Starting solids, please share your experience and advice

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Just start out with less than a tsp the first few days, then gradually increase. Some moms, OTOH, wait until baby is 8-9 mos and has developed pincer grasp. Then baby can usually feed himself small chunks and self regulate intake. Watch for allergic or sensitive reactions with any new food. Too many solids too soon can cause tummy upset and more frequent nightwaking.

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Try just a tiny meal of solids, after a good nursing session. If you feed him too many solids too soon, he is more likely to wean prematurely. Also, if you are using a pacifier, now is a good time to stop. Too many solids and too much paci, can lead to weaning.

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Yes, this is normal. Most babies will have on or two longer sessions in a day tho, like at bedtime and/or first in the morning.

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Babies up to a year should still be getting at least 75-85% of their nutrition from human milk. This would entail at least 4-12 bfings a day. Some babies feed in frequent small snacks, some "tank up" in less frequent sessions.

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http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...lids-when.html

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...olids-how.html

I just want to reiterate that small amounts of food before 1 year are more than enough. Think of it as tasting, as dessert. You are just getting them used to textures and new flavors to prepare them for their second year, not trying to fill them up. And fruits and veggies are way better than that horrid cereal. The high (inferior) iron in it interferes with the more easily digested form of iron in bm from being absorbed.

I make all DS's food now, and reuse the glass baby jars to freeze in. A whole apple (pureed or cut into chunks) or more will fit in 4 oz jar! This is important to remember b/c that is way more than a serving for a babe. Just the other day I had a mom brag to me about how many jars of food a day their 6 month old was eating. I just kept my mouth shut ...for once

Hi,

I wonder what you all think of Dr. Jack Newman's advice re:solids.
http://www.bflrc.com/newman/breastfeeding/solfoods.htm

I recently read his Breastfeeding Book of Answers and found that my instincts were saying the same thing as what he wrote (especially around the introduction of solids). In a nutshell, he thinks we should "follow our baby's lead." There is no 'magical' time when solids should be introduced. They didn't have calendars back in the early days of humans...no one knew when baby was exactly 6 months old...I imagine if the baby grabbed food and ate it they let him/her...regardless of age! (my comment not Dr. Newman's )

He also thinks the order that foods are introduced is not that significant (baring major food allergies present in the family), and that nursing before eating is not 'required' though may be useful sometimes. He also doesn't believe in limiting the amount...once again it is about following the baby's lead.

By the way, for those of you who say "who the heck is Dr. Jack Newman?" he is a pretty highly respected breastfeeding proponent and pediatrician. That doesn't really mean that much...I am not one to bow to the word of 'Experts', but his writing really resonated with me. Eating food should be enjoyable, and introducing a baby to foods should be something pleasurable for baby and family, not stressful. I think we have to trust our instincts. And, get help when needed from those who have BTDT.

Needless to say, I started letting my 2nd ds eat food at 5 1/2 months after he had been lurching from my food for over a month all ready. I didn't know if he was just curious or really wanted to eat. He really wanted to eat!!!

On the other hand, ds #1 is still nursing at 3 1/2 and didn't show the slightest interest in solids until 11 months or so. So, I have had 2 very different experiences.

Anyone else start solids earlier than 6 months based on following baby's lead?

My only question now, is whether or not I should be giving ds a bit of water with his solids? He is starting to have harder poops some days even though he nurses as much as he wants. When is water introduced? I have yet to find that question answered in any book I have read lately.

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I am one of few who do not much like the Ultimate Bfing Books of answers. I also think that online advice you quote is a bit too laissez faire.

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Grains are not fully digestable until 18 mos. So I would offer fruits and veggies first. I would avoid citrus, strawberries, tomatoes eggs and cow's milk til one yr. Give grains with caution after 8 mos or so.

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It is not always neccessary, but preferable. Of course, mine all nursed every hour, so bfed before, after and sometimes during a meal! Feeding solids before nursing can definitely lead to accidental early weaning. (before say 18 mos )

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Time and again I have heard of babies getting constipated from eating too many solids, too soon. It happened to my first, who did get rice cereal and jarred foods starting at 6 mos. She loved them, but they didn't love her.

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But sometimes Mom Knows Best.

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Your milk is mostly water. If he is getting constipated, he may be having too many solids, esp grains, bananas? OTOH, by 6 mos, it is fine to give up to 3-4 oz of water a day. When you say nurses as much as he wants, is he nursing a lot, or is he distractable? Make sure you drink enough on hot days, so your milk supply stays up too!

Hi Daryl,

Thanks for your insights!

DaryLLL said:

I am one of few who do not much like the Ultimate Bfing Books of answers. I also think that online advice you quote is a bit too laissez faire.

