When is too early to start solids?
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Topic: When is too early to start solids?
Posted By: fionae
Subject: When is too early to start solids?
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 8:27pm
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My Georgiana is 4 months and 1 week old. I have just started her on solids!
She was sleeping through the night but then started wakingonce, then twice. When she wakes she is abolutly starving hungry. I used to be able to let her cry for a bit and she would go off back to sleep but not now! She is just so hungry. I have tried feeding her more through the day to get her stocks up. When she used to wake before sleeping through the night I would only need to feed her for about 10 mins but now it is atleast 20 When I have spoken to plunket they arze against it but I really feel she needs it... Love to hear anyones advise or thoughts on this....  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 8:38pm
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I personally (just my opinion) think that if the baby is really hungry and showing all the signs (lost the tongue poking out thing etc) and is over 4 months, then you are fine to start. When I had Jake the guidelines were 4-6months whenever they seemed ready (showing the signs), it was only changed to 6 months about 2 years ago.
I started Jake at 5 months as he had been waking again for 2 weeks and added a day feed too. Morgan was 4.5 months as she's been waking again for a month at that time, and she was a big baby, and I'd tried formula at night for a couple of weeks to fill her up too. She slept thru again as soon as she went to a second meal (2 weeks). I'd just say start slowly at that age.  ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 8:39pm
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PS - also plunket were fine with me starting at 4.5months. So I think what they say / hassle you about depends on the particular plunket nurse you see. ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 8:51pm
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Esme has started doing that in the past 2 weeks too getting rather over 2-3 night feeds! She's 4 months next week. I was starting to think along those lines too. She has just started deliberately poking her tounge out at me and chewing on everything. She can drink water from a sipper cup pretty well. When we start I'm just going to do pears or apples and the gradually increase and add different foods.
I don't tell plunket what I know they will "growl" me for! You know whats best for bubs, they have to follow their guidelines. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fionae
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 9:04pm
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Yeah thanks for all that, I feel better about it already! Amazing what a but of reassurance does!
It is sp cute watching her open her mouth waiting for the spoon to go in  ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 9:32pm
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If your bubs is watching you eat and has lost that tongue reflex that pushes the food out then shes ready. Dom wasn't ready til 6mths but Issy had her first solids at 4mths old and loved them.
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 9:43pm
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My boy was ready at 3 months - wouldn't advocate it, but he was so so ready at that age, and took to it so well first go.
Ava started at just before 5 months. I would say go for it if she's showing the signs and it helps her sleep better (it's always been a sign in our house when they wake more overnight). |
Posted By: Delli
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 9:47pm
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My opinion (and remember everyone's opinion is different ) is that if a baby is waking up hungry during the night at 4 months old - it's because they need more milk feeds rather than solids.
When you think about it - the pureed veges and fruit that you start babies off on is diet food. They do not have as many calories as milk feeds. Milk feeds are still the most nutritiously balanced for your baby. We are following the Baby-Led Weaning method of introducing solids though so I guess we have a different train of thought to some though. We didn't start solids until Jude started swiping stuff from our hands and plates and got it to his mouth on his own. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: bun_in_the_oven
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 10:13pm
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I have to agree with StaceyL
the whole idea of 'introducing solids' is to get baby used to taking things into the mouth in preparation for the 'real' solids when the calories are really needed the most (and milk intake is being decreased) its not considered FOOD just yet.. thats what milk is for im not too sure that little tummies just are ready to break down the carbohydrates and proteins and digest things.. and believe its all a marketing ploy from the food giants like watties etc.. At the end of the day you will decide what feels right for you and your baby !! if its working and baby is content and you are happy content mama.... go for it ! just be sure that baby is getting enough milk
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 10:24pm
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Plunket do not take advise from food companies, they get advice from the WHO.
Both my babies went back to sleeping thru 2 weeks after starting solids, so I don't care what anyone says it definitely helped them sleep better. And its not like you take away milk feeds and replace them with the solids, it is additional calories to the milk feeds. I personally would rather those additional calories came at lunch and dinner than from a milk feed at 4am!! Each to their own tho! Morgan started grabbing fruit from me and Jake just before 4 months and could bit off and swallow a piece of apple or pear! Thats why we started at 4.5 months. She could even get a spoon of baby rice in her own mouth at that age .... so in BLW terms, she seemed ready. She could eat bits of chicken and fish at 6 months too! ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 10:47pm
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Yeah Ava was swiping the spoon and eating anything she could grab (or was given by her brother) at 4 months too.
I don't believe you can force a baby into solids anyway... if you think they're ready then try them. If they don't want it, they don't take it If it was Watties etc pushing solids at 4 months well they're out of luck in this household - we very rarely buy baby food (make it all ourselves). DS never had any jars or tins of baby food until he was a lot older and my mum bought some to see if he'd eat them when she had him. (You must remember that 'back in the day' it was normal to start babies on solids at 10 weeks etc, so we're doing pretty good at 4-6 months I think). Each to their own though
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 26 February 2010 at 10:51pm
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When Tom was a baby the recommendation was "not before 4 months but not after 6 months" and that was only 2.5 years ago
As some of the others say she probably isnt waking for solids as its a LONG time before most babies are eating enough solids to make a difference. I'd up the milk...maybe give her a middle of the night feed....or a dream feed. Soldis are a PITA!!!! |
Posted By: Delli
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 12:16am
ALTHOUGH - I should add (as I have reread my post and it sounds a little holier than thou which was not my intention at all ) that Jude also started swiping stuff and getting it to his mouth (and sometimes biting chunks off) earlier than the BLW method recommends. But he was more tasting stuff rather than eating it.. It has only been in the couple of weeks that he is actually chewing lots and wanting to really "eat" stuff rather than tasting it. Very cool to watch BTW . So, although I LOVE BLW, I must not be a "hardcore baby-led weaner" as I let him taste stuff before 6 months.
