How and when do you introduce food?

[Nicolalove353]

My son is 16 weeks now. Can I start to introduce food to him? I heard to start with rice formula, is that right? If so, how much and how often to I give it to him? When do I start to give him veggies? Is that the next food I would give him? FTM here and have no idea.

 

[Jchihuahua]

I didn't introduce food at all until 6 months. My daughter was traditionally weaned with fruit and veegie purees but my son was baby led weaned and he ate the same food that we ate, no purees or mushed up food or baby rice or anything. That was SO much easier! In the beginning he played with it more than he ate it but it wasn't long before he was tucking in happily!

 

[Noo]

It is recommended to hold off introducing solid food unless medically indicated until around 6 months old when their gut is maturely developed enough to be able to cope with this. I plan to wait until as close to 6 months as possible and will do a mixture of traditional pureeing (Veges such as sweet potato, mashed potato, butternut squash) and Baby Led Weaning with finger foods. If you do wean early you need to avoid gluten till at least 6 months and high allergen foods and no honey before 1 year old. Speak to your Health Visitor or Paediatrician as they may hold "weaning" sessions you can attend.

 

[Noodlebear]

Guidelines are to wean from 6 months and they can eat virtually anything except honey and whole nuts. I gave LO baby rice but looking back now I don't see why. It doesn't help introduce them to new flavours (it's completely foul) and is just a waste of money imo. I did traditional weaning but gave finger food from quite early on too.

 

[Noodlebear]

I plan to wait until as close to 6 months as possible and will do a mixture of traditional pureeing (Veges such as sweet potato, mashed potato, butternut squash) and Baby Led Weaning with finger foods.

Just thought I'd add that you can do traditional weaning and include finger foods. Baby led weaning is a very different thing and is when you don't puree anything down at all (other than the 'mushy' foods that we as adults would eat. ie soup)

 

[lilesMom]

Tgey say u can start from 4 months.
I was advised to because of reflux.
He was choking so I stopped.
Tried again at 5 months.
Same thing.
6 months he loved it.
Don't be in a major rush.
Lo will be eating long enough. ;-)
U don't hve to start with rice.
It didnt agree with my ds.
Baby porridge he loves.
Also loves fruit and veg.
If u start now . U coyld only feed a little every 3 days or so.
Don't rush new foods.
Leave at least 3 days to watch for allergy.
This is all only my point of view.
U know ur lo best and all babies vary xx
Best of luck.
Hve fun ;-)

 

[Noo]

I plan to wait until as close to 6 months as possible and will do a mixture of traditional pureeing (Veges such as sweet potato, mashed potato, butternut squash) and Baby Led Weaning with finger foods.

Just thought I'd add that you can do traditional weaning and include finger foods. Baby led weaning is a very different thing and is when you don't puree anything down at all (other than the 'mushy' foods that we as adults would eat. ie soup)

I'd personally mash those veges for myself and baby will use his own spoon so still BLW as he would be feeding himself.

 

[Sarah125]

We have just started weaning now. We are doing BLW so baby leads you on what they are capable of and no purées or mush

Sophie can sit unaided and has recently started grabbing hold of my food from my plate with precision and shoving it in her mouth.

I feel more comfortable doing BLW as your baby lets you know when they are ready. If you are doing purées I would hold off until 6 months to make sure they are ready since those are the guidelines

 

[Noodlebear]

I plan to wait until as close to 6 months as possible and will do a mixture of traditional pureeing (Veges such as sweet potato, mashed potato, butternut squash) and Baby Led Weaning with finger foods.

Just thought I'd add that you can do traditional weaning and include finger foods. Baby led weaning is a very different thing and is when you don't puree anything down at all (other than the 'mushy' foods that we as adults would eat. ie soup)

I'd personally mash those veges for myself and baby will use his own spoon so still BLW as he would be feeding himself.

I know what you mean, I was just clarifying that you can't do TW and BLW together because the very definition of BLW is giving food to LO's in the form you'd eat them. A lot of people confuse BLW as just meaning that the baby feeds itself or that they just have finger foods, if you see what I mean?

 

[Jchihuahua]

I plan to wait until as close to 6 months as possible and will do a mixture of traditional pureeing (Veges such as sweet potato, mashed potato, butternut squash) and Baby Led Weaning with finger foods.

Just thought I'd add that you can do traditional weaning and include finger foods. Baby led weaning is a very different thing and is when you don't puree anything down at all (other than the 'mushy' foods that we as adults would eat. ie soup)

Yes, I agree with this. Nothing at all we gave was prepared in a different way, other than no salt etc. Nothing was cut into pieces, mahed or anything. It is different than giving finger foods.

 

[Noo]

My baby stole toast the other day - fishing it out of his mouth while he tried to clamp his gums down was NOT fun He wanted that bloody toast!!!

