First foods?!

Aja - posted on 12/07/2009

Quoting Heather:

First foods?!

Hi Everyone!
I see a lot of babies are started on their first foods already, and I've been wondering on this.. Isaac was born on June 30th, he is exclusively breastfed - I had tried cereal a few times, which he did not like. I was thinking of trying fruits/veggies. what do you recommend to start first? i know the wait a couple days in between for allergies..
Thanks mammas!

Hey Heather, Cooper was born on June 26th. She also didn't like the cereal at first. I get her rice and apple cereal and mix in some applesauce baby food with it. Like Isaac, Cooper was exclusively breastfed, so I just mix the cereal with warm water and mix in the applesauce. She loves it!!!! You might want to give that a try.

Trina - posted on 12/07/2009

I go to see a nutritionist every three months and she suggested that when I start with the veggies and fruits to start with the veggies first b/c if you start with the fruits your child will be less likely to take the veggies when you try them b/c the fruits taste alot better...which I thought makes alot of sense. My daughter was born on June 15, I haven't even started her on cereal yet. I decided to breastfeed until she turns 6 months old then I'm going to start on the cereal at 7 months I 'm going to start on veggies and probably not start on fruits until 8 months. I'm not starting meats until 10 months b/c my nutritionist said that babies stomachs don't contain the enzymes to break down meats until 8-10 months and if you start them too early it might be hard for them to poop. I hope this helps

Jessica - posted on 12/06/2009

I started my daughter with rice cereal first (at 5 months old) and she was not having any of it. I tried to mix it with veggies and fruit and she still rejected it. I then gave her straight veggies and she ate almost the entire serving. She still does not like fruits. I make her eat prunes with every meal but thats just because she has a hard time going poopie without them. I read that the rice cereal really isn't that important it's basically only for the extra iron that babies need. Since you are exclusively breastfeeding you may need to look into another form of iron supplement for your little one. (Formula is fortified with iron)

Jerica - posted on 12/06/2009

Hi there...My son Gunner just turned 6 months old and I have breastfed him since he was born and will continue to til he is year old. I started him with lil cereal when he was 1 month old cause he wanted to eat so much and wasnt satisfied for bed time. It took him couple of times to like the cereal but after that he loved it =) After he liked eating the cereal by itself with breast milk misxed in then I tried lil juice or fruit for flavor. I started him on veggies and fruit at 4 months which he loves as well. I would recommend starting him on veggies first cause if you start with fruit first they wont like veggies. Also talk to you dr when he goes to 6 month checkup they will be able to help you out. Hope this helps n good luck!! =)

Jacqui - posted on 12/06/2009

applesauce, bananas, avocados.. rice cereal, oats, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot.. mashed of course..

introduce one at a time, will start with a few teaspoons....

good luck xx

Sarah - posted on 12/06/2009

Have you ever tried brown rice cereal? I give that to my son born June 19th, and he likes it. Actually I haven't went to oatmeal cereal at all bc he enjoys the brown rice so much! And he has been eating cereal since about 4 and a half months

Kelly - posted on 12/06/2009

My son was born on June 4th of this year and he just turned 6 months old. My dr just told me to start him on the rice cereal for 4 days then try him on the wheat cereal for 4 days then the last stage cereal. She then said after doing all of that to start him with his veggies :) again 3 or 4 days with each one you try. She told me to hold off with the fruit because babies tend to really like the fruit so if you start them on fruit before they really get used to the veggies then they may not want the veggies ahahaha makes sence to me. I hope that helps :)

Amy - posted on 12/06/2009

Banana and Avocardo a big hit with my Son...born 12th June and started 2 days ago at 24 weeks! I let him knaw a big bit of Banana and then mash a bit for him and give on a spoon..he was so excited this morning when the nana came out! I had to stop with the Aavo yesterday as he was asking for more and more and I didn't want to over do it and give him tummy ache or put him of his boob. Also these don't need cooking.

Endi - posted on 12/06/2009

I started rice cereal to my daughter when she was 5 months old and she liked it a lot. Now i am trying to give her potatoes and carrots. Hope she'll like it. Than of course, fruit. i think that applesauce is essential.Good Luck!

