is it okay to start solids after the completion of 5 months as my baby sleeps well for 8 hrs at strech?

Answer 1

This link will tell you everything you need to know...


http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyfeeding/113.html

Answer 2

OK. I will fess up here that I am an old fart.
I don't "get" the notion that babies should not eat solid food until 6mos of age! That is a relatively new idea that has developed in recent years. By the age of 6mos, my children were eating pulverized table food! and weaned from the breast by 8wks and from the bottle by 10 mos.
The "old" way was 6 WEEKS, and at the time a babe started to get more sustenance, they indeed DID begin to sleep longer at night. The usual beginning was some type of cereal mixed with formula and baby-food-type fruit. Veggies were introduced little at a time, baby-food meats were last, and the child would let you know how hungry they were and when they needed more food. Indeed, babies who were kept primarily on a bottle for extended times typically had a weight problem, referred to back then as "milk fat" (if not breast milk). Weaning became a problem, and often led to dental issues, (again, if not breast milk).My daugthers were given the 6 month instruction and both rejected it. Their babies were hale and hearty, as they were, and are growing up well. All are in school and one is about to start middle school...
So, if you have a question, ask the pediatrician... That is your best source of information, if your own observations and intuition, (with or without with the advice of other mothers) does not satisfy. You know your baby better than anyone. That baby will let you know what they need; your challenge is to discover how BEST to provide. The pediatricians have all sorts of information and training, but YOUR BABY DIDN'T READ THE BOOK.
That is the best answer I can offer based on three generations of mothers whose philosophies I can vouch for, and time has proven: My mother, Me, and the mothers I raised.

Answer 3

You should start solid from the 6 mth. This is the lastest guideline.
Starts with puree,rice cereal, mash fruit. Start slow, don't force. Some baby might start later then 6 mth. Introduce 1 type of food for 2-3 days. Even he try to eat a little, is good enough. supplement with milk.

Answer 4

Hi. My son is 6 months old and we started him on Rice cereal at 5 months of age. He had been taking five, 9 oz bottles of formula prior to then, but when we introduced the rice cereal, he gave up 1 bottle and still slept through the night. Check with your doctor as each child is different - they usually recommend introducing baby food between 4 - 6 months of age.

Answer 5

I started feeding all 3 of my children infant cereal at 4 months, baby food 1st foods at 5-6 months. They all did well on it and by the time they were 8 months refused the baby food and were eating table foods with us. Good luck

Answer 6

I would say if you feel comfortable with giving your baby solids. I started my baby on applesauce and he was only 1 month old. Then the baby cereal shortly after. I think the doctors say don't start solids until they are six months but if you do it early it can't hurt. My son loved it and I think because I started him on the solids early he eats all his vegetables (everything).

Answer 7

Yes, you can start solids any time after 4 months old and as long as your pediatrician says it's ok. You're in for an adventure!! Our daughter started 2 months ago and every day is an adventure when it comes to meal times. Have fun!

Answer 8

Your baby needs to be able to hold it's head up and sit up with a little bit of propping. Other than that, feed away!. Start with rice cereal and work your way up from there into veggies and fruits and oatmeal cereal.

Answer 9

docs say its six months but if youre baby is sleeping 8 hour at atime hes gonna need more than just milk start him off slow with oat pablum not rice it may constipate him

Answer 10

I don't think you should compare your baby's sleeping pattern with feeding. Try giving your baby something solid like mashed banana, if he can handle that, then you'll know. ;)

Answer 11

Is there a reason that you think your baby NEEDS solids at this point? I'd encourage you to wait until 6 months.

Solids readiness depends on both the maturity of baby’s digestive tract and baby’s developmental readiness for solids. Although the maturity of baby’s digestive system is not something that we can readily observe, research indicates that 6 months appears to be ideal for avoiding the allergies and other health risks of too-early solids. After this point, different babies are ready for solids at different times -- developmental readiness for solids cannot be determined using a calendar. Most babies are developmentally ready for solids somewhere between 6 and 8 months.

Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:
Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.
We often state that a sign of solids readiness is when baby exhibits a long-term increased demand to nurse (sometime around 6 months or later) that is unrelated to illness, teething pain, a change in routine or a growth spurt. However, it can be hard to judge whether baby’s increased nursing is related to readiness for solids. Many (if not most) 6-month-old babies are teething, growth spurting and experiencing many developmental changes that can lead to increased nursing – sometimes all at once! Make sure you look at ALL the signs of solids readiness as a whole, because increased nursing alone is not likely to be an accurate guide to baby’s readiness.

Four- to five-month-old babies are sometimes very eager to participate at mealtime, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are ready to eat solids - more often it's just the normal developmental urge to do what everyone else is doing. Research studies tell us that there are many health advantages to delaying solids for about 6 months for all babies, not just the babies who are not yet interested in mealtime.

There are a number of things you can do to let baby participate in mealtimes without starting solids:

Let baby sit with the family at mealtime - in a lap, booster seat or high chair.
Give baby a cup of water or expressed milk. Your baby can entertain himself at mealtime while learning to use a cup. 1-3 ounces of water in the cup should be plenty (often for the entire day). Many moms choose to use only water or a small amount of breastmilk to avoid wasting the "liquid gold" while baby learns to use the cup.
Offer baby sips of water from your cup or straw. Even if baby hasn't figured out how to use a straw yet, you can put your straw in water, block the top end of the straw with your finger to trap a little water in the straw, then let baby drink the water from the lower end of the straw (unblock the top end once it's in baby's mouth).
Offer baby spoons, cups, bowls and other baby-safe eating utensils to play with during mealtime.
Give baby an ice cube (if it's a baby-safe size & shape) or ice chips to play with.
Offer baby a momsicle (popsicle made from breastmilk) or slushy frozen breastmilk to eat with a spoon.

Just because your baby achieves "x" number of pounds, or has doubled birth weight, (or however much your baby weighs) does not mean that she is automatically ready for solids - particularly if she is under 6 months.

The American Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization recommendations for starting solids at 6 months or later has no exceptions for babies who weigh more. The research that I've seen on the health benefits of starting solids at 6 months and later holds for all babies, no matter what their weight.

It's the maturity of the digestive tract and baby's developmental readiness that makes the difference, not baby's weight.