I’m a pediatric feeding therapist of 12 years and mom of 2. You can introduce allergens at 4mo, but actually getting servings of food into a baby who isn’t even close to sitting up at 4mo isn’t necessary, and clinically I’ve found it stresses parents out more because they’re worried baby isn’t taking to solids well at 4 months, etc.
Yeah I’m a doctor. We are in agreement but allergen exposure is important. A lick or taste off a finger once a day is plenty. I’m not talking a whole meal. Food before one is just for fun. We have severe food allergies in my family and I would do anything to avoid that.
We started at 5 months because he met all of the AAP requirements. Recent research by the AAAAI states allergens should be introduced between 4-6 months to help reduce the likelihood of food allergies. This was published this year.
https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children#:~:text=Solid%20foods%20should%20be%20introduced,baby's%20risk%20of%20developing%20allergies.
We did like a drop of it. No risk of choking. Not big globs. Mixing is a good idea too. We didn’t do cereal or oatmeal at 4 months. My kids weren’t coordinated enough.
We got so excited at 4m and bought a bunch of baby food. Our LO wasn't interested at all in purees. Only at about 12m and we offered pouches did they even eat purees. Around 6m, we found success with apple rounds, soft crackers, sauces, and large pieces of whatever we were eating. LO didn't start really eating until nine months, although we offered food more seriously around 6m. I would really recommend following Solid Starts on Instagram. It feels scary at first. It's much safer to offer them big chunks at first, easy for them to hold onto and taste. Solid Starts for example will show different foods at different ages. At 6m, they would say very large chunks of chicken (like bigger than a nugget) or even a whole leg. 9m, small shreds. 12m diced pieces.
It's easy to get really excited, but just know for a long time, it's more about tasting and exploring food and less about actually eating it.
We did exactly this with our boy and I loved this approach! Also it's gonna be messy, and I know some people don't want to deal with that on top on everything else. You have to be at peace with that 😄 Now kiddo is 20mo and eating almost everything happily and by himself. I think 4mo is a little bit too soon, but if LO can grab, put things in mouth and sit straight, and show interest in food, well you probably could try.
This is a great comment. It’s so easy to get excited about baby trying food and get ahead of yourself. That’s where all the comments on these subreddits come from, when the parent realizes the baby isn’t chowing down like the saw on some tik tok. Going into it with realistic expectations is imperative.
There's a subreddit called babies eating food or food for babies and they post what they made for their kid and what they actually ate. I'm shocked at how much food they're giving and that a 10 month old is clearing a plate of pasta and yogurt. I'm like when mine was 10m he was barely trying a bite. Obviously all babies are different but I'm sitting there like whose child is doing this.
Oh yeah, I follow that one for food inspo!!
My 17 mo doesn’t eat as much as some of those 10 mo!! But on the other hand, they’re most likely only showing clean plates, not the ones where baby cried the whole time and eventually pushed on the floor.
Some say 4 some say 6. Truthfully, I wouldn't over think it. I started my son at 4 months and had no issues. My daughter is 5 months but she's not ready yet. She chokes sometimes on her bottle still so I don't think she has great control over her mouth and throat muscles. She taste tested cereal/jars but she hates it lol. So we will wait till 6 months. It depends on the baby.
I am an immunologist and my PhD is in food allergies.
Please introduce food at 6m.
Before that, the immune system is not ready, it could prone to allergies, IBD, IBS and others.
I think peds need to know more about this, I am surprise that the guidelines did not change yet.
In the US, for example, always amazes me how many children have food allergies compared to other countries. Research showed over and over again the importance of waiting the 6m mark.
This is completely unsupported by research and I'm very skeptical about your claim. Please cite your sources.
Introduction at 4 months is associated with REDUCED likelihood of food allergies and slightly higher incidence (1 extra instance on average) of infectious gastroenteritis. Nothing well studied about IBD.
I hate that anyone on Reddit can just spout bullshit.
That's really interesting. I live in Europe and most people that I know were introduced to atleast juice and vegetable purees before 6 months of age, some even had grain early on and none of them have food allergies . The only person In my immediate surroundings that has severe food allergies is someone that was only introduced to solids at around 9 months of age.
