Starting Solids

Most doctors recommend starting solids between the ages of 4 to 6 months old. They often say you should wait until 6 months if either parent has allergies, since starting solid food too early can increase the likelihood of allergies for those susceptible due to family history.

SIGNS THAT YOUR BABY IS READY
If you are breastfeeding you might notice that your baby still seems hungry after their usual feeding. When this appetite change occurs, you can take it as a cue that your baby may need more. If you are bottle feeding, you might notice the same thing but also many doctors say that when a baby is ready for solids, they start to try and hold their bottle. This means there neurological system is maturing and they can now learn to slurp and swallow there first foods which is a learned skill.

There is not one way to start your baby on solids but below is a chart that can help you:

A SAMPLE MENU
First Meal
-Start with one meal a day. Feed one dinner of rice cereal before the last evening bottle. When we did this with our baby, the occasional night waking was eliminated since the cereal was more filling than just a liquid meal. Start with a tablespoon of cereal the first two nights and then increase slightly as your baby demands more by crying. If after a few days there is no allergic reaction, then you can use an oatmeal cereal next. The one meal will go to two meals eventually and they do not always have to be the same meals. We moved on to oatmeal cereal after just 4 days of rice cereal since the rice cereal was constipating for our baby. The oatmeal cereal then got things moving. You can also give your baby 1 ounce of water twice a day between meals to elevate the constipation that can occur from starting solid foods.

Which meals do I start with?
-Your choice. Start with one meal a day at the same time each day and work up to two meals a day at the same time or at varying times. Eventually, they will be eating 3 meals a day with 1-2 bottles or breastmilk or formula between feedings. One day it might be solids for lunch and afternoon meals, the next day lunch and dinner meals are solids. But this will not last long. In a few weeks you will be up to 3 meals a day. We would feed our baby solids and then as soon as she was finished, she took her bottle. If they do not want a bottle and it is bedtime, do not worry. If it is not bedtime. Give it an hour later. Amount of milk will decrease as solid food increases.

-Once baby has had cereal for 2-4 weeks, you can now mix in some veggies or fruit with the cereal. Some say to start with veggies since they are less sweet than fruits. The logic here is that if you give fruits first, your baby may not like the bland taste of veggies. But there is no scientific data to back this claim up. Some parents even trade off between fruits and veggies during the first month of introducing solids. One thing is clear, veggies cause more constipation than fruits. You can start with whatever you want but it needs to be cleared for allergies before moving to the next food. Examples of common foods used as "First Solids" to blend with cereal or oatmeal are bananas, sweet potatoes, peas, apple sauce, or peaches.

-By 6 months your baby can start on meat. Of course it looks more like mush since any food given to a baby can cause choking so everything needs to be puréed or store bought.

THE 10 TRIES RULE
Believe it or not, it can take a parent many attempts with a certain food to get their baby to enjoy it. Never assume just because you have given your baby peas 5 times, that things will be the same on the 6th attempt. Keep introducing foods you want your child to like and you might be surprised with how many times it takes to win them over. There are many studies to back this claim. Remember all the nutrients a baby needs in the first year comes from breast milk or formula so do not worry if your baby does not take in much solid food at first. Just consider the first month as a practice run for the future. On the other hand some babies get a taste of solids, and you may suddenly have a very hungry baby on your hands.

TRANSITION HURDLES
The transition can be hard since the baby is usually gratified instantly with a milk meal. Their tummies start to fill-up immediately when drinking a bottle or breastfeeding. With spoon feeding, they need to wait between spoonfuls and there tummy is not getting full as fast. This can cause crying between spoonfuls. If the crying interferes too much with the feeding, your baby may not be ready for solids. In this case, you may want to put off solid feedings for a week or two and then try again.

With my baby, before starting solid foods, she ate 8oz of formula 4 times a day. Once solids were started, she would eat a tablespoon or two of cereal mixed with fruits or veggies and then after that, 6oz of formula in a bottle to complete her meal. Remember, eventually your baby will eat 3 meals a day of solids and up two two snacks and will decrease breast milk or formula. Make sure when this happens to give water or juice so your baby does not get constipated. According to my doctor, you should introduce a cup after 6 months or when your baby starts wanting to drink from your cup. By one year old it is best to start weaning a baby off a bottle and to a cup or sippy cup. With some it may be easier said then done while others make the transition nicely.

HOW MUCH SHOULD A BABY EAT?
It is a mistake for doctors to give exact amounts as to how much your baby should eat. Instead be alert to your child's cue. They will push your hand away, start spitting out food as you spoon it in, or turn their head away from the spoon. This tells you they are done. Never force a baby to eat more if they exhibit any of these cues since this can be the start of food battles and too much emotion wrapped around food which can lead to later weight problems.

Also read: How to Prevent Picky Eaters