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Should I start solids at 5.5 months?

Discussion in 'Baby / Kids Foods' started by Sandhya13, Mar 30, 2015.

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  1. Mar 30, 2015 #1
    Sandhya13

    Sandhya13 Gold IL'ite

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    Hello All,

    My baby boy is 5.5 months old and I have not yet started solids for him. Some of my friends had started solids after 5months and I also see posts here where babies are fed with solids before 6 months. I am confused whether I should start solids for my son right away or wait for 2 more weeks until he completes 6 months.

    He takes both breast and formula milk. I started giving formula regularly twice a day since he is a very hungry baby and formula makes him full especially he needs formula as the last feed before sleep everyday. This helps him get uninterrupted sleep for about 7 hours at a stretch. Rest of the time he is on breast milk.
    Am I wrong in waiting this long to start solids? My mom told me to wait until he gets his first tooth or until he is 6 months old whichever happens first. I am very confused. Please let me know what you think.

    He seems to be interested in what we eat. He curiously looks at what we eat and tries to take it from us. He wide opens his mouth whenever we bring anything close to his face (food, toys etc) thinking that we are going to feed him. :hide: This makes me guilty that I didn't start solids yet. We have arranged for annaprasana at our local temple next month from when I plan to start feeding rice and dhal. But my question is should I start simple foods (like steam cooked and mashed apple, carrot, potato etc) and cereals now? Also which cereal brand (nestle cerelac or gerber) is good for babies? One thing I am worried is that cereals like cerelac has lots of sugar and I don't want to give too much sugar too early. Are there any alternate choices than cereals?

    When we eat kichadi/parathas we do not add ghee and eat it along with curd. When he is old enough to eat kichadi/parathas I will add ghee to it and give it along with curd. Is it okay to eat ghee and curd together?

    I am sorry that I have too many questions. I am very thankful if you take time to clarify.
     
    Sandhya13, Mar 30, 2015
    Sandhya13, Mar 30, 2015
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  2. Mar 30, 2015 #2
    butterflyice

    butterflyice Local Champion Staff Member Platinum IL'ite

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    You mention your son shows interest in what you eat and is hungry. You can start feeding solids after Annaprashna ceremony. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months but I feel if the baby is ready, we should take the lead from him.

    Start by feeding one food at a time, feed the same for 4 days to see if he has any reaction to the food. Fruits like you mentioned are a good option to start.

    Cereals - I would suggest to go with home-made cereals. My doctors advised me against store-bought cereals like cerelac or nestum/gerber as they have zero nutrition and loads of sugar.

    Some ideas for cereal:
    1. You can take dry roast/sun dry and grind rice and moong dal in the following ratio 1:3. Take a spoon of this, add water and cook in a gruel/kanji consistency. Add ghee, roasted cumin powder, bit of salt and feed.

    2. Ragi cereal - Soak, sprout ragi. Grind it ( you can get this done in mill) and sift the smooth flour from bran. Cook the smooth flour with water. If you find this tedious, you can cook ragi flour that you get from grocery store.

    3. Same can be done with wheat/jowar flour also.

    4. You can grind the regular steel-cut oats and cook the powder with water and feed.Adding bananas to this will make it yummy.

    Steamed sweetpotatoes, mashed bananas, steamed and mashed apples, pears, carrots, peas are other options.

    Once your baby gets used to eating a variety of foods, you can introduce sathumaavu, nuts and dry fruits.
     
    butterflyice, Mar 30, 2015
    butterflyice, Mar 30, 2015
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  3. Mar 31, 2015 #3
    sanjuruby3

    sanjuruby3 Platinum IL'ite

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    Hi OP
    I started my baby at about 5 months...though now I realize I could have done that earlier. Mt baby was completely on FF though. Check with your ped once as they do not recommend anything before 6 months.

    I think there is no hard and fast rule here. I have seen friends feeding at 2.5 months.
    Only things to note
    1.start with 1 food at a time and give for few days to see if allergies. Start in the mornings...day time.

    2.Might see change in poo and might have some tummy ache.

    3.Might refuse in beginning but you said ..he is interested. so that could be perfect timing to start little.

    In the beginning, you have a give very little and runny foods like cereals, porridges or mashed/puree so they can take in.
     
    sanjuruby3, Mar 31, 2015
    sanjuruby3, Mar 31, 2015
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  4. Mar 31, 2015 #4
    viki123

    viki123 Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Sandhya13,
    Since DS is 5.5 months old and is showing interest, you could start solids. Initially start is like a snack instead of meal and make sure they are not super hungry when you first giving them solids.
    Cereals suggested by @butterflyice are good for babies. My DS did not like those initially so, i used to give him earthsbest mixed with BM or fruit purees.
    Once he got used to solids and taste he like home made cereals.

