Ideas for Starting Solids

I haven't read your responses. This is what my daughter ped. told us. Start her on solid food. When he said that he meant real people food. My daughter didn't start food until she was 7 month old because of vacation and then a death in the family.
So I started her on puffs, I also made her baby food and cereal real pastey, then she would eat it. Why not wait a month or so.
By the time my daughter was 8 months she was eating chicken, I know it sounds crazy but she was. I was a nanny for 15 years and never seen a child respond to baby food like mine did. I showed my friend who was a nanny also, because she didn't believe me. She was amazed by the way my daughter would spit it out. If you have any more questions just email me.
I am happy to tell you more.
Every child is different.
good luck. Try not to stress because they can sense it.
My heart goes out to you.
S.

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Hi K.! I feel for you because my 1 year old was the exact same way! Every time I would try to give solids it was a battle. It wasn't until he was 7 months old that he began to accept solids. His growth has always been great and I breastfed him through a year. Him not taking solids caused me so much stress, but I just had to wait until he was ready. Your daughter can survive on formula/breast milk alone for quite some time. When she is ready to take them she will. If you try to force them on her it will make eating an unpleasant experience and may cause more issues. With my son I would put him in his feeding chair when we would eat so that he associated the chair with eating, or I would hold him in my lap while I ate. Every week or so I would try to give him solids but I never pushed him to take them until he was ready. Eventually he started taking some (and he hated the spoon at first but would eat food from my finger). Once he was ready he would quickly progress through different foods. Now he's 1 year old and 2 weeks and doesn't refuse a thing. He has loved feeding himself from early on and is very healthy. Hang in there I drove myself nuts at feeding time! Just trust that she will take the food when she's ready. Each child is different and don't expect yours to fall into the doctors "schedule". Good luck!

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I agree with Jennifer. Most peds don't really know that much about infant nutrition. They are trained to deal with problems, not the norm. My boy is 6 months and we have yet to start solids, but will be doing so soon. Every baby is different, but your daughter does not sound like she is ready. Just give it a little time. There is no hurry. Give it a couple weeks and try again. She will want it eventually.

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I don't think 4 months old is too young for solids...if the kid is ready.

Given the information you've shared (won't open mouth, cries, spits it out), it doesn't sound like she's ready.

Put the food away and try again in a few weeks.

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It sounds like it may be too soon for solids. My doctor told me to start my son on cereal at 5 1/2 months, and gradually increase to other foods when he was taking the cereal with no problems. He eventually was taking fruits and veggies by 6 1/2 months with no problems, and then pasta and meats just before 9 months. We started with rice cereal at dinner, then a bottle. 3-5 days later, added oatmeal for breakfast, then bottle, then bottle for lunch, then rice cereal and bottle at dinner. Then 3-5 days later, added barley cereal for lunch, then bottle. Always food, then bottle. Couple of weeks later we started giving him fruits and veggies with his cereal. I know all doctors are different, but our doctor specifically said to wait until 5 1/2 months to start solids, then he was seen at his 6 month appointment, and the doctor was able to ask us how his feeding was going. It made sense to me, and it really worked. I would wait, and try to introduce again in a week, and then try again in another week if that doesn't work. Pick one meal a day and start with that. Good luck!

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I realize that you are trying to follow the direction given to you by your doctor. However, I do not feel that your doctor has given you sound advice in this matter. Starting solids earlier than 6 months is debatable at best, but to advise 3 meals by 5 months is unrealistic. At this stage, eating solids is less about nutrition and more about development. Her main source of nutrition should still be from the breast or bottle. Her actions demonstrate that she is not ready to start solids yet. Rather than stressing out about it, perhaps you can consider delaying them a bit longer. If that is not acceptable for you, then I would suggest forgoing traditional "baby food" and experimenting with suitable table foods cut into small pieces. Baked Sweet potatoes, ripe avocados, very ripe peeled pears, ripe bananas, steamed, peeled apples, etc. Avoid anything with skins or hulls such as peas and corn. The food does not need to be pureed, simply cut into small bite size pieces approximately the size of a kernel of corn. If you can mash it between your fingers, the food is soft enough. Just place some food on her tray at mealtimes with the family and let her explore. No stress over whether she actually eats the food or how much food she eats. She will get there eventually.

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Even though you can give a 5 month old solids she may still not be ready yet. Every child is different. You can always discuss this with your MD as well. My dtr did not take 3 meals of solids till she was 7 months of age. It takes more coordination of the mouth and toungue for solids and she just may not be there yet.

Has she had cereal in her bottle mixed with formula yet? She should take that. Mix it a little thicker so her sucking/chewing muscles develope more. Then you can try a runny, soft scrambled egg for a while (in the bottle if necessary).

i'm surprised that your doc is pushing it given that the american ped. ass'n (or whoever they are) suggest not starting solids till 6 months now anyhow. either way, if i were you i'd stop altogether for a few weeks since it's causing her such distress and try again later. clearly she'll get interested sooner or later and she can get all of the nutrition she needs from breast milk or formula. why put yourself through (or her) through the torture if you don't need to?? just my 2 cetns! good luck!

