Starting Solids - Cincinnati, OH

Hi K.,
Wow, you have received a lot of different advice. I'll add a unique perspective that I didn't hear from anyone else. I was told when a baby starts getting teeth it is the body's way of saying it is ready for more than milk (teeth = chewing). Just something to think about. Best of luck to you all.
S.

My son had to start on solids when he was 3 months old. He did fine except oatmeal cereal is not good for them at that age. I learned that the hard way! If you use cereal just try a little at a time at first. I f you start jar food my dr said to use the same flavor of each for a couple of days incase you have to pinpoint an allergy. My kids were all allergic to Hawaiian Delight and could not digest the oatmeal cereal. You have to go by what you think sometimes and not the dr. Most of them don't even have kids!

Well I would only do it if you are comfortable doing do.And then if you do start them off on something easy like single grain cerals like rice or oatmeal.A little on the runny side(add more formula)just incase you are worried about choking.Becky

Hi there,

My doctor also told me to start at five months, however, I waited until my baby was 6 months old. What is more important is to look for cues from your baby. Does he watch you while you are eating? Is he interested? Does he pretend to chew? My baby was doing all of these things before I started. I think research shows that the longer you wait, the fewer food allergies your baby might have. I don't know if this is true or not. I gave my baby bananas first, then avocado. Her favorite thing, though, was the organic rice cereal with a little chicken broth. At six months, she was actually saying mmmmm. The thing I have learned is your doctors, friends, and family can tell you when you SHOULD be doing things but only you and your baby know when the right time is for you.

Hope this helps!

I am a mother of a 15 month-old daughter.

wait until you think your child is ready. A month or even a few really wont make much of a difference so do what makes you comfortable

Starting solids at 4-6 months is a good time. They say if you wait past 6 months your baby may refuse them and you'll have a harder time getting them started.
Of course "solids" aren't really solid--rice cereal mixed with your breastmilk or formula is usually the first thing to try and then other cereals and on to baby food.
I started to try the rice cereal when my daughter was 5 months and she wasn't very interested. I mixed the rice cereal with formula and a little baby food for flavor and she liked that better. After a while I gave up on the cereal and just started baby food. Then I bought some of the gerber fruit puffs that dissolve in baby's mouth and she loved those. Some of her first real foods were toast and cheerios.
Johnson & Johnson has a great line of infant care books and the one titled "Feeding Your Baby" was a tremendous help to me.
I'd recommend trying and seeing how your baby responds and go from there. It is not too early, though and 5 months or 6 months is a good age to start.
Good Luck!

I highly recommend waiting till at least 6 months. There are two many food allergies. I often do what I feel is right as a mother and I have told the ped that I started solids and really have not. I have nursed my first 3 children till 18 months when they self weaned. Are you nursing? Also when you do start I suggest you try organic food, especially if you plan to use jarred food to prevent all the extra sugar and pesticides from entering the baby's body. I hope this helps and let me know if you would like more info on organic food.

Michelle -Mother of 4

Seems odd that you would tell your dr. that you read to wait until 6 months and he/she said "you should go ahead anyway."

I read the same thing. With our first daughter we waited until she was 6 months. I read that it decreases their chances of allergies and it's better for breastfeeding to wait. (I breastfeed.) Infants don't NEED anything except for breastmilk/formula for the first year.

However, our 4 month old just got her first cereal last night. She's been wanting to eat more frequently and has been waking up at night (she's been sleeping through the night for at least a month now). She pushed most of the cereal out and didn't eat much of it. We probably will wait a few days before we try it again.

As with everything else, you do the research (which it sounds like you've done) and decide what's best for you and your baby. :) Your dr. can give advice, but you know your baby best.

4 - 6 months is the "recommended" ages. The longer you wait (closer to 6 months), the less chance of digestive issues because you baby's system has matured a little more. Nothing is wrong with starting now. I started my first two at 4 months, and my youngest right at 6 - however, we never did "baby food", we just went right to table food. There's no reason to start on expensive jarred food and cereals if you don't want to either. HTH!

Do not rush the solid foods. Listen to your gut instincts. My boys never got solid food until 9 months old, and my friend breastfed her 4 until 12 months. It really helps prevent food allergies.

