when to start with solids

[mickey]

when did you start giving solids to your baby and what kind of solids?

thx

 

[lorrilou]

With nicole i started her on solids at around 3 months, just started with baby rice i think. I know that they recommend you dont start till their 6 months now but i think all babies are different.

 

[coccyx]

They recommend 6 months now. Having said that I did start my youngest on baby rice etc at about 4 months, she wasn't satisfied on just milk.

 

[mickey]

was just wondering, in case she doesn't take any formula, will it be ok to start on solids as replacement of one feed per day?

she is 3 month old

not to sure with the teething now as well?

 

[Arcanegirl]

I dont think you can replace feeds with a meal, at that age formula/bf is still a staple diet for babies.

 

[Simon'sMum]

Hi!

I'm a bit of a freak over all those details and harass the health professionals to get their best input on things. So far, we've followed the guidlines and all is super. Here's what they recommend (here in Quebec, Canada):

Introduce solids (purées and cereal) when:
baby can hold head and turn away (eg. to refuse food)
baby can sit in high-chair and hold body properly
baby manifests interest when you are eating/drinking
baby can move tongue as to swallow food
baby is around 6 months

Guidlines also mention solids should be added after usual feeding of milk and not replace milk. When baby is ready for them, they will be added to diet and milk intake with not go down. Most of my mom friends and I give solids about 1 hour after bottlle and all goes well. For those who throw up, moms have been feeding solids a little prior to milk. (simon usually had about 28-30 ounces of milk and now has 26-28. That's fine since it's not recommended to go over 30 ounces anyway.)

Also, rice is usually the first cereal. However, it is recommended to start with veggies (sweet potato, squash, zucchini) if baby is less than 6 months old. Cereal would simply come later. This is all due to the maturity of the digestive system. It is safer to try each new food 3-4 days before trying a new one in order to recognize which food causes an allergic reaction if one comes up.

We are also provided with a complete list of what foods to give at what age including eggs, meats, nuts, etc. I'll try to find the english version on the web. If some of you want the french version, I could scan and e-mail it to you.

I'll look into that english copy and keep you posted!

I found a great guide here:
https://www.healthyliving.gov.uk/services/pubs/pdf/FunFirstFoods.pdf

here's the equivalent of what I got from the nurse (it's french... but excellent if you understand the language. You'd also be able to understand alot of the chart lower even without being bilingual!)
https://www.santemontreal.qc.ca/csss/dahuntsicetmontrealnord/docs//Guide aliments solides enfant.pdf

 

[mickey]

thx guys

I don't know much yet 'bout babies food intake!

unfortunately, since I was not practising, I forgot all my french!

 

[ColtonsMom]

my mom told me that I was eating baby cereal around 6 weeks! she said that when I started sleeping through the night aswell everyone who has children has recommended to me that I dont listen to the docs and just go with what my baby wants and that they are able to eat much sooner than that most of the time.
My OH's brother is dating this girl, and she has a one year old. He was eating solid foods (like our food) off the table before he was even one year old. She cuts it up really good, but he loves it. He is a really healthy little boy too; getting alittle overweight, but he doesn't eat anything unhealthy. She never lets him have sweets, soda, or even sweet tea.

 

[Helen]

Mine started on solids - Tom first - at around 4.5 months. He was just starving hungry and milk feeds weren't enough. Charlotte started a couple of weeks after him though she wasn't really ready but it was a nightmare coping with them both doing different things so she stayed on baby rice for a few weeks.

They had veg and fruit until they were 6 months old. So stuff like pototoes, sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, cauli, spinach, carrots, swede, cabbage, apples, pears, bananas. Just build it up gradually.

Then from 6 months I introduced meat and fish and wheat products - cereals and breads - and cows milk.

Now they eat the same as us.

My HV was very good and said "don't muck about - you should have them fully weaned within 2 months". I took that to mean 2 months from the 6 months recommended and here we are!