T is a few days shy of 5 months old. Lately I've been feeling like we are both ready to start solids. I'll spare the details since I'm typing left handed while BFing but I think my instincts are telling me it's time. When he turned 4 months I had 100% certainty he wasn't ready. Now I feel like he is. He's been EBF and we had been planning on waiting til 6 months.
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We started at 5.5 months.
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We started at 5.5 and looking back we should have started earlier. DD was sooooo ready I think it was mean we made her wait.
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@Danizaur: Everything I researched and what my pediatrician told me was to watch for after 4 months old were signs to determine readiness - reaching for food, can hold head steady, and sit upright on their own. We tried solids at 5.5 months and he wasn't a fan, so we waited 2 weeks and tried again.
I say trust your instincts and if he's showing signs, go for it.
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DS was very interested in our food from 4 months on and by 5 months was begging for it. We started at 5ish months and he did great!
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We started at 5.5 months and he did great!
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we started at 4 months with DS. He was very ready. With DD we started around 5, but she wasn't interested/didn't do that great, so we stopped and tried again at 6 months. It really depends on the baby, I feel.
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We started at five months she loves it!
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We started at 5 months, but I wish I had waited. DH wanted to and her daycare teachers kept saying she was hungry. She wasn't a fan and didn't really start eating them regularly until 6-6.5 months. Trust your mama gut.
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We started just shy of 5 months and he hated it. We tried again a few weeks later and he gobbled them down! Hindsight being 20/20, he obviously wasn't ready the first go. Trust your instincts and have fun!
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We started at 4 months. She was ready and loved it. Use your instincts!
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We started shortly after 5 months because we were excited. She wasn't totally ready & we easily could have waited until 6 months. I don't think it's the worst thing though as long as you don't force your LO to eat & still nurse/FF the same amount.
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I was set on waiting until 6 months but he started grabbing food off my plate because he wanted to eat! His first food was a bite of olive bread from a restaurant because he grabbed it off the table before I could stop him. He was about 4.5 months old.
I still tried to hold him off, but his daycare teachers encouraged me to start solids around 5.5 months. They said he was trying to steal food from the other babies. Sure enough, he gulped down his first bowl of oatmeal and has been eating solids like a horse ever since.
So my advice is also to trust your instinct and your baby. He'll let you know if he wants it and how much he wants.
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I think 6 months is more of a guideline as evidenced by everyone's response. I started LO at 6 months and a week and did so because I felt pressured to. He showed no signs and didn't take to it for a few more weeks. With my next LO, I'm going follow their cues whether it's just before or after 6 months.
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Baby D is 5 months and we're thinking of starting solids soon too! He seems very interested!
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We started cereal at 4 months and she loved it. We stopped for awhile because she was having stomach problems, but she was definitely ready and our doctor gave us the go ahead. I'd just keep an eye on what types of foods you offer.
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The 6 month number comes from new research that says babies stomachs aren't ready for food until then. My ped told us we could start sooner but we did blw so we waited until 6 months. We let him taste the juice of foods (like licking a peach or lemon or whatever) before, but we held off on really offering and never did any purees.
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I was planning to wait til 6mos unless he demonstrates interest sooner. But at his 4mo checkup, his ped recommended starting him with fruit and vegetable purees at 5mos. That's in three weeks. I guess we'll see what he's like then and decide whether or not to give it a shot. He still needs some help sitting up so I don't think we're ready yet..
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I don't think you have to wait until 6 months on the dot if your LO is showing signs of readiness. We did a taste of oatmeal around 4.5 months and she didn't seem interested, so we didn't offer anything again until she was around 5.5 months - she did much better the second time. If your LO is showing signs of readiness, I would give it a try
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We started at 5 months, because I thought she showed signs of being ready and could sit up well. Though she didn't really get it until after 6 months anyway, so I would wait next time.
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We started and it took some time, but as long as you aren't forcing it on him and just letting him go at his own pace, start whenever!
