Different Views On Introducing Solids

[blandino]

Now, let me say I am not looking to provoke a debate about when solids need to be introduced.

I have a DCG who is 17 weeks old. Today I was texting with DCM, and found out she has started purées at home. It turns out DCG has had at least 3 different foods in the past week. I very nicely told mom that over the past few years we have seen that most pediatricians have changed from suggesting solids at 4m to 6m. She said she hasn't seen her pediatrician yet, but everything she has read has said that DCG was developmentally ready (didn't seem full, grabs at the spoon and doesn't have a tongue thrust) - I disagree that those are indicators of readiness and I believe DCG was going through a growth spurt. But DCM believes she is ready.

We very clearly state in our contract that we don't introduce solids until a minimum of 6 months. Now that foods have been introduced at home, DCG is going to be wanting something more substantial at daycare. I am very concerned with how his will play out. I am thinking I will just give extra formula to make up for the difference ?!?

Also, I am nervous about the rate that DCM is trying new foods. 3 foods in a week seems faster than any guidelines I have ever heard.

Anyone have any experience with this ?

[Cradle2crayons]

Now, let me say I am not looking to provoke a debate about when solids need to be introduced.

I have a DCG who is 17 weeks old. Today I was texting with DCM, and found out she has started purées at home. It turns out DCG has had at least 3 different foods in the past week. I very nicely told mom that over the past few years we have seen that most pediatricians have changed from suggesting solids at 4m to 6m. She said she hasn't seen her pediatrician yet, but everything she has read has said that DCG was developmentally ready (didn't seem full, grabs at the spoon and doesn't have a tongue thrust) - I disagree that those are indicators of readiness and I believe DCG was going through a growth spurt. But DCM believes she is ready.

We very clearly state in our contract that we don't introduce solids until a minimum of 6 months. Now that foods have been introduced at home, DCG is going to be wanting something more substantial at daycare. I am very concerned with how his will play out. I am thinking I will just give extra formula to make up for the difference ?!?

Also, I am nervous about the rate that DCM is trying new foods. 3 foods in a week seems faster than any guidelines I have ever heard.

Anyone have any experience with this ?

I took my dcb (18 weeks)to his well baby check and his shots today. The pediatrician said to start solids. He stated first week, twice a day, give him rice cereal mixed with formula by spoon. He stated on he second week, to introduce one different baby food per week starting with applesauce then bananas etc.

He stated if the baby was spitting it out to wait a week and re introduce.

This baby has been on very thick formula (rice cereal) since he was 2 weeks old, so digestively, it's assumed he's ready. He also has all he signs of developmental readiness and he's tripled his birth weight.

They also gave me a handout on introducing solids.

To be honest, we started rice cereal in a spoon a few weeks ago, just once a day. Mainly because he already gets it in his bottle almost that thick and he seemed developmentally ready.

[Laurel]

I took my dcb (18 weeks)to his well baby check and his shots today. The pediatrician said to start solids. He stated first week, twice a day, give him rice cereal mixed with formula by spoon. He stated on he second week, to introduce one different baby food per week starting with applesauce then bananas etc.

He stated if the baby was spitting it out to wait a week and re introduce.

This baby has been on very thick formula (rice cereal) since he was 2 weeks old, so digestively, it's assumed he's ready. He also has all he signs of developmental readiness and he's tripled his birth weight.

They also gave me a handout on introducing solids.

To be honest, we started rice cereal in a spoon a few weeks ago, just once a day. Mainly because he already gets it in his bottle almost that thick and he seemed developmentally ready.

That's how we all did it back in the "olden days". I really don't get the waiting so long. I guess it is the new thinking.

Laurel

Edited to add: I didn't read that right. We used to do it before 18 weeks. They used to give us a certain many ounces of milk (can't remember the amount) to give them daily and told us not to let them go over that. If they wanted more then give them solids rather than more milk. So it wasn't the age it was the amount of milk/formula they were drinking.

[Laurel]

Now, let me say I am not looking to provoke a debate about when solids need to be introduced.

