Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

DD's just turned 4 months and her ped recommended starting solids and I queestioned it, but the ped said being she is 4 months, it is tine to introduce them. I am so on the fence. I'm not sure that she is ready. She has been getting cereal in her bottle since three months old due to reflux and has tolerated it just fine. She only takes four bottles a day for a total of 20-25 oz total. She was born at 8lbs and is now 12 lbs, 11 oz. She sleeps through the night just fine and naps throughout the day justfine. She does refuse the bottle when full. Any insight??

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

DS also had cereal in his bottle for reflux as a newborn.. At 3 months I tried him with cereal on a spoon. He took to it right away. I mixed a little applesauce in it.. I found that giving him the cereal this way helped with the reflux more.. It is trial and error at this time. And she will still be getting her nutrients from the formula. She will let you know if she isn't ready.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

Personally I dont agree with starting solids before 6 mths. I see no rush and was concerned about it being a hazard. I started my DD slowly at 6mths. She is 3 now and has zero allergies. I never understand what's the benefit of the rush?

Message edited 1/6/2012 1:13:08 PM.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

I think you need to follow your gut on this one. I can only share my experience with DD, if it helps.

We started solids at 4 months BUUUUUT..............my DD was SO beyond ready for them, it was actually necessary. She was doing fine taking 7-8oz bottles every 4hrs and then out of nowhere she was downing 9oz and crying for more and barely making it 2hrs. between feedings. She was hungry ALL time. She was also constantly staring at everything we ate and "chewing" while she watched us eat. I tried a little cereal on a spoon and she took it and swallowed it with NO problem, she LOVED it! So we started the cereal. As soon as we added cereal to her eating schedule her bottles dropped back down to her normal ounces and she was again going at least 4hrs. between feedings.

We ALWAYS made sure she had her bottle first, then solids, since the formula is the most important thing at that age. She would get her morning bottle then a half hour later she would have cereal. Same for her lunch and dinner bottle. After about 2 weeks we started introducing the Stage 1 fruits and veggies in no particular order. Every 3 days we would try a new one and once we went through all the Stage 1 foods we went right to Stage 2. By 6 months she was eating table foods like puffs, cheese, yogurt, shredded chicken, meatballs, pasta, etc. (BTW, she had NO teeth until she was 1!! )

Her schedule was:

Morning: Bottle then cereal and fruit
Lunch: Bottle then cereal and veggie
Dinner: Bottle then fruit and veggie
Half hour before bed: Last bottle

She was also ALWAYS a great sleeper like your DC. She started STTN at 8 weeks old (10pm to 9am) and at 12 weeks she switched to 7pm-7am. She also napped 3hrs. in the afternoon. Starting solids did not disrupt her sleeping habits at all so I wouldn't really worry about that. If anything, they will probably sleep better with nice, full tummies. She was 8lb 8oz at birth.

Edit - My DD was also tested for ALL allergies and has none so starting solids had ZERO effect on her. Some people are slow to start for their own reasons but every kid is different. As I mentioned above, my DD was ready and starting solids made a big difference with her. You just have to assess your own child and do what you feel is right.

Message edited 1/6/2012 2:04:20 PM.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

If you don't feel ready, then don't rush it.

We started DD on cereal at 4 mos. Mostly a few tablespoons of oatmeal 2 times a day. She took to the spoon so quick that we soon started added a little fruit to it. Within a month she was getting 3 meals a day of fruits & veggies. But that is what WE were comfortable with, so if you don't feel ready, hold off a bit.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

Follow your gut!
We started DD on cereal at 4 mos but she was so ready for it. She wanted more than the formula - I could tell. We slowly added fruits and veggies - and added yogurt at 6 mos.
My DD was also 8 lbs at birth but by 4 mos she was 18 lbs! She was a big eater and was fully ready for more by 4 mos.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

I started DD on cereal at 4.5 months. I could tell that she wanted more than just formula. She was so interested in what we were eating. She took to the cereal really well. Now she's on fruits and veggies too.

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

with my son we waited to 6 months and it was so easy - no mess - he ate good right away

the pediatric assocaition says to wait till 6 months especially for EBF - they found a lower incidence of obesity in kids that wereEBF till 6 months

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

Thanks for all of your help/advice. I guess it's hard for me to determine whether she is ready ir not because sge's already getting 10-12 tsps of cereal per day. I think i'm going to give it a try and see how she does. If she has trouble after a few days, i'll hold off. Thanks everyone!

Re: Advice needed...having a hard time deciding if dd is ready for solids

Try a little food & see how it goes.

DS was very ready for it at 4 months. He loved solids.

The AAP recs are 4-6 months.

I believe the 2 concerning issues are obesity & allergies.

Early introduction of solids may be worse for obesity (esp among formula fed infants) & better to prevent allergies.