I agree with your pediatrician. IF your child is ready go ahead and start him. Both my children wanted solids early - like at 3 months - and both were completely on table foods by 9 months. When asked, my pediatrician said that the only reason for baby food is to train the baby to eat. My understanding of the literature is that a baby should not have solids prior to 4 months due to diabetes studies. I think I saw something once that said 6 months for a breast-feeding child due to latching. My feeling on this subject is, there is no reason to deprive you child of solids unless there are allergies and I had an easy time with both kids stopping the bottle between 12 and 15 months as neither found it to be their only source for nutrician.

K.,
I started my son on solids at like 5 1/2 mos. If you start him on rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula (whatever he's used to), there is little chance of an allergic reaction. However, you are the mom! Do whatever seems best to you. My ped. told me I could start anytime from 5 mos. on, but I chose to wait a little bit b/c I didn't think he was ready. Also, how's the ped. going to know if you don't start him exactly at 5 months? It's not like he's looking over your shoulder every time you feed him. Plus, if he asks and you say, "no I decided to wait until 6 months" and he questions your judgement or makes you feel bad that you waited, then you need to find a new ped. because you need one that supports your decisions as a parent. Good luck!

Forget about what anyone else says. What is the baby doing, is he showing signs that he is ready? If so I would start with the rice and oatmel cereals for babies if he is spooning them good then go for it if not I would wait and try in another month. Never put the cereal in a bottle it makes it harder to go to a spoon later. What ever you decide just watch the signs of your baby he will let you know when he is ready and just to let you know my son who is almost three didn't start on solids till about 7 months and my daughter who is 1 started at about 3 months so all babies are different.

Hi K.,

It is really much better to wait until your baby is six months old. That way his digestive system has more time to mature and he is less likely to develop food allergies or have other problems. You can check Dr. William's Sear's website, askdrsears.com or the La Leche League website for more helpful information.

C.

Rice cereal is, from my experience with my 4 kids, the best thing to start them out on. I've made it really watery and then gave it in a bottle (you can get nipples with larger holes for cereal) or I used a medicine dropper. Make sure it's cleaned really well or get a new one. It all depended on the child at the time. These methods are much neater I found then trying to use a spoon. I did the cereal for about 2 monthes with all my kids at bed time. I started at 4 monthes though. Check out the book "Feeding your Baby" by Sara Lewis. It's got lots of great receipes and tells you when to introduce what foods. I never used many of the receipes but the food suggestions were great. Check it out! Good Luck!

It's so hard when it's your 1st...You try hard to do everything right! The thing I have learned after 2 kids is there are not that many actual "right" answers. Each kid is different, so what works for one may not be the answer for another. That's why there are so many mixed opinions. One thing for sure is go with your gut. You, as a mom, intuitively know what's the best way to go for your baby / child. I had one daughter start w cereal / rice at 4-5 months b/c she was so ravenous. The kid was constantly hungry, born with teeth about to break through, (2 teeth came in at 4 months), just going like mad. Baby cereal mixed w formula was the way to go. She got the nourishment she still needed from the formula and got her belly filled too. The other kid ate like a bird. It was the classic 6-7 months wait for her....but both kids were normal size and weight. For your baby, use your best judgement as far as his growth, and eating needs are concerned. It won't hurt them to start solids a little early. P.

Hey K.,
I am on my second child and everything I have read states to start feeding them at 6mos. My doctor for my first told me to wait, this one I already know will tell me to start early. I think it has alot to do with the doctor. I myself am against it. But I know lots that disagree. I would say you are going to have to trust your instinks as a mother. You know your child better than anyone else does, ask yourself how hungry he/she is. If your child is always looking for food, them maybe its time. If you feel your child is getting enough to eat, then go ahead and wait. Just do what you feel is right.
K. T

Hi K.! My daughter just turned one year old and we chose to start solids right at 6 months with rice cereal. We were very careful to give her a full week between each new fod and held of until after the one year mark for the high allergans. We had the go ahead from our pediatrician at around 5 months but we chose to wait. I think it is your choice. Only you know your child and what he/she needs. Go with your gut. You quickly learn that it is right most of the time! Good luck and let us know what you decide!

