HI gals,
Well, my Annie is now five months, she is doing beautifully, but I have some questions about introduction of solids. There seems to be so much conflicting information - the ABA (Australian Breastfeeding Association) say wait until six months, but other advice says 4-6 months is fine. I feel that she is showing some readiness. She watches us eat with real interest, can sit up with a prop, and has started waking at night (formerly she was sleeping through). I have breast fed her to this point, and had been really hoping to continue this exlusively until six months, but am not sure that the twice a night waking is going to do much for my sanity..We have also just got back from two weeks with mum and dad in Sydney, so maybe her night waking is related to getting used to her regular cot / lack of lots of stimualtion from grandparents, / aunts / uncles / friends etc etc etc (I'm sure she thinks I'm rather boring to be honest!!!)
When did you start solids??, how did your babies go??
Appreciate your thoughts and advice
B
SOLIDS
Hi Bel.
I started Maya on baby rice at 4.5m but as she was a ff baby this wasn't a drama for us. We then progressed onto pureed sweet potato, swede, carrot, potato etc.
Lots of the things you mentioned are the usual signs a baby might be ready to try something new. You could always try a little and if she's not ready, leave it a bit longer. It's not like all-or-nothing. There is advice on when in the day is best to try, do you have a book whose advice you follow?
I hope the trip to Sydney was a success. How did the flights go with Annie?
Debra.
I started Maya on baby rice at 4.5m but as she was a ff baby this wasn't a drama for us. We then progressed onto pureed sweet potato, swede, carrot, potato etc.
Lots of the things you mentioned are the usual signs a baby might be ready to try something new. You could always try a little and if she's not ready, leave it a bit longer. It's not like all-or-nothing. There is advice on when in the day is best to try, do you have a book whose advice you follow?
I hope the trip to Sydney was a success. How did the flights go with Annie?
Debra.
Hi Bel,
We alslo started with baby rice at 4months and both babies were happy with the additions to their menu. After a week or so I added pear and then potato, carrots, etc. Now we are also having some meat with the veggies and all goes down really well, they seem to enjoy it all and have no allergies or reactions that I've noticed. the baby rice did help with the sleeping, so maybe it's worth a try for you too!
good luck,
juliana
We alslo started with baby rice at 4months and both babies were happy with the additions to their menu. After a week or so I added pear and then potato, carrots, etc. Now we are also having some meat with the veggies and all goes down really well, they seem to enjoy it all and have no allergies or reactions that I've noticed. the baby rice did help with the sleeping, so maybe it's worth a try for you too!
good luck,
juliana
Just to add my 2 pennorth - yet it definitely sounds as if Annie's ready.
The guidance I had was that the baby should be at least 16/17 weeks past their due date, so that's the case and Annie is showing all the signs of beung hungry for more than milk.
We started Jay off on baby rice after his 6pm milk (consistency of yogurt at first then a bit thicker - like double cream). Once he was happy on the rice we added pureed fruit to it, then he had fruit puree and rice after his 11.30am feed then baby rice on its own after his 6pm feed. We gradually started adding more fruits, veggies, then meat and fish, and now Jay's 14 months and eats pretty much anything and everything he can get his hadns on!!
Hope this helps love Sally xxx
The guidance I had was that the baby should be at least 16/17 weeks past their due date, so that's the case and Annie is showing all the signs of beung hungry for more than milk.
We started Jay off on baby rice after his 6pm milk (consistency of yogurt at first then a bit thicker - like double cream). Once he was happy on the rice we added pureed fruit to it, then he had fruit puree and rice after his 11.30am feed then baby rice on its own after his 6pm feed. We gradually started adding more fruits, veggies, then meat and fish, and now Jay's 14 months and eats pretty much anything and everything he can get his hadns on!!
Hope this helps love Sally xxx
Me - severe endo, DH - poor sperm. First IVF ICSI Nov 02 neg. Second IVF/ICSI May 03 Positive.
