Starting Solids Before 6 months

Did anyone start solids before 6 months and regret it? My 5 month old DD is drinking 18-20 oz while I am at work and I can't keep up with her! Our ped says it is fine to start her on solids now, but everything I read says 6 months. I started cereal at 4 months with DD1 and waited until 6 months with DD2. Neither have any allergies and they are both good eaters. But I can't seem to make the decision to start DD3 on solids with all the research that says to wait. Thoughts? Thanks!

Starting Solids Before 6 months

I started at 5.5 months. All he wanted to do was nurse and he would only sleep for 1-2 hour stretches at night. After we started solids, he started to go for longer stretches and sometimes sttn. Next kid, I am starting closer to 5 months if I feel like they are not satisfied with BM alone.

Starting Solids Before 6 months

My ped gave us the green light to start when DS was 4 months. We skipped cereal and went straight to veggies. She asked us to start with the orange family. We had no issues! Good luck.

Starting Solids Before 6 months

I started cereal at 4 months and then gradually added fruits and veggies around 5 months. My ped suggested both because the formula was not satisfying DS and he would eat every 2 hours and would only sleep 1 1/2-2 hours at a time.

I do not regret my decision to start him at that age. That is also when I started DD and she will be 5 in March and does not have any food allergies.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Starting Solids Before 6 months

I just took my son to the pediatrician yesterday. He's 4 months and 2 weeks, 19lbs and eating 8oz with cereal in every bottle and she said I can start giving him fruits and veggies. Only like 1-2 tablespoons at a time now but she said to go for it.

Starting Solids Before 6 months

Thanks, all. I think the reason I am so hesitant is because she is very small - not even 13 lbs at 5 months and still wearing 3 month size. But she is eating more than every three hours and nursing 3-4 times a night, so I think I need to just do it!

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Message edited 2/4/2016 10:24:41 AM.

Starting Solids Before 6 months

My son is 4 months. He is 16.6lbs and 26 inches. My pediatrician asked me if I wanted to start veggies. With my first we started at 6 months so we are going to do the same with him. My pediatrician said that if you see that he is lunging at you when you are eating then we may want to start earlier. At this point he is not so we are going to wait.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

We started at 4 months with cereal then a few weeks later veges.
It was fine. no regrets

Starting Solids Before 6 months

I started at 4 moths. Cereal for a week and then on to fruits and veggies.

Would do it the same with another baby

Starting Solids Before 6 months

I started both of my boys at 4 mos with solids.

Starting Solids Before 6 months

Thanks everyone! I think we will try them this weekend!

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Message edited 2/4/2016 11:15:54 AM.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Make the decision based on your baby, not the calendar. Look for signs of readiness. Is she interested in food? Can she sit (or tripod) well? Will she push things out of her mouth (tongue thrust reflex)?

I started my daughters at 5m and 5m3w respectively.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

My DD at around 4 months started upping her bottles so much that I literally couldn't keep up with her hunger. She shot up to 9-10oz bottles and was hungry in less than 2 hrs. It was insane. So, I started her on solids and it was the BEST thing I EVER did. Her bottles went back down to 8 oz every 4 or so hours and she was so much more satisfied. There really is no reason to wait on solids if you feel she might benefit from them, I don't regret starting early.

I started with cereal and then after a few days added a fruit. Then I would try out a new fruit or veggie (no particular order) every 3-4 days until she was through all of the Stage 1 foods. Then I moved right to Stage 2 and by 6 months she was eating some table foods like pancakes, scrambled eggs, pasta, cheese, yogurt.

I usually gave her a morning bottle and then about an hour or so later gave her cereal and fruit, then a late morning bottle a few hours later, then cereal and veggie, a few hours later an afternoon bottle, dinner was fruit and veggie, and her last bottle about 45 min to an hour before bed.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Starting Solids Before 6 months

we started whatever we wanted @ 4 mo but i did follow a chart i found on pinterest to make sure it wasnt too harsh (yogurt a little later, etc)

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

18-20 oz is a lot. I'm assuming BM because you said you can't keep up? Unless you're working 12 hour shifts, she might be overfed. 1-1.5 oz for every hour you're gone.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Neither child had any interest at 4 months. We tried again at 5/5-1/2 months and they had moderate interest in cereal (and then I slowly added fruits and veggies)

ETA: Both kids were BF, and they didn't really eat much as far as food. It didn't really cause them to BF any less until they were closer to a year. It was more just good practice at eating off a spoon!

I have one good eater and one picky eater. One with allergies (peanut) and one without. I started both at the same time in the same way.

Message edited 2/5/2016 4:17:44 PM.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

Personally, I would but solids off as soon as possible because of all the info about open and closed gut. I think 6 months is a guideline as when to start, so I would try to get as close to that point as possible.

Then again, you have to do what's right for you. She is at least 5 months and maybe she actually is ready for solids.

Re: Starting Solids Before 6 months

I stated at 4 months with DD because she was 100% ready she kept going for my food before that. I started with oatmeal fruits and vegies.

DS I try to start at 4 months but he just wasn't ready he was ready closer to 6 months

Starting Solids Before 6 months

Dd was 4 months. She was always hungry