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Jittery about starting solids

Discussion in 'Baby / Kids Foods' started by Rakhii, May 5, 2012.

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  1. May 5, 2012 #1
    Rakhii

    Rakhii Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Ladies, I had a doctors appointment for my dd today and she will be 5 months on 15th of this month. She suggested that I start rice cereal after she completes 5 months as she feels that my dd is ready for solids.

    Now, how do I start? There is sooooo much info on the net and I am confused. Can experienced mom's guide me as to how to start solids?
    She is on Enfamil ready to feed formula now. Should I buy nestle or what else? Should I first mix a tsp of it in milk and see? I am so confused, please help me. Thanks!!
     
    Rakhii, May 5, 2012
    Rakhii, May 5, 2012
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  2. May 5, 2012 #2
    ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Start when you feel it is perfectly alright to do so. Do not start because everybody else has started or people pressurize you to start. If you start solids based on what others say, you would at times feel guilty about starting it early.

    You will read/hear many things. But at the end of the day, you should feel comfortable.

    I started solids for LO when she completed 6 months. My paed asked me to start solids when LO completed 4 months. My mom wanted me to give biscuits/cookies from 4 months. Everyone around me was asking when I was going to start solids. Some moms in my due date club had started solids. But I decided to wait till she completed 6 months. I believe that I have done what is best for her. After all she has her entire life to eat solids.

    Rice cereal is a safe option while starting solids. Mix 1 tbsp rice cereal with BM/Formula. The consistency should almost be similar to BM. Once LO gets used to eating this, slowly improve upon the thickness. Do not start anything for the next 4 days.

    Use a formula that she is already used to. Do not start a new formula with a new solid. Do not start with 2 new items at the same item.

    This is the method that I followed:

    1st week - Rice Cereal mixed with BM
    2nd week - Pureed vegetable
    3rd week - Pureed fruit

    I continued giving rice cereal while starting vegetable/fruit.

    It is confusing till you start. Once you start, your gut will take you through.
     
    ramyaramani, May 5, 2012
    ramyaramani, May 5, 2012
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  3. May 5, 2012 #3
    karanu

    karanu Gold IL'ite

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    completely agree with ramya. Don't feel pressured to start solids, take it slowly. I started semi-solids for my DD after she completed 5 months. I started off with mashed rice mixed with BM. She didn't like it in the first place and used to spit out most of it. Then I started her on carrot puree and apple puree (more liquid consistency). She started liking it and I continued this for 2 weeks. :)

    I introduced Cerelac rice and it didn't agree with my DD. :hide:She had loose stools and my ped suggested me to try Nestum rice. I give her 1 scoop of Nestum rice everyday. After going over the threads here, I have learnt that home cooked foods are the best as compared to precooked, packaged foods like Nestum and Cerelac. The last 2 months have been very interesting as I have been trying new baby foods, tracking my DD's response in google docs :bonkand researching what to feed her in the near future.

    I was as confused as you in the beginning and was feeling stressed since I had no clue what to feed, how much to feed and when to feed. I keep asking so many doubts in the forum and girls like Ramya have been very helpful :cheers
    So feel free to ask any questions you have, take it slowly and enjoy cooking for your baby :)
     
    karanu, May 5, 2012
    karanu, May 5, 2012
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  4. May 5, 2012 #4
    Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Rakhii, rice cereal is the best way to go. Certainly start off with a consistency being quite liquid-y and then move on to making it a little more thicker. It is a process and will take a week or so but you will soon see how much it benefits the kid. Stay with this for 2-3 weeks and then slowly introduce one vegetable a week and once you are comfortable introduce fruits. Sticking to one new variety allows you to watch and understand how your baby is reacting. And what I learn then was start with green color foods, followed by yellows/oranges reds etc...something like that including rice and daal. The initial idea is to introduce textures. I personally think coming to the solid state is the best thing for the baby and mommy! Enjoy!
     
    Srama, May 5, 2012
    Srama, May 5, 2012
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  5. May 5, 2012 #5
    ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    @karanu google docs :bowdown wow!
     
    ramyaramani, May 5, 2012
    ramyaramani, May 5, 2012
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  6. May 6, 2012 #6
    Rakhii

    Rakhii Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Ramya, Karuna and srama, thanks a ton for your valuable opinion. When I meant solids, I meant semi-solids like cereal mixed in milk.
    Below are the points which led me to think that she is ready for solids...does it make sense? Please let me know.

    1. Head is completely stable
    2. Tongue thrust reflux completely gone
    3. Doubled her birth weight (long time ago)
    4. Able to sit well (with a bit of support)
    5. Drinks 32 oz of milk a day now
    6. I can see that she is able to swallow. A few days ago she wanted to throw up but somehow could not; I have seen her chewing some milk in her mouth.
    7. Will complete 5 months.
    8. Most importantly, she has learned to push the bottle away when she doesn't want any more milk.

