Introducing Food @ 3 Months

[Louisa K]

Ok, I know your meant to do this at 4 months but Louis is just hungry hungry hungry... He is showing all the signs that he is ready to eat so I am going to try it out...

I am going to try out a breakfast first, like Stage 1 Cow and Gate Creamy Porriage etc...

But I was also looking at the baby rices and jars and mixed juices.. Wow theres so much stuff... But, when can he have something like that and at what times in the day etc...

How do I start introducing these new foods to him.. What do you do?

 

[KarenLV]

Actually most pediatricians recommend 6 months as the baby's oesophagal system is not yet mature enough earlier....

 

[KarenLV]

My pediatrician said I can start introducing juice+water at 4 months though...

 

[ColtonsMom]

Colton's been having juice since he was about 2 weeks old. He was really constipated and it was the only thing that worked. I still give him juice everyday, he gets 2oz of juice mixed with 2oz of water. I have given him all kinds of juice (except for orange juice), but just recently gave him a stage 2 juice.
I started him on solids at 9/10 weeks. He had rice cereal at first, then 4/5 days later I started him on fruits (then veggies after that).
At first he only got one thing during the day. Either the cereal, fruit, or veggie. Until I made it through all the different kinds to make sure he had no allergies. Then he went up to cereal in the morning (8/9am) and a fruit(OR)veggie between 2pm and 4pm.
Now he is on three meals a day. Cereal in the morning, fruit in the afternoon, and a veggie in the evening.
When I first started feeding him I fed him through a feeder bottle. However, when he turned 3 months old I started with the spoon; so you LO should be fine starting with a spoon (and I actually think thats what is prefered). He will probably spit some out at first, it will usually take a few days to get him used to it. I've read that they do this because it's a new texture in their mouths, plus it's at the front of their mouths instead of the back where the bottle initially takes it.

Anyways, thats how Colton's introduction to solids pretty much went. He is my first baby, and I just kinda go with the flow. If I introduce/try something new and he doesn't seem to like it too well, then I just take a step back. Like right now, I am slowly introducing stage 2 foods to him. He seems to be liking them and is taking them very well, so I will probably try another one in a few days time.

 

[Holldoll]

Why are you introducing stage 2 to him already?

Just because feeding food to a baby so young and WELL before the recommended limit worked for you, doesn't mean you should be recommending it to people. Especially juices at 9/10 weeks. The long term benefits could be bad and it makes for overweight babies.

 

[DonnaBallona]

I weaned my little charge when she was 5 months old as she really wasnt ready before that. First I gave her just plain baby rice mixed with her mummy's expressed breast milk- she would have this for 'breakfast' but only after her morning bottle as her milk is still so important at this stage.

After she really got into baby rice, after about a month I started her on veg. She had it by itself pr mixed in with the teeniest bit of baby rice~I always start with Carrots, easy to cook and yummy yummy too

You really should start with Veggies as otherwise baby gets a sweet tooth and wont eat them later on. If baby doesnt like them at first and really seems to be struggling, leave it then go back to it. It takes babies between 6 and 8 tries I think to decide if they actualy like the taste of something. I used to freeze ickle portions into ice cube containers and then defrost one at a time when I needed one, it works really well.
If you and baby start to struggle,then leave it and go back to it later on. There's no hurry, he'll pick it up eventually.

Good Luck!!

 

[ColtonsMom]

Holldoll.. I'm introducing stage 2's very slowly, like I said. He only gets ones that are still pretty thin; and he has only had 3 or 4 different kinds (mostly breakfasts). I'm not giving him only stage 2s. He still gets his stage 1's. He really enjoys the stage 2s (I think because there is a wider range of flavors), and eats them just as good as the stage 1 purees. If he was to have a reaction, turn it down, gag on it, etc I would not continue giving them to him.

It's not like I'm recommending that she does it out of her own free will. She asked. So, I simply told her what I chose to do with my own LO. She can choose to do as she pleases with hers.

Colton had juices at 2/3 weeks, watered down of course (still are). This was because of his problems with constipation. I probably would have given him some juice by now, but I probably wouldn't have started that early if it wasn't for him being so constipated. It's hard seeing your baby crying and straining and having blood in his diaper. We had him on medication to make it softer, swapped his formula three times, and still had to give him a suppository almost every night until I gave in and gave him juice. It's been the only thing that has continually worked.

Also, through all this Colton isn't overweight. He has had the normal weight gain as any baby.