K.,

I'm really surprised your pediatrician is pushing solids so early. Mine (and the other associates in his office) strongly recommends waiting for at least six months. My little one was breastfed and she didn't want anything to do with solids even at six months when we started trying cereal. Actually, she hardly wanted to try any foods (except my milk) until she was almost a year old! Then she went almost straight to table foods. My doctor never wanted me to force her. At this stage of the game food should be a fun experiment, and is not a baby's main source of nutrition and definitely not something that should be forced. Breastmilk or formula are the main supplies of nutrition for your baby. I say go with your gut feeling. If your little boy is happy with his formula or your milk, then I'd stay away from the solids until the six month mark and then start slow with cereal. You could also call your local hospital's referral line, or ask friends who they use, if you have other disagreements or concerns with your doctor. We really like ours, but some of my friends have switched because their first pediatrician didn't keep up with the guidelines from the Academy of Pediatrics and other new discoveries. Good luck and trust YOUR instinct!

K.

i started both my boys at 4months on solids. one is evan toung tied..and it wasnt hard for him at all.tust your ped. they arnt going hurt your child or tell you to do something that is.

I want to say that i started my son on solids at around 5 months to and he was fine he turned into a really good eater... just start out with half of a small jar and see how he works with that but my son turned out fine and eats extremely well .. so i dont see there really being a problem ..

I started cereal at 3 months and food at 4 months. My son loves to eat. He is now 10 m and 2 days and will eat anything. For 1 and a half months now he has only wanted finger foods and he isn't "suppossed" to eat finger foods yet but it is what he will eat...
My theory is if the dr. says it's okay and you are comfortable with it go ahead. If you are not then wait. Is he satisied with only bottles or does he want more?

Did your Dr. tell you why he thought it was ok to start solids? Does it seem as if your child is needing more then just the formula. I started my children between 5 and 6 months. I know many people for various reasons who started earlier. In my daycare I try to stick to the 5-6 month range. If you are not comfortable with the reason as to why your Dr. says start solids, then wait. If it is for medical reasons then I would call your dr and discuss it further. If you would like to talk more about this you can email me offlist.

Hi, I started my daughter on solids at 4 months and she did fantastic, she never really cared for a bottle and self-weaned herself at 4 months when I started back to work. My ped. told me to do cereal first for a couple of weeks and if she did well with it after 3-4 weeks to introduce veggies. If you don't think that your child is ready just kind of pay attention to these things: 1. how much is your child eating at a sitting, 2. how often do you have to feed him, 3. is he not sleeping through the night because he wakes up hungry? Once you answer these questions then you'll know if he's ready.

Each child is different. I am surprised and a little pleased that your pediatrician actually recommended solid food already. In my day, they weren't so quick to put little ones on solid foods...and so I ignored what mine said and fed the little ones early. They are fine and healthy!

You can't fit everything you read to your child. Alot of it is instinctual to a child - when they need more, they'll take more. Doesn't hurt to try it. If your little one rejects the cereals, try mashed taters (my kids LOVED these!). Try different flavors too!

Hi K.,

I'm the mom of an 8 month old girl and I started her on rice cereal at 4 months. After about a month on rice cereal we started vegetables and fruits, one at a time, to detect for any reactions. At 8 months she has oatmeal and fruit in the morning, vegetable at lunch and rice cereal and a vegetable at dinner. I still nurse her or give her a bottle about every 4 hours or so. Our pediatrician suggested we start at 4 months, however I've also read about starting at 6 months. I think it's a personal choice and there is nothing wrong starting before 6 months if you would like to. Good luck!

There is actually a new study out that the longer you wait the more prone to all allergies your child will be, when they used to say the earlier you start the more food allergies. If you don't have a strong history of food allergies in your family and your peds doctor gave you the go ahead it is probably ok. The only other concern with starting foods to early is diabetes but I am sure your dr. talked with you about all of that. My son and daughter were both 4 months old when they started soilds if that helps you. As a mom you know what is best for your child. Good luck!