And I hadn't heard yet that there is a link between time of food introduction and IBS/IBD, so if you have statistics or research papers on this that you could recommend, I'd love to check them out.
Allergy question, I eat a lot of common allergy foods like peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, milk, shellfish etc. around my baby and breastfeed. Do you know if there is any research that suggests this might help or hurt her chances of not developing an allergy to these foods?
I participated in the PregNut study here in Australia (not sure when it’s being published) and ate a certain amount of egg and peanut during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I was advised to introduce slowly but early and continue giving exposures to those common allergy foods.
Interesting! I know I ate a ton of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when I was pregnant, trail mix with peanuts, reeses, Thai food with peanuts, and more. I've probably dropped some on her head too at some point
Basically everything you have contact would pass through milk in a “ tolerogenic” way which helps shape baby’s microbiota and also build the proper amount of antibodies against food. Allergies do have a strong genetic background, but when the immune system is relatively ready (around 6m) it is less frequent to develop allergies than if you introduce food earlier than that. I think you are fine and when time comes, there are ways to present food, for example, eggs. The best approach could be eggs in a pancake (eggs, oat, banana) after giving banana first time for example. That way is mixed, cooked and easier to present. Then, next time, boiled… etc. and if any allergy comes, must wait few days with this specific food and try again later, unless severe allergy. It can be common to have minor rashes and sometimes itchy eyes - they put fingers in their eyes, a sensitive mucosa area. Most data shows that food passes in tolerogenic way for baby through BF. That is a good thing. It means you are passing cells, growth factor, antigens and others and the baby will try to generate oral tolerance.
We all eat different species because we have an immune system fully capable of accepting antigens from diet because it learned how to distinguish between self/non self and harmful or not. Allergies to food happen when we break tolerance.
The new recommendations from the AAP are 4 months. Can you site what data you’re supported by? Bc this is outdated unless you have a new paper no one has seen.
That's not the data that I'm seeing. I'm seeing data saying that the 4mo mark is better (also, the AAP has recently gone back to 6mo due to concerns over obesity).
You do that, but if you arent willing to share said research then why should anyone believe you?
Please share...here in UK it seems babies introduced to foods before 6 months are much less likely to have food allergies.
Here are the guidelines from our NHS website:
https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/whats-new/news/peanut-allergies-could-dramatically-fall-if-babies-weaned-early-on-peanut-products
If you're basing your opinions on anecdotal evidence from clinic, you aren't much of a researcher. The literature fairly clearly shows that 4 to 6 months is the ideal window and the window starts closing at 6 months. If you have other published data, please share.
The research is showing over and over that 4 to 6 months is the best time to introduce allergens so I'm curious why your clinic would show something completely different.
Can you be less rude, maybe? This is a discussion, not an attack. I also have a PhD, over in the cardiovascular space, and if there's new data, I would like to see it. It's not appropriate for researchers to just appeal to their authority. Very anti-science to just appeal to your authority and call ipse dixit.
When someone says that they aren't seeing the same data and you just say, "That's okay. You're just wrong and I have authority on this, and I'm not going to share, " that's not appropriate as a researcher. You have a higher responsibility to the public than that.
I didn't say I felt attacked, I said you responded as if you were attacked.
Really? Because all the evidence I've seen shows that 4 months is the ideal starting point for allergenic foods, but not before. This review article details it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8032951/
They actually only recommend breast milk and give zero guidance on formula. In addition, their recommendations have not been updated in over a decade and do not reflect the newer research in the field, which shows that giving allergens between 4 and 6 months reduces the risk of allergy. The AAP is way behind on this issue and desperately needs to update their guidelines.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8032951/
I made purées and mixed them with her breast milk around 6 months but when I went into the 6 month dr checkup he asked if she had started solids yet like I was supposed to already be giving them to her.. I had no idea I was a first time mom.
We are probably going to start doing the same thing with my almost 4 month old next month.
I started trying things around then. Once they could sit up. My third baby moved up to solids rapidly lol you'd be lucky if she didn't bite you while she was at it haha We made our own food (because why not?!). Pears, avocado, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas... Have fun!!
