Delaying solids past 6 months?

Anna - posted on 08/31/2009

You have to listen to your baby over advice from others. If she wants to eat she will be trying to grab food off you & will let you know if she's hungry. Plenty of people exclusively breastfeed until 8,9, 10 months. It could be the type of food you are feeding - cereal can make them constipated.

Catherine - posted on 08/30/2009

What have you been feeding her? Try fruits and vegetables. If she refuses, leave it be. My son is just begining to get interested in solids and he is nearly 7 months old. We also recently discovered he has allergies so his disinterest was probably his body's self defense mechanism!

Minnie - posted on 08/29/2009

Offer her big wedge-shaped pieces of anything baby-safe (you wouldn't want to give anything that you know she may have a tendency to be allergic to, or something with honey in it).



My ten month old loves fish- I give her a square of tilapia probably 3x3 inches and let her pick at that, or she can have a drumstick to gnaw on, a slice of cucumber sliced lengthwise, a whole peeled apple, a piece of toast with hummus on it, noodles with pesto,etc.



There truly isn't anything you need to give first. Make dinner, sit her in her high chair, and put what you're having in front of her. Just don't give pieces that will cause her to choke- like whole beans- squish them a bit, and don't cut her food into teeny pieces- that also is what causes babies to choke.



Let her experiment, play, go at her own pace.



Baby led weaning is truly the most natural way to let baby learn about feeding herself and become used to adult food. There aren't really any rules, and the great thing about it is that baby will only take what she needs. She won't fill up on it so that she won't take your milk, and you don't need to nurse first like you would if you were giving purees.



Just have fun! Go with the flow. Rather than expecting her to begin taking in large amounts of solids at meals (as many mothers do), expect things to progress slowly. My daughter will gnaw on a drumstick here, and get a few bits, suck on an apple slice there, and get a few more bits, and she's satisfied (and is more than happy to nurse to her heart's content). As your daughter grows she'll begin to become more adept at feeding herself solids, and will take more.



It's so easy.

Kristin - posted on 08/29/2009

Quoting Lisa:

Purees often involve baby being fed solids before the gut is truly ready for them. Many children who have undiagnosed allergies and sensitivities naturally refuse solids until much later than other children. It seems that they subconcsiously know what they need.

We do baby-led soids/weaning. My ten month old didn't have anything but my own milk up until about a month ago. Over the last month, solids involve her sitting at the table with us and having whatever we're having. I don't mash food up, or cut her food into little bits. She gets a big piece- like an entire chicken drumstick, or a whole slice of pepper, cucumber, apple, etc. She gets whatever we have as long as she can pick it up and safely chew and swallow it. The amount of solids she takes in per day amounts to a couple of tablespoons, max.

Don't be concerned about your baby subsisting on only your milk. Solids being pushed by six months is really an ideal manufactured by baby food companies. Many children aren't ready for solids until after 12 months.

Just go at her pace. Offer her food that she can feed herself. If she eats it, great, if she doesn't, rest assured that you provide everything she needs.

 

Lisa, what di I offer her first? I don't want to offer her anything tha could mess her up. Can you explain more to me about BLW?

Kristin - posted on 08/29/2009

Quoting Lisa:

Purees often involve baby being fed solids before the gut is truly ready for them. Many children who have undiagnosed allergies and sensitivities naturally refuse solids until much later than other children. It seems that they subconcsiously know what they need.

We do baby-led soids/weaning. My ten month old didn't have anything but my own milk up until about a month ago. Over the last month, solids involve her sitting at the table with us and having whatever we're having. I don't mash food up, or cut her food into little bits. She gets a big piece- like an entire chicken drumstick, or a whole slice of pepper, cucumber, apple, etc. She gets whatever we have as long as she can pick it up and safely chew and swallow it. The amount of solids she takes in per day amounts to a couple of tablespoons, max.

Don't be concerned about your baby subsisting on only your milk. Solids being pushed by six months is really an ideal manufactured by baby food companies. Many children aren't ready for solids until after 12 months.

Just go at her pace. Offer her food that she can feed herself. If she eats it, great, if she doesn't, rest assured that you provide everything she needs.

what do you start to offer them first? your baby can eat a drumstick? I just don't want to offer her anything she can't handle. Can you explain more to me with what you did with your children?

Jessica - posted on 08/29/2009

Our breastfeeding relationship is going so well at 4 and 1/2 months that I read about delaying solids, then asked my pediatrician. He said "no problem, you can delay for up to a year". No fuss. He's got a large practice and three kids. I trust him and not do not feel pressured into thinking about adding solids in one and a half short months. Adding solids is the beginning of weaning which I want to delay. I'm psychologically prepared to breastfeed until the 2nd birthday and then will assess. I weaned my self at 9 months, so we'll see how it goes.

Minnie - posted on 08/29/2009

Purees often involve baby being fed solids before the gut is truly ready for them. Many children who have undiagnosed allergies and sensitivities naturally refuse solids until much later than other children. It seems that they subconcsiously know what they need.



We do baby-led soids/weaning. My ten month old didn't have anything but my own milk up until about a month ago. Over the last month, solids involve her sitting at the table with us and having whatever we're having. I don't mash food up, or cut her food into little bits. She gets a big piece- like an entire chicken drumstick, or a whole slice of pepper, cucumber, apple, etc. She gets whatever we have as long as she can pick it up and safely chew and swallow it. The amount of solids she takes in per day amounts to a couple of tablespoons, max.



Don't be concerned about your baby subsisting on only your milk. Solids being pushed by six months is really an ideal manufactured by baby food companies. Many children aren't ready for solids until after 12 months.



Just go at her pace. Offer her food that she can feed herself. If she eats it, great, if she doesn't, rest assured that you provide everything she needs.

Anna - posted on 08/29/2009

My dd normally would have a bowel movement every 3-4 days at that age. She is now almost 18mths and goes once daily. As far as readiness for food, every child is different. I just kept trying little by little once she developed her pincer grasp and began reaching for food on our plate.



Here's a couple of links that may be helpful-



http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids...



http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids...

Kristin - posted on 08/28/2009

Quoting Anna:

Every child has different digestive systems, if they don't agree with her then I would hold off on them. All they really need and get all their nutrition from is breastmilk. The purees are for really for practice not nutrition, so don't let anyone pressure into doing something that you already know isn't working for your child. Both my children had very sensitive digestive systems and I held off on solids until 10mths. I would just feed her on demand, she will let you know when she is hungry. Don't worry, your milk is enough. Good luck.

How often did your baby have bowel movements on just breast milk?...mine will go up to 5 days. I heard it was normal at this age, but I still want to make sure she is getting enough. How did you know your baby was ready? 

Anna - posted on 08/28/2009

Every child has different digestive systems, if they don't agree with her then I would hold off on them. All they really need and get all their nutrition from is breastmilk. The purees are for really for practice not nutrition, so don't let anyone pressure into doing something that you already know isn't working for your child. Both my children had very sensitive digestive systems and I held off on solids until 10mths. I would just feed her on demand, she will let you know when she is hungry. Don't worry, your milk is enough. Good luck.