My son starting eating solids at 4 months. He was so hungry that formula just wasn't enough for him. He was so excited from his first bite of bananas that he just couldn't contain himself. I would just start little by little. I was concerned as well, but once I started, I never looked back. My son also had an immature digestive tract as mentioned by someone else, but solids did not seem to affect him. I just wouldn't feed him bananas everyday. Good luck

Hello K.,

I am a mother of three. I have a 17 year old son, 13 year old daughter and a son who will be 4 months on the 15th. It's truly amazing starting over:-)Since it's been awhile for me, I have turned to all the books for guidance. Both of my other children were eating cereal at 3 months old and I did the same with my new son. My pediatrician recommended waiting until 4 months for cereal. He's doing just fine with it. We see the doctor this Saturday and I am going to talk to her about baby food...Bananas, peas, squash etc...I will let you know what she recommends.

Hope this helps,
S.

Hi K.,
If your doctor suggested your baby should start on solids, then I would start. My son started eating some cereal with a small amount of fruit when he was about four months old. He had been experiencing some constipation and this solved the problem. If your baby is still waking up frequently to eat, starting solids will help you there too. Once you start feeding your baby solids they sleep longer because they get thier little tummies fuller. Hope I have helped and good luck!

S.

I started adding cereal to my sons formula @ 6 weeks because he was not fillin up on formula. We then started spoon feeding him thin cereal @ 4 months and on baby food at 5 months. We had absolutely no problems. He was started on table food at 7 months with the soft mushy stuff and the chewy stuff @ 8 months. I think it should be based on the childs development not an age. If you think your baby is ready go for it. if you dont think they are ready then wait. Remember you know baby best. Hope that i was helpful

some times you just have to trust your motherly instincts.my oldest didn't start solids till he knew how to sit up(about 4-5months).but i have a three month old and i already started giving him a little tiny bit of cereal.he likes it and has no problem with it.if you feel your baby isn't ready then don't.your the other and you make the descisions.

I started my daughter at 3-1/2 months. She does great. But just to let you know, start with the veggies first, then they get a feel of what it tastes like and they wont always refer to the sweet stuff. That's what we did with Abbi. It works great because now she loves her veggies. I did the same thing with my son too, and he loves veggies still. Doesn't really like fruit though. Another thing make sure you use cereal in with the food that way it's not so runny.

Here's a great article on Why Delay Solids.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

I started my son on rice cereal, "first" veggies and fruits when he was about 4-1/2 months old--that was when he showed all the signs of readiness. His "tongue thrusting" reflex had pretty much gone away, and he had already expressed a lot of interest in our solid food--he tried to grab a banana out of my hand and gnaw on it. He was also up to more than 30 oz. of formula a day and crying for food about every 2-1/2 hours.

He's six months now--and gets rice cereal with bananas in the morning and usually a little bit of rice cereal in the afternoon and either veggie and fruit, or veggies and cereal at night with his formula. He's doing great.
We balance the cereal and formula with the fruit and veggies so that he gets enough iron and other vitamins.

But your baby will let you know when he's ready. Good luck!

Hi. I have an 19 mo old daughter and we started her at about 4 months. First we did just cereal mixed with formula. At about 5 months we started on the jar food and about 6-7 month we started on table food. I dont think there is a right or wrong age to start them. It just depends on the child. We started at 4 months, because our daughter was always hungrey, even after her bottles she wasnt satisfied. Hope this helps and Congrats on being a first time mom!!

Hi K.
We have a 5 month old and started her on solids. She is eating green beans, peas and carrots so far. We started her on rice month 4. Just remember to feed him the same food for a few days in a row to make sure there are no allergies. Congratulations, I know how exciting and overwhelming it can be. Our 5 month old is our second child, we also have a three year old. Hope this helps

I have a son who is now almost 9 months old and our doctor told us to go ahead and start right about at the 5 month time. I think this is partly because it really takes them awhile to get used to eating. We started with the rice cereal (which he really wouldn't eat at all until we used the rice cereal with the fruit mixed in) and I think we were at the 6 month mark before he was eating anything significant.

In terms of the reading, I also read that 6 month mark a lot. But, a lot of other information I read looked at the behaviors that the child exhibited as signs that he/she was ready for some food. So, your doctor probably saw some of the signs and told you to go ahead. However, if you aren't comfortable with starting before 6 months, wait!

Good luck and God Bless!