Naomi - posted on 12/05/2009

I've started my son this week trying rice cereal. The first day he took it but it all just dribbled right out, and it was mixed with Breastmilk so I think he got frustrated with little dribbles and just wanted to be nursed (this is totally inneficient mom! lol) I tried a few more times but he just sat and stared at me with his mouth closed, wouldn't open for the spoon at all.
My problem is I don't know if he just isn't ready (he's 6 months now) or if he doesn't like the rice cereal or if he is annoyed at the fact that it's mixed with breastmilk and it takes so long to eat it all. ( as opposed to nursing) Any insights??
I think next week I'll try a pureed meat for a totally different taste. In canada they have started recommending meat as a first food, cus what the docs are wanting at this age is added iron consumption. that's why they would recommend fortified cereal or a green veggie or meat. If that doesn't work maybe we'll take a break for a week and then try a veggie or fruit.

Tiffany - posted on 12/05/2009

my son was born june 12th... so he's a little older than yours. BUT, i started my son on solids at 5 1/2 months old. Honestly, I tried him on rice and he didnt care for it either. Not much of a taste i guess. Some babies like it, some dont. Try baby food... bananas, applesauce, peaches baby food. that should do the trick. Much more flavorfull :) Hope that helps!!

Niki - posted on 12/05/2009

My pediatrician told me to start on rice cereal, then orange veggies, green veggies followed then by fruits. He said that when you start fruits first they have more of a sweet tooth and it's difficult to get them to eat the healthier foods. I followed his advice with my first son and he will take veggies over sweets any day. He even loves saurkraut, mustard, and oysters.

Danielle - posted on 12/03/2009

I never heard the try a green veg first, so we started with squash. Steamed and pureed it was still watery so we added some rice cereal to thicken it up and she loves it. Still working on other things like broccoli (gave her painful gas...duh!), green beans, carrots... and hope to start on Zucchini and Pumpkin soon. Already have a batch of each made.

I never thought of carrots as a really strong flavor but compared to other infant foods it is really strong... so carrots and broccoli are going to wait another month or so before we start introducing it regularly again.

Christina - posted on 12/02/2009

Well mt doctors told us to start out with veggies since some fruits our really acid since my child has acid reflex.She a;so told me to start a few a week since children with acid reflex can have alot more allgeries.

Tabitha - posted on 12/02/2009

We are sticking to what our pediatrician told us. To start with cereals and different ones then veggies and meats and fruits last. I guess because once they get the sugary treat of fruit it is all they want.

Romina - posted on 11/29/2009

I don't think the veggie before fruit thing is intended for long term preference, it's for the time being. I know we gave my son Plasmon cookies to teach him to chew and he doesn't want cereal, but when he gets that cookie his mouth is wide open. I wont give him fruit until he has tried all of his veggies, I don't want him to start spitting out anything that isn't sweet.

Sara - posted on 11/29/2009

We give our son the custard baby food or mixed fruits which he sesm to enjoy, or fresh fruit, Let him gnaw on a big piece (so he doesn't choke) and have you hold it. He'd be pretty much just getting the pure flavour of it and whatever pieces turns to mush and goes in his mouth.

Elise - posted on 11/26/2009

My daughter loves all the fruits. Veggies, she only likes the orange ones; sweet potatoes, carrots... We tried greens and yuck.. I tried it and it was gross so we are sticking to the good stuff :)

Rowan - posted on 11/25/2009

Alfie started on baby rice at 4.5 months as he was so hungry, and growing fast (in the top 100 percentile for growth!) and he is now 6 months and eating everything we do, except all mushed up with a bit of baby rice and a bit of milk. He has Farleys Rusks to munch on now and again, and he LOVES spring onions (i think in USA they called salad onion??) but he did NOT like lemon! LOL. I love letting him try different tastes and now he is trying textures too. It is so much fun! XOX

Kate - posted on 11/25/2009

Hi Heather,

My daughter was exclusively bf until 6 mos, and didn't want anything to do with solids until she was a good 7 1/2 mos old. I kept trying, she just wasn't interested. When she was ready, I did rice cereal, followed by oatmeal, followed by veggies, then fruits. I can't say if the veggies before fruits thing works for every child, but my child is now a veritable rabbit, choosing veggies over all else. Could just be who she is, though. My son, on the other hand, starting opening his mouth to eat solids around 3 mos. I started him on rice cereal around 4 mos, and he LOVES to eat. I am holding off on adding a lot more solids for a little while because I happen to fall on the side of believing breastmilk is best for the first 6 mos, and he is healthy and happy, and not going hungry by any means. I think a lot just has to do with personal choice and your child's temperment. Good luck finding which way works for you!