 

[xarlenex]

My aunt started her baby around 10-12 weeks. She needed it, was on extra hungry food and stil eating constant. Milk just wasnt filing her. If anything, id start with the rice, I wouldnt give stronger flavours till he gets used to the texture x

 

[Tasha]

The advice out there is mad eh? Now it is 6 months, when I had Naomi-Mae they said four months, and Morgan was three months. Now they say six months but the earliest is 17 weeks. What ever you choose I found that baby rice was best to start off with as it can be really watery, oh and baby porridge etc just add baby's formula/some expressed breast milk. Hope that helps

 

[jenny873]

i ztarted lilly at 5 months properly, it can result to stomache problems when older if u start them too early apparently, saying that nothing wrong with me or my sister n we were started at 6-12 weeks x

 

[BurtonBaby]

When you choose to start your baby on solids is obviously completely up to you. You know your child, and it sound like you have already made up your mind. I would recommend def starting with a tbs of rice cereal, then if he takes to that ok, give a little more and after a few days, you can try oatmeal cereal. I would wait a bit before giving any fruits and veggies, and see how Louis does with the cereal first. Remember to wait 3-4 days between introducing new foods to check for any allergies. And def expect it to be messy LOL!

 

[mBLACK]

My nurse told me that babies aren't supposed to take any solids whatsoever until they are AT LEAST 6 months of age, but to each their own!

 

[Carley]

Actually most pediatricians recommend 6 months as the baby's oesophagal system is not yet mature enough earlier....

I agree 3 months is too early.

 

[JennyLynn512]

I've had the same problem with Valerie being so hungry and my breast milk not satisfying her for very long, lately. She was sleeping through the night real well until this past week when she has woken up each night twice for a feeding. I'm not sure if it is a growth spurt or not, but I know how you feel. My pediatrician told me that I could go ahead and start her on rice cereal once a day. I give her one tablespoon with about four tablespoons of breastmilk mixed in so that it is very runny. I do this about dinner time every day and is the only time I do it. For the past two days it has made a difference because she is sleeping through the night again and just acting much more satisfied.

I know everyone has an opinion on when babies should start solids, but in my opinion you know your child better than anyone else does and you know what is best for him. So I'd go in the direction that you think is best! Hope this helps!

 

[Sarah88]

My nurse told me that babies aren't supposed to take any solids whatsoever until they are AT LEAST 6 months of age, but to each their own!

Agreed, I wasn't started on solids until 9 months, but that was what worked for me. I know my cousin started her LO on solids at 4mths, and he slept through the night, but it was coz he couldn't digest the food very well.

I guess the foods they make nowadays for babies are alot better but perhaps it's worth doing more research into the pro's and cons before you make the decision to introduce solids to him.

Definately no other kind of milk before 12mths as it can cause allergies to it later on. Both me and my brother had it before a year and we both had allergies, as did most of my cousins.

 

[Deise]

Also, through all this Colton isn't overweight. He has had the normal weight gain as any baby.

No offense MarchBaby, because its your child and you do whatever you feel works for you, but almost 19 lbs at 4 and half months is right at the 95th percentile for weight. Infants younger than 6 months have no self-regulation, which leads to overfeeding, thus leading to obesity later in life.

 

[Sarah88]

Also, through all this Colton isn't overweight. He has had the normal weight gain as any baby.

No offense MarchBaby, because its your child and you do whatever you feel works for you, but almost 19 lbs at 4 and half months is right at the 95th percentile for weight. Infants younger than 6 months have no self-regulation, which leads to overfeeding, thus leading to obesity later in life.

It's not only that, but the research points to obesity later in life.

 

[ColtonsMom]

Also, through all this Colton isn't overweight. He has had the normal weight gain as any baby.

No offense MarchBaby, because its your child and you do whatever you feel works for you, but almost 19 lbs at 4 and half months is right at the 95th percentile for weight. Infants younger than 6 months have no self-regulation, which leads to overfeeding, thus leading to obesity later in life.

It's true that he is 19lbs, which may seem big to you, however he was 9lbs 14oz at birth; and at almost 5 months old still hasn't completely doubled his birth weight.. his pediatrican said he has been in the same percentage range since birth and therefore is right on track.

 

[Sarah88]

Wow, did u manage to push him out?

 

[oOKayOo]

they make food starting at 4 months for a reason ... why even consider making this if it was not allowed ? ( this is for the people going on recomended age of 6 months) when i had carly they said 4 months, everything changes every year..

ive had to start ella on solids ( just baby prroidge) only a few mouthfuls, she has started waking back up in the night and constantly on the bottle, a few small mouthfuls have worked wonders for her.. although i wouldnt go as far as feeding her lots of different solids baby ceral would be the bst option until bub is 4 months then try more .. this is my opioion. And i fed my last daughter at 6 months and girls you can tell when a baby needs that bit more if a few mouthfuls will help so be it.. its not the end of the world.
My mother used to say our family fed babies at 3 months and my grandmother.. it all depends on baby it really does, im really didnt agree and want to feed ella at 3 months but my god its made a change and she is drinking the right amount of milk for her age aswell