Showing interest at 5 months...

[Beach Mama]

My MCHN told me that yes 6 mths is a recommendation, but that we may start at 5 1/2 mths or 6 1/2 mths depending on the baby.(Again that magical 6 mths - you adjust prem babies age in some things, I wonder about babies like Izzy who was 11 days late, is a big baby and showed interest reaching grabbing opening mouth etc from 5 mths - OT sorry)
I decided just before 5 1/2 mths to try some rice cereal once a day with Izzy - she ate the whole teaspoon on day one. Since then I have increased the amount slightly - but still only once a day (shes a week off 6mths) At times she just shuts her mouth and just doesnt want it so I just stop, at other times she eats it all. She has eczema so I made the decision to not start any other foods until she is over 6 mths, and that if she showed a reaction to the rice cereal then I would stop. I realise this isnt the "done" thing and there are alot of studies etc out there but I did what I felt was right for us - at the end of the day we all want the best for our kids.
Good luck it is tricky when you have a million different people's POV.

[MantaRay]

i say just go with the flow do what you think is right within certain limits of course!

I don't disagree with that, but I think that people often make the mistake of thinking that showing an interest in food is the same as being ready for food. In actual fact, don't they just grab at anything at that age and try to put it in their mouths? It's not just food. Sure, it is one sign that they are ready, but on it's own it is not enough.

Charlyfrog, FWIW I think you have made the right decision. And I totally agree with Barb - why bring on the mess and inconvenience of solids before you have to!!

[suse]

"Serious food allergies/intollerances is on the rise and no one knows exactly why that it."

There's been research which suggests that allergies/asthma/hayfever, etc may be related to eradication of intestinal parasites, esp. in first world countries. The research looked at the very low incidence of allergies in third world countries, compared to the high rate in first world countries. An increase in development of allergies was found when treatments for intestinal parasites were routinely administered in areas that had previously had very low allergy rates. Trial programs treating crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome using 'beneficial' parasitic organisms have had success in cases where conventional treatments do not.

The theory is that because the gut is designed to deal with parasitic organisms (some with more success than others), but basically doesn't get enough work in hygienic first world environments, then it 'finds' work to do by attacking things in our food and environment that we would otherwise not react to. Possibly in a few generations we will see a decline in the rate of allergies as we adapt to the change in environment.

This is not to suggest that exposing babies (with immature immune and digestive systems) to such environments is any solution to allergies - the flip side is that infant mortality rates are much higher in areas with uncontrolled bacterial/parasitic populations.

Sorry to jump off topic (it's not exactly related to introducing solids!!), but it's an interesting area of research. Anyone else come across it?

[Beach Mama]

Caro - I tend to agree with what you are saying regarding the studies etc.... When the recommendation was 4 mths, all the mums would be like us thinking, well what if I wait a bit longer/shorter? My MIL was telling me that she gave my DH orange juice from 6 mths(OMG) with every meal because thats what the recommendation was! (He is fine BTW!) At mothers group yesterday we were saying how we will be like our mums now telling our kids to "delay solids til 6 mths" "start with rice cereal" "don't let them .....etc and you can almost hear them saying "MUM! - thats soooo old-fashioned, what an old wives tale, we now microchip them so they will sleep and feed when we want them to ROFL!!!" JK but I think you get my point that things change and strict rules can sometimes be bent(just slightly - give or take a few weeks , and we as new mums do what we have to do to get through and make the million little decisions every day for the well-being of our bubs, without needing to feel guilty about it.

[fionas]

I'm sick to death of studies and if my baby seems ready before six months that's good enough for me. We'll have a little try, if not we'll wait.

[rolymogs]

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[Charlyfrog]

Tan you're a crack up!! Microchipping.......if only it was that easy!!!

Woah......so many thoughts hey!! Potential brain hurt!! LOL!!! But really am thankful for a wide variety of thoughts regarding feeding to feel almost completely informed!

I do agree thought about one study eventually being over ruled by another................one pill cures, then it causes illnesses, then you add this and it cures, then that causes illnesses........not exactly the same as whether to introduce solids and yet there are similarities..............


Just had a thought whilst sterilising DD's dummies................the rise in allergies etc and the emphasis on solids not being introduced until 6 months.........................some times it makes me wonder whether these are inter-related as well as our kiddies growing up in a far more sterilised environment, again contributing to the rise in allergies etc as we are not allowing our little ones to build their own immune systems like children of precious generations did, iykwim......like I said, just a had a moment to think, dangerous I know!

