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  • poesch77
    poesch77 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    I started both my kids on baby food at 4 months....and they both hated rice cereal so food it was. Every kid is different. I also took tone off formula before a year. As soon as either kid got teeth they gave up baby food and wanted the real stuff. Do what YOU feel is right/
  • smtorti
    smtorti Posts: 10 Member
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    Both of my kids were just BM to 6 months - I would ask the doc why?
  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
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    Each baby is different. My daughter was eating mashed up everything at about 3 1/2 months. Right at Thanksgiving and that child loved her food. My son was 10lbs 5oz at birth and he was eating the same way at 3 months. Neither of mine nursed but I pumped for the first 3 months with both so they got the good stuff. They are both very good eaters and healthy eaters at that. Tall, skinny and healthy. And I have never had to deal with an ear infection or any other major illnesses besides a few bouts of strep over the years and colds. Im a big believer in sunshine and dirt!

    Do what you feel is best for your baby and watch for signs that your baby might be ready to start trying cereal or other foods. Mine hated the cereal and I dont blame them. It is nasty. But mix it with a little applesauce or pears and they loved it!
  • OddChoices
    OddChoices Posts: 244 Member
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    My baby is 3 months and breastfeeding. Her doctor said he wants her to start on solid foods at 4 months
    But I am not going to start till 6 months. I was just wondering what other moms did with their babies.


    We started at 6 months.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
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    I am also pretty sure I went closer to 6 months! Good luck.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
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    We've started all our kids at 6 months.
  • leejayem
    leejayem Posts: 120 Member
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    My first question would be why did the Dr recommend solids? My understanding is that babies generally start solids at about 6 months because this when their iron levels begin to deplete - up to 6 months they are able to use the iron their bodies stored from when they were in utero. This is why iron enriched cereals are the recommended first foods, even before fruit & vegies, although vegies certainly have some iron. All babies are different, so go with your instincts - you're Mum!!
  • leejayem
    leejayem Posts: 120 Member
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    It's generally accepted now that there is no need to introduce solids before 6 months of age. Breastmilk is a complete and perfect food for the first year, and should be the main source of nutrients. Any solids introduced are more for 'practice' than nutrition, in my opinion.

    Formula is fine too!! Let's not forget the Mum's who feed til they bleed & it still doesn't work. :brokenheart:
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    My first baby started solids at 6 1/2 months, second baby at 6 months. They were both thriving and growing like crazy (still are, for that matter).

    If you're exclusively breastfeeding, 6 months is early enough.
  • DesireeLovesOrganic
    DesireeLovesOrganic Posts: 456 Member
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    9 months. They nursed until 2 years old. They were both super-chunks and people would ask me "What are you feeding him?!" "Just boob juice!" Haha

    They are 10 and almost 7 now, no allergies, never had any ear infections, nothing more than a cold in their lives.
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    Started solids at 4 months with both of mine, but continued breastfeeding. They're 12 and 13 now. Perfectly healthy.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I started my son on cereal at 4 mos. because I had to go back to work and someone other than me had to feed him. I did express milk but not enough. I did continue to breastfeed him when I was home until he weaned himself at about 10 months.
  • majordlite
    majordlite Posts: 266 Member
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    We started ours on cereal a week shy of 6 months, after exclusively BFing. The little guzzler is still latching on at 30 months, but I'm hoping she'll wean off before long. She's only in the 2 percentile on both height and weight, and I just hate to keep her from getting all the nutrients and calories I know BM provides. We have a dr. appt tomorrow, and we'll see what he says. Actually, he said 6 months ago that he'd like to see her weaned, but that didn't quite happen. :grumble:
  • zephtalah
    zephtalah Posts: 327 Member
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    My first was ready for foods at 4 months. I wanted him to wait till closer to 6 months or later, but he was a very hungry guy and still is. Most of my others were a little after 6 months. With the twins, I thought they might need it sooner since I was nursing 2 babies instead of one, but they refused all food till closer to 8 months. They are now finally starting to eat about once or twice a day a jar each and still nursing often. Every baby is different. Unless there is a specific reason why they need the baby food early, I would probably just follow their hunger cues and then just try it out. There is no point in wasting half an hour to get 1/2 tsp. of mashed whatever down a baby. :tongue:
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    My SIL and brother started their kids on food around 4-41/2 months because by that point they were screaming for a bottle every 45 minutes if they weren't fed food. A mother knows her baby best use your instincts.
  • Minnesota_Nice
    Minnesota_Nice Posts: 414 Member
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    I started all three of mine at 6 weeks to help them sleep through the night.

    You make your own judgment call. You know your baby the best! And don't be ashamed for what you chose to do!
  • RunIntheMud
    RunIntheMud Posts: 2,645 Member
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    My son was breastfed and I started him on cereal at 5 months at the doctor's recommendation. This was because he was always hungry. The cereal helped him to stay full longer.

    My daughter was formula fed and we didn't introduce solids until 6 1/2 months.
  • AnjaZ89
    AnjaZ89 Posts: 235
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    we started giving solid foods to our baby boy beginning at 6-7months, now he is 10 months and eats almost everything except for dairy
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    My doc said 4 months so that's what I did. I didn't know any better. They are 18 and 21 now and are great healthy people. The doc suggested starting out with rice cereal and then adding one new food a week. The one a week was to test for allergies. Fortunately, mine didn't have any. My kids were eager to start eating what we were eating.
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    I start feeding solids when my babies can sit well alone, have good head support, the tongue-thrust reflex has diminished, and they show an interest in eating food--watching us eat, mimicking our mouth movements, reaching for our plates, etc.
    This is different for each baby, but it's generally around six months.

    ^ this.
    I have five children (aged almost 2y- 11y) and the recommendations for everything change every year. If you're happy and your baby's happy do what you feel is right.

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