I have a DCG who is 17 weeks old. Today I was texting with DCM, and found out she has started purées at home. It turns out DCG has had at least 3 different foods in the past week. I very nicely told mom that over the past few years we have seen that most pediatricians have changed from suggesting solids at 4m to 6m. She said she hasn't seen her pediatrician yet, but everything she has read has said that DCG was developmentally ready (didn't seem full, grabs at the spoon and doesn't have a tongue thrust) - I disagree that those are indicators of readiness and I believe DCG was going through a growth spurt. But DCM believes she is ready.

We very clearly state in our contract that we don't introduce solids until a minimum of 6 months. Now that foods have been introduced at home, DCG is going to be wanting something more substantial at daycare. I am very concerned with how his will play out. I am thinking I will just give extra formula to make up for the difference ?!?

Also, I am nervous about the rate that DCM is trying new foods. 3 foods in a week seems faster than any guidelines I have ever heard.

Anyone have any experience with this ?

I'm not concerned about feeding the solids but we used to give the same food for a week. Three in one week seems like too many. They used to tell us it was to see if a baby was allergic to a certain food.

Laurel

[Cradle2crayons]

That's how we all did it back in the "olden days". I really don't get the waiting so long. I guess it is the new thinking.

Laurel

Edited to add: I didn't read that right. We used to do it before 18 weeks. They used to give us a certain many ounces of milk (can't remember the amount) to give them daily and told us not to let them go over that. If they wanted more then give them solids rather than more milk. So it wasn't the age it was the amount of milk/formula they were drinking.

Yes, the drs here kind of go by that too. If they are drinking over x amount, have lost their tongue thrust, have decent head control, and have at least doubled birth weight etc.... It's several factors...

But DEFINATELY no more than one different food a week.

[renodeb]

I usually start solids around 6-7 mos. Usually rice cereal first if I have anything to say about it. I have one little boy (1 year old) and mom keeps sending jarred stuff for him. At home they feed him those pouches of food that he can just **** down. Nothing with texture and no green veges!
Deb

[Play Care]

At the risk of being flamed, I'm not overly concerned that solids have been introduced, but I would be concerned with the way they've been introduced. I don't buy the "food before one is for fun" line, especially with the last two infants I had...

ETA: obviously there are several factors that determine if baby is ready for "real" food and I believe those, rather then age, should be the deciding factor.

[Laurel]

At the risk of being flamed, I'm not overly concerned that solids have been introduced, but I would be concerned with the way they've been introduced. I don't buy the "food before one is for fun" line, especially with the last two infants I had...

ETA: obviously there are several factors that determine if baby is ready for "real" food and I believe those, rather then age, should be the deciding factor.

Well back in the day we used to give cereal at their last feeding so they would sleep through the night. We loved it actually. It worked like a charm.

I am putting my flame retardant suit on just in case. ::

Laurel

[Unregistered]

There's a theory that a lot of the allergies and food intolerances are caused by solids introduced too early, also by the fact that rice cereals and oatmeals are often first foods (gluten issues, etc.). It's an interesting thought.

I personally waited until well past 6 months, but introduced multiple foods at once, never did cereals- usually just pureed whatever we were having for dinner. I never waited on peanuts, honey, fish, or anything like that. Kid is fine. It's pretty interesting what comes in and out of favor as the years come and go.

[Jack Sprat]

There's a theory that a lot of the allergies and food intolerances are caused by solids introduced too early, also by the fact that rice cereals and oatmeals are often first foods (gluten issues, etc.). It's an interesting thought.

I personally waited until well past 6 months, but introduced multiple foods at once, never did cereals- usually just pureed whatever we were having for dinner. I never waited on peanuts, honey, fish, or anything like that. Kid is fine. It's pretty interesting what comes in and out of favor as the years come and go.

This is what I have read as well. We introduced solids at 6 months for both girls. They were nursing non-stop and never seemed full. I skipped giving cereal first. We also just pureed everything we ate. No allergies to this day, no issues period. Except 4.5 yr old has a strange addiction to spicey things and salmon.

