Starting Solids - Questions??

Question

I just wanted to hear some experiences from other mothers:
(1) Did your child get breast milk, formula, or a combination?
(2) When did your child start solids?
(3) What did you start with first (cereal, veggies, fruits)? If cereal, what did you mix it with (water, breast milk, formula)?
(4) What was the next food you tried?
(5) How many feedings did you start out with per day?
(6) What were your reasons for starting when you did, and starting with the certain food(s) you did?

Thank you for any input :)

Answer 1

1. Breastfed
2. 5 1/2 months, 6 1/2 months
3. Fruit (avocado, papaya)
4. ??? Don't remember, probably another fruit or veggie. Whatever was in the house :-) Didn't feed rice cereal more than once or twice, mixed it with breastmilk those times.
5. 0-1. We didn't feed regular meals, since solids at first are just for baby to experience new tastes and textures. By about 1- 1 1/2 years we were probably giving the babies something whenever we had a meal.
6. Started when our children showed they were ready (sitting up on their own, grabbing objects & bringing them to their mouthes, acting interested in what we were eating and not satisfied with nursing alone). Chose the foods based on what was available in our house, easy to prepare for a baby, healthy, and low risk for allergies. Rarely used commercially prepared baby foods.

Answer 2

(1) Did your child get breast milk, formula, or a combination?
Breastmilk exclusively for first 6 mo.

(2) When did your child start solids?
We tried at 6 months but no real interest until nearly 8 months.

(3) What did you start with first (cereal, veggies, fruits)?
banana, avocado, other veggies
If cereal, what did you mix it with (water, breast milk, formula)? cereal constipates and can lead to allergies

(4) What was the next food you tried? after veggies we did fruits

(5) How many feedings did you start out with per day? maybe one if we remembered. they are very optional.

(6) What were your reasons for starting when you did, and starting with the certain food(s) you did? Breastmilk is more nutrient rich and caloric than other foods so we introduced foods later and without stress of intake. We also avoided cereals that constipate since we feel that the iron a baby truly needs would be available through the breastmilk.

Answer 3

All are very good questions:

(1) Did your child get breast milk, formula, or a combination? Only Breastmilk.

(2) When did your child start solids? 6.5 months of age.

(3) What did you start with first (cereal, veggies, fruits)? If cereal, what did you mix it with (water, breast milk, formula)? No cereal- it's baby junk food. Our son 11 years ago wouldn't touch the stuff. I followed his lead and deposited it in the garbage. We went right to veggies with both of them.

(4) What was the next food you tried? We did all the veggies- orange to greens. Then fruits. Then combos. Meat we never did baby food- I used a black and decker food processor, added a bit of water and mixed it up. Worked wonders.

(5) How many feedings did you start out with per day? one at night. At 9 months of age, she began to look for more- so we did 2 per day- lunch and dinner. Sometime after that she started in on breakfast.

(6) What were your reasons for starting when you did, and starting with the certain food(s) you did?
Reasons for? I watched their cues. He started at 6 months and took readily to them. She was a bit slower- pushing the food out, etc. Now, she eats everything but eggs because she doesn't like them at all.

Answer 4

1) I exclusively breastfed - no formula ever
2) Started solids at 5 months
3) Started with rice cereal made with water - very thin for a while and slowly made it thicker over the months
4) The next food was bananas and then applesauce
5) I started out with one feeding a day and then went to two about 2-3 weeks later
6) I started solids because my daughter was getting fussy and not taking her naps well and her doctor suggested to start the rice cereal early to satisfy her because I was trying to wait until she was six months
Good luck!

Answer 5

1. First child - formula, 2nd child breastmilk
2. 6 months
3. Cereal mixed with formula for child #1, breastmilk for child #2
4. Next was orange and green coloured fruits and veggies due to their vitamin content
5. Started 1x / day building to 3 x/ day
6. At 6 months baby's digestive system is developed enough for solids. Started with fruits & veggies with the most vitamins and cereal as it was fortified with iron.

Answer 6

1. Breast milk for first three months then formula
2. 6 Months
3. Prunes, she was constipated
4. Cereals she didn't like them much, So then Squash
5. One, then two then offering 3 per day although she doesn't always eat three per day or she'll eat three but not always finish (I make her food so I offer 3 ice cubes of food at a "meal")
6. I actually started a week before 6 months (the earliest my ped. recommended) because she was very constipated and juice wasn't working so I gave her prunes, but she'd been reaching for our food and watching us while we ate for about a week or so before that.
(my baby is now 8 months old)

www.wholesomebabyfood.com

Answer 7

Formula fed.
I started solids at 5 1/2 months.
Started with rice cereal mixed with formula
Next food was green beans
I started with one feeding per day
I started when I did because he didn't seem to be full off of formula. I also chose cereal because it is easy on the tummy

Answer 8

1. Breastfed. He was given formula the first day (against my wishes). He was born via c-section with spina bifida and the doctor wouldn't let me hold him, and I wasn't allowed to pump until the next morning. The next 17 months he was breastfed.
2. 6 1/2 months
3. Mashed potatoes, so veggies
4. Fruit
5. 1
6. He showed interested in my mashed potatoes, so I let him have some.

Answer 9

1) Strictly breastmilk (Breastfed is bestfed)
2)When they had TEETH & showed interest
3) Fruit & veggies - fresh, not canned
4)Your child will show you; watch out for the Spaghetti Experience!
5) As they wean themselves, they'll request more foods
6) I had a garden,fruit trees & listened to my kids. A friend remarked with astonishment: You got that baby to eat TURNIP GREENS? He loved 'em.
*If your eating habits are good, your child will follow your example.

Answer 10

1. Breastmilk, supplemented with formula at 6 months when I went to work part time
2. 6 months
3. veggies
4. fruits
5. 1x a day
6. I teach parents about feeding guidelines as part of my job, so I knew not to start until 6 months.