Starting Solids tips

DD is 4 months and the ped said I could start solids whenever I want. He only suggested I wait until it seems her bottles don't satisfy her. So I will wait, but I have NO idea how to even go about starting when she's ready and was looking for some guidance/tips.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm clueless and nervous!!!

1) What type of cereal do you start with? How much? How do you make it? What time of day do you start it?

2) When do you start fruit and/or veggies?

3) How many times a day does she get solids? Does food replace a bottle?

My ped only said there is no right or wrong way to feed your baby. Everyone will give you different advice. His words of wisdom included:

Start with cereal.

Cereal can be mixed with breastmilk, formula or water

Start something new every 3 days.

Don't start with anything with multiple ingredients.

Baby must try something 13 times before you can conclude she doesn't like it.

Feed her as much or as little as she wants.


All tips and suggestions welcome!!!
THANKS!

Message edited 3/29/2007 6:33:42 PM.

Re: Starting Solids tips

you will know her bottles aren't sufficient when she needs to eat sooner [if she eats every 3-3.5 hours and suddenly begins to be hungry at 2 or 2.5, you know she needs more]

at first, the cereal [rice is preferred for least likely to cause allergies] will be sooooo runny you will look at it and think, how is this a "solid."


the every 3 days for a new food thing is so that you can monitor for a reaction and know exactly what caused it....obviously if you feed your baby carrots and beats for the first time, you won't know which caused the reaction.

some items are cereal mixed with fruit already or multiple fruits or veggies. avoid these until you know your baby can eat each item alone.

your dr. gave you great advice!

13 times...i gave up on cereal with DD long before that...she simply didn't like it and i didn't feel like torturing her. she basically never ate cereal, but she was quite healthy!

Re: Starting Solids tips

1) What type of cereal do you start with? How much? How do you make it? What time of day do you start it?i started with rice cereal, then moved onto oatmeal. i never tried the barley cereal. at first it made it very watery almost like soup. i mixed the cereal with formula. then i would make it a lil thicker over the next weeks. i started it at first for breakfast only. then i increased it to twice a day. breakfast and dinner.

2) When do you start fruit and/or veggies? i started the veggies first. the green ones, the doc told me to start with those cause babies tend to like them less then the sweeter orange veggies. i would give the cereal for breakfast and the veggies for lunch, then cereal for dinner again. after i went thru the green veggies, i moved to the orange veggies, after that i moved to the fruits. its important to wait a few days between all the new foods, so incase of an reaction you know exactly what food caused it.

3) How many times a day does she get solids? Does food replace a bottle?
at first i give the solids twice a day and then build up to 3 times aday. the food should not replace the bottle. i usually spaced the solids and the bottle out by an hour.

and all the info your doc gave you is excellant, he is exactly correct on all the advise he gave.