When to start Solids?

User - posted on 08/25/2009

I personally waited with my son until he was 5.5 months to start solids. We did try at 4 months with a little cereal and his tummy was not ready for it. I plan on waiting again until 5.5-6 months with our daughter. If your lil' guy seems happy and content with just your milk than I see no reason to add solids at this point.

Minnie - posted on 08/25/2009

If you wait until baby is ready to pick up food, put in his mouth, chew it, and swallow it, you can be sure that he's ready for solids. Purees tend to involve baby being given solids before his gut is ready.



Babies generally tend to develop the ability to self-feed beginning at six months. It may be a couple of weeks earlier, or it may not be until ten months. But if you wait until he takes the initiative, there is no worrying involved.



The advice that includes baby being able to sit, has lost tongue-thrust reflex, generally seems 'interested' in food is all from baby food companies and isn't a true indication of readiness for solids.



Cereal offers no benefit to a breastfed baby. The iron in breastmilk is far more efficiently absorbed and utilized than that in cereal, and if one is concerned about iron-deficiency, all one has to do is offer iron-rich foods when baby is ready to self-feed.

Kathy - posted on 08/24/2009

I know that the new "in" thing now is to wait until 6-months to start anything other than breastmilk. However, my pediatrician continues to stick to 4 months as a good time to start trying the cereal due to the risk of iron deficient anemia.

Chrissy - posted on 08/24/2009

If your baby is sleeping well through the night or goes to bed easy then I wouldnt worry, it dosent sound like he is ready. Babies get all the nutrition from breastmilk until 6 months. However some babies might be ready to start before that time, and they will tell you by chaning eating habits and not going to bed easy. It will not hurt your baby to mix up like a Tbsp and try to see what he thinks. My son started cereal at 3 1/2 months and my daughter started cereal at 4 months and after a week she refused to eat it. so I stopped giving it to her for about 2 weeks and tried again and she ate it up. and after about a month on the cereal I started adding baby food veggies one a week until she had a variety and then I started giving her fruits one a week and now she is a great eater, however she will not eat the baby food meats and I dont blame her!! they smell so bad!! Talk to your baby's doctor. When your baby starts to want to eat early at almost every feeding, he is probly ready to start. dont rush, your baby will let you know when he is ready, you just have to watch for the signs.



I hope this advice will bring you help and some answers.

Chrissy

Carolyn - posted on 08/24/2009

All of the "books" recommend waiting till 6mon. however I say start when your baby shows signs of being ready to start them. I he is reaching for things on your plate then there is a good chance that he may be ready. My son is a big boy and we started cereal at 5 months. He was probably ready at about 4 1/2 mon. He is now 6mon. and we are starting other foods. He's doing great.