Is it too soon for solids

Here we go round the Mulbery Bush...
... when to start children on solids and what to start them on has caused almost as many disruptions and disagreements as potty training!

Never mind, if three months or six months is right. Just do like me grannie: gie the wean a spoonful of mashed whatever you are having for dinner. If he/she likes the taste it will go down, otherwise it will promptly be spat back out.

Stick to only one new thing a week. This gives you time to see whether it is being digested, or just passing through.
If the food is not digested properly, or there is an increase in nappy rash, stop that particular foodstuff and wait a couple of weeks before trying it again.

I have always found this to work.

M0nica Mine was 10lb 13 born, 23 inches long, always starving. His older brother was 6lb 14, 18in long, a month early. I got them both on solids from a young age. They thrived.

aggie

My granddaughters were baby led weaned , I never met such picky youngsters , positively neurotic!
The only thing they will all eat is Pizza , but all with different toppings ! Nightmare to entertain

Never mind entertaining- but not very healthy for them, I am afraid.

I have found with much younger friends who have had babies recently that they are constantly fed- as soon as they wake up, and yes, with those suck on satchels very early on too. One baby I know well is so chubby, with treble chin and rolls everywhere- and mum loves it. I button it, of course- but it does concern me that obesity often (but not always, as I can attest with my GS who is so tall and lanky, but was a chubby toddler) - comes from very early onl

HowVeryDareYou I had the same experience with my large baby, 9lbs plus at birth, hugely hungry and putting on weight at the rate of llb a week - just on breast milk!

Daddima mine hit the 12lb target around the same age. I was the only breast feeding mother in the ante-natal clinic I attended, and the Health Visitor wanted to use me and DS as a splendid example - except that, from birth, he was the biggest fattest baby for his age!

Blondiescot

I was a bit dubious about the baby led weaning too, just because it was very different from how we were advised to wean our children, but my grandson also absolutely thrived on it.

In the ‘olden days’ the advice I was given was twelve weeks or twelve pounds, whichever comes first, so number one son was having Farex at six weeks old!

I have GC and GGC of many ages - 40 is eldest. Ways of raising babies have evolved and are evolving, it all works out.

I follow the "what mum & dad do in baby feeding is perfect" theory.

Goes hand in hand with "these are not my babies" theory.

I think the secret is to feed them at the same time as you are eating, and if they show an interest in your food then give them a little taste of the softest bits so that they get used to different tastes and textures. If they don't get anything but textureless puree for too long, the feel of solid food in their mouth can be horrible to them, and put them of "real" food, leading to pickyness.

I remember well the first solid food my second daughter had. She was sitting on my knee while I ate a slice of Madeira cake (not sure what age, but pretty young, as until then she had had nothing except a few purees) She watched as I took each bite, then she sat eyeing the cake on the plate until I lifted it for the next bite. It was quite clear that she knew what it was for and wanted some, so I cut a tiny cube and put it in her mouth.

She squished it around for a while until it had all vanished then opened her mouth wide for another piece. She had several more tiny cubes, loved it and managed them fine. After that I gave her all kinds of softish "real" food, cut small and in tiny spoonfuls. There was never any problem at mealtimes!

My granddaughters were baby led weaned , I never met such picky youngsters , positively neurotic!
The only thing they will all eat is Pizza , but all with different toppings ! Nightmare to entertain

My 6month old GD is on baby led weaning as was her big sister and she will eat anything. She’s had only a few purées. GD1 likes all food and isn’t fussy at all. I think it’s the way to go.

I seem to remember puréing carrot initially or fruit but then Sunday roast shepherds pie etc don’t know what ages but they both survived !

My 2 daughters opted for "baby-led weaning" - giving bigger pieces of solid food for them to hold and gnaw at from 6 months. It looks scary (and is very messy) but their babies seemed to cope! Sometimes they would look like they were choking but apparently not, so no panicking.

Theory seems to be that it's better to get them used to lumpier stuff early.

Thanks everyone, I feel so much better about it

When my 2 were babies, I got them on solids much earlier. Son2 was on pureed fruit at 6 WEEKS. The GP had advised it as my son was almost 11lb at birth, and always hungry.

I was a bit dubious about the baby led weaning too, just because it was very different from how we were advised to wean our children, but my grandson also absolutely thrived on it.

I started mine on soft pureed food around 6 months then gradually moved to more textured food. I used a mix of ready made and home made depending on what I was cooking.

My daughter started weaning her now 14 month old baby around the 6 month mark too. However she followed the baby led weaning system which I was a bit dubious about. To be honest, it scared me to death but I'm now a convert.
My granddaughter thrived on it.

The older age label sachets will likely just be a bit more lumpy. The salt & sugar content should still be ok.

Mostly puréed own food but not spicy or too salty from 6 months, I thought most did that. I did wear a couple of liquidisers out with 4 of them. LOL

The satchels have little pieces of pasta in them.. I always made fresh vegetables so, it's all new to me to.

Mine too lucca and the grandkids
started with the mashed up rusk thingy with milk then on to small bit of stewed apple or veggies So simple todo

Sachets ?.mine had purées much earlier.

Mine had our own food puried no such thing as satchels’ then what a strange word for a food item

Satchels is pre-made food. Similar packaging to yoghurt

He ll be fine he’s a hungry boy ( no idea what satchels are ) but ages given are only a guide
Mine had puréed food earlier than 8 months I m sure his mum knows best
There’s never one size fits all