Ready for solids?

My DD seems to be showing a lot of signs of being ready to start solids.
*She stares at all food being eaten, wants to sit on my lap at dinner time and watch my plate - every once in a while she will stand up and launch herself at the plate.
*Last week she scraped her fingers through the hummus on my cracker and I held her hand to stop her spreading it everywhere while I got a wipe but she shoved her mouth over her fingers and sucked it off. She swallowed it and looked very pleased with herself.
*She chews her fingers or makes chewing motions while anyone eats. She is even trying to chew her fingers while she is BF.
*Last night she made a grab for the food on my plate. She got away with a salad leaf and was chewing air but in all the excitement of nabbing a bit of food she couldn't get it to her mouth lol (she had the will, but not the co-ordination).
*This morning she sucked on a bit of toast, bits came off and she swallowed them with no gagging.

Everything she does is telling me that she is ready to start solids, the only problem being that she is only 3 months old. Is the starting solids at 4-6 months a one size fits all thing, or does it cover the majority with some kids being ready earlier?

For me personally i think 3mths is still a little young for their tummy's but some kids are just ready when they are ready, can you maybe speak to your MCHN or GP and see what they think?

Sorry i'm no help really but couldn't read and not reply.

To be honest I would wait. But that is just my preference. I think that their little digestive systems are better off with waiting. Having said that, my DH's mum was putting biscuits in his formula when he was 10 days old, cos that was what the MCHN told her 38 od years ago was ok if she thought he was hungry. He is fine, didn't kill him.

I do think that doing BLS is great, but if you are going to let bubba have what u r having then you might be allowing her to have foods that could upset her tummy. So say like hommus, it has garlic i it I think and the chick peas probably give most adults wind, so bubba may not cope with those things. If you try to prepare foods that she can cope with then I think you will end up with purees and I tried to steer clear of those with DD. Food before one was just to play with not to sate their hunger. That is what your boobs are for. Again having said that, the essence of BLS is to trust the child, so I dunno:think: Me personally I would wait. It won't hurt her to wait, and I know some ppl think you increase the incidence of food allergies if you introduce food too early, but I never looked in to it. DD didn't start solids till she was 7 months...... and she hasn't looked back

I like them to be able to sit well so they have full use of their gag reflex. Three months is too early if you ask me.

I'm not sure that i could give my little one solids so young. What about her upper body strenght and sitting? You might want her to be pretty confident in holding herself and her head really well before offering food also. There is also a reflex in their mount that will changed from pushing everything out to actually working things to the back of the mouth and down the throat. You might want to be sure that this has happened for your little one.

DS1 had his first taste of solids at 6 months, he was happy with this, took to it really well and never really seemed to be ready any earlier. At that stage the guidelines were not until 6 months.

DS2 it had changed to between 4-6 months and i offered him food around the 5.5 month mark thinking he was ready but he just spat everything out. We started again at the 6 month mark but i still feel it took a good couple of weeks for him to even want what i was offering.

DD was my one that showed signs from a really young age also and it was me knowing that she was probably my last bubba that was holding out as long as possible because i wanted her to stay my baby. A bit selfish i know. But like you said DD was easily watching us with food from the 4ish month mark and i don't think i offered anything until she was 5.5 months and when i did she loved it!!!

It's your decision :)

Haha she sounds so lovely - it must be hard when she seems so determined to get some food!

I agree with the others - I would wait until after 6 months. Could you get her something to play with in her mouth while you are eating maybe?

Good luck!


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Yeah, I think 3 months is too early too. She just looks so keen! We normally do BLS, so I guess she can just wait until she is coordinated enough to feed herself.

Bella, biscuits at 10 days!!

3mths is way to early, like Tegam I think they should be sitting well.

Given her age she is probably just enjoying interacting with her environment not necessarily wanting food. If she is wanting to chew give her a teething toy as she maybe teething hence wanting to put things in her mouth.

There is no harm in waiting, there can be potential harm in starting too soon so knowing that I would rather wait.

yeah I know, milk biscuits I think they were, or something like that. Just like ppl used to put honey or sugar on dummies...... an era long gone I think. That was in the UK tho, and my uk MW reckons it still happens their a fair bit with advice from grandma's and things.

OMG Arte she is growing up too fast!!!!
WOW!
I reckon wait, thats what your instinct is telling you too.
PLUS I dont want her to grow up too fast - we need her to stay a baby!

From the BLW book this might help you decide:

False signs of readiness:
• Waking at night
• Weight gain slowing slightly
• Watching their parents eat
• Making lip-smacking noises
• Not going straight to sleep after milk feeds
• Small baby
• Big baby

True signs of readiness
• Sitting up with little or no support
• Reaching out to grab things and taking them to their mouth quickly and accurately
• Gnawing on toys and making chewing movements
• Starting to put food in their mouth ….if given the opportunity

Personally I am waiting till DS is doing all 4 of the 'True Signs' - mainly for me the idea of eating while not being able to sit up well doesn't sound fun to me - but also watching him with his toys I know that most food would end up in his eye rather than his mouth as he is not doing the "quickly or accurately" bit. (Oh and for me solids are more hassle than BF so I want to wait until I know he really is ready)

Hi,

At 3 months she is way too young to digest solids. all Australian health authorities recommend starting solids at 6mnths. She is playing, not ready to eat

No, sounds like normal baby behaviour to me and I wouldn't think it indicates she's ready for solids :) Just learning about life.

My DD was like this. She wasn't ready, just wanted to get into everything. Just wait a while - she doesn't need any food till 6 months. Enjoy the cleanliness of no solids :)

I think its just normal behaviour for a 3 month old. Mines doing the same but I know shes no where near ready for solids. This is around the age that they start to put things into their mouth, thats how they learn. DD constantly has her hands, blankets, toys, my arm/hand... what evers going really.. in her mouth. If I put dip on her hands too it would go straight in her mouth. I think starting solids this early you would be asking for a very unsettled baby as her digestive system wouldnt be ready. She doesnt need it.

the curiosity and alertness and modelling is all great - but I also would wait.

sounds like you've got a delightful little bundle though !!

Wysiwyg - thanks, that was interesting. She is showing all the true signs (supports herself sitting with a light hold on her hip for balance).

Doesn't matter because I wasn't planning to start her, I was just wondering if the whole solids thing is a bell curve like other parts of baby development and some are ready earlier than the official guidelines.

She is the sweetest and easiest baby ever, I am not doing anything that might change a good thing lol