Probably starting solids next week and I was wondering?

Question

My son will be 4 months old next week and that is usually when his pediatrician gives the go ahead on solids. He also shows great interest when he is around anyone eating. I know to start off with single grain cereal (rice) and to try that for a few days until moving on. I know what to watch for allergy wise. I'm just confused about when to introduce things like fruits and vegetables. I do plan on asking his pediatrician about all this, but I would like to here about personal experiences.

Answer 1

Although my pediatrician said I *could* start at 4 months if we wanted, he said it's better to wait until 6 months, and even longer if we wanted.

I honestly believe that a baby is ready for solids when they pick them up and put them in their mouth and not before. For my current baby, he started solids a week before he turned 8 months when he picked up some sweet potatoes from my plate and helped himsef--and he's 20 pounds. You don't *have* to start with a single grain rice cereal, that stuff is nasty processed cereal flake food from a cardboard box. If you want to feed your child rice, feed him RICE. All that "stages" stuff is marketing bullcrap.

I agree with the other links people posted about waiting.

Answer 2

I also waited until my son was 6 months. Start slowly, there is no rush. You think it's fun to start solids until you realize all the work involved in feeding baby, laundry / clean-up plus the smelly poop...
I started rice cereal 1x per day for 1 week at 6 months, and now I'm introducing 1 new vegetable per week, and offering 2 meals of solids (rice cereals with breastmilk and the vegetable of the week) per day.I started with yellow vegetables, so far my son only had sweet potatoes and butternut squash. I believe in introducing vegetables before fruits because fruits are sweeter.
It's a good idea to wait until 6 months, but if you are breastfeeding exclusively, do not wait longer than 6 months: baby needs the iron in rice cereals, that's also why he/she should continue to eat rice cereal with the new vegetable / fruit you are introducing.
Good luck!

Answer 3

When I fed my daughter I started with the cerel. As I introduced fruit and veggies I mixed just a little bit in at a time with the rice and then once she was used to the sweet taster the fruit and veggies give off I gave her a little without the cerel. I think though the pediatrican said cerel at 4-6 monthes and start introducing other things like fruits and veggies between 6 and 8 monthes
I know you didnt ask about this but at 4 monthes is when I started letting her play with the spoon too. It was after about a week or two of eating foods once she knew the spoon put food in her mouth, I would let her play with the spoon before and after feedings so that she could work those hand eye corridinations. I did not put food on it at the time as I didnt want flying food. But when we started letting her try to feed herself she knew exactly what to do with the spoon and how to get it in her mouth with the food still on the spoon. Just a helpful hint I thought you might like to know
Good luck!

Answer 4

I didn't start solids with my son until 6 months. His pediatrician said alot of other ped's will give the go ahead on rice cereal at 4 months but it isn't advised. I've never heard of starting fruits and veggies at 4 months. If you can, wait until he's 6 months.

I'm a baby, so listen up, I love the picture. I have so many pictures of my son like that because he thinks he has to get right up on the camera for it to take his picture. Good to have you back.

Answer 5

If you plan on making baby food you should buy a beaba baby cook they are amazing! They reheat, cook defrost, and blend food all in one little device. It allows you to steam the food blend the food then put it into little cube trays to freeze it, its soo convient. However just keep a few little food pots in the cubord for a day out or when you cant face the kitchen! Most people try there baby on baby rice, you cant make this your self but they sell it in boxes. I tried my baby on baby rice, i gave him heinze organic, and he loved it because it just tasted of his milk so it wasnt something too shocking. The next day i gave him a fruit pot and it was a little bit diffrent so he didnt eat it. He also loves bannanas and sweet potatoes. Ive introduced fruit again and he likes it now. I think the taste was a little bit overpowering for the second day of weaning. But its all about trial and error. Sometimes you have to introduce something 10 times before they will eat it. If you have to wean before 6 months dont give your baby anything with gluten in it. So check what you are buying. Good luck and have fun... Ps make sure you have lots of wipes and bibs handy its messy buisness! Plus a camera to capture the memories

Answer 6

I would finish a box of rice cereal... then maybe a box of oatmeal cereal. Than maybe try a few veggies.... Like peas, carrots, green beans. After you go thru the veggies try various fruits. Once he has had them all you can start mixing and matching with cereals/fruits and veggies.

Well at least thats what I plan on doing!

Answer 7

The leading specialists in this area recommend at least 6 months of exclusive breast feeding (1, 2, 3). To avoid permanent health problems that can result from exposure of your baby's digestive system to solid foods too early, you may want to seriously consider continuing breast feeding as the only source of food for a couple of more months.

Answer 8

after you've mastered the rice cereal, try giving your son formula with rice cereal and 1st foods banana. do that for at least 3 days. i waited 1 week in between each food because my husband and i both have a lot of allergies. he probably wont like peaches, so only get one jar at first. (taste them...disgusting!!!) but he will probably like sweet foods, like the banana, pears, applesauce, sweet potatoes, carrotts (my daughter LOVES carrots) the first foods consist of things that most people are not allergic to, but be carefull when you move to 2nd foods, because they have more citrisy foods like "hawian delight" and spaghetti. after that, you will want to give your baby meats. if you look on the back of your gerber rice cereal box, it should say when to go to certain stages. 1st foods are for a baby who is a supported sitter, 2nd foods, independent sitter, 3rd foods, crawler, and graduates, beginning walker. i give my daughter mostly 3rd foods, and graduates, although she is only 8 months old. but she can walk and has 6 teeth. i hope this helps. good luck.