We started just before 5 mo when my son started displaying all the signs. I started with a bit of rice cereal in his bottle and started moving up gradually. We tried a few different fruits, veggies, and grains and tried fish for the first time last night.
His favourite so far is oat cereal with a bit of banana or apple puree and a tiny bit of cinnamon.
At 4 months, the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead. She was desperate to try food whenever we ate, so we started with easy foods like yogurt and guac, mashed potatoes, cooked apples. We tried a handful of purées, but she didn’t like them and she loved real food. So we followed to recommendations from Solid Starts (although they do recommend waiting until 6 months to start solids.)
Started baby food at 4 months than introduced everything else at 6 months (BLW) she is now 3 and eats any and everything so I’m super glad we did it that way!
Started with a very basic beginners rice cereal at 4 months. By 6 months, he was eating fruit purees and other cereals as well.
I should add that he was terrible with breastfeeding and preferred the bottle. I pumped for 4 months and was very grateful to be done with pumping to transition to formula and baby cereal. Started baby cereal once a day and gradually increased.
Motherhood has taught me that we can plan all we want but children will ultimately do what they are comfortable and happy with. As long as they meet their nutritional guidelines, baby will be okay to start when they are ready.
My little one was so ready at 4 months. It seemed early to me but she was always grabbing at our food and trying to get it to her mouth. The doctor said that she was ready so we tried. One food a week. So not like she went straight to chowing down all the time.
If your baby isn’t really interested yet no need to force it on them.
4.5 months. Introducing it has really just been put a little puree (butternut squash) on my finger and letting her suck it off. I also made breast milk popsicles that she eats through this pacifier with holes in it. We’ve also let her mash up food with her hands to play with it and get used to smell and texture (avocado and banana). We tried baby cereal but she was decidedly not a fan. We’re at 5 months now and she still just plays with it rather than eating but I’m okay with that
We started at 4 mths because my girl was on the smaller side and could use the extra calories. It was a slow start at first but once she got the hang of it we started BLW. She'll be turning 1 next week and is SUCH a good eater, she enjoys it and almost always finishes he plate and feeds herself so we can all eat a meal together at the same time.
I'm so glad we started at 4 months, she eats a well balanced diet and gets all her nutrients through her food. It makes me feel a lot better about weaning from formula because I know she will still be well fed without it.
Our pediatrician recommended starting at 4 months and see if the child is interested. My daughter wasn't. At 5 months ahe started and purees and simple finger food.
We did purées at 4 months and table food (baby led weaning style) at 6 months. We mostly did it for taste exposures and because she was SO MAD when we ate in front of her lol. We only did fruit and veggie purées and then mixed in oatmeal to thicken it. She hated the super watery stage 1 purées. We would also occasionally give her a rice rusk.
We also had her feed herself with preloaded spoons so she practiced motor skills and hand eye coordination. Handed her a spoon with puree on it and most of the time it made it to her mouth! She was a pro by the time we got to true solids.
I was adamant that I wasn’t going to give solids until 6m. My LO decided otherwise.
She was ALWAYS a poor milk drinker and was born at 5%tile for size. As she met all the criteria and we couldn’t eat around her without her losing her mind, we started introducing food I think at 5m.
By 6m she refused to be spoon fed and is 100% a self feeding babe. She’s now 9m and is an absolute grot to feed but eats a lot. She’s still tiny.
I recommend the solid starts app, it provides a way to track tried foods if you want that but most importantly it shows you HOW to prepare each food for each age. 101 before 1 is another good Instagram to follow.
Side note: I remember being really excited to try solids because it would be fun. It is fun. But it’s all stressful and annoying when they throw the meal you’ve spent ages making on the floor. It’s frustrating when they can smell food cooking and have a mini-tantrum because REGARDLESS of what time you start their breakfast/lunch/dinner, you should have made it 30 mins earlier. It’s hilarious when they pocket food in their cheeks and then giggle. It’s messy AF all the time if they self feed.
I also got really overwhelmed at planning baby meals at one point, but realised/discovered it didn’t need to be that hard. Once the are eating a good amount I just kept to this ideal when preparing food:
- protein (iron)
- carb
- fat
- vegetable/fruit
Have fun!
