Solid foods...advice needed???!!

Question

Have any mums started the little ones on some sort of solid food before the recommended 6 months if so how old were they and what did you give them? Also how did you know they were ready?

Answer

Babies GI systems are not mature enough before 6 to 8 months to handle solids. There are many other reasons why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends delaying solids until 6 to 8mo and I look to that resource for their recs. Kellymom is also an amazing resource and they cite credible,  research and evidence based recs. Check out Kellymom's article on this topic http://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/delay-solids/

Answer

May I ask why you're thinking of introducing food before 6 months?

Most recommend starting at 6 months. In some cases, they may recommend starting at 4 and that's usually if there is a concern about the baby's health (but on the other hand, they say that food before 1 is just so the baby can learn and experiement while nutrition should come from breast milk or formula so I'm not sure).
I have been reading about baby led weaning and the signs of the baby being ready is being able to sit unassisted, losing the tongue thrust reflex, showing interest in food...etc

Answer

With my first we got the go ahead from the pedi at 4 months. She was holding her head up and was interested in our food. They recommend starting with veggies. We tried carrots, she hated them. It took a few more months before she would even try anything else. She was eating adult foods by 8 months.

Answer

I've read and heard when a baby is ready is when they lost the thrust tongue, know how old themselves up, and interest in food.

Answer

With my first she started grabbing and looking at my food at about 4 1/2 months I'd let her try a little (on pinky fingers tip) and she loved it. I didn't really give her solid food till 6 months. I did add rice to her milk at 4 months though.

Answer

My sons doctor told us to add rice to his bottles because he spits up but is gaining to much weight to put him on medicine for reflux and the rice should help. But other then the teaspoon of cereal added to his bottle. No im going to wait until the doctor tells me to give him anything different. But my son is only 10 weeks now. She started him on rice at 6 weeks.