Can you tell me more of what you do not like about his book? I am in the process (slowly!) of getting my CLE and his book is one of the suggested readings. I have to say that the chapter on the politics of formula I found to be very powerful (it was not new information per se, but the way that it was presented was powerful for me).

Grains are not fully digestable until 18 mos. So I would offer fruits and veggies first. I would avoid citrus, strawberries, tomatoes eggs and cow's milk til one yr. Give grains with caution after 8 mos or so.

I pretty much agree here.

But sometimes Mom Knows Best.

This is true too! But, I do think that with babies who have a well-established bf relationship and are doing fine healthwise that we can trust their instincts also. Wouldn't you agree? I just eventually felt like it was 'cruel' for me to be denying him what he so obviously wanted. He would literally cry tears when I moved him away from my food or tried to take it out of his hand. He was SO excited when I let him finally taste some banana and apple! And it didn't matter if he had just nursed...he WANTED it!

Your milk is mostly water. If he is getting constipated, he may be having too many solids, esp grains, bananas? OTOH, by 6 mos, it is fine to give up to 3-4 oz of water a day. When you say nurses as much as he wants, is he nursing a lot, or is he distractable? Make sure you drink enough on hot days, so your milk supply stays up too!

He does eat bananas too often. I know that they are supposed to be constipating (never experienced it personally but I understand for babies they are

). As for how much he nurses, he is very distractable. I pretty much have to go to a quiet space to get him to nurse for more than a moment. He is just too excited about the rest of the world. He does not 'comfort' nurse at all (unlike my 3 1/2 y.o.). I can offer, but he most often refuses. Been that way since he was a tiny one.

Thanks again!
PS. Sorry...I don't quite understand how to quote someone's text

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Sorry Hope'smom! This can be me

But, I was really trying to get some input on the ideas that Jack Newman has about introducing solids (when, how, etc) and I thought that was what you were asking also. The question about water has to do with the 'how' of introducing solids for me...I just didn't know if the introduction of solids also means the introduction of H2O :

I am truly sorry if it seems I highjacked your thread...didn't mean to

I don't know, maybe I am uninformed about this, but 'no' I, personally, am not 'afraid of food allergies'. I think it makes sense that there are certain foods that should be avoided for a while because they are not the kinds of foods that babies would normally be getting in a 'traditional' environment. What I mean by that is that there was a time before we had breastfeeding books (or pediatricians) telling us what, when and how to feed our babies. I assume we listened to the advice of those who had gone before us and I am sure that advice varied world-round. And, I bet some of it was based on 'truth' and some of it was based on 'myth'. Does that make sense...not sure if it will?

Anyhow, I guess what I sometimes feel is that we lose touch with our instincts, our child's instincts, etc. when it comes to all of this. Everything becomes very 'by the book' and the joy, excitement and discovery get lost.

That being said, Dr. Newman's advice was " It is prudent to avoid highly spiced or highly allergenic foods at first ".

By the way, I did everything more or less 'by the book' with my first ds and it is only now with my 2nd ds that I have tried to follow my gut a bit more. But, I am always open to learning new things and willing to accept the making of mistakes. So, I may be totally wrong about all of this and I am fine with anyone pointing out problems with my above statements. Seriously!

Oh yeah, I edited this to add: I am afraid of allergies and like, everything! I am such an anxious feeder. Though I think I haven't communicated that to my boy, who is currently chowing down on green olives.

I didn't know we were supposed to wait on the spices. But I figure, some babies will find very spicy foods unpalatable. I think many babies are sensitive to flavors. My son liked some of the spicy things we eat.

I found the expert advice on what to feed between 6 and 12 months really contradictory. We stuck to sweet potatoes and some fruits for a lot of that time. I think we waited until 9 or 10 months to introduce wheat? We were really nervous.

We actually had a harder time once our son got more interested in solids. We were kind of holding him back because we didn't realize that he had progressed and would eat more. So if I had it to do again, I would gradually increase quantity offered with more boldness. I am happy that we waited to introduce eggs and dairy products until 12 months, because now he eats them happily with no allergies. My dad was allergic to eggs when he was a little guy, and a lot of my dh's family are allergic to cow milk, so I was glad that waiting helped my son avoid that.

Hi. just thought I would jump in here.
I am reading a good book called Super Baby Food and it is written by Ruth Yaron. It is pretty good so far, but I haven't read it all. My DD is 51/2 mos old and seems interested in solids. She has been reaching for our food at meal times and so we started her on solids about a week ago. This book suggests giving about a tbs of h20 and gradually increasing but to no more than 4 oz per day until after the age of one. I don't know what I think about that yet b/c I am worried about decreased breast feeding. We plan to feed foods such as mashed avacado, sweet potatoe and banana for a while.

I am learning as I go, so this is a great thread.