When to Start 7Mth Old on Solids

S. - If you are asking about schedule of when to feed - then the answer is to go with a "normal" breakfast, lunch and dinner schedule. It will also help to be a part of the meals that you have. Even if he doesn't eat a lot yet, its alright he is getting adjusted to the different textures of food, etc. You should keep with the cereals and baby foods for now. Table foods usually start around 1 year BUT you can also start with some things are mushy and easy to digest. You can slowly start introducing new things one at a time. Here's a link for types of foods and how much to give based on age. Its just a guide so don't worry if its not exactly what your son is doing.

http://www.babycenter.com/302_solids-finger-foods_###-###...

Good luck
M.

Hi S. - as long as you cut the food up very small, even mash it up, he should be fine. My 3rd child barely ate any baby food because he did not want it. He was breast fed exclusively for 4 months, introduced cereal at 6 months, and he stopped nursing at 9. Once he started eating more foods at 6 months, we would let him eat whatever we were eating. I did not puree the food, just simply cut it up so small that it may as well have been pureed. We of course stayed away from giving him meats like steak. Is he still taking that many large bottles? I don't know that he would need that much, but if he is not eating as much food he would. If he is still asking for them, I would say you are fine for now, but I would work on lowering his bottles in the next couple of months. Good luck!

Most people say to start solids at 6 months. We started at 4 months since our daughter was showing signs she was ready (being very interested in our food and was hungry all the time). So, I would start now!

Hi S.! I have a 10 month old. I have heard that if they are interested in your food that it is OK to start broadening their food horizons. By 7 months, my daughter was still getting bottles, but I replaced her dinner time milk with Stage 2 baby food (doc said there was no diff in consistency but that the portions were larger - Stage 1 was good just to expose the child to different tastes). First I started off with the rice cereal and formula. I added in jarred food to the point where she was eating one full jar of some kind of meat/veg mix, 1/2 of a Stage 2 fruit, and cereal with formula (usually one oz worth and her's is kind of thick). At some point, soon, I would consider adding one jar of baby food with the afternoon bottle as well. My pediatrician said at her 9 mo appt that she should now be at 3 meals so we have yogurt and some kind of soft fruit in the morning.

It's a gradual process - but between now and 10 months, he should be OK with two meals. Formula is the most important source of nourishment until a year...so I am aiming to keep that going for a few more months.

Feel free to email me directly if you want to chat more!

V.

I would begin to give him another meal (perhaps dinner) of baby food now. Gradually, work to 3 meals a day and a couple of snacks. I would think as he begins to eat more solids, he would take less bottles- but his primary source of food (about 32 oz.)for the first year should be formula.
As he sees you eat, give him whatever he can tolerate in small bites, (bread or cheese if you're having a sandwich, mashed potatoes or veggies at dinner). Once he's eating more food, start the sippy cup and he'll probably cut way back on the bottles. Good luck and enjoy!

Hi S.,

I started my baby on solids at 4 months. The pediatrician also recommended this since he's pretty big for his age and needs the energy, if he seems interested. But my little boy was just lunging onto my plate at dinner time and really wanted to grab whatever it was that we were eating or snacking. This was my cue. So look out for your little one's cues. You'll have to look in the books for this but i think technically they can have 4 6oz bottles a day - totalling 24oz of milk a day. Naturally if you cut back on the formula/milk he'll want to eat more solids. My baby's 10 months now and we've had him on table foods since 9 months with 4 feedings a day of milk.

Good luck!

I wouldn't say too much formula now, but if he is showing interest in other foods, give them to him. Obviously there are some restrictions - the foods should be soft and easy to smoosh in his mouth. Also, obviously, very small pieces. Now is the time to start sitting him with you (in a chair) at meal times and giving him a little bit of his own stuff to eat. Once you are done eating, go ahead and feed him his babyfood, but let him eat little bits of 'real' food while you are. Once he starts eating more foods, he'll naturally take less formula because he won't be hungry. You'll be able to cut out bottles around meal times and such, especially if you give him water or formula or watered juice (100% juice) in a sippy cup with meals.
The key is to follow your sons lead, he knows what he wants!
Good luck.

Hi S.,
Generally, the APA recommends starting babies on solids between 4 to 6 months. Though, nutritionally babies get all that they need from milk until they are close to a year so some people wait even longer. Food is not NEEDED. However, that said, it's an important developmental stage for them to begin exploring different tastes, textures, smells, and variety etc. So you could begin to offer foods (introducing something new every 3 days so that you can monitor for allergic/gas reactions).

Many people will tell you that cereal is the first food they should have. But it is in fact not true. The APA says that after 6 months, most foods are safe for babies as long as they don't pose a choking hazard. It's good to delay foods that are high allergy rates until they are a year (eggs, nuts, fish, and honey b/c of botulism spores).

Also, don't feel restricted by using a spoon. And you don't have to use store bought baby food which is expensive. One of my twins loves to eat with her hands. The other loves the spoon. They are 6 months old and they eat about 3 to 4 tablespoons of food in the AM and in the PM. I generally give it to them after their milk, and they tend to take a shorter milk feeding the next time a few hours later, but not much shorter. I give them sweet potato, squash, banana, avocado, pureed corn or peas, pear. If they are not loving it, sometimes I mix with banana or breastmilk to sweeten it up.

I *love* the book: Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense. It has many really good chapters about feeding that are super practical. Great book, and helpful for feeding through the toddler years. It is cheap if you buy it used on Amazon.

Good luck!

My baby is 6months old almost 7 months and we just went for his well visit and the DR told me he could what we are eating as long as I puree his food. He has two teeth on the bottom only. I have not even tried puffs yet. He eats baby food stage 2 about 3 times a day and eats almost 2 jars at each sitting. He stil wants his bottle but drinks less than the 8oz he was drinking previously. You are not feeing him too much, actually I think you should feed him more. He should eat like we do. Good luck. I hope I shared enough with you.

R.

You can feed him what you feel comfortable feeding him. They say start with things that are bland not sweet food like pudding. More so because they don't know the difference and they will want the pudding over other things because it's good. Babies do know sweet from not sweet. I started my daughter on stage 1 and applesauce and anything i could make mushy to begin. You can even over cook beans and pees or mashed potatoes. You also don't need to add salt like you do your self because that is your pref. not his. He hasn't learned it yet. Over soft cereal gosh the list goes on and on. Amazingly enough i had children i watched that ate meet like stripped and soft chicken. Anything you can think of that can be soft. Good luck

Once you do start feeding him table food he will naturally back off on the bottles. I'd say most kids dont drink 40oz of milk a day AND eat table food. AT his age it is fine to start stage 2 baby foods or soft table food like well cooked veggies, pasta, yogurt, cheese......anything he can gum. Since they dont have molars at this age they basically gum stuff. Just keep a close eye on choking when he eats table food. And just feed the bottles on demand, he will let you know when he is hungry. Have fun.