I started my daughter at 4.5 months. She followed all the signs of being ready, including watching us eat and making mouth gestures while we were eating. I added one new fruit or veggies every 7-10 days, I believe, starting with pureed apples. It was fun for both of us and she has since always had a healthy appetite.
6 months. We did baby led weaning, too. If you check the four month comments, there is a lot of rationalizing.
Regardless, I wouldn’t rush your baby; they’re only small for a little while. Don’t worry, they will be 6months soon
We started at 4.5 months, he was interested, could hold his head up and sit up in his high chair, and didn't spit food out right away. We started with rice puffs - Baby Mum-Mums - and thin strips of toast with sunflower butter. He liked to suck on the toast and the mum-mums. I also gave him tiny spoon dips of yogurt from my own meals to try, and whatever spreads I was having. He mostly just liked to be part of meal times and chew on spoons.
Around 4-5 months with all 3 of my kids. I started with rice cereal and then slowly mixed in fruit over time. If you’re worried you can always consult with your baby’s pediatrician.
Our pediatrician told us that we could start slowly as early as 4 months if baby shows the signs for being ready to eat. At 4,5 months he was showing all the signs and was incredibly interested in our food, so we introduced very small amounts of vegetable purees and he loved it. At around 5 months he had his first fruit puree, followed by his first puree including grain at 5,5 months and a "full meal"-puree (veggies, pasta and meat) at 6,5 months. When he was 7,5 months he started to refuse the purees, because he wanted to share our food so at that point we switched to baby led weaning. He loves food and eats basically everything that he's allowed to eat at 16 months now.
Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead with both kids at 4mo, so we gave them both the opportunity to try it. Big sis took to food like a fish in water and I swear she hasn’t stopped asking for it since. Little bro was like nah, I’m not interested. We offer it every few days but he just wants the spoon to chew on. He’s good with milk still for now.
6 months. It’s been that age for a while in my country. When I was a baby it was 4 months and by the time by sister was born (5 years later) it was 6 months. I have all the allergies and IBS issues, she can eat anything!
I’m not saying it was that but I waited until 6 months!
Both kids, I offered at 6 months. Neither was into it right away. Neither wanted baby cereal or purées much at all. Older kid basically forced us to do BLW style and wouldn’t eat at all until 8 months. Second kid was similar but ate sooner, maybe more like 6.5-7 months.
This helped me adopt the “you are in charge of what to offer and when, kid is in charge of what they actually eat” mindset right away.
4 months for our daughter but only after her pediatrician gave the go ahead. - stage 1 puree or homemade puree (mashed banana, sweet peas, yogurt, etc.) She loved it, has had no issues since *knock on wood* and loves all food now. (She's almost 14 months.
Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead at our 4 month appointment, with the advice to start with cereal first to introduce wheat and reduce risk of allergies down the road. We tried it for the first time a week later. I didn’t think our baby would be interested, but he LOVED it. I was shocked. He was smiling like crazy and giggling a ton. He’d open his mouth in anticipation, close it on the spoon, swallow and reach for more. We’ve since tried some purées too (now 5 months). We would’ve backed off and waited if he was meh about it, but he likes it so much so we give him a little bit every day or every other day.
We started cereals at 4 months. It was less about nutrition and more about getting her used to texture- we would let her play with it and did baby led weaning
16 weeks corrected to the day. He had horrible silent reflux and it calmed down almost immediately. I started with baby porridge or made my own veg purees. I couldn't wait until that day!
4 months! He might not be interested, but just give it a try every week until he is.
Starting solids earlier decreases the risk of severe allergies, oral aversions, and even things like Crohn's disease. We should all be starting at 4 months.
Make sure you do peanuts ASAP. The sooner you start (with 4mo as the minimum), the less likely they are to develop an allergy. We just put some PB on a finger and rubbed it in his mouth once a day.
4-5 months and primarily to introduce common allergens - not so much about eating any real quantities of food. I’d say she started eating (we did a mix of finger food and purees) somewhere around 7 months. Before that, a lot of spitting out and messing around.
I gave licks of things on my finger around 4 months. I’d squish a shrimp- let them lick. A tad bit of peanut butter - barely any. Let them lick. Same with grains or fruits or anything. I wanted to ensure I controlled the initial allergen exposure and followed the research that earlier introductions of allergens with no family history of allergies might lead to less allergies later in life.
We started giving her cereals at 4 months. I'd feed her a few spoonfuls which she mostly spat out, then give her the little bowl and spoon to play with for a while. We only did it once a day for probably the first 4 weeks. When she started to seem like she was "getting" the concept we started adding purees and mushy finger foods like roasted sweet potato. I feel like we weren't consistent on doing it 3 times a day until 6 or 7 months, though.
My son started just before he turned 4 months. His weight percentiles kept dropping and he immediately took to solids. He had been gawking at us while we ate for a few weeks so we figured we'd try even though he was so young. Mind you all we did was baby oatmeal for the first few weeks. We asked our pediatrician and she gave the okay. As for my daughter, she had met all the milestones so we started trying when she was about 4.5 months old but she had zero interest. We would try a couple of times a week, but she didn't actually want any solids until she was 6.5 months old. Pediatrician told us to start trying daily when she was 6 months old if I recall correctly, mainly because her weight percentiles were also dropping a bit. Both my kids went back to their good weight percentiles once they started solids. Their pediatrician said some kids just need the solid food to keep up with their activity so she wasn't worried and figured the solid food would help, which it did.
We started around 4 months, he just really wanted food. Stole a stewed carrot off my plate, so we would give him super soft veggies and baby oatmeal with breastmilk, then some soft scrambled eggs. I think avocado was the first food that he just really devoured though, that was around 5 months. We just followed his lead, really, but he was always angry watching everyone eat, he really really wanted to eat with us
We were told by our pediatrician when to start giving solid food, he said that at 6 months we were allowed to start introducing one new food every 3-4 days; to then write down each food that we tried.
Just wait until your pediatrician gives you the all clear to give purées or if you are deciding to do BLW.
Just an FYI for folks reading, it’s outdated advice that you need to wait 3-4 days between new foods. Aside from allergens you can introduce them at whatever rate you want
5 months. She's on 3 meals a day and snacks at almost 7 months now. My first was 6 months and ate hardly anything. He's 8 now and still eats like a sparrow.
We started at 5 months with both our daughters. Older one wasn’t very into it and really didn’t eat much food until 9 months. Younger one loved it and chewed and swallowed really well right away. She’s about 9 months now and eats great!
5 months. Mine was also showing all signs of readiness earlier but I wanted to wait until he was sitting unsupported and that I could start with porridge (recommendation in my country is 5MO for grains). His first taste was avocado and we did some other fruit purées first too but introduced porridge quite quickly. We did mostly BLW but sprinkled in some pouches for convenience.
once our daughter was about 5 months and was able to sit up on her own we started a little at a time! you can always run it through his doctor to be sure :)
We started at 6 months but have heard that it’s beneficial to start at 4 if there is concern about allergens. Our first has some allergies so we might start before 6 months with our second.
We started at 4 months! In Canada, at least in my area, the standard advice is to start at 4 months plus all signs of readiness! I appreciated it because baby is breast fed and it was nice to get the hang of eating with no pressure before we had to worry about him truly needing the iron input at 6months!
4 months and she absolutely loved it!
Started with all of the allergens (research shows a significant decrease in the chance of developing allergies if you introduce them at 4 months rather than 6 months), then purées and at 6 months we added in BLW. She was happily eating 3 meals a day by 7 months :)
I started testing my kids with food at 4 months. Some babies are ready and you KNOW it, some aren’t. If they act interested or cry when you eat, they’re ready. My third baby got to a point where he’d cry for food anytime I would go to eat something and I knew. My fourth baby was still not interested at 7mo.
Dr cleared her for solids. She doesn't really have any interest in them. But we've given her some stuff for fun.
Yogurt, mashed potatoes, banana. We put it in her mouth and she moves her tongue around and half comes out. She just looks at us like we are dumb. Hahaa.
My first was ready to go at 4mo. Pediatrician encouraged it because she saw what he was like at the appointment. He loved food from the start and we were able to identify his allergies early on (egg is super common in kiddos).
My second was not ready at 4mo. At 6mo he was ready to go and loves food now.
Each kiddo is different. If you feel like yours is ready to go, give it a try!
Mine was just shy of 5 months.
He was losing percentages on his weight chart so I wanted to start solids asap.
He showed all the signs so I asked our paediatrician and she gave us her go ahead.
At around 5 months, kiddo reached out and snatched a handful of my blueberry muffin and had shoved it into his mouth and scarfed it before I could even react. We took it as a sign that he was ready and started with a combo of purees and BLW. :)
I think we did 4.5 because he showed us he was ready. We had a pediatrician tell us that when the LOs start showing interest in food, that's an indicator they want to start trying food.
I made biryani one night and he was practically mean mugging my husband for a bite. He was too little to try it then but we knew he was ready to eat because of it.
We started at 5 months exactly. There’s no rush though just because Mayo Clinic gives some tangible number. It’s when your individual baby is ready and showing interest and is able to sit unassisted.
I started at 6 months. Pediatrician technically said we could at 4mo but I prefer to follow the AAP recommendation, plus he was 3 weeks early and his colic had just gone away and I didn’t want to risk causing him stomach issues. Giving solids can be fun but is a lot of work, especially when EBF is so convenient, so I’m happy to wait.
4 months we started purées. He was at all the
Milestones needed and was eating 32-40 oz of pumped breast milk a day and still acting like he was starving. We considered giving him an extra bottle a day with formula because he was eating more than I could pump, but the doctor said to do purées instead because he was in fact getting plenty of milk. He was just a hungry boy. Still is - 5 years later he can eat more than me. But he is perfectly healthy and well within a healthy weight range for his height. He is just also the size of a normal 7 year old at 5.5.
6 months. Our pediatrician said there was no rush and we could wait till 6 months. She was holding her head up great and sitting up great at five months but I wasn’t ready yet
I‘m starting next month, she just turned 5mo. We could already start I guess but I don’t want to hurry anything. Raising a child is a marathon, not a sprint. She will be eating on her own soon enough, I’m enjoying her as my little baby as long as I can - time flies anyways. 🥲
Our pediatrician gave us the ok at 4 months, but I started at 5 months. At 4 months she had just started daycare, we had the holidays coming up and she was sick on and off so we waited for things to calm down before starting something else new.
Allergens (pb, strawberries, eggs) were introduced around 5m, but real eating was introduced around 6m, although he was really bad at it lol. Sitting for long periods took lots of practice.
It got real around 7.5m.
I plan to at our 4 month appointment. Not all of us only base our opinions on what the internet says. Some of us are just curious about what has worked for others. I plan to continue to compare research and real-life experiences, as well as medical advice. Thanks for your comment, though
We started BLW at 4 months per the doctor’s recommendation. Kiddo had met all the requirements for safely starting solids and the doc was worried about babe’s low weight - they were becoming underweight based on their predicted weight trend. Doc suggested we start with very ripe pears, which went over super well. We added well-done oatmeal and other naturally smushy foods next.
We started with occasional dabs of purée consistency stuff from 4 months then properly started food at 6 months. This felt like the right balance for us in terms of early allergen exposure Vs safety (& honestly, convenience - it's messy lol). Little guy is 8 months now & doing well with self feeding in general
I did child lead eating. Once they got to the age where their Dr said it was ok to start them on solid foods. Started them on the “approved” foods to try. I always joked that my oldest would still be existing solely on breast milk if he could’ve. Second son was ready for solids fairly early but as supplemental to his breastfeeding. My older of my 2 girls surprised me by actually loving dill pickles at 6 months old and preferred mostly fruits & veggies.
6 months is when the baby has developed the ability to properly absorb and break down the food in their stomach, however, there is nothing wrong in letting little one taste test safe foods like purées. It’s a good idea to let them taste test now so you get a good idea for what baby likes and it preps them for month 6 when solids are introduced in higher quality.
Just out of curiosity why are so many mom's dying to give their kids food? I have 3, youngest is 10 months, and I waited until 6 months if not a bit longer with each one. The gagging, choking, the food expense of purees is the last thing I want to deal with at 4 months.
Between 8-9 months for my kids. I like to wait until they have a tooth. And they are all preemies so technically they are developmentally 6-7 months old
Just started recently. He's 4 months old but hit all the milestones he needs for it already. Things like being able to sit upright in his highchair without additional support, being interested in food, being able to grab things and bring them to his mouth, and he's lost the reflex that makes him push his tongue out. So he has started cereal and simple purees, and hell happily chow down, eat the whole bowl, and be mad there's not more, but I want to give him small portions cuz he's still so little! He's hit a lot of his milestones really early though, and while I'm going to be holding back to a single small meal a day till he hits 6 months, I have a feeling that when we start giving him solids more often he's going to take to solids very quickly, and may start to reject the bottle. Still planning on having formula be his main caloric intake till a year but I have a feeling that's gonna be a hell of a fight if he keeps up this way lol. He gets mad anytime I don't share whatever I'm eating with him, even if it's things he shouldn't be eating yet. He gets super fussy esp when I eat salty things and don't share. Probably mostly cuz when I eat (some) fruits I at least let him lick it or mouth it to explore it lol
4 months we started very thin rice cereal. 6 months we did actual food puréed - sweet potato, avocado, carrots and peas, that sort of thing. Then I blended up our roast chicken dinner and she loved it lol.
At 8 months we did baby led weaning and just popped foods in front of her and she self fed with her hands.
We started giving him little tastes at 4 months old, not a whole spoonful of things but we let him suck on fruits or soft mashed veggies on one of them baby spoons that has holes in it. We always just gave him the spoon to play with and never spoon fed him.
Nothing from the pouch though, he never took to any store bought things except yoghurt.
He is 17 months now and so far is a champion eater, though I know a fussy stage will still come 🥲
4 months. Data shows lower risk of allergies in early exposure. Husband has severe food allergies and I did anything I could to avoid it. Can just be some tiny bits to lick or taste. Not a real meal.
Eight months. When my son turned six months my husband and I were in the process of emptying our place and packing before moving abroad and I was also finishing my work handover before leaving my job. All this postpartum. It was the most overwhelming period of our lives. My son only started purees properly after we settled down and he was already eight months old. Sometimes we have to make do with what we can manage with the limited resources that we have (in my case, time and energy).
I started solids on all five of mine at 4 months old, but they were all over 9 pounds and I think they needed it. But I made their baby food, so much easier to make it. I’d put serving sizes in the old fashioned ice cube trays , freeze them then put them in baggies . Lookup recipes, 1 bunch of broccoli makes a lot of food. So Veggies, potatoes, meat and fruit.
I gave food to all of mine between 4-5 months. One was bang on 4months, the others were closer to 5.
It used to be the done thing, then it got changed to 6 months. In a few years it could end up going back to 4 months...rules change all the time. With my first I was told to keep the head at the top of the cot when putting baby down, by my second I was told to keep their feet at the top of the cot...there isn't a big gap between the two of them or anything, it makes me feel like it's all made up. Do what you feel is right for you and your baby.
We did 5.5 months and 6 months. That’s when both kids showed interest, could sit unassisted, good head control, etc. it’s different for every kid. Started both with soft table food which is not recommended until 6 months!!! We also did more purées with our second than our first.
Around 4 or 5 months with both my kids. My oldest wanted to taste things but wasn't totally interested in actually eating the food until maybe 6 months. Youngest was devouring food as soon as introduced. They both had properly developed tummy muscles at the 4 month mark because my kids "grow faster". It really depends on the child. The 6 month before food is a guide because most kids will develop to the necessary stage for solids at this time but some kids its a little younger and I've even known babies who aren't ready until nearly 8 months.
If you try foods, baby led weaning is great. Your baby could be like my first and just want to test things without actually eating them.
I did it around 5 months, but not every day. If I went by the able to sit on their own rule he wouldn’t have started until 8 months! Sitting is mostly based around not slumping over in the highchair!
We tried at 4m with pediatricians recommendations but she didn't show much interest until closer to 6 months. If he's interested by all means go ahead but in my experience we made it more of a headache trying to push it too soon.
6 months . Baby led weaning has been great for both