Miracle baby Jay born on 27th January 04
Miracle baby Jay born on 27th January 04
weaning advice
Hi, we also started Ben on baby rice at 4.5mths. Between 4 and 6 is fine but the babies iron levels are depleted by 6 mths and breast feeding doesn't replace them so you need to start by then. Also you risk your baby becoming a milk a holic !! The night time waking could also because shes not satisfied by breast alone.
We used Gina Fords weaning book, whether you follow her feeding/sleeping routines or not the weaning book is excellent and gives up to date world health organisation recommendations. It also gives lots of recipes for later on and gives you a day to day guide of how to go about weaning including how to avoid allergies, foods to include / avoid and best of all explains why she says what she says, why to feed at certain times and with what. I followed it to the letter and Ben is a healthy 2yr old with no allergies and loves his food particularly a roast dinner including his veg ! It really helped me plan in advance etc and make sure all his food was home prepared, healthy and tasty.
Good luck, love from Wendy xxx
We used Gina Fords weaning book, whether you follow her feeding/sleeping routines or not the weaning book is excellent and gives up to date world health organisation recommendations. It also gives lots of recipes for later on and gives you a day to day guide of how to go about weaning including how to avoid allergies, foods to include / avoid and best of all explains why she says what she says, why to feed at certain times and with what. I followed it to the letter and Ben is a healthy 2yr old with no allergies and loves his food particularly a roast dinner including his veg ! It really helped me plan in advance etc and make sure all his food was home prepared, healthy and tasty.
Good luck, love from Wendy xxx
2nd icsi, Benjamin born March '03, 5th icsi, Thomas born Aug '05
Hey gals,
Thanks so much for your replies, and your ideas and experiences. It's been a real struggle to know what to do, but I think what I need to do is look for Annie's signs of readiness, which she is displaying well and truly!! and act accordingly. The Australian Breastfeeding Association is fairly militant in their advice to exclusively feed for six months and then introduce solids, but I fail to understand what miraculously changes at midnight on the 8th of May when Annie turns six months. Surely all children are unique, and we should learn to respond to their cues and be sensitive to their needs, as much as what the textbooks say!
Debra, thanks for asking re. our trip to Syd, we had a fantastic time. We drove down (how ridiculous really), but all turned out fairly well. We broke the trip into two days, stopped at Armidale on the New England Highway for a night, and then drove into Sydney the next day. We drove while Annie slept, when she woke we stopped, fed her, had a bit of a play, swapped drivers and kept going. Is about an eleven hour dive, was a long two days in both directions. Annie coped remarkably well really, just took a while to settle back in once we got back home to Brisbane. We learnt lots though about travelling with kids (maybe we should publish these along with your excellent airpline tips!):
1. Motel rooms should be booked as far ahead as possible. Request a two bedroom unit (baby can sleep and mum and dad don't have to go down when she does!), and request a quiet end of the motel if possible!
2. Have lots of toys etc (bribery) in the back seat of the car for entertainment / diversion.
3. Plan ahead by all means to stop at particular points along the way, but be prepared to be flexible if bub is still sleeping (never wake a sleeping baby) or wakes up twenty mintes before that town and wants to be fed NOW!!!
4. Be prepared with a range of CD's to play in the car. John and I are completely over singing our entire repertoire of baby friendly tunes, and even some not so baby friendly tunes out of desperation (ten green bottles was really wearing thin!!)
Thanks again!, and good luck Debra on the 21st!!!!!!
B
Thanks so much for your replies, and your ideas and experiences. It's been a real struggle to know what to do, but I think what I need to do is look for Annie's signs of readiness, which she is displaying well and truly!! and act accordingly. The Australian Breastfeeding Association is fairly militant in their advice to exclusively feed for six months and then introduce solids, but I fail to understand what miraculously changes at midnight on the 8th of May when Annie turns six months. Surely all children are unique, and we should learn to respond to their cues and be sensitive to their needs, as much as what the textbooks say!