Briggy - posted on 11/25/2009

Just started feeding my daughter, born June 16th; veggies, carrots and peas, a little applesauce here and there. Vegetables are better to start with so they will prefer them over fruit (unneeded sugar) although it is natural sugar!

Cory - posted on 11/25/2009

Our dr said to give our son (born 6/18) green veggies first then orange then fruits. My son also does not really like the cereal now that he has had the better stuff! But I've also read that there is no proof that by giving them veggies first they will eat veggies better later on. So really you can do whatever you want! Just wait like 3-4 days after introducing something before doing another.

Leah - posted on 11/24/2009

Elizabeth started eating off a spoon when she was 3 weeks. Seriously. I started her with rice cereal mixed with her formula first. A month or so later I mixed it with applejuice. Not long after that she started eating applesauce. Followed by pears. She enjoyed 1oz applejuice diluted with 3oz water. She is almost 6 months old and eats a variety of fruits, veggies, and meats. Recently found out that she likes stovetop stuffing too. At her check up a few weeks ago the dr said she was perfectly healty. I dont feed her anything with peanuts due to the fact that sooo many kids are allergic now a days. I was allergic to oatmeal cereal when I was younger (grew out of it) and that caused me to delay giving it to her. When I did, I kept a very close eye on her. Im not saying to do or dont do what I do. All babies are different and their bellies handle things differently. Too much cereal will constipate Elizabeth so I have to watch how much she is given in a feeding/day. I hope I have helped in anyway.

Jynyll - posted on 11/24/2009

if youve got cerelac, that is my pediatrician advised,.. but if none, try rice,its our staple food here,so im suggesting rice, it should be mashed though,.. or potato, squash, crops something like that.. or any veggies youve got there. :)

i hope somehow this helped :)

Eleisha - posted on 11/24/2009

Just something to think about... for a baby to truly not "like" the flavour of something, they have to try it approximately 20 times. The reaction of a funny face and spittinng it out has more to do with the texture. Its a natural thing as babies are only used to milk (liquids) and nothing thicker. Persevere and he will get thru this stage.

Emily - posted on 11/23/2009

i started my son on cereal first and then went to veggies. but now he dont like his cereal so i am about to start mixing fruit with it for breakfast

Christina - posted on 11/23/2009

Quoting Heather:

I think that veggie/fruit thing is a load of crap. My mum started all us kids on fruits first and we are massive veggie lovers. I think veggie eating has more to do with the general diet of the household than anything else.

Could be. Was just a suggestion, Any ideas help right.

Lady Heather - posted on 11/23/2009

I think that veggie/fruit thing is a load of crap. My mum started all us kids on fruits first and we are massive veggie lovers. I think veggie eating has more to do with the general diet of the household than anything else.

Christina - posted on 11/23/2009

you can always try the oat cereal as well. Talk to your dr @ your six month appointment but I think they usually recomend starting with a cereal. If not, I have heard veggies before fruit or they will like the sweet too much and not want to eat the veggies. Good luck!

Lady Heather - posted on 11/23/2009

Freja is six months old in two weeks so we'll start her then. I'm thinking I'm going to go with bananas because we'll be on holiday and I don't really want to have to cook anything. We've started giving her a little bit of formula on a spoon and she seems to really enjoy the whole thing. She chews it! Ha.

Attaurius - posted on 11/23/2009

My son Malachi started with applesauce and bananas n he absolutely loves it...after the initial shock of "mommy this doesn't taste or feel like milk" lol.

Kathy - posted on 11/23/2009

Seth started on applesauce and totally loved it. Now he's on bananas too. Good Luck

Jennifer - posted on 11/23/2009

I started my son Scott a few weeks ago on fruits and we did one a week and now we have added veggies. After we started the fruits he didn't want his cereal in the mornings anymore so I add a little bit of fruit to it for flavor and he loves it. Good luck