My 4&1/2 month old is obsessed with watching me eat. When should I start solids?

Question

My son tries to grab what im eating and put it in his mouth... His doctor said I could start him on rice cereal and then move to fruits and veggies. I have heard so many things about feeding to early, and allergy's... He is only breastfeeding now and wont take a bottle at all. Anyone have any suggestions... thanks!

Answer 1

I would TOTALLY think 4.5 months is sufficient to start cereal and even shortly thereafter, start with some baby foods/soft foods. My daughter had rice cereal in her bottles from the age of like 2 months due to reflux. She was perfectly fine with it.

Answer 2

My son just turned 4 months and he's doing the same thing. I am also ebf but I think I'm going to hold off a little longer. It's my 3rd baby and I don't have any desire to start him too early. It's just that they grow up so quick. I also am worried about the allergy thing too. I would try to hold off if I was you, especially if your family has a history of allergies. Breastmilk is perfect for him until about 6 months old.
Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it will be the best decision for you and your son. Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 3

Do exactly what your doc says. At the hospital I used a little silicone cup to feed my baby formula (she's breast and bottle fed, and I give her rice cereal a few times weekly because she's a big hungry kid!), so you can feed your baby with a little cup or spoon, just watch him closely and burp him well. But as far as what to feed, follow the directions on the rice cereal and perhaps he can take some bananas. Don't listen to people who type in a lot of exclamation points telling you to not feed solids. All babies are different. The MAIN thing is to watch his diapers/stool, go slowly and keep him well fed still with the breastmilk.

Answer 4

Sounds like he's ready!!! I started with cereal in his last bottle of the day when he was about 4 months. Then about 4 weeks later, I started spoon feeding him cereal in the morning, after breastfeeding him. I mixed the cereal with warm breastmilk. He didn't take to it at first, which is normal, but after a few days, he started loving it!
Good luck!! This was such an exciting time for me when my son started solids!!

Answer 5

You are fine starting with rice cereal. If you are concerned with allergies, feed just one new food at a time and watch for a few days to see if there is any reaction, if not keep that and add a new one. Babies learn by imitating and it sounds like you have a bright observant son ready to learn and experience life

Answer 6

babies can start eating baby food around 4 to 5 months old. My son is almost 5 months old and i have only given him baby food maybe 3 or 4 times. He also loves watching people eat. It's normal. My son hates rice so i don't feed it to him. My daughter started on food as soon as she hit 4 months old and has no allergy's (now 2 1/2). My son is fine with eating fruit if i choose to give it to him and i normally water it down with water and then add some rice. It doesnt really matter as long as its thin enough for them to eat and not to thick. It sounds like he really wants to eat, so give him some baby food. good luck.

Answer 7

no no no do not give in now what you can do if you put him on the bottle is add cereal to the milk or formula you know. but a baby don't start eating solids until they are about one or at the most 12 months and they still drink milk as well. They eat baby food you know what I am talking about, well they eat that at like 6-7months you see it is half and half 1-6 milk/formula 6-12baby food 1-? solids

Answer 8

Solids are not supposed to be started until closer to 6 mos of age. This is what every major health organization world-wide recommends.

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

World Health Organization
UNICEF
US Department of Health & Human Services
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Dietetic Association
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Health Canada

Their bodies are not prepared to properly digest solid foods (including cereal) until closer to 6 mos of age. Starting solids too early can lead to an increased risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity.

If he seems interested in what you are doing, then I would suggest that for right now, you give him a plastic bowl and a spoon to play with while you eat. He will feel included in what is going on that way and will be entertained. This trick tends to work really well.

You could also express some breastmilk and freeze it in ice cube trays. Put the "boob cube" into a Baby Safe Feeder (mesh feeding bag) and let him gum on that while you are eating.

You could give him a soft spout sippy cup (Avent makes a good one) to play with in his high chair while you are eating. He could have expressed breastmilk or just a couple of ounces of water in it to practice with.

Answer 9

not a concern. on the same time as maximum youngsters are bodily waiting for, and interested in solids at around 6 months, a brilliant number of healthful babies at the instant are not. and that's super. At this age, and for the subsequent a number of months solids would be ninety 9.9% 'basically for relaxing' -- his milk nonetheless provides all the food he desires. If he enjoys the apples, that's super. you could shop offering different ingredients, or you could wait until he's greater actively fascinated. some babies do not choose solids until they are in a position to feed themselves 'real' ingredients -- %. up table ingredients and devour them. maximum youngsters attain this point around 7-9 months.

Answer 10

Congrats on brestfeeding only! That is soooooo healthy for your little one, you are really giving him the best chance in life. If I were you I would continue to breastfeed and try a little rice cereal made with breastmilk. This is what I did. My son ate it up. Remember though, breastfed babies tend to have looser stools than foumula fed ones. So introducing rice cereal will cause a change in bowel patterns, they may not be as soft.

I wish you the best, motherhood is a wonderful thing. They grow up so quickly, take lots of pics on his first feeding, you won't want to forget it, take care and God bless.