Hello K.! This is your first child and your going to be the judge of allot of first for him. Do you think your baby is ready to try something new? It won't hurt to try it out for a few days or weeks. Just to see if he get the hang of it, and to see if his digestive system is ready. If you dont think he is ready then wait. It is not going to hurt him either way. If he seems content with his formula for now dont worry. They like to get them started so the transision is smooter from formula to milk.

i have heard starting them on solids at 4 mo and some say at 6. i have a cousin with a 3 mo old and is already getting cereal. i just say do it when you think you are both ready to do it. i don't think it will harm them one way or another.

my pediatrician also said the same thing. We started her on rice cereal at 5 months for several weeks and then started other grains then slowly added baby food in by 6 months. Since breast milk or formula is the primary source of nutrition still do what your comfortable with. Your baby might enjoy starting something new. I don't think u can go wrong whatever u decide.

I don't personally know about the allergy issues, but I do know that they recommend you start when your child is taking a certain amount of formula per day and still not seeming satisfied...At 5 months I would think they would be ready to actually take the food in as long as they are actually wanting it...So, I believe a child is supposed to take an avg of 32 oz per day consistently...If your child is taking 32 ounces per day and still not seeming to be satisfied with this I would say it would be fine to start on some oatmeal at bedtime...They do say you should only add one new food every few days though, so that if baby is allergic you will know which food caused the reaction...HTH!!!

all kids are different. it definately won't hurt your baby to start solid foods now. my kids started early too and they seem to get cranky less and slept better. it also helps so your baby doesnt gain extra weight from lots of formula.

HI MY 2 GIRLS WERE 3 1/2 MONTHS WHEN I STARTED THEM ON SOLIDS AND THEY DID GREAT NO PROBLEMS. I WOULD DEFINATELY GO AHEAD AND START HIM HE SHOULD DO GOOD.

I started at 4 months with rice cereal. Most babies are ready to start solids before 6 months. Some signs are if they are taking in 32 + ounces of formula a day, or still acting hungry (like eating every 2 hours, meaning they arent staying full for that long) reaching/showing interest in your food, and are able to hold head up with some assistance. It does take a few tries to get used to it. Most will shove out the food with their tongue, but just keep trying. My daughter is now 6 months and LOVES her solids. Every baby and DR is different though, so when it comes down to it, go with your instincts. I too was confused about when to start and how much, so if you have any other questions, feel free to email me.

Maybe you should ask someone at the WIC office, they always know what is best.

Our pediatrician told us to start solids with our daughter when she was 4 months old. He said to start with rice cereal, and then slowly add vegetables and fruit one by one at first. This helps you to pick up on any food allergies. It doesn't make any difference if you wait until he is 6 months or start him now, if he has an allergy it will be the same. If he seems to be interested in what you are eating, will take a little bit of rice cereal from a spoon, and can sit up fairly well with support, he's probably ready. We did the rice cereal for about a week, then the oatmeal cereal for a few days, and then started on the vegetables before introducing the fruits. It is important to introduce him to as many different types of food as you can, to help him get used to it and expand his palate. My friends with little kids have heard the same things from their peds. You can/should start him on more solid tablefood around 8-9 months, but if he has teeth early and is doing well you could start a little earlier. There isn't a hard and fast rule about when to switch him to stage 2 and stage 3 foods, but after he can swallow well and is taking the stage 1 foods for about a couple weeks, try mixing in a little cereal with it to thicken it, and when he does well with that, switch him to stage 2. After he's been on stage 2 foods for a few weeks, occasionally try a little bit of stage 3 food and see how he does. When he does well, switch him over. It's so fun to see their reactions to new foods! Oh, the rice and oatmeal cereals taste better to them if you mix them with breastmilk or formula instead of water. I'm sure your pediatrician already told you this, but-no honey, no shellfish, no peanuts or peanut butter, no milk, no egg whites, and no chocolate or sugary foods until he is a year old (some say 2 years old on the peanuts and honey). Have fun! And don't worry- you aren't going to mess him up! I was all worried about what foods to introduce when, and how much, etc., and now my baby is an eating machine at 11 months and I wonder why I worried! =)

