Starting Solids - Ithaca,NY

B.,

I started my daughter on solids when she was 6 months. She was a late sitter so I wanted to make sure she could at least be seated and have some sense of balance and not topple over. If your son can sit up pretty well or even when supported I think you can go for it especially if he is already showing a really good interest in it. Give him a few spoons full and see what he does with it. Good luck!!

I actually gave my son sweet potatoes and pears before cereal. I would keep up the rice cereal for at least a week, but then add some pears to it. After another week, you can try sweet potatoes, ripe avocado, or apples. I always kept at it for at least 5 days before adding in something new. Mixing the cereal with fruit definitely helps get them used to texture!

He is pretty young though, so I would go slow!

Sometimes faces are just a result of trying something new. Did you make the rice cereal very watery? It should be pretty thin for the first few feedings. Did you mix it with formula or breastmilk? Maybe your son is really not ready for solids. He really doesn't know if the oreo is food, it was probably just a cool new thing and he is a healthy curious baby. It is really best to hold off as long as possible. Is he growing and putting on weight well? As far as fruits and veggies go my doctor told me not till 6 months. I cheated and started at 5 but only a tiny bit. Watch out for bananas. That combined with rice can be very constipating.

I'm not sure why a lot of doctors still say to start with cereals but I've been taught in LLL and my pediatrician that it's best to start with fruits and veggies instead of cereals as they tend to be too harsh on babies system and constipate them. A great book on the subject is Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. See
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Baby-Food-Ruth-Yaron/dp/09652...

I fed my first dd about this age and started with cereals and my dd was constipated. I waited a little longer but started with the same cereals for my second dd and she was constipated. For my 3rd, dd, I did more research and paid close attention to her teething and everything- just because a baby grabs for your food doesn't necessarily mean baby is ready to eat food. There are a number of "readiness signs" like sitting up unassisted, doubling birth weight and others.

With my 3rd baby, I didn't feed her until she was about 8 or 9 months, and she was fine. She wasn't hungry at all. When I did feed her I started with bananas and avocado and she has never experienced constipation. In fact, we never did cereal at all. I'd just mash up whatever veggies or fruit I ate and gave her that and she was happy.

Hope that helps!
P.
Christian Unschooling Mom, Author, Birth Doula, Coloratura Soprano

Dear B.,

My kids are grown now, but I used to always mix fruit in with their cereal. I would do only applesauce or bananas at first because I wasen't sure of allergies with the other fruits. It will make the taste better, he is probably going to make faces just because it is a different taste and consistency. Make sure it is very liquified at first and then as he gets used to it you can thicken it up. Just keep trying a little at a time. Sometimes if you give a few spoonfuls and then some of the bottle that helps as well to wash it down. Good luck!!