What age did you start your baby on food?

Question

So a few of my friends said they started there baby on puree at 4 months. Ive done some research and all i could find is that its not recommended until 6 months because their stomaches havent developed yet. My baby is 19 weeks now and he still doesnt sleep at night, wakes up every 2 to 3 hours for a bottle and hes started to watch us eat and reach for our food. What age did you start your babies on food and what did you start them on?

Answer

Its not abnormal for babies to wake up that much, especially if they're breastfed. They're growing really fast and need the calories. Plus, their stomachs are so small that it doesn't take long for them to digest and get hungry again. Sleeping longer stretches is developmental and isn't something you can force the baby to do by giving them solids. Typically longer stretches of sleep start happening around 5-6 months and a 5 hour stretch constitutes sleeping through the night for an infant. Offering food before their stomachs can handle it can cause leaky gut, which is no fun. Once baby can sit up unassisted and meets all the readiness signs along with being 6 months, you can start to offer food. Baby can eat more or less anything you do, but no honey before they turn 1. Try looking at the Feeding Littles social media account, they're really helpful. Good luck!

Answer

I was a very scared FTM lol and was so afraid of my baby choking! I started my daughter @ 6 months on purées(fruits and veggies) and wasn’t until almost 10 months when I introduced everything else and shortly after started a BLW. She’s 19 months perfectly healthy and eating everything!💕 I’ve read that it’s very important to wait until 6 months and met all readiness signs. My daughter had met all signs at 5 months but I still waited till she was 6 months. My sister’s twins actually waited will they were 7 & 8 months since they weren’t quite ready! Good luck momma!

Answer

My pediatrician recommended 6 months as well. So we waited until November which happened to fall around Thanksgiving. So, she had turkey and gravy first the first time and did not like it. Lol. I would start gradual. Introducing foods and waiting several days to make sure there are not reactions, it's also beneficial to record it all in the app. And start with stage 1 and gradually work your way up. Experimenting with food should be fun for you and your baby. But you also want to be mindful of what they're consuming. The primary source of nutrients for awhile will still be formula/breast milk. But as breakfast, lunch and dinner become a part of your normal daily routine, you will see your lo beginning to get nutrients from other sources. Mine is down to 24 ounces of formula a day, and three meals - typically fruit, oatmeal, rice cereal for breakfast; dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc) or vegetables for lunch, and stage 4 meals for dinners which provide her more texture.

Answer

6 months, except one of my kids had severe acid reflux and pediatrician recommended starting solids earlier for her case, so it was almost 5 months for her (she did fine). It didnt really help any of them sleep longer stretches though, they still woke to nurse, but helped her reflux. My kids slept longer stretches after starting table foods.

Answer

All major health organizations recommend 6 months and all signs of readiness met. 
Many people including pediatricians, unfortunately,  do not stay up to date with guidelines. 
Babies lack certain digestive enzymes before 6 months, also greater risk of choking if they cannot sit properly. Not sleeping is not a sign to start solids early. 
Check out:
Solids starts website, app, and Instagram 
On Instagram: @the.baby.dietitian @babyledweanteam @101beforeone @realfoodlittles @feedinglittles

What age did you start your baby on food?

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