when to introduce food items and how will that fit into feeding patterns? my baby is almost 5 months

Amber - posted on 02/26/2009

For us, I started at 5 1/2 months systematically to a) reduce risk of allergies and b) if there is an allergy to know what it is. We tried in order: rice cereal-oatmeal-barley. (for a month) then vegetables/fruits/mixed cereals for atleast 2 days at a time before adding a new one. (It is recommended to try seeded fruit last; milk after 12 months; eggs after 12 months; peanut butter after 2 years as they all have a high allergy index)
Elizabeth is now 11 months and our feeding day is typically like this:
-Wake up: cereal
-2 hours after: formula bottle (+6 months kind)
-nap
-3 hours after last feed: 1 jar veg or "meal" + 1 jar fruit
-after noon nap
-2-3 hours later: 1 jar veg or "meal" + 1 jar fruit
-formula bottle before bed

any time during the day, especially if it is hot, water or very watered down juice (pear, usually)

But thats just what I do, every little one is different!

Prishanthi - posted on 02/26/2009

thanks 4 all ur help.    You see right now my son only drinks formula during the day ( about 160 mls or 6 Oz) - every 3 1/2 - 4 hrs....so he feeds about 4 times during the day & I nurse him 2ice in the night.    I just want to make sure he' getting enough.....  He does show interest in food...I tried a few tsps of   baby rice cereal ..he puts it in his mouth licks his lips and spits it out....   

When do I give/introduce him juice / water   & does that replace milk time? does baby cereal replace a milk feeding?  I'm trying to make a schedule to fit solids in...do i put it in-between? ...so far it's been something like this.--->. 

6:30 - 7am - wakes up & plays

8:45 - 9:15am  -  Formula 6Oz

short nap

11 - bath time

12:45 - 1:15 pm- Formula 6Oz

short nap

4:45 - 5:15 pm- Formula 6Oz

8:45 - 9:15pm - Formula 6Oz

sleeps wakes up between 1:30 - 2:30am -nurse

                                                4:30-5 am- nurse

Prishanthi - posted on 02/26/2009

thanks 4 all ur help.    You see right now my son only drinks formula during the day ( about 160 mls or 6 Oz) - every 3 1/2 - 4 hrs....so he feeds about 4 times during the day & I nurse him 2ice in the night.    I just want to make sure he' getting enough.....  He does show interest in food...I tried a few tsps of   baby rice cereal ..he puts it in his mouth licks his lips and spits it out....   

When do I give/introduce him juice / water   & does that replace milk time? does baby cereal replace a milk feeding?  I'm trying to make a schedule to fit solids in...do i put it in-between? ...so far it's been something like this.--->. 

6:30 - 7am - wakes up & plays

8:45 - 9:15am  -  Formula 6Oz

short nap

11 - bath time

12:45 - 1:15 pm- Formula 6Oz

short nap

4:45 - 5:15 pm- Formula 6Oz

8:45 - 9:15pm - Formula 6Oz

sleeps wakes up between 1:30 - 2:30am -nurse

                                                 4:30 - 5am -nurse

Joy - posted on 02/25/2009

we started our son on baby rice cereal at 4months and kept him on that for a week. After that we added apple puree and kept that for a week and so on and just introduced things one at a time. Now he is 6 months old and eats most veggies and fruits that I puree myself. I think at this age the texture is most important. he doesnt like anything too thick. He drinks 4 bottles of formula a day as well.

Ashley - posted on 02/24/2009

My son just turned 5 months on sunday and he was on ceral a month before we introduced veggies. He gets oatmeal cereal for breakfast and rice cereal for supper and we have recently started trying the step 1 veggies at lunch. And then he nurses inbetween when he needs to. But i made sure he was used to the cereal once a day before i gave it to him twice a day and then i waited a month before i gave him the veggies to make sure he was used to the cereal. We have tried carrots and sweet potatoes so far and he loves them both! But make sure you give your baby the same flavor a few days in a row to watch for any recations they might have. I cant wait until he gets to try more! Hope that helps.

Autumn - posted on 02/24/2009

my daughter is now 7 months old almost and she started really eating solids at 5 1/2 months. She actually started grabbing food from my plate and sticking it in her mouth. We went to olive garden adn she started eating a breadstick she grabbed out of the bread basket... it was hilarious. and shocking. Children know when they are ready if you see them reaching for food or opening their mouths just let them taste it and if they still want it they will chew and take care of it if not they will spit it out and turn away.... Hope this helps

Melody - posted on 02/24/2009

try introducing food when they show interest (watching you eat, opening mouth) if they're not ready and just spit it out then wait and try again in a week. My son showed all the signs of being interested but didn't actually start eating solids till 8 months. we nurse in the morning when he gets up and then between meals and before bed.



Don't push food cause you'll turn them off, baby will eat solids when ready.