[sushee]

I introduced solids to Charlie at 5 and a half months and now I know that Charlie is asthmatic (which often goes hand in hand with allergies) I think I should have waited. At the time, I was sure it was best for him, but in hindsight, he was curious but in no way ready to have solids, and didn't really eat with gusto until he was almost 7 months. It wouldn't have hurt him one bit to wait for few more weeks to start. I probably was in a bigger rush than he was, and was over-eager to meet what I perceived were his needs.

For most, including Charlie thank goodness, early introduction of solids cause no problems. But it is often the mothers whose child/ren have developed food allergies who are the most vocal about advising for the delay of solids. And that's because, as mothers, they don't want anyone to have to go through what they go through everyday. One hundred mums will say 'but I did it and it didn't hurt my child' or 'studies change all the time' but it's the mum with the child with food allergies that I want to listen to. If someone said to you that your child will have food allergies, and delaying solids would assist in limiting the severity, what mother wouldn't hold off? The problem is though, that most children will not show symptoms of allergies until after that time where mum has to make the decision as to whether or not to introduce solids. By then it's a little late already to change what been done, don't you think?

Charlie's was not diagnosed with asthma until he was 12 months old, with his first major attack happening when he was 8 months old, looong after he had started solids. If I'd had a crystal ball I would have held off on solids until he was 6 months at least. But barring a crystal ball, all I could hope for is to be more careful if I ever have another child.

[sushee]

No, caro, I don't think Charlie's asthma was caused by early introduction of solids. I'm pretty sure family history took care of that. But now knowing he may have be pre-disposed to food allergies (and let me make clear that he has turned out to have NO food allergies, thank goodness), I would have been more cautious about introducing solids. Esp when, in retrospect, he wouldn't have missed those early weeks of solids at all.

Food allergies are often already there, and more often than not, not caused by early introduction of solids. But if delaying introduction of solids can help minimise the impact of food allergies, then surely it's not too big an ask to then wait a few extra weeks JIC? That's my opinion on it anyway.

[Charlyfrog]

Really? Not supposed to sterilise? I have never heard that before...

Hmmm, seriously, its becoming a bit tricky to keep up with all the changes in "How to/What not to...."! Being a mummy is complicated business sometimes hehehe

[sushee]

Exactly my point. If it's recommended that not introducing solids early could potentially lessen the impact of food allergies, then why wouldn't you wait those few extra weeks? Because you're right, once you're made the decision to introduce early, and if your baby does develop allergies, won't you be wondering why you didn't wait, and whether waiting might have helped?

And I am a mum who introduced solids early. I do not think it was the right decision in hindsight, though. Whatever you, Charlyfrog, decide, of course is up to you, as no one will question your love for your baby. Informed decisions are a good thing.

[Peach]

My MIL has been saying to me to start Kenzie on solids from 6 weeks because she did with her 2 boys.. I waited till 5 months and then started with 1 teaspoon of rice cereal, she has tried a little bit of apple and some pumpkin Tomorrow I am introdicing some more veges and will start fruit next week. I think my little one needs more food. Her sleeps and rountine are in chaos atm.

[Charlyfrog]

Is her routine chaotic because of her arm Jen?? How is she now? Does she still have to wear the sling? Thinking of you.......

[Peach]

Her arm is 100% healed and good she has full use of it .. her sleep routine is chaotic atm she is deciding that her day is my night iykwim! Going slowly insane but hope that inceasing the solids to 2 meals a day will help her sleep properly!

[Lil_Aussie]

Well, I too was told with my other children to start solids at 4 months. My eldest had projectile reflux with every feed,,,, was medicated, and as he was also 12 weeks early,,,, doctors were desperate to get some weight on him . So at 16 weeks old (yep, you got it,, 4 weeks corrected age!!) I was ordered to start farex. I shudder now to remember back at how hard it was to feed him that at such a tiny age.
My next 2 were also recommended at 4 months,,,,but I started them at 5 and 6 months old, when they were hollering down the house for it.
With Griffen however, I tired to wait till the magic 6 months,,, but he was so underweight,and losing weight that I was advised by the health nurse to start one meal a day at 5.5 months. He was however displaying an eczema rash on his face before then, and still has it.
If I had not been advised to feed him at 5.5 months though,,, looking back though,,, he needed it. I did not have anywhere enough milk, and he was starving,, screaming all the time.

[Lil_Aussie]

I agree,,,, Johnsons may as well be cattle dip on my kids skin,, I am forced to use either QV bathoil,, or Hamiltons bath oil for them, no soaps or washes of any kind or we are in for trouble.
i also have to use only half the laundry detergent and go for amolin sensitive,, strictly no softeners either
I also have them on Effalex fishoil which has been great for it.