Starting solids with preemie

[odoole]

Looking to start solids soon with my 5.5 mo son born at 34 weeks. Any reason to wait beyond 6 months non-adjusted? (specifically related to being a preemie)

[azgirl]

We had extensive speech/feeding therapy with my preemie. They suggested starting at around 9 months actual (for all babies, actually) Solids from 9-12 months are just practice. But you have to follow your instincts and your LO. Why do you want to start early? Does your LO seem ready?

[odoole]

Oh -- everything I have read or heard talks about 6 months as the appropriate time to start feeding solids. I didn't realize that was considered early. I mean, I have heard of delayig solids, bit hadn't planned on pursuing that. Actually our pediatrician told us at the 4 month appt that we should start feeding him rice cereal, which seemed a bit early to me. I realze it's just for practice g this stage, but it seems like he would enjoy it ...

[felix23]

We started solids when my former preemie was a little over six months but her adjusted age was around four months. She kept acting like she wanted to eat, so I offered her food. We skipped rice cereal and I just made my own baby food out of fresh fruits and veggies. Just follow your child's lead and if they want to eat, feed them, and if not don't push it.

[yogafeet]

We started at 6 mos. adjusted, 8 mos. actual. I followed the guidelines at Kelly Mom. They have good tummy info there. Check it out.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by yogafeet

We started at 6 mos. adjusted, 8 mos. actual. I followed the guidelines at Kelly Mom. They have good tummy info there. Check it out.

I started both my preemies at 6 months adjusted age. There is no way to tell when their guts close, and you reduce the risks of lifelong allergies by waiting until 6 months adjusted.

[pixiekisses]

Yeah, we waited until at least 6 months adjusted too.

[solinox]

Definitely wait until 6 months adjusted. Always adjust! Preemie tummies in particular are going to be more sensitive to disturbances in the diet during the first year. Even term babies can have problems with solids before 6 months.

My personal guideline after six kids is to start solids is when the first teeth come in. At that point, the baby also can usually sit up with support, grasp objects and bring them to the mouth, and suck and chew a little. At this stage of development the baby should also have lost the tongue-thrust reflex that protects against choking (and also results in most baby food coming right back out if you start solids early). So you can start this baby straight with soft finger foods (bananas, green beans, sliced pears) and even some harder stuff like cheerios and animal crackers (great for teething). Following this rule means you are looking at the baby and his personal development, not some calendar. One of my triplets was not really ready for solids until she was almost a year old (nine months adjusted), and sure enough, everything I tried to feed her before she got her first tooth came right back out from that tongue-thrust reflex. My other two triplets and my older two singletons were ready at 6 months, but my youngest wasn't ready until 10 months! So it really varies. Look at your kid, not the calendar.

[CorasMama]

yes to looking at the kid, not the calendar. My DD was a 34 weeker, and she was ready at 6.5 months actual age. She had also totally caught up by then, and we were no longer adjusting for anything. I took it as a good sign that she didn't do the tongue-thrust thing even once. She gulped it down and asked for more.

[BirthKathy]

My son was born at 35 weeks, and (already) had facial eczema when we started to feed him solids at 6 months non-adjusted. He really wanted to eat, and already had 2 teeth.

The eczema got much worse, and the doctor had us stop solids at 7 months. We just started up again at 9 months, and we're still having trouble with it. We have discovered that he has a lot of food allergies.

It was hard with family pressure, etc. to wait even as long as we did, but I would definitely wait until at least 6 months adjusted next time.

[odoole]

Originally Posted by BirthKathy

My son was born at 35 weeks, and (already) had facial eczema when we started to feed him solids at 6 months non-adjusted. He really wanted to eat, and already had 2 teeth.

The eczema got much worse, and the doctor had us stop solids at 7 months. We just started up again at 9 months, and we're still having trouble with it. We have discovered that he has a lot of food allergies.

It was hard with family pressure, etc. to wait even as long as we did, but I would definitely wait until at least 6 months adjusted next time.

Sorry about the troubles you've been having. Do you think it was a result of his being a preemie though? I just ask because I have a close friend with a term baby who is going through the same thing right now. Her baby's allergic to so many things -- even pears! They do BLW and started solids around 6 months.

Anyway, as an update on us -- we did end up starting at 6 months non-adjusted, but took it pretty slow. He's 7.5 months now (6 months adjusted) and I haven't seen any problems at all so far. He has two teeth and can sit up without support (has been for a while now) and seems to have no problem eating or chewing. No signs of allergy and in fact I think his milk soy intolerance has waned somewhat.

And thanks all for your opinions/insight. I really appreciate it.