Scientifically speaking - there is no correlation between the early introduction of solids and sleeping through the night. There is no evidence to suggest that giving solids will cause babies to sleep through the night. If your baby does sleep through the night after starting solids, perhaps it could be the solids but it is just as likely to be something else (like the mothers milk composition/supply has changed to match the baby's needs, which is why the baby was waking overnight to start with). So, if you were wanting to give solids for the sole purpose of getting your baby to sleep through the night, then you may be disappointed. However, if you have lots of other reasons and you really think your baby is really for solids - then that is your prerogative . Your baby, your rules.
I agree ! Whether BLW or pureeing - babies who are not ready to feed usually just spit it back out again and would rather play than eat. I think the hard part is recognising that babies are spitting it out because they don't need it/want it and not scooping it off the chin and trying to feed it to them again and again until they take it or trying to guide pieces of food to their mouths if you are BLW. Babies who want to eat will really eat - they won't spit it out.
Grrr it's getting late and perhaps getting a bit off track has made me seem all judgemental again. Sorry if I come off that way - I really do believe each to their own. Was just putting my opinion out there ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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emz wrote:Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 8:49am
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Not judgemental at all Stacey, everyone has different ways of doing things
Def depends on the baby I think. My two have been such great eaters that they just wanted more and more (neither really loved milk either and refused to drink a bottle if someone was eating near them). Milk is the most important still, but sometimes a bit of solids does help. It's also great for reflux babies as it can help settle their stomachs a bit. |
Posted By: Aquarius
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 12:24pm
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started Vanda on solids at 10wks...
as emz said they will either be keen or not....simple. ------------- http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/timers/"> 
mum to mr 16 & mr 10 |
Posted By: mumtooboys
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 12:37pm
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I would also like to point out in addition to what Stacey said that there is a MAJOR growth spurt at around 4 months.....DS2 went from averaging 3 hours between feeds to feeding every 60-90 minutes day AND night. Then he settled down again. He did a 3 week stint of doing 10+ hours on just my milk at 7 months before the night waking and feeding returned. No amount of feeding him up in the day did anything for his sleep until HE was ready at around 13 months and he'd been gently night weaned at 11 months.
Personally I would never start a baby of mine on solids again before 6 months but that's me. DS1 was 4 months as those were the recommendations when he was a baby and DS2 wouldn't touch them before he was 7.5 months. The only sign I use as a readiness one is that tongue extrusion reflex (that tongue pointy out one someone else called it) because the grabbing at things and chewing stuff, sitting up unsupported etc are DEVELOPMENTAL milestones that all babies will reach eventually, though some will reach them earlier than others. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 12:48pm
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Don't have alot to add but solids are a PITA, as NZpiper said.
I remember being so eager for #1 to start solids so started at about 5.5 months (it did nothing for his sleeping though!) but with #2 I am leaving it as late as I possibly can. Poor second child
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Posted By: mandz
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 1:03pm
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OK I have to go against the trend here. DS1 was started on solids (just farex to begin with) just before he was 3 months old. He was fully FF and a really hungry baby who used to try and steal my toast! I am not 100% sure it helped him sleep more though and it is not why I started him on solids. He slept through from 4 months. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Zack Robert Henton - 29th December 2009 |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 27 February 2010 at 1:28pm
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StaceyL - I was not saying that all babys will sleep thru once they go on solids ... just that if they have been sleeping thru for months then start waking hungry (as the baby in question had) then it can help. It did with my two kids anyway.
I too go by the tongue extrusion reflex - Morgan had lost it by 4 months, so I started her on solids at 4.5 months as she was just so hungry. It had been almost 4 weeks of extra feeds at that point, so NOT a growth spurt (which usually only lasted 2-3 days for her). ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: fionae
Date Posted: 28 February 2010 at 8:31am
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I have started Georgiana on some baby rice and kumara which she is totally loving. Yip she has lost the tongue extrusion thing. I just think she is totally ready for some solids now. Maybe it will help with sleeping thru but that is not my whole reasoning behind it.
Very cool to see it going in and getting swallowed ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 28 February 2010 at 9:05pm
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Mandz, like I said Jack was only solids at 3 months - he was also a very hungry baby like yours.
Glad Georgiana's liking solids Fiona! 
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Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 28 February 2010 at 10:23pm
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I havent read all the replies but just wanted to add that there is a growth spurt at 4mths that nearly drove me mad!!! DS changed all his patterns and I contemplated formula and solids and all sorts and was ready to throw the towel in with
BFing but after a week or two of extra day feeds / night feeds my supply increased and he went back to more normal patterns. Darn hard at the time but we got through it and didnt introduce solids until just before 6mths. If you start solids earlier then I'd also recommend sticking to fruit and vegies but not the starchy ones like potato / kumara / parsnip etc until 6mths and some say even longer cos they dont have the enzymes to break it down. ------------- 
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