Introducing Solids

[MissMuffet08]

Hi Ladies,

I was just wondering if any of you have started to introduce solids to your babies and if so when? My daughter is 6 months old (4 months adjusted) and we had our 6 month check up and our ped said that she can start solids now. I asked if I should wait until her adjusted age and he said she should be ok. I am going to try as she does seem ready based on the cues I am getting. If she doesn't take to it after several tries, I will wait a few more weeks.

Just curious when everyone else started and what their experiences were the first few times feeding.

Thanks!

 

[MissMuffet08]

Oh and when you started did you nurse/bottle feed first and then give them the solids or give the solids and then nurse/bottle feed?

 

[ermm23a]

My little man is also 6 months now (4 corrected) and I have started trying to add some solids. He's taking 8 oz of formula and still acting hungry.... I started with rice cereal first, and he hated it. So I tried baby oatmeal next, and he likes it a lot more. He is still getting the hang of eating off a spoon, so it's pretty messy.

I give him his bottle first, then sit him in his high chair and do the spoon feeding part. I have also experimented with some bananas and applesauce. Both of which he seemed to like ok. I have got to get more consistent with it though. It's hard.

 

[AP]

We started at 11-ish weeks corrected, as per guidelines from UK premature baby charity Bliss, and our neonatal unit.

She was very slow on the uptake but that was fine! Just ensure she has milk feeds prior to offering solids

 

[PleaseBaby]

We started when Amelia was 14 weeks old, 1 week corrected on the advice of our consultant (Severe reflux problem) She took to it like a duck to water, we give her her bottle then the solids on top of that to try and keep the milk down. Its a bit hit and miss at timesand weaning sick is alot more disgucting but overall theres been a big imporvement.

We started with baby rice till she was 17 weeks now she eats most things, she lovs her food!

 

[jojo-b]

Hello!
My little boy was born at 34+2 and we started weaning just before 5 and a half months (nearly 4m corrected). I just gave him baby rice (made very milky at first) for the first couple of weeks to get him used to the idea of eating from a spoon. I then gradually added in fruit and moved onto porridge, fruit and veg purees etc.

I always offered him milk (I'm breastfeeding him) before a solid feed so that he wasn't starving when I offered solids. He is now almost 9 months and is a brilliant eater! He is not fussy at all and loves his food. Given the problems we had getting him to breastfeed when he was first born it's great to see him enjoying eating so much and putting on weight!

I think the main thing is to take things very steadily and follow your baby's lead - start with some very milky foods to get them used to the idea of eating, and don't worry too much about how much/what they eat at first, it's all about introducing food and they still get their nutrition from milk. We found that introducing lots of different foods later on was great to make sure that he didn't become fussy, but we took it very slowly at first. Good luck!! x

 

[pinkneon]

Our HV is horrible and "goes by the book" so she didn't start solids til 6.5months corrected. She never had baby rice etc just straight onto "big" food. She eats anything and everything!! Deciding whether she had a bottle or her solids first always depended on her. If she was crying (which she doesn't do much!) then she'd have bottle first then her solids, but if she wasn't it would be solids first. It's the same now, though she doesn't have that many bottles now because she is eating food.

 

[MissMuffet08]

Thanks everyone for your advice! We started her on rice cereal on Saturday. I gave her about 1 ounce of Breastmilk before hand. Then we started the cereal. I made waaaay too much for her first time and made it waaaay to runny. She didn't eat much before she fussed and refused to eat any more and wanted more bottle to wash down that bland tasting cereal. I think I am going to give her either greenbeans or banana this week to see if she will do better with things that taste a bit better.

 

[PleaseBaby]

Carrots are a great first weaning food, all orange veg is reall. Wev only just started Amelia with Bananaas when she first had it it gve her a bad belly. For the same reason weve stayed away from green veg. It seems to be harsher on their digestive system x

 

[vermeil]

I started my son on solids at 6.5 corrected... 9.5 actual because no one bothered to mention to us to use actual age for solids. But honestly I think that was fine. It went pretty well and now at 14 corected he eats everything. Now teaching him not to throw his food at mom, the dog, the wall etc is another matter

 

[MissMuffet08]

We just moved on from the cereal to sweet potatoes. Those went over pretty well. We will move on to carrots in the next 5 days. I had read that greenbeans and other "green" type foods can lead to constipation in babies.

 

[Ashley9603]

My boys are 4 months(2 months corrected)so I am thinking it may not be the right time yet.Although James my older twin seems to be hungry often after each feeding....I plan on asking his pedi what timeline I should start introducing solids.Our nutrition center thinks not until 4 months corrected...so we shall see.

 

[RainbowGift]

Thanks everyone for your advice! We started her on rice cereal on Saturday. I gave her about 1 ounce of Breastmilk before hand. Then we started the cereal. I made waaaay too much for her first time and made it waaaay to runny. She didn't eat much before she fussed and refused to eat any more and wanted more bottle to wash down that bland tasting cereal. I think I am going to give her either greenbeans or banana this week to see if she will do better with things that taste a bit better.

It's supposed to be way too runny for the first week or so.... so they just drink it from the spoon. You did good!

Unless your premature baby is born wayyyy early, you are SUPPOSED to start weaning based on actual age, because they need iron (rice cereal is fortified with it and other foods contain it) and other vitamins.

My babies were also two months early. I started them at 6 months actual. Started with very runny rice cereal. Then moved on to the good beginner foods: sweet potato, avocado, banana... I am three months ahead of you, so if you have any questions, pm me. We are now on three meals a day and doing some finger foods, too.

 

[RainbowGift]

Oh, and I always breast feed them before a solid meal and try to get them to drink as MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Milk is WAYYYY more important than solids at this age! xoxox

 

[MissMuffet08]

Hi Rainbow!!!! Thanks for the info. It is funny because after the rice I moved on to sweet potato. She loved them. We are just finishing up carrots and will start pears tomorrow. I want to add the pears to the rice cereal so that she will eat more of it. Have you mixed any fruits with the cereal yet? I do have lots of questions so I will PM you soon! Thanks!

 

[AUGmum]

Started feeding solids@ 2 months 2 weeks corrected 6 months actual. We do the solid first and then top it up with the milk. It takes a while for them to get accustomed to the spoon feeding. Get ready for a whole lotta mess!

 

[kimbotrav]

hi my lil one is now nearly 4 months nearly 2 months corrected and my peadeotrician i saw yesterday told me 2 start weaning in a week or 2 im so scared lol he seems to little......but he advised me to give him fibre as it will also help with his constipation he wants me to give him carrot and apple mushed up no baby rice as he said it has no taste and is 2 starchy good luk every1 xxxx