To early for baby food?

Question

My son just turned 3 months old on Sunday. Is that too early to start him on Baby Food. The doctor said last month, he wouldn't suggest it until he eats 6 oz of Formula and then wants more. Well, he's getting at that point. What do you think? I am going to start giving him baby Cereal this weekend. He already gets that twice a day mixed with his formula, has since he was a month old(doctors orders) he wasn't getting enough food then. But, what you do all you think about baby food at 3 months? and if so, OKAY.. then what kinds do you suggest? Fruit, Veggies, etc?

Ok. I do understand about the baby food. I was just wondering and the cereal he's on now, isn't the kind.. your probably thinking. It's mixed with his formula and the doctor said to give him that at a month old and he's done perfectly fine with that. He's healthy as a horse, he has the strength of a 6 mo old(per the doctor)and is a perfect healthy baby boy. He's just hungry! lol. he weighs 13 lbs at 3 months old! :)

I also agree that the formula should be his main nutrition for food though. :)

He is on Rice Cereal mixed with formula. :) twice a day. Morning and at night only and he loves it and is fine on that.. i think I'll leave it at that until I think or "know" he's ready for real baby food. !

Answer 1

Not until closer to 6 mos of age. They simply do not have the enzymes present in their tummy to digest anything other than formula or breastmilk properly until around the middle of the first year. Starting solids too early can lead to an increased risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity later in life.

REMEMBER that solids in the first year are really more for fun and practice and NOT so much for nutrition. Breastmilk/formula should remain the main source of nutrition.

Answer 2

Don't start the cereal until 4-6 months and don't start the baby food until 4-6 months also.

Don't you read the literature and websites and listen to what the doctors say? Stop rushing it, the baby will only suffer and believe me giving the bottle is so much easier, once you start the whole cereal and jarred foods it gets harder and more inconvenient.

Once you do start on the solids (at 4-6 months) you must make sure that the baby is getting 24 oz or more of formula, if the baby food is taking away from that then you need to decrease it or else the baby won't get enough nutrients it needs.

Answer 3

I started my daugher on baby food at about 5 months.
Three months is too young for baby food.
Stick with the cereal for a few more months...it will fly by...and then start the baby food. Start with orange veggies first, then move to fruit and lastly at about 7 month start greens.
You only feed the same baby food for about a week to make sure they dont have an allergy, once the week is done start on the next and continue that until all the foods are done.
That is what my dr said to do.

But of course during that time i did mix it up and give her the kinds she already ate...that way she wasn't eating carrots every day for a week!

Answer 4

I think he's old enough. Its up to you and your doctor. If you both agree then go for it. Start with mixing fruits and veggies in with the cereal. Do that for a few days. Introduce only one new food every 3-4 days. That way if he has a reaction you know which food caused it. After a while give him fruits and veggies without the cereal. Once he has tried all the fruits and veggies start with meats. I wouldn't recommend the desserts, but a little won't hurt him. At about 6 months he should be getting a wide variety of food. Then if you feel that he's ready you can start on real food. Once again, start with friuits and veggies. Also the toddler biter biscuits are great and the pinwheels stuff he can feed himself without choking. You will know when its time. If nothing else your baby will tell you!!! He won't let himself starve!!!

Answer 5

I would wait till he is 6 months old unless he is eating over 40 oz of formula daily. This is the number I have always heard. I have never heard the 6 oz thing. Try 8 oz. Many babies will eat 8 oz at one time. 3 months is young and the digestive system is not ready for it yet.

This is the guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

6 months-start small amounts of cereal (spoon and bowl) and 2 oz juice w/2 oz of water

7 months-add veggies (they need to really develop a taste for these veggies before starting fruits. once they taste the sweet fruits-its harder for them to start liking the veggies and we know how important veggies are)

8 months-add fruits

9 months-add meats

Answer 6

She already eating baby food. Rice cereal IS baby food. 17 weeks is quite early for any solids -- solids are usually started (per current recommendations) at around 6 months. Since she is already having solids, you could move on to jarred foods, or you could stick with the cereal. (The fewer different foods she's exposed to this early, the less risk of allergies or bad reactions.) Or you could stop the cereal and wait until 6 months. If you opt to give jarred foods, it doesn't matter what you give. Veggies or fruits are fine. (The idea that you have to start with veggies or baby will come to refuse them is a myth.) Just pick one at random.

Answer 7

I am breastfeeding, my baby weighed 13 lbs at 2 months and he currently weighs 16.8 lbs at 4 months. He is exclusively breastfed. His pediatritian said yesterday to start him on rice cereal right now but only a teaspoon full a day to start training him on swallowing solid food and using the spoon, you will get a lot of spitting out but eventually she will learn but right now all your baby needs is the formula you are giving her. Your baby won't loose any weight if you don't start her on solids right now. My doctor recommended me to start my baby on fruits and vegetables at 6 months, she said right now rice cereal is just to practice because baby doesnt really need it.

You can start your baby on either veggies or fruit, old wives tale says veggies first but it doesnt really matter. Good luck and remember even if you only bottle fed your baby until she is 8 months old, she will be just fine.

Answer 8

my daughter is 11 weeks and like your son her doctor put her on cereal at a month then when she was 2 months he said we can put her on stage 1 baby food because she still wanted to eat. she is now almost 3 months and is healthy and we havent had a problem with the baby food. we started her on veggies and then did the fruit. hope this helps good luck.

Answer 9

You're taking cues from your individual baby, that's good, trust your instincts. If you decide its ok, just start slow and remember not to try too many food. Instead of the one type of food per week maybe just do a new food once every two weeks or 4 weeks.
I'm in the same boat, my girl turned 3 months on Monday. I'm contemplating starting cereal as she's constantly hungry, showing interest when I eat and has started waking in the middle of the night famished. She's only on breast milk and already 14+ pounds....She was a big baby at birth

Answer 10

Babies know better than doctors!! Mix up some rice cereal to an applesauce concistency and try feeding it to him. If it comes right back out then he still has the toungue thrust reflex(reflex in babies that keeps them from choking by pushing things clear of the windpipe) and they are not ready for solids. If this is the case just give him more bottles with cereal in them and wait a month to try again. If he seems to suck at the food or even moves his little jaw like he's chewing then he's ready and that could be at 3 months. A good indicator of food readiness is when they watch you eat and seem to be mimicking your mouth movements. Both my boys loved to eat solids and both started to keenly watch me eat at 3 months. I didn't start feeding them cereal until 4 months but they were both no trouble to wean at a year.