Solids at 4 mos? - Solids?

bethery wrote: We just had our daughter's 4 month checkup Monday. She's still breastfeeding and gaining steadily. She's up to 13 lbs. 5 oz. and chubby since she's tiny (like her Mama). Our pediatrician suggested starting her on rice cereal. Just wondering if anyone else had suggestions on when to start solids.

mammag replied: With my first three they said at 4 mos but with Keegan they are saying 6 mos.

MomToMany replied: This is a hot topic in parenting. I'll state my opinion.

I think it's best to wait until after the baby is 6 months old. Breastfeeding should be the primary food for the first year. Solids are for the baby to taste and get the feel for different textures, not to fill up on.

Breastmilk is SO perfect for a baby, with antibodies and the perfect amount of vitamins and minerals. Plus, once you start solids, it could diminish your milk supply, making it hard for baby to get enough of the food s/he really needs. Starting solids too early can cause major problems in the baby too, like allergies, food sensitivities, etc. Read more here.

Dr.'s don't really know anything about infant nutrition. Their opinions are based on what they did with their own kids, or the misinformation put out by the formula companies that bombard them with free samples, pushing them to hand it out to new parents.

Please educate yourself before deciding what to do. There are lots of great resources out there.

Why delay solids?

Starting solids

Starting solid foods

akbutterfly83 replied: Thanks for the great info Mollie.....

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I agree with Mollie. If she is doing fine on the breastmilk then I would hold off. However, I didn't take my own advice. My son was breastfed and I had every intention on waiting until he was 6 mos to start him on solids. He had other plans. He didnt' even last til he was 4 mos old. He was SO hungry!! Seriously, if you ever see him eat you will know what I mean. He is a little bitty thing and his ped assured me he would be fine on solids (even though he would have like for me to wait, too) I don't regret my decision at all. He is now almost 11 mos old and has been feeding himself for months. He is way advanced in the eating category.

Mommy2BAK replied: I have to add that not all ped. are wrong about starting the babies on solids early. Some babies cannot get full on just milk any longer so they need a little extra to help stick to their tummies.

coasterqueen replied:
Actually I will respectfully have to disagree with you on that . There is tons of evidence that a baby's "gut" is still open til AT LEAST six months of age so there are too many risks to the baby to have solids before 6 months of age. They may not show up when they are young but can have an affect on them some point in life. Not a gamble I think doctors should take.

In all actuality babies may "appear" to be hungry and not get enough from breastmilk or formula before the age of 6 months when it's really that they like the "idea" of what mommy or daddy is eating. Many think they just can't get enough to eat when it just means they need to be nursed or given formula more often. I know my DD didn't seem to be "getting enough" and was excited every time she saw solids, but she did just fine and in all actuality when she finally got solids she wasn't as crazy about them and trust me my DD was a BIG girl.

I think doctors do an injustice to their patients by not knowing the risk factors when they are more inclined to give out "advice" about parenting than they should.

Just my 2 cents...not to start a debate, just to show the facts that the "open gut syndrome" is a REAL issue.

BTW, my DD got solids before 6 months...actually at around 4 months due to my lovely peds advice. Once I did my own research I quit that ASAP. She thankfully did not like the foods and so it was easy to do. There are just some things I will not trust my ped on.

texasp3 replied: I'm in the wait till at least 6 months as a general rule camp. And even then, I didn't poke it down either of my kids - it was more a learning experience until they started showing a big interest in solid foods.

With my older son, he was snarfing everything in sight by the time he was a year old. With Gabriel... hah... he's almost 11 months old but is just eating rice cereal, first foods (applesauce, sweet potatoes) etc... every thing still has to be really smooth or he gags it up. He'd rather have his bottle, and although it would be easier for me if he was a finger food man by now, I don't plan to rush him into solid foods and finger foods.

So, I think it really depends... Ethan (Aimee's Ethan) surely needed solids early. It's fun to watch him eat. My husband always says 'Give that boy a steak!' - and he's only heard my stories about Ethan eating. When our boys were younger, the size difference between them was really huge and it was really funny... Ethan was this delicate little flower who could eat his body weight in solid foods and Gabriel was this linebacker who didn't want anything but his bottle.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Bethery this article may help. This explains a little more about the "open gut"

Open Gut

loveydad replied: My kids were all 6 months except nicky. He was so big and hungry all the time so we started rice cereal at 4 months to keep up.

MN_mommy replied: My ped suggested the same thing, even though Haley was 14 lbs, 2oz. and not hungry. I think he just let us know, in case we were interested on starting solids. I am going to wait to EBF her for 6 months. I did buy a box of cereal, but I am not ready to break the seal. As long as Haley seems satisfied, then I am going to hold off.

mommy2mylittleangels replied: with my first they all said 4 months and with my son they told me 6 months but he was hungary all the time so i started rice cereal at about 5 months. i think it all depends on you and your baby. I teneded to listen more to the doctor with my first then i did with the second but my daughter and son never had any problems with the solid foods!! it is fun to give them new foods to try, watching all their funny faces. Good luck!!

vickiforest20 replied: I am a bad parent:( I started mine at 2 1/2 months on stage 1 foods. She loves her solid food. My family all told me I did it wrong but heck what do they know, I am the one with the Human Dev. and Family Studies Degree. Do what you think is best for your child!!!