I would trust your pediatrician, as long as it doesn't really conflict with your instincts. I would try the rice cereal and see how he reacts. You may be surprised. All the recommendations I have heard say to start in the 4-6 month range. My pediatrician gave the go ahead on solids (starting with Rice Cereal) at 4 months for both of my children and they are both awesome eaters(my 4 1/2 year old's favorite foods are brocolli and tomatoes!!). Unless you have a significant family history of food allergies you should be fine. It's a fun experience and in my experiences (I have two children of my own and have cared for a dozen or so other infants) the children who start earlier have a much easier time of it down the road. They are more willing to try things, they master the skills needed for succesful eating quicker, and generally have an easier time where food is concerned. Relax and enjoy - either way, he'll be six months old before you know it anyway :-)

Hi K.,

I have a 14 month old and I started him on solids around 4 1/2 months and he did fine. I started out with fruits in the stage ones and fed him the same fruit for at least 3 days--to make sure he wasn't allergic. I only fed it to him once a day about 1/3 of a jar. Then of course that gradually increased. It is kind of frustrating though because they have a little bit of a hard time working the spoon, but don't get discouraged. It takes some practice for them to get used to it and get everything working right. Hope this helps and let me know if I can help you out more!! :)

E. Hougland

Hello K.,
Book don't tell you what YOUR child needs,Every child is different.
My girls are all grown up (19 and 16) but the way I see it if your baby needs more give him more, if not - don't.

My 19 yr old needed more to eat at the age of 3 weeks.(She was 8 lbs 21 1/2 inches long at birth) And she loved the rice cereal. She was a eater she was eating a 8 oz. bottle at a time and wanted to eat more a hour later. At night she sleep all night but when got up she was so hungry she downed that bottle so fast she got sick. I had to give her more food so 3 times a day she got the cereal. she was ok with that for about a month, so I added a fruit.

With my 16 yr old (6 lbs and 22 1/2 inches long at birth) she did not like to eat she did not like the bottle or food. It was not fun. The only thing I could get her to drink was juice. The Dr. told me to get her what she wants. That is becouse she was so small.

The way I see it is if your son needs more to eat go for it, but if he is ok with what he is getting right know I would wait. Is he under weight? Are you breastfeeding? Is he feeding alot? If he is, he may need more to eat. Some thing to fill the belly a little. Every child is different. But if you do start him on some thing start with the RICE cereal really thin on a rubber coated spoon not to hurt the gums, start with morning time and see how he does for about a week and if he needs more to eat then once at night. Let us all know how things go.

Hi K., I would follow your doctors advice. I am sure he did not mean he should eat a whole bowl of cereal. Usually to start if you look at the size of your child's fist that is about how much the child should eat. So, at this point in time it is about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Good Luck. B.

Hey K.,
I started all three of mine on cereal and fruit at 4 months. The first one was only interested in eating cooked mushed apples from 4-6 months and the other two ate a morning food in the am..then at 5 months we added dinner and then lunch. If you offer it and they like it then go for it...if they aren't interested, then wait. It does seem like once they start though, they like that food and they count on it...after mine got used to the routine of eating at certain times, they were fussy if they weren't fed (like if we were out running errands and I didn't happen to have green beans in my pocket ;-)
Hope that helps.

i don't think your child's doctor would have u do anything that would hurt the child. i started all my kids about 5mths just start out with baby food stage 1 & then go from there

When my son was that age I was really excited about feeding him solids because he was my first too. Our doctor said anytime between 4 and 6 months is good so I started around 5 months. I bought a book called First Meals by Annabel Karmel that is filled with recipes you can make easily at home. This was really great because my son has always had homemade food and it costs sooooooo much less than jars. Either way you go don't worry, feeding you baby can seem really scarry for a first timer but I think as moms we put way too much thought into it. I hope this helps!

Hi K.,

I am sure if your doctor said it is okay, it is okay. We started ours on just a few spoonfulls of cereal when they were just 2 mos old at night. We did it with our 16 year old when he was that same age as well . . . and they are all just fine. All babies are different . Some, I believe need food sooner than others . . . our older son was like a baby bird with his mouth wide open, we couldn't shovel it in fast enough. Other babies are more content with just the bottle until then. Just try it and see how he does. What can it hurt? It may surprise you, he may really like it. It's always fun when they first start eating . . . the faces they make, the mess . . . :-D Enjoy!!!

