So Brighton started eating solids. (Insert tiny sob.)
At Brighton's 4 month appointment the pediatrician told me that at any point in the next two months, my baby might be ready for solids. She said to look for signs like waking up in the middle of the night hungry when a solid sleep pattern was already established, the ability to sit up and hold her head unassisted, and the ability to let us know when she is full from a meal - like pushing the bottle or breast away.
She also made the joke that the breastfeeding experts will tell you to wait until babies are 6 months old to start solids, but Brighton never had a conversation with them or read their books. (Har, har.)
Well about a week later Brighton started waking up around 4 and 5am hungry and frustrated. She had been sleeping from about 8pm - 7am most days so this was a sign that either she was going through a growth spurt or she needed some more calories in her system. I waited it out a few days to see if the pattern would right itself, but it never did. She woke up every day for 2 weeks earlier than normal and I was exhausted having to nurse her at that early of an hour.
So with a reluctant heart (my only reluctance is that solids = her growing up too fast for me), I went out and bought some organic brown rice cereal. And she loved it!
She gobbled it up instantly and did a great job with learning how to take "bites" off the spoon. And lo and behold she started sleeping from 8pm - 7am again!
She has eaten rice cereal every day for the last two weeks and we are now ready to introduce another food. I was thinking mashed up avacado or banana. Any suggestions on what I should try next?
My favorite solid food for babies is roasted sweet potato--very easy to make!
ReplyDeleteAt that age, our daughter loved pureed sweet potato and squash, so maybe give those a try? They're really easy to make too. I've heard avocado is best but she still isn't a big fan.
ReplyDeleteWillow started with avocado and loves it! We did apples next...she did not like them at all, and now bananas which she also loves. We make our own with the baby bullet...its really awesome!
ReplyDeleteOur firsts were roasted sweet potatoes and mashed avocado. The sweet potatoes are really easy to make in bulk and then freeze in ice cube trays for later use. I LOVED making my daughter's food. I found it to be cost effective and fun!
ReplyDeleteWe did avocado first then sweet potatoes, with both babies, and I have fantastic eaters! I wrote a post last month about making our own baby food if you are interested! http://youngmammatales.blogspot.com/2012/12/diy-baby-food.html
ReplyDeleteHeck yes! Thank you. Reading this tonight!
DeleteWe did sweet potato and banana first. :)
ReplyDeleteI was told veggies first and once all the veggies have been sampled then do fruits.
ReplyDeleteI heard the same! Is it because the fruit is sweet?
DeleteRecent research points to the idea that fruits or veggies first doesn't matter because the first flavor a baby tastes is the sweet taste of breastmilk (unless you forumla feed). Veggies first is more of an old school rule. :)
DeleteSo it looks like most of you suggest sweet potato or avocado. Thank you for the suggestions!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe introduced mostly veggies first. Sweet potato, squash, carrots, then some fruit.
ReplyDeletethere is a thought that introducing sweet fruits first will make them prefer the sweet taste over veggies but i'm sure if some babies do develop that preference it's nothing life changing : ) we started with fruit just because that's what we happened to have on hand one day and for fun we tried some apple puree, which he loved, and of course subsequently made him constipated so his next food was prunes haha. sweet potato mixed with breastmilk is on the menu for the next week.
ReplyDeleteConsidering that breastmilk is sweeter than 7up I seriously do not think introducing fruit first matters.
ReplyDeleteSolids has been so fun! This site has been so helpful (http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/)! I really wasn't sure how I was supposed to make his food. Now I just steam or bake it then throw it into the baby bullet or immersion blender. We did/do fruit in the morning (with cereal) and veggie at night (with cereal). I have heard about not doing fruit at first but we did and he has been fine. Our first "foods" were prunes,bananas,apples, sweet potatoes, avocado and carrots! We have introduced more now and the doc said to give him a 3rd meal. CRAZY! He had his first mum mum this week and it was hilarious. I was a hot mess and thought he was going to choke the entire time. Have fun!!
ReplyDeleteJust saw you recommended the same website I have found so informational. See Kara? Go check it out! :D
DeleteHaha! I will, I promise. :)
DeleteOur pediatrician had us do veggies first and then fruits. We started with green beans! Probably just a coincidence anyway, but my toddler's FAAAAVORITE foods are still greens to this day: green beans, kale, spinach, etc. I mean, my mom did the same for me (veggies first) and I hate veggies, so who knows, haha. Brighton is SO CUTE!
ReplyDeleteWow that is great. I think I hated green beans because my mom always served canned instead of fresh. I can't wait to do spinach or kale. So fun!
DeleteI can't believe she is 4 months already!
ReplyDeleteShe will be 5 months next week actually!
DeleteWhat a sweet baby! Great blog! :)
ReplyDeleteSabrina
http://thelittleowlshop.blogspot.com
Try looking at http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/ -- they have wonderful resources that are right up your alley!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/
ReplyDeleteThere is some good information on feeding infants here as well as on KellyMom!
Oh thank you! I am ready to stop the rice cereal but it was a good bland thing to start with.
DeleteBuy the book Super Baby Foods by Ruth Yaron!!
ReplyDeleteWe just started a week ago. My daughter never slept that well but she started waking up every 2 hours. My first daughter was a good sleeper like Brighton, we stared her on bananas at 5 months and she loved them
ReplyDeleteI loved making baby food for my twins! #3 is about a month away from solids. Would you mind sharing your current schedule? i.e. times Brighton eats, and when she has solids/how much? Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteSure! We do one solid food meal a day around 6 or 630pm - about an hour before she goes to bed and has her last nursing session.
DeleteWe feed her around 3 tablespoons - that seems to be as much as she wants because as loses interest or turns her head away from the spoon.