When to start solids
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Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: When to start solids
Posted By: Happy lady
Subject: When to start solids
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 10:31pm
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Hi, I was just wanting some advice about starting solids. I am consious that I do not want to start them too early, but DS is now waking in the night for a feed which he has not done since 5 weeks. He is now 17 weeks.
How do I know he is ready? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Replies:
Posted By: HippyMama
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 10:47pm
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It's pretty normal for babies to go through a period of solid sleeping, and then "wake up" again - including at night time, it's not necessarily a sign that they are ready for solid foods though. My DD2 did the same thing and it was a bit of a shock to the system at first, but we got used to it. FTR we started BLW solids at about 5.5 months, and it was really more for her to play and experiment with than actually eating meals. ------------- Mama to two earth walkers & two angels. Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being. ~ Kittie Franz Next Slingbabies! Meet - Friday 4th May !! |
Posted By: Whateversville
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 10:49pm
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I'm assuming you're going to be doing puree? If so, what I did with my DS is 'feed' him an empty spoon to see if he opened his mouth or still stuck his tounge out..Sticking their tounge out is a big give away that they're not ready. Also, does he seem interested in food? or could he just want more milk overnight?
I know the 'recommended' age is 6months but some bubs (i.e Mine) are ready sooner. Now, at 8months he's on finger foods and some puree.. So, see if your bub is showing other signs aswell as the waking, coz the waking could be an age phase and not hunger. Sorry lol not sure if that helped at all. Good luck 
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Posted By: Happy lady
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 11:35pm
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Thanks for your help!
Yes I was thinking about baby rice.. (thats what plunket reccomended)? He stares at us and makes movements with his mouth while we are eating and has been for a month or so now. I might try the spoon thing... ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 10:45am
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Be careful, some babies have reactions to baby rice - mine included!
Your baby will let you know - trust me! A good way to tell - regardless of how you plan to feed them spoon/blw/etc a good thing to do is sit them at the table with you, on your lap is good and if they start pulling things off your plate and putting it in their mouth - they're ready - have had so many people tell me this and in the end DD did this and that's when I knew she was. I thought she was ready earlier but she wasn't when I look back, she'd open her mouth but stick her tongue out or spit it back out. Signs that they aren't ready. The staring and mouth movements are normal parts of their development but not signs that they are ready. Same with night waking. Babies go through periods, especially when they learn something new, and actually fully wake up from sleep cycles - can't self settle back to sleep... Def try the spoon thing, you could also put baby in highchair and put something like a soft steamed/boiled carrot stick on their too and let him play with it so he gets an idea. But maybe that's more if you want to do BLW. GL - Starting solids is tricky! Plunket kept telling me strictly not before 6 months but no later than 6 months and only when they're ready... Contradictory much? But trust me - you'll know! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 11 December 2010 at 8:53am
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Mason, from day one,only woke once in the night.
Then between 9 and 11 weeks old he slept 10-12 hours. Since then he is aaaaaallll over the place. Some nights he's up 3 or 4 times. Others only once. But never, since 11 weeks (he's 20 weeks now), has he slept through. DH and I decided to try him on solids (baby rice) a week ago. If anything, it made him worse. So I've completely changed his routine. Down at 9pm. 10 minute feed at 3 or 4am Up for the day between 5:30 and 6:30am. They say, at this age, 7 hours is considered "sleeping through". It has to be a bit of a blow when he's slept through so well from so young (you lucky thing!  ).
Agreed! As long as baby isn't crying in the night, and will go back to sleep after a quick feed, then I think that's fine. It's an adjustment, but if they're hungry, they're hungry IMO. Hang in there. My almost 3 year old slept through from about 6 months onwards and has been a great sleeper ever since. It's such a short period of time, in the grand scheme of things, that they wake in the night. You'll get your 9+ hours back soon
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Lil_Nic9 wrote:Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 11 December 2010 at 11:24am
| night waking alone is not a sign a baby is ready for food... they do go through a growth spurt and need more milk but food isnt necessaritly the answer. |
Posted By: Kimnthekids
Date Posted: 11 December 2010 at 8:04pm
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food 'sounds' like the magic cure sometimes, but when you think about the teeny tiny amount they actually take in to start (1tsp) its not enough to 'fill' their bellies. So id do what some of the others have recommended, and 'test' the reflexes with the spoon, and then go from there.
Of course, everything with wee ones seems to be a right guessing game :) ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 6:47am
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And when you think about the usual first foods too, apples, pears... Not things we would normally have to fill ourselves up with as a meal iygwim. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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