    Below are the points which are bothering me and which put me in doubt:

    1. She doesn't seem hungry during the day or night aftr I feed her. I mean, if she is ready for solids, shouldn't she be more hungry?
    2. She is able to sit properly but I have not tried to place her in a high chair yet. Should I do that first and see?

    Ramya thanks for sharing the feeding schedule. I was thinking of keeping her on iron fortified rice cereal for at least 3 weeks before giving her purée, that is, if I start at the completion of 5 months. Is that waiting too long? Also, what cereal have you used?

    Karunathanks a ton again for the feeding schedule. Ya, Ramya sure is a blessing to all the new moms!! I also will be giving her home made food unless there is no other choice but to give her jar-food (during travel etc). nestrum rice eh? Never heard of it; will google it now :)
    You have prepared my mind that it's completely possible for a baby not to like certain cereals.

    Sramayou just confirmed what my doc said!! Thanks a lot dear. May I ask which cereal you have introduced first?
     
    Rakhii, May 6, 2012
    Rakhii, May 6, 2012
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  7. May 6, 2012 #7
    Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Rakhi,

    I am old school - my babies are now 9 and 5 :) so then I remember using only Gerber products!

    Semi solids is the way to go initially and that with rice cereal for my ped then had said that no one ever is known to have allergies to rice!

    if you nurse her as soon as she wakes up, then switch the next feed to semi-solid. may be it will start with just a couple of spoons and then slowly increases. Also I always mixed the rice cereal with water. yes, water. This is also the time to consider introducing a spoonful or so of water, if you have not done so already!

    I remember using a bouncer, a swing, car seat and then transitioning to a high chair or you can even hold her against you when you are seated on the ground and feed her.

    Nothing to get worried rakhi! Go for it - both of you will enjoy it!
     
    Srama, May 6, 2012
    Srama, May 6, 2012
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  8. May 6, 2012 #8
    stork82

    stork82 Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Rakhii,

    Nice to hear that your sweety is ready to start solids! Congratulations! Since you are just going to start it, I would say take it slow. To begin with do it once a day...Rice cereal is a safe bet, because it never causes any allergic reactions, and it has lot of iron content in it. I am sharing the diet chart I got the paed's office for your reference . For 7 months and beyond, you could refer the chart that I posted in the Sep club. Good luck! It sure is gonna be fun! :)

    6 months.jpg
     
    stork82, May 6, 2012
    stork82, May 6, 2012
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  9. May 6, 2012 #9
    ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    @rakhii I am taking about anything other than BM or Formula. It can be semi-solid or solid. Honestly I feel you are analyzing too much and thereby creating stress for yourself. To answer your doubts:

    I am assuming that you are providing her formula at timely intervals. So she is being given BM/Formula, which is keeping her full. There is no necessity for a baby to feel extra hungry. In fact only after giving solids for couple of months, you will feel that BM alone is not keeping your baby full.

    If she is able to sit properly elsewhere, she would also sit properly in high chair. High chairs come in different types with different support systems. So do not base your decision based on high chair alone.

    You can continue rice cereal for 3 weeks too. It should not be a problem. There is no strict procedure to be followed. Just follow your LO's signs.

    I started with homemade rice cereal. I have also used Gerber Rice Cereal - Single Grain. I did not try other flavors of cereal as I shifted to idli after giving rice cereal for a month. I did try oatmeal cereal later though.

    @karanu @rakhii Thank you for your kind words. I am also a new mom (if I may say so after 10 months :) )
     
    ramyaramani, May 6, 2012
    ramyaramani, May 6, 2012
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  10. May 8, 2012 #10
    Rakhii

    Rakhii Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Srama thanks a lot for the tips. Here doctors say that we should not tie water to babies as they get plenty from BM or formula but my mom did introduce dd with water. I mean, once in couple of days I do give her a small cap(water bottle cap) full of water. She seems to like it. In the market I have found cereals w high need to be mixed with water and which needs to be mixed with milk. I picked up the one with milk...no real reason why. I bough the gerber rice cereal.
    Initially I also thought that I will feed her keeping her in my lap but eventually she will
    Have to transition to high chair anyway right...so I am considering getting one.
    This month 15th she will complete 5 months and I am looking for good dates after that so that I can start her on this. Thanks a lot again!!

    Stork! how nice to see your reponse. Hope you and your LO are doing well. Thanks so muh for sharing the chart; I am sure gonna use it. Yes, I am planning on starting it once a day during her early afternoon feed (at about 11 am). I will give her milk at 1:30 before she falls asleep for the afternoon.
     
    Rakhii, May 8, 2012
    Rakhii, May 8, 2012
    #10
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