting enough to eat you can take your time. Good luck :)

Amber - posted on 08/26/2010

Hi. How are you? I was in the same boat as you as to wether wait or start baby food before my son is 6 months old. Well, i started him on baby food when he was 5 months old (which was the beginning of this month) Why? Bc it seems that my milk no longer satisfys him for long periods, he acts like he can barley go the 3 hours anymore inbetween feedings. So, i started him on veggies and he loves them. I do not replace the food at meal time i just add it in when he is cranky and hungry (usually half way time in feedings) I do this once a day, i also only do half a jar. As for the feedings in the night, does your baby sleep in your room or their own? We moved Christian into his own room at 4 months and NOW i only do 1 feeding in the middle of the night. I do not let him cry it out, i think that method is stupid. Christian will let me know when he doesn't need to feed anymore in the night. I hope this helps, good luck and ALWAYS go with your gut. Your the mom and you know best

Cheryl - posted on 08/26/2010

If you are producing enough milk you can stay that way for another month. Solids are introduced between 5 - 6 months. Sometimes if they are introduced later, they don't like the feel of the spoon and problems arise. Your baby's sleep times will differ. For a while he might be a night owl and then maybe he will change completely. Just go with the flow and treat little phase as it comes. Best not to put baby to sleep with you, as you will have a difficult time weaning him from your bed. Good Luck : )

Amanda - posted on 08/26/2010

Obviously, as with everything what you choose for your baby has to be right for your family. I tried to wait until my almost 11 month old (now) son was 6 months old to introduce him to solids mostly because dad and I are bigger people, and I've been told/read that the sooner a baby starts solids, the more likely s/he is to be obese later in life. I don't know if that's a real causation or just a correlation, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to hold off. By 5.5 months my son just WAS NOT satisfied with his bottle alone, so we started with rice cereal. He was not on the cereals very long before he started jarred baby foods. Now, he will not eat any jarred foods; he pretty much wants what mom, dad, grandma or grandpa are eating, and that's okay with me.

Ava - posted on 08/26/2010

I started feeding my daughter regular food a 3.5 months and graduated to 'real food', like peas, at six months (and I don't mean mashed ones). She did fine.

Jennifer - posted on 08/26/2010

I started my son on rice cereal at 3 1/2 months (by spoon, NEVER from his bottle). Then at his 4m check up, his Dr told me to go ahead and start giving him some baby food. We did 1/2 jar a day until 6m. Just have to make sure between the cereal/food that they only get 1 new food a week (or with my son, we did 1 new food every 4 days) to make sure he's not allergic to anything. My son is 9m now, eating cereal for breakfast, a jar of fruit for lunch, and a jar of veggies or a mixed dinner at dinner time every day. My son has been sleeping thru the night since he was about 2m old, so his eating solid food didn't really affect his sleeping schedule.