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With our first we started at 4 months b/c we were excited and our doctor said we could give it a go. Now with my second (almost 5 months) I'm in no hurry. Seriously, I feel like once I put a spoon in her mouth she will no longer be a baby - she will become a big girl that eats real food. Nope, I'm not ready for that, who cares if she is!
We'll probably start around 6 months - going to try to be better about BLW this time.
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With LO1 he was ready and receptive by about 4.5 months. LO2 wasn't interested until 6 months.
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Our pedi gave us the OK to start solids at our 4 month appointment.
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We started at 4months.
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We started at 4 months - DS was definitely ready. It just totally depends on the kid!
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Go for it! We started just before 5 months
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We started at 4 months, but that was at the doctor's recommendation due to weight issues. I would have waited to 6 months due to the scare of allergies.
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Also...the poop gets so gross when you start solids. But you get used to it.
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From the AAP website: Early introduction of solid foods is concerning because babies’ bodies are not yet prepared for these foods, and early introduction may increase the risk of some chronic diseases.
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We started at 5.5 months!
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We started at 5 months because DS was small so the pedi recommended we wait till then. Otherwise, he recommended starting oatmeal at 4 months.
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With Wagon Jr. we tried at 5 months and he wasn't really ready. With LMW we didn't really start... oops... until she grabbed a piece of my donut and threw it down the hatch, at 7 months.
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I researched this extensively, and I could not find any information other than sometime between 4 and 6 months is good. I found no evidence that waiting until 6 months was better than starting earlier, only propaganda. My pediatrician encouraged starting closer to 4 months, but I waited until 5.5 months. There is some evidence that starting solids closer to 4 months, especially highly allergic foods, reduces the likelihood of food allergies, which was the basis of my pediatrician's recommendation. LO was not really into solids, and did not get upset, or have digestive problems, he would just not eat much, so it was not really a problem. I did not push it, but kept offering, and at 9 months he got into solids.
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We started at 6 months. Our ped told us that 1. babies digestive system isn't full closed yet and there could be possible leakage of gut bacteria. 2. food before 1 is just for fun. Babies do not produce the proper enzyme in their saliva to breakdown and absorb nutrients before 1 from solid foods. 3. babies sometimes lean towards eating more food and less BF/Formula. which is more important source of nutrients before one years old.
It amazes me how so many Dr.s/Peds all give different advice. In the end the decision will be up to you and what works for your baby. -
We got the go ahead to start at 4 months from our ped. I did not agree with that whatsoever though. We're doing BLW and waiting until closer to 6 months to start, especially due to the concern that their stomachs may not be ready yet. We put my 5 month old in the high chair with us every night at dinner and she plays with a fork and spoon and watches us. She's very close to ready if not ready, but we're still waiting until 6 months to try. I'm in no rush for yucky poos!
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I waited until 6 months and I'm glad we did. 1. It's a lot more work than just BFing and a heck of a lot messier! 2. It was a lot more fun at 6 months because she could sit up on her own and handle food with her own hands. She didn't have the fine motor skills before that.
Lastly I've done a lot of research about the development of the gut and all evidence points towards babies needing more time for their gut lining to properly seal.
But go with what feels right for you. Mama always knows best and you need to do what's right for your family.
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It's crazy, but at the time, they told my mother to start me on solids as soon as I got home from the hospital, because I was a big baby and they said I would be hungry! I'm thinking it's no coincidence I was a very colicky baby... Luckily I turned out ok.
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Our ped said at her 4-mo appointment that we could start when she seemed ready. That seemed to be around 5.5 mo but we were traveling and I didn't want to start until we were back home. Then she caught a cold, so we waited until she was better. It just happened to coincide with her 6-mo birthday, so that was her first taste of solids.
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We were given the green light by his ped at the 4 month appt and started shortly after. He did great and has been eating a ton ever since! I say listen to your instincts. The worst that can happen is he isn't interested and you try again later.
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