Should I start on solids?

Executive Member Joined: Jul 24 2005 Posts: 395

My babysitter tells me my 5 month old is ready. My doc said 6 months at first but then I called and they said I can start if shes ready. She gets hungry every two hours after 8 oz of formula. Do u think shes ready? What do I start with? How much? When do I try the next thing? Need some tips! THANKS

Posted: Mon, Jun 19 2006, 11:39 pm Post subject:

I think for a formula fed baby, 5 months is a fine age to start if she's ready. you can start with a single grain cereal, a fruit, or a veggie. a lot of docs will recommend starting with rice cereal because it has the least associated allergies, but a lot of babies don't like it.

whatever you do, give each new food for 3-5 days to rule out allergic reactions, then move on to the next one.

I think at 5 months, theyre too young for mashed food, so you need to use jarred baby food or blend your own. I personally started with rice cereal for a week, and then started adding a new fruit every 5 days, until I finished all the fruits and could move on to veggies. I also switched cereal every 2 weeks, after rice I gave oatmeal and then barley.

it's helpful to do things methodically because when your baby is old enough to eat things out of the package, which for dd was 6.5 months old, you can quickly scan labels to make sure everything is okay rather than risking the child have a reaction but not being able to figure out from what ingredient.

Executive Member Joined: Jul 24 2005 Posts: 395

Thanks nicole! But doesnt rice cereal constipate the babies? Thats what I heard from many people and my baby just finished her constipation stage and it wasnt fun so I dont want it to happen again. I bought oatmeal. Is that ok to start with instead?

Posted: Mon, Jun 19 2006, 11:47 pm Post subject:

yeah, oatmeal is great. it was my daughters favorite! rice never constipated her, but I have heard that it does for some other babies. I think eventually you should give her a little rice just to make sure she can tolerate it, but you can do that once she's on fruits too so they can help her go.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 16922

I started my formula fed baby at four months on oatmeal cereal. He loved it. Then I moved on to barley and then to multigrain. I also introduced applesauce and banana, then sweet potatoes.
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Posted: Tue, Jun 20 2006, 10:04 am Post subject:

I was advised to start with veg before fruits so I started with carrots mixed with some baby rice.

Senior Member Joined: May 16 2006 Posts: 247

Do you mix the cereal with formula only or his water okay too?

Posted: Tue, Jun 20 2006, 4:21 pm Post subject:

either way - but it's probably best to first mix with formula so the taste will be more familiar to baby.
good luck!
(ps my baby is 6 months and I haven't started solids yet. he nursed every 3 hours - 3 to 5 oz, - so I would think your baby is ready if she's hungry so often)
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Executive Member Joined: Jun 27 2005 Posts: 283

My baby's 7 months and we give her rice cereal, which I just mix with water and she loves it, and some jars of baby mush. She's tried carrots, sweet potato, and peas. We knew she was ready to start food because she looks so longingly at everyone else's food and tries to grab it and eat it. When I eat with her on my lap, she follows my spoon with her mouth open!

Posted: Wed, Jun 21 2006, 3:20 pm Post subject: re: Should I start on solids?

I don't think that a baby observing food with great enthusiasm is a sign of hunger or anything else. Babies observe a crawling bug with as much interest, or reach for any garbage found laying around the floor or in the park, doesn't mean they want to eat it. They are learning.

As for the age when one should start solids, I believe the the current (medical trend) age is 6 months. Babies who are given solids before are usually given them for particular reasons, such as the baby not thriving on currents diet. The earliest age when solids can be introduced without detriment to the baby is 4 months. Before that age the infant's system can't digest solids properly.

So in other words, it's up to you and your doc. If he says your baby needs it, then you've got to do what you've got to do.

Rice cereal is most neutral, and alway remember, you have to increase your baby's fluid intake when you introduce solids.

Good luck and bon appetite to your baby Wink

Platinum Member Joined: May 16 2005 Posts: 6262

[quote="happymom"]

Platinum Member Joined: May 16 2005 Posts: 6262

yes I was nursing. I guess then if ure nursing its too young...

Executive Member Joined: Jul 24 2005 Posts: 395

Yea and I stopped nursing at 10 weeks. she wasnt interested. she was never satisifed. and she got so fat from formula and shes hungry every 2 hours! She must need solids already!

Active Poster Joined: Sep 15 2005 Posts: 61

[quote]and alway remember, you have to increase your baby's fluid intake when you introduce solids.

I'm nursing and now giving solids a few times a day. I didn't know I needed to increase his fluid intake? Water, juice or just nursing? What should I give him?

Posted: Thu, Jun 22 2006, 1:12 am Post subject:

I just know that with a formula fed baby, they should have about 24 oz a day. There's no way to gauge that when you're nursing, but I'm sure that if your baby needs more, he'll indicate it. You could try to give a bit of water with meals though, because think about it, don't you get thirsty when you eat? It's also very hot out these days so it can't hurt to offer the extra fluid.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18300

[quote="luv2beamother"][quote]and alway remember, you have to increase your baby's fluid intake when you introduce solids.

I'm nursing and now giving solids a few times a day. I didn't know I needed to increase his fluid intake? Water, juice or just nursing? What should I give him?[/quoteIi don't think it's that a baby needs more fluid when eating, just that they'll nurse less because they're full on food and you want them to keep hydrated.
Your baby will be very lethargic if he's dehydrated, and it's very rare to get to that point. Just continue nursing and try to make sure he has a few soaking wet diapers a day.
It is the summer, and it IS hot, so it does make sense to let him have fluid. How old is he? I give my 11 month old some water with his meals to get him used to liking water, but I nurse the rest of the time.

Platinum Member Joined: May 16 2005 Posts: 6262

when I was nursing I didnt give my baby any water or anything just nursed, the doctor said that was fine.

Posted: Thu, Jun 22 2006, 11:06 am Post subject: re: Should I start on solids?

My last I nursed exclusively till a year. At a year I started with solids and I think a bit of water, but mostly nursing. I nurse on demand so it's hard to tell when it's for hunger, thirst or just comfort. As long as the baby has nice soft bowel movements and wet diapers.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18300