Introducing Solid Foods-I Need Some Advice!

Just so you know, you don't have to start solids if you don't want to. Nothing has more calories and will help her grow better than breastmilk.

Breastmilk/formula should be her primary food for the first 12 months, so you want to give her her milk first, then as much cereal as she seems to want. Also, you don't really NEED to do the cereal, you can do something else first if you want. Just kind of follow her lead. Once you get a good routine down, try adding a little solid to another meal....dinner or breakfast. Once she starts eating a significant amount at that meal consider adding the third. But until she is 12 months, always nurse first. Also, peds don't really know that much about infant nutrition. Breastmilk has more calories than any solid food, so if you want her to gain, that is going to help her gain more than anything. You can try whatever else you want....veggies, fruit, whatever. Just only try one new thing at a time, do it for about a week to make sure there is no allergic reaction, then you can try something else.

Also, just as a suggestion, avocado is a great food for babies...it has the DHA Omega 3 fats in it and is a great food for extra calories. It is naturally soft and easy to prepare too. Just mush a little up.

Hi M. K,

Here's a link to a food schedule that adds a bit of detail about timing the introduction of highly allergenic foods. As a mom of a little one with multiple food allergies, I would advise doing anything you can to avoid your baby developing allergies. It is nerve-wracking!

http://bcbsma.medscape.com/viewarticle/541952

Best,
L.

Oh worried mom do not worry anymore. Let baby be your leader. If you have more and she wants it tive it to her. I have never seen children starving when they are so loved nor have I seen them overfed. They will let you know. By the way, my sons liked an extra splash of apple juice in there when you start with juices. I guess it was delicious to them after milk all the time. You sound like you are doing a wonderful job and your own instincts are guiding you very nicely.

Hi,
I started off really slowly with my daughter too. I started cereal at 6 months and plain (just 1 type of fruit in the jar) fruit at 7months. I was told that it was the best thing to do. You should be careful if you are feeding rice cereal because it is shall we say super binding. My gal got constipated and fast. I bought Earth's Best when we started oatmeal,mixed grain & barley because they don't mix it with wheat or soy or any of those allergens. I increased the amount too fast I think and between 9-10 months & she actually lost some weight because she was too full to nurse from the amount of table food I was giving her. I then switched to just 2 jars of food a day and 2 serving of cereal. So, I did cereal for b.f. w/half a jar of fruit,lunch cereal &1/2 a jar and 1 whole jar of veggies for dinner (some moms prefer giving the cereal at bedtime to keep them full. Also, I mixed the cereal with formula instead of just water. She always let me know when she has had enough. Some days they eat like crazy and others you think that something is wrong because they don't want anything. You sound like you are doing great. Hope this helps.

Take a look at the book "Super Baby Foods". It's VERY helpful with all your questions (and ones I'm sure you'll have later). It will reassure you that a healthy baby will not eat too much or too little, let you know how old a child should be before their digestive system is ready to handle certain foods, and how often an average baby of a certain age should be being fed. Never forget, all babies are different, so we shouldn't freak out if ours doesn't fit the 'norm'. My daughter is 8 months old and has only just recently gone to two solid meals a day as she just didn't seem to enjoy solids before now.

Hi M. K!

Congrats on the little one. Being a new mother can be overwhelming at times but just give yourself the credit of knowing your baby and what she wants/needs. You sound like your doing fine with the cereal. You should add a new type of cereal at a time, waiting 5 days before trying a different one. Once you've gone through the various cereal's then start adding veggies. Usually one or tww tablespoons of food at each feeding is enough. Again, introduce one new food at a time, waiting five days before adding another. Keep up with the breast feedings as normal but don't be surprised if she starts wanting the breast less or is at the breast for shorter times. She will turn her head away or close her vouth when she's full. Watch her cues! Once you go through some veggies then do the same with fruits.

You should really encourage breastfeeding a lot more than table foods at only 5 months old. It's much better for her and much easier. Before a year old, solid are for practice and for fun, not to fill them up. YOur doctor is wrong if he thinks solids are going to make her gain weight, bm is much fattier and far healthier. It's totally fine to have a little baby, someone has to be on that end of the growth chart. The growth charts are also based on formula fed infants, not breastfed ones. Just be sure to offer the breast before the table food, not after. I've heard so many women say that their babies "self-weaned" due to not offering the breast as much as they should. Follow her cues. IF she's not interested, then try again in a few weeks again.

I had little babies too. You could probably try another feeding of cereal at dinner. Feeding her breastmilk or formula is great - believe it or not, they won't take it if they don't want it - they are smarter than adults. They stop when they are done. From experience with my own and childcare I have done, you are doing great. Add the other stuff when you are ready. If she is seeming hungry earlier, you may need to start things. She sounds content, so sticking with cereal may be okay and just boosting to two times a day. Always ask the ped his recommendations, but never underestimate your motherly instincts.

I do not agree withthe post about breastmilk/formula is the primary food until 12mo. I think that is true til about 6-8mo and then they transition to foods. My son, and 3rd child, is now eating 4 meals a day and nursing 3-4 times a day. He eats his meals with us, breakfast, lunch and dinner and usually a snack, like yogurt. Talk with your doctor, b/c all doctors have their own opinions and see what they say. Ask where your child should be by the next visit.
Good Luck

I would definitely listen to your pediatrician as to when to introduce the other foods. I don't know if her low birth rate would be the reason he would change the introduction of certain foods. As far as increasing the cereal, if she is requiring more bottles throughout the day, add a cereal feeding in there where you think she is getting more hungry. I always gave mine a feeding before bed with the bottle. A full tummy kept them sleeping longer through the night. Let your daughter be the judge as to when she has had enough. She knows when to stop eating.

Good luck!

C. T.

We just went in for the 6 month check up yesterday and I received a sheet of feeding tips. I had been giving her rice cereal with stage 1 food mixed in since about 4 and a half months. Now the doc said start feeding cereal for breakfast (other cereals than rice are ok past 6 months) and a veggie for dinner. Then work up to 3 "meals" per day, including meat with dinner. She said we'll talk table food at the 9 month visit. I'm a little worried about giving her that much food (she likes it) because she doesn't drink a lot of formula, and I think that's still supposed to be her main source of nutrition, for at least the next few months. It's confusing because different docs tell people different things, plus babies have different needs. I wonder if the AAP recommendations could be found online?