    Start with easy foods like apple, pear, banana, carrot, butternut squash etc.

    Watch closely you babies reaction to food and also if any food makes him fuzzy.
     
    viki123, Mar 31, 2015
    viki123, Mar 31, 2015
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  5. Mar 31, 2015 #5
    Sandhya13

    Sandhya13 Gold IL'ite

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    Thank you all for taking time to respond to my queries.

    @butterflyice - Thanks so much for your recipes. I will give home made cereals instead of store bought ones.

    @sanjuruby3 - Great that you were able to start feeding your child at 5 months. Did your Ped give a go ahead for you? Just asking because my ped said to start solids at 6 months. But still since my baby seems to be hungry and is interested in our food, I thought I will start simple foods right now. I am planning to start steam cooked/mashed apple first. Is it okay to give him in the evening? He gets up at 8 AM and I will have to leave to office at 8:45 AM. So, no time in the morning :-(

    @viki123 - I am planning to do exactly as you said i.e. to give cereals later after 6 months only and right now I will try simple foods. Thank you!
     
    Sandhya13, Mar 31, 2015
    Sandhya13, Mar 31, 2015
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  6. Mar 31, 2015 #6
    sanjuruby3

    sanjuruby3 Platinum IL'ite

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    Hi @sandhya13 - I had asked my ped at 4 months visit. You know docs here in US do not quote anything formally. They say we do not recommend till 6 months as 'American Assoc of Peds' or whatever their name is, don't. But she did say ask you parents what they did..how do you do in your culture.. follow that.

    Then family & friends had been suggesting from 3 months onwards But we were scared.

    I actually gave first solids(mashed banana) on Friday evening.I think.. for some reasons it had got delayed.(I was working..then I wanted H to be here from office.....blah blah reasons) .
    So we got 2 full days to observe & feed solids. But I do not recommend to start in the evening...
    You can start on saturday morning...you will get 2 days to observe. There are less chances of allergies at that small age, as docs say, but tummy aches can happen.
    Notice the poo also.

    Also I had to struggle a lot in the beginning. It took 2-3 weeks for her to start opening mouth. Every solid feed was nightmare..lot of noise, crying, rejection and my H was always fighting to give up. He said its alright if she lives on Formula for whole life.
    My girl had never shown interest in solids or foods like yours did.

    Steam bake/mashed apple - I give her same by cooking in pressure cooker.
     
    sanjuruby3, Mar 31, 2015
    sanjuruby3, Mar 31, 2015
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  7. Mar 31, 2015 #7
    CrayoNess

    CrayoNess Platinum IL'ite

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    It does not matter if you start at 5 or 6 months age. Start slowly, a couple of small teaspoons only. If the baby rejects or start to cry do not continue. Wait a day or two and try again. I have usually started with potatoe (mashed, mixed with formula or bm), carrot and other cooked/steam veggies. Then with fruit (banana, steamed pear/apples, berries). After a while cereals (porridges made of oatmeal, rice, barley) mixed with some fruit puree. No salt or spices until they are closer to one year old.
     
    CrayoNess, Mar 31, 2015
    CrayoNess, Mar 31, 2015
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  8. Apr 1, 2015 #8
    Sandhya13

    Sandhya13 Gold IL'ite

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    @sanjuruby3 - Thank you for the detailed reply. As you said, I will start feeding him this weekend. And you are exactly right about doctors in US. Mine too said that he recommends solids after 6 months but never said you should not start early. Is your girl interested in solids now? Sorry that you had to struggle making her eat solids. I think she will eventually start liking her food once you spice it up as she grows older :)

    @CrayoNess - Thank you for your reply. I am planning to do exactly as you said. just one question - is salt strictly not okay to give before one year? I will never give sugar but I think dhal rice will not taste good without salt. Is it okay to add little amount of salt?
     
    Sandhya13, Apr 1, 2015
    Sandhya13, Apr 1, 2015
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  9. Apr 1, 2015 #9
    Sandhya13

    Sandhya13 Gold IL'ite

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    Ladies - could one of you answer my below query?


     
    Sandhya13, Apr 1, 2015
    Sandhya13, Apr 1, 2015
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  10. Apr 1, 2015 #10
    viki123

    viki123 Silver IL'ite

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    I am not sure if its okay or not. But my DS loves curd, if he doesn't like the taste of food that day (sattu powder with veggie & ghee) I mix curd in it and he eats it.
    I haven't see any reaction or discomfort when he eats it.

    Hope this helps
     
    viki123, Apr 1, 2015
    viki123, Apr 1, 2015
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