K.,

We started rice ceral at 4 mos and veggies -- slowly one at a time for a week then another for a week at 6 mos. That is what most books/peds recommend. If you're not comfortable, its your baby and do what you feel is best.

Hi K.,

You don't have anything to worry about. Go ahead and feed that baby! :) Just be sure to only introduce 1 at a time, and give your baby's body a chance to get used to that food. We started with veggies, carrots for a week, then on to the next. It won't hurt your baby or do him any harm, good luck to you.

My son started solids around 4 months old. He started with fruit and cereal in the morning for a couple days. Then started giving vegetables for lunch and dinner. He was eating 3 full solid food meals by the time he was 5 months old. He is now 6 months old and eating stage 2 solids, plus biter biscuits, and juice out of a sippy cup! Every baby is different. The important thing is watching your baby's cues. Does he watch when you eat? Does he immitate your mouth movements? Your baby will tell you when he wants solids!

deleted by author for privacy purposes

I'm a first time mom also, and my son is 8 months old right now. Anyways, I started my son on solids, as in baby food at 6 months old, which was what was recommended by my pediatrician. However, my pediatrician also said the longer you wait to start solids the less likely your baby will develop allergies. I guess, go with what you feel comfortable with.

Pediatricians, while very well meaning, generally aren't the best resources for nutritional information. Current medical evidence and research shows that indeed most babies should NOT start solids before 6 months -- their guts are too immature to handle things. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics states this. Rather than go by an age/date for starting solids, the BEST thing to do is know the signs of readiness for solids and then start when *your* baby exhibits these signs (that may be 5 months for one baby or 9 months for another!):

Quoted from kellymom.com:
Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:

* Baby can sit up well without support.
* Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
* Baby is ready and willing to chew.
* Baby is developing a �pincer� grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
* Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.

Quoted from this page:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html

And here's another great primer on solids/readiness:
http://askdrsears.com/html/3/t032000.asp

From personal experience, a baby's readiness can vary wildly! A good friend of mine has a son who had NO teeth until 12 or 13 months of age, and he simply was NOT interested in eating solid food despite their making it available starting around 6 months. My son (now 7 months old) seems to be interested a little earlier than my daughter was (now 3.5 yrs, not really interested in solids until around 10 months old), but he's done several things earlier than her: with 2 teeth at 3 months old, sitting at 4 mos, crawling by 5 mos, and EIGHT teeth by 5 months old (this is really, really early), and he's just now showing signs of readiness. We give him small tastes off of our clean fingertips of whole (meaning not processed, like cereal is), well-mashed foods like bananas, avocado, peach - it's obvious by his reaction if he wants more or not! Just listen to your baby and you'll be fine. The whole "start with rice cereal" thing is cultural, not medical. :)

I love pediatricians for diagnosing illnesses, etc., but for breastfeeding or for solids info, I say listen to a professional who is trained solely in what is good infant/baby nutrition. Follow your SON'S signs of readiness - not your pediatrician's. The truth is that the *majority* of a baby's intake during the first 12 months should be breastmilk (if that's not possible, then formula) with foods being offered as something fun and social - not some large portion of their diet. Starting solids too early can lead to obesity, increased risk of food allergies, etc.

Follow your heart, and congrats on being a new mom!

Hi K.,
I would suggest starting him on cereal for the first month. It will take him some time to learn how to eat. You don't want to wait until he is truely HUNGRY to teach him how to eat from a spoon. Start with watered down rice cereal...don't use "water" use milk, weather it be breast milk or formula. I wouldn't wait to start! It will more than likely make it harder for you when he really wants more food. I also found that at 5 months my twins seemed to need more than just the milk. I will also help him sleep though the night better! Don't cut down on the milk intake....just add the cereal to it....the food will gradually take over....just not this young! The nutrients he is getting come from the milk!
Good Luck!
R.

They do say it's best to wait till 6 mths but all three of my little ones started at 5 mths. If he doesn't seem like he is getting filled up on the formula then it may be time. Just use your insincts.He'll be fine if you decide to feed him solids now all mine are.