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starting solids "early"?

955 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  mamabeth 
#1 ·
My dd is almost 5 mos old and is extremely interested in my food. I've tried giving her a spoon to play with, nursing her while I eat, etc, but I'm starting to feel like I'm depriving her.

It's really freaking me out, because ds was so not interested in food for such a long time. He was a big, chubby baby (20 lbs by 5 mos), but I still got lots of comments from family about when was I going to give him some "real" food.
: I had done lots of reading about the benefits of waiting even later than the AAP-recommended 6 mos, and didn't offer food until he was almost 8 mos old. At that point, I put small chunks of food on his plate to see what he would do with it, and gave him water for the first time too. He mostly played with it, and didn't start eating any significant amount of food until he was over a year old.

Anyway, I had planned to do the same thing with dd, but now I don't know what to do. I went back and reread some of the things I used to support my decision to wait with ds, and two of the things I was waiting for were for him to be able to sit up (which he did well at about 7 mos), and to develop the pincer grasp (which he did about the same time). Dd, however, started sitting up at around 4 mos, and is now very steady, and is even able to sit up from laying on her back, and is starting to crawl. She is also already picking up small objects (like the pieces from ds's Hi-Ho Cherry-O game
: ) with her thumb and forefinger. (and she has 2 teeth)

I wanted to wait until she was at least 6 mos, and preferably until after the holidays, but I'm doubting myself now. Thoughts?
 
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#2 ·
All kids develop at different rates. I think you are doubting the fact that she isn't ready for solids because you are in tune with her. I would still try and hold off atleast till 6 mos, but if you still feel she's ready then, give her a taste of something nonallergenic (rice or cheerios or bananas...). If she doesn't have that tounge thrust reflex and it comes out in another form than it went in, she may be ready for solids. If not, you can always stop.
 
#3 ·
Kezia, I am in the EXACT same place. DS is 5 months also and exhibiting all the sign of readiness, and going CRAZY when he sees us eating. All meal times have become very loud! He's also sitting well unsupported, pincer grasping, all the things (except teeth) he shouldn't be doing for a few more months!


He has reflux as well, and I've always been committed to EBF for at LEAST 6 months, and pref. 8. But now I think it wil be a mircale if we hold out until 6. I will continue to BF though... I plan on at least 2 years!

I was going to post this exact same thing. I'm at a loss.
 
#4 ·
My dd (now 10 months) was the same way at about 5 1/2 months. I wanted to hold out on solids, but she passed all the milestones and we finally decided that dh could give her some banana when I was gone (I work pt). She went nuts for it, and so we gave her banana once a day until she was 6.5 months or so, and then started some other stuff (no cereal, only fruits and veggies til she was 8 mos or so). She just really loved solid food!

I felt like an ap failure for a while, but then I started seeing it as "listening to my baby." BTW she didn't really cut back on nursing, either.
Peace.
 
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