I think you have gotten some good advice here. I am on baby #4 and have started them all between 4-6months and they've all taken to it slowly. I've also read that they really don't need the solids at 4 months unless they are a bigger baby (I think the number was 16lbs). My youngest is 5.5 months now and was over 16lbs at 4mos and we are slowly introducing them to him. We have had the best luck with thin oatmeal (all my other kids liked more texture but not this one) and sweet potatoes and bananas. Yesterday he took way more than usual and actually ate 2TB cereal and more than half a 1st foods container in one sitting. I don't try more than once a day. He must have been hungry. We gave it to him in the evening and he woke up in the middle of the night hungry (usually sleeps thru) - I could actually hear his tummy grumbling. I think we may be starting another growth spurt. Perhaps you will have better luck introducing them when her appetite naturally increases due to a growth spurt.

Don't worry about starting at four months... I started both my boys at 4 months. I found that using a pacifier after each bite worked well until they got the hang of it.

For God's sake, ask your Doctor WHY she has to have solids at 5 months and why she needs to have 3 meals a day! Most people just listen to statements their doctors make and never ask them the reasons why they are making those statements. Many babies aren't ready for solids until much older and I'd say most are certainly not ready for so many solid meals a day right off the bat. When I started giving my son solids, my doctor said 3x a day, but couldn't give me real reason for why he needed so many. I gave him one and we gradually worked our way up to more times a day as he indicated he was ready (I'd say we didn't get to 3x a day until almost 9 months!) At our next appointment, my doctor couldn't stop talking about how wonderfully my son was growing and said he was right on schedule. Listen to your baby!

Don't worry K......I'm in the same boat. My 7 month-old is having a hard time with solids too. I started trying to give her solids about 2 months ago. She has slowly gotten better. The only reason I stressed was because she had a hard time with #2. When she had a spoon of something it would help. Now we changed formula and the #2 problem has been resolved. So, I just occasionaly offer her a jar here and there. She may or may not eat. But I don't let it bother me. I believe when she is ready she will eat.
Good Luck :)

try giving her sweet things like fruits and ceral you can mix the ceral with juice.I know this may be messy but just put a little food on her tray and go for it on her own.

I can completely understand your concern. I started my son, who is now almost 10 months on solids when he was 4 months old. I didn't have a horrible time with it. However I don't think he was taking much of it in until he was about 5 1/2-6 months old. I am surprised your doctor said to have her on 3 meals by 5 months, most people don't even start solids until 6months. I can't remember exactly but I don't think my son was to 3 meals a day until about 7-8 months. My doctor had us doing 2 meals a day between 5-7 months. However I would follow what your doctor says.
I would keep encouraging solids but don't force them because that may cause you more problems in the long run. Good luck!!

Check out www.kellymom.com specifically the part about delaying solids. Print it out and discuss it with you dr if you want.

I would keave it alone for a while. Maybe she just isn't ready. Our kids tell us more than we are able to understand sometimes. I would do cereal, if she will take and mix fruit if you can. I wouldn't push it. If she is gaining weight, happy and content, I wouldn't push it. Doctors aren't right about everything. I went with my instincts and let my girls guide me and they are doing great and are healthy and happy. No food problems.pushing her may be setting you up for food issues. Happened to a friend of mine.

Like some have said, your child is not ready. Just because one doctor (yours) said to have him on 3 meals a day by now doesn't mean your child is developmentally able to yet. Each child is different as you are seeing, as a mother.
If there is some medical reason that you MUST start solids, then I recommend seeking out an Occupational Therapist. You can find one initially through a local hospital in the pediatric unit. They can do an evaluation then can recommend if you need their help and then get together with your pediatrician for a referral back to them for services/therapy.
Otherwise, just keep trying every 5-7 days with simple things like the b-r-a-p diet.

good luck. I'll be with you in your shoes in a month (we're not even starting until 6 months per our pediatrician, who has practiced for 30 years but up with current standards). There are many doctors out there. Seek out one that is evaluating the child you have not the charts or the expectations based on statistics.

Had the same problem..I know you do not ant to her it, but we had to wait. My 1st was almost 9 months before she would take baby food and then we had to go to fruits and veggies first.
Good luck

I know you're following your dr's advice, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months, so maybe you can listen to all those other drs and not worry about the solids right now. I feel that the more you push it, the less she's going to like it. Try again in another week or two. You should follow your baby's schedule, not the doctors!

I would wait until she is 6 months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics is conflicted on this topic. One subcommittee recommends not starting until 6 months and the other says between 4 and 6 months. She may just be too young. So give her a month and then start again. When you do start, let her have a spoon as well, so that she can waive it around and sometimes find her mouth and make the rice cereal initially kind of runny, so it isn't so far removed from her milk. It should be made up with your breast milk or formula rather than with water. I might also think about finding a different doctor as 3 meals a day at 4-5 months seems pretty outside the norm for medical advice. good luck.