[littlemommy]

I don't remember, but what does the food program say? They may require to wait until 6 months?

[BrooklynM]

Well back in the day we used to give cereal at their last feeding so they would sleep through the night. We loved it actually. It worked like a charm.

I am putting my flame retardant suit on just in case. ::

Laurel

This is exactly what my mom taught me to do with my kids and it totally worked! As far as my DCK, I just go off what the parents request as long as they are working with their doctor and they aren't feeding the baby something they could choke on or something. I do think its best to introduce one food at a time though.

[MarinaVanessa]

My DS showed many of the same signs as the OP but he started doing it at 3 months. He seemed to be crying for food that we were eating and refusing his bottle if there was table food around him which at that point he was already drinking 4-6oz per sitting and about 4-6 bottles a day. We would try to hold him off as much as we could but he'd cry. He was also still nursing at that point but he was asking for more than what I could supply. At that point I started drinking a lot more water and taking fenugreek.

We talked to his Pediatrician about it and recommended that we start giving him baby cereal mixed into a puree with a spoon. That satisfied him for about a month and his pediatrician then recommended that we introduce first foods so we did. His pediatrician warned us that he wouldn't eat much of a small jar at first but that it would probably keep him happy since he was interested in table foods. The first time I fed DS first foods he ate an entire small jar of baby food, asked for more and then finished most of a rectangle container of baby food mixed with cereal. He ate it as if he was starving and cried out after each spoonful because apparently I wasn't fast enough.

The point is that all children are different. If you are worried about the baby's health then I'd just tell DCM that unless she talk to her pediatrician first and get a DR's note and a letter from DCM about you feeding her baby purees at such a young age that you won't be able to feed him purees at DC. Or if you don't want to feed him purees at DC at all until he's 6 months old then just say so and see what happens. If he becomes difficult at DC then you always have the option to term.

IMO if the DR is recommending it and the DCM signs a waiver then I don't see a big deal. If the DCM hasn't consulted a DR then I can see why you'd be so leery. I'd like to know where DCM is getting her research information from ... unfortunately most of it is from magazines, blogs or sites like Baby.com, BabyCenter.com, Parenting etc. which in no way replaced a DR's consult.

I remember our pediatrician telling us that before starting solids DS should be able to sit up (with support), turn his head away, and make chewing motions. He should also be past the reflex that makes him spit out anything but liquid.

Children's Mercy hospital also says 4-6 months:
Infant Feeding 4-6 months

[Play Care]

There's a theory that a lot of the allergies and food intolerances are caused by solids introduced too early, also by the fact that rice cereals and oatmeals are often first foods (gluten issues, etc.). It's an interesting thought.

But there is also the flip theory that holding off on introducing solids and not introducing certain foods early enough (peanuts) is causing the rise in food allergies.

[Blackcat31]

There's a theory that a lot of the allergies and food intolerances are caused by solids introduced too early, also by the fact that rice cereals and oatmeals are often first foods (gluten issues, etc.). It's an interesting thought.

I personally waited until well past 6 months, but introduced multiple foods at once, never did cereals- usually just pureed whatever we were having for dinner. I never waited on peanuts, honey, fish, or anything like that. Kid is fine. It's pretty interesting what comes in and out of favor as the years come and go.

If this theory was true every kid born before 1990 would have allergies and gluten issues.

Seems to me like allergies and gluten issues are what's plaguing today's kids.


My own children were introduced to solids when they didn't seem to be making more than 2-3 hours between bottle feedings.

My son was eating table food WITH silverware at 7 months. (He was weird/early about a lot of things) My DD started with rice cereal (in a bottle made for cereal : when she was 8-9 weeks old.

My mom said she fed my brother jarred baby food at 1 week. He acted like he was starving at all times. Doctor told her to start solids. Solved the issue.
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As far as daycare kids go though I would follow the food program guidelines and if mom insists on adding solids at this point, just have her bring a doctor's statement saying it has been okayed by the child's pediatrician.