 

[Juicyg]

I started giving my little man baby rice from around 18 weeks old, he had given me indications that he wanted more than just milk for a good couple of weeks before that but I held off. I gave him the baby rice to begin with to give him a little bit extra and to get him used to the idea of having food out if a bowl and using a spoon. I also introduced giving him some sterilised water too. We have been giving him proper food for about a couple of weeks now and he is now 23 weeks old and is loving it.
In my opinion just listen to what signals your baby is giving you and go with your gut. They recommend 6 months but they do say from 17 weeks if needed.

Good luck, you are in for a fun time x

 

[Nicolalove353]

Thanks everyone! Not sure where I heard that it was 4 months when you start them on cereal. I am excited to start giving him food but I guess I have to wait 2 more months. I need to look more into the blw. Interesting concept but I'm scared to try it.

My baby stole toast the other day - fishing it out of his mouth while he tried to clamp his gums down was NOT fun He wanted that bloody toast!!!

That is so funny!

 

[Jchihuahua]

Thanks everyone! Not sure where I heard that it was 4 months when you start them on cereal. I am excited to start giving him food but I guess I have to wait 2 more months. I need to look more into the blw. Interesting concept but I'm scared to try it.

From someone who has done traditional weaning with one child and baby led weaning with one child I honestly found BLW the easiest and most stress free of the two!

 

[XJessicaX]

Children are just so different and take differently to the weaning process. From my own experiences DD1 was a terrible eater! Started weaning her at 5.5 months and she was fussy with textures, didnt like finger food, didnt like home cooking and preferred shop bought pots/pouches. She was reliant on milk for most of her nutritional needs for the first 14 months and even at 13 months she STILL preferred being spoon fed splidgey tasteless pots!
DD2 I did things completely differently. I waited until she was really ready for food and then even held her off a month so she was close to 6 months. I did baby led weaning, no pots, no puréeing. I gave her exactly what we were eating and let her attack it! By 7 months she was a voracious eater and was eating better than DD1 was at 18 months!

I honestly would go the BLW route. So much easier albeit messier!

 

[Louppey]

I started coralie at 17 weeks, which is the earliest you should introduce solids. I started with some puréed sweet potato. She loved it we then went on to different puréed vegetables.

If you choose traditional weaning (purees) remember to always offer it *after* a bottle. Babies main source of food is still milk. The purée should be a taste after they've had their main food. Don't expect them to eat more than the tip of a teaspoon at first, they build it up slowly. Although Coralie was a pig and ate a whole portion first time round Also it can take 10 attempts to get them to accept a flavour and like it so don't expect it to happen straight away.

I recommend the Annabel karmel weaning books

 

[BabyDragon]

Ehhh... I not know about you guys... But I find BLW a LOT more work then traditional
feeding!

DD was TW...until she scoffed at that idea... So now we mostly do BLW and you should see what a hot mess she makes...I'm talking about half the food in her lap, a third on the floor, in her hair, on her face...if she wasn't so chunky, I would assume she consumed nothing!

She even takes her bowl and puts it over her face when she is done...then uses it as a hat....

 

[Breezybaby80]

Thanks everyone! Not sure where I heard that it was 4 months when you start them on cereal. I am excited to start giving him food but I guess I have to wait 2 more months. I need to look more into the blw. Interesting concept but I'm scared to try it.

My baby stole toast the other day - fishing it out of his mouth while he tried to clamp his gums down was NOT fun He wanted that bloody toast!!!

That is so funny!

U don't have to wait two more months hun, if u feel ur baby is ready then go for it! I'm a ftm and started my lo on baby rice 2 days ago (he's 16 1/2 weeks) cos I thought he was ready and he totally was! He loves it and gets excited chomping away it's quite nice to see him enjoying it. I went to first mum development group at my local children's centre which is run by a health visitor and she would educated us on a different topic each week ie: safety in home, weaning, teething and she said to try and hold off until 6 months but if u think there ready then 17 weeks should be the earliest. I was trying to hold off for the 6 month mark but I just knew he was ready and I'm glad I didn't wait.

Just to add I'm not giving weaning him for the different flavours as such as like someone said rice is bland I'm doing it to get him used to different textures and to learn how to eat properly.
Don't feel like u have to go by the book with everything cos were just end up stressing about things is good advice I been told

 

[AnakeRose]

I was told by my son's doctor as long as he wasn't pushing the food out with his tongue and if he was into eating, I could start him at 4 months. Little guy has been eyeing my food for weeks (he'll be 4 months on Jan 8). Started him with peas and apples and he's opening his mouth and leaning in to eat and swallows it. So far his system seems to be handling it just fine. I decided not to use rice cereal as his first food and just go right into fruits and veggies.

 

[XJessicaX]

I don't see the rush. Why so keen to introduce food? I think 17 weeks to wean is really early and quite unnecessary.