My guess is that she's just not ready for solids yet. Some kids are ready early, and some are around a year before they show interest. There's no medical reason for why she should have solids right now (though no reason against it.) She'll get plenty of nutrition from formula or breast milk and I'm sure that she'll start showing an interest in your food soon enough. Good luck!

I wanted to ad that even though your doctor's advice is 3 meals a day by 5 months, other doctors have completely different opinions and it's not a one-size-fits-all sort of topic. Your doc isn't wrong, but it's not the only way to go about feeding solids, so don't get too hung up on following what he says by the book. If she's indicating that she's not ready for solids yet, I would follow her lead, as long as she's still taking the bottle or breast.

Amazing how, even when they are that young, they have so much personality and know exactly what they want :)
You have some good advice here--but if you try it all and nothing works: the key thing is to make sure your child is getting the right vitamins and minerals (they have liquid stuff you can put into the formula). Other than that, just remember that your child will eventually eat solid foods...don't feel like you have to rush. She won't go to kindergarten still on formula ;-)
Good luck!

One thing, my brother was exclusively breastfed until he was 13 months old. Simply because he just would NOT EAT, or take a bottle. He was fat, smart, funny,, active. He is today a 26 y/o Brut of a man. A happy professional who eats primarily what doesn't eat him first!
Five months is WAY to early to be worried. Stop for a month and try again. Baloney with 3 meals by 5 months. If she can't thrust, she can't. Eating at this age is practice! Neither of my kids ate 3 meals a day until 8 months or so. They are great eaters now at 3 and 15 months. Stop stressing, she senses your angst. Take a break, seriously.
Good Luck!

She's not ready! Get a second opinion. I've recently been to our doctors and seen 4 different doctors in that practice...they all told me different things. There's no reason for your baby to be on 3 meals a day by 5 months old unless there's a weight or other medical issue. My daughter didn't even start solids until she was 6 months old and it took her much longer than that before she had 3 meals a day.

Find a new doctor as they are NOT following the AAP guide. Your baby knows best. Your 2 children are different, that's ok.

Stop trying to give her solids. She is way too young and she is telling you so. Listen to her! La Leche League says to start feeding solids when the kid starts grabbing for your food. I understand that you are bottle feeding and not breast, but this is outstanding advice. BTW: doctors aren't always right. Sometimes they are just telling you what you want to hear.

I'm surprised to hear the doctor said 3 meals a day by 5 months. That may work for some babies, but I highly doubt it works for many. At 4 months I don't think there is a "problem" at all - she simply is not ready. Try once a week or so and she will know when she is ready and will start taking the food. 4 months is much too early to consider not taking solids a problem. Just feed your little angel as you are now, take it one step at a time, and you both will know when she is ready.

I agree with what's been written before, but I don't think you should just ignore the advice of your doctor.

Is your baby underweight? In need of special supplementation for some reason? Three meals by 5 months sounds pretty outrageous given that the American Association of Pediatrics doesn't recommend even starting solids until the baby is at least four months old (rec is 4-6 months) and many other sources recommend waiting until 6 months. There must be some reason for it.

I recommend you seek a second opinion from another pediatrician. It definitely sounds like your little one is simply not ready for solids. Mine was the same way at that age. We did start with some limited solids between six and seven months, but it was a long time before she really took to solids. At that stage, I just focused on introducing her to eating with a spoon and tasting different recommended foods, not forcing anything and not expecting her to eat any particular amount.

Again, I don't think you should just go wholesale against medical advice, but you have to be careful because you can get some old fogey docs who have been practicing since back in the day when people force-fed rice cereal in a bottle when the babies were six-to-eight *weeks* old and they either haven't kept up with current recommendations or they just don't want to change their advice.

FWIW, my kid wasn't on three meals of solids until she was 10 months old and she is fine in every way, on target for height, weight, development, etc. I know other babies haven't gotten to three meals until after 1 year.

Your child is too young and your doctor is not helping by saying your baby has to have the three meals a day. Most babies start from four to six monthes old on solids. Another thing don't worry about how much the baby is getting. It is a learning process for your child just keep doing what you are doing slowly. Also put the child in a diaper and let her explore and feed herself. Try putting the formula in a sippy cup that doesn't have one of those non spill valves. This will allow your child to drink the formula at her meal time. If you make it fun it won't be a battle, but it might be messy for awhile. And don't worry your child won't go to college with a bottle! And please do not give your child eggs like someone else recommended, she needs to be 1 year old for eggs.

I started all three of my kids on solids around 6 months at my doctor's recommendation. They were on "three meals" by around 9 months. I believe the American Association of Pediatrics recommends that babies start solids at 6 months.

K.,
I was told to start at 6 months by my pediatrician so maybe she isn't ready yet. I know you said you were following drs advice, but you know...every baby is different. They all mature at different ages. Some speak and walk early...some don't. Your dr. is giving you a guideline I would imagine if you asked...so maybe stop for a while and then start again.

Good luck and congratulations on your little cutie
J.