Debra, thanks for asking re. our trip to Syd, we had a fantastic time. We drove down (how ridiculous really), but all turned out fairly well. We broke the trip into two days, stopped at Armidale on the New England Highway for a night, and then drove into Sydney the next day. We drove while Annie slept, when she woke we stopped, fed her, had a bit of a play, swapped drivers and kept going. Is about an eleven hour dive, was a long two days in both directions. Annie coped remarkably well really, just took a while to settle back in once we got back home to Brisbane. We learnt lots though about travelling with kids (maybe we should publish these along with your excellent airpline tips!):
1. Motel rooms should be booked as far ahead as possible. Request a two bedroom unit (baby can sleep and mum and dad don't have to go down when she does!), and request a quiet end of the motel if possible!
2. Have lots of toys etc (bribery) in the back seat of the car for entertainment / diversion.
3. Plan ahead by all means to stop at particular points along the way, but be prepared to be flexible if bub is still sleeping (never wake a sleeping baby) or wakes up twenty mintes before that town and wants to be fed NOW!!!
4. Be prepared with a range of CD's to play in the car. John and I are completely over singing our entire repertoire of baby friendly tunes, and even some not so baby friendly tunes out of desperation (ten green bottles was really wearing thin!!)
Thanks again!, and good luck Debra on the 21st!!!!!!
B
[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/2;10717;124/st/20041108/n/Annie-boo/dt/14/k/21eb/age.png[/img]
Bel - that sounds a really great trip - you'll remember it for ever!
Just to echo Wendy - we followed the Gina Ford weaning book to the lettre and it is brilliant and makes things very easy. I'd definitely recommend it as I couldn't have got by without it. You'll be able to get it on Amazon I should think. Jay also loves his roast dinners!!!!
Debra- best of luck and loads of PMA and baby dust to you. Make sure you post your positive result here first!!!!!!!
love Sally xxx
Just to echo Wendy - we followed the Gina Ford weaning book to the lettre and it is brilliant and makes things very easy. I'd definitely recommend it as I couldn't have got by without it. You'll be able to get it on Amazon I should think. Jay also loves his roast dinners!!!!
Debra- best of luck and loads of PMA and baby dust to you. Make sure you post your positive result here first!!!!!!!
love Sally xxx
Me - severe endo, DH - poor sperm. First IVF ICSI Nov 02 neg. Second IVF/ICSI May 03 Positive.
Miracle baby Jay born on 27th January 04
Miracle baby Jay born on 27th January 04
Hi,
Just wanted to add that the recommendation in Uk has only recently changed to 6 months for starting weaning. My little girl started on solids at 4.5 months on baby rice then pureed veg and later pureed fruit. I decided in light of the 6 month I postponed introducing meat until 6 months.
I know you've said you've sent of for Gina Ford book but I also wanted to recommend the Annabel Karmel books.
I agree that the 6 months is only a guideline and that we should be watching for the signs in our own very individual babies as to when to start solids!
Enjoy!!
Di
Just wanted to add that the recommendation in Uk has only recently changed to 6 months for starting weaning. My little girl started on solids at 4.5 months on baby rice then pureed veg and later pureed fruit. I decided in light of the 6 month I postponed introducing meat until 6 months.
I know you've said you've sent of for Gina Ford book but I also wanted to recommend the Annabel Karmel books.
I agree that the 6 months is only a guideline and that we should be watching for the signs in our own very individual babies as to when to start solids!
Enjoy!!
Di
HI Di,
Thanks for that!
I have one of the Annabel Karmel books as well, it is excellent!, some of the recipes look a tad detailed for me (I am so not a Nigella!), but I'm sure I can simplify them!
B
Thanks for that!
I have one of the Annabel Karmel books as well, it is excellent!, some of the recipes look a tad detailed for me (I am so not a Nigella!), but I'm sure I can simplify them!
B
[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/2;10717;124/st/20041108/n/Annie-boo/dt/14/k/21eb/age.png[/img]