When you started solids...

[anjsmama]

Did you offer something to drink as well?

I've been so "no food, no water, no formula, no anything but breastmilk!" the first 6 months, that now that I'm introducing solids I feel all   baffled about exactly what/how much she SHOULD eat/drink?

We started letting DD (6 m/o) munch on whatever veggies she grabbed from my plate around 5.5 months, but she never really swallowed much of anything until this past week... she now eats small pieces of squash, potato, broccoli, cucumber,  zucchini, carrots, and sometimes pears. We do one tablespoon of brown rice cereal with breastmilk. But she seems to be straining to go now and it leaves her uncomfortable.. where she's pushing with her legs when it's time  to sleep and things, she just seems unhappy about the way food is sitting in her belly. We are not feeding for her, with the exception of helping her get cereal on her spoon, so she's not eating a whole bunch? Should   I be offering water for her to wash down her food with? 

I thought I've always read that milk is enough and water isn't necessary... but I happen to know that my milk is very dense and seems to me that once she's nursed & picked at some solids, the last thing she's going to what is fattening, filling milk. I gave her some water in an open cup this morning and was impressed how well she could hold and sip it.. and then wasn't sure if she should really be drinking water. What did you do as far as liquids when starting solids?

[Tjej]

I offered water with food.  My DD would drink a little, not a ton, but enough to balance things out,  I think.  It went well.

Tjej

[BabySmurf]

i've found that water with food helps things move a little better...but just eating solids in general makes my DS's belly feel weird, and it took him a bit to get used to the sensation of digesting solids (he still doesn't eat very much).  he seems to be getting more used to it though. 

[hildare]

yes, i have always thought water helps with the digestion.  plus, water is like baby crack, or at least it was for my little one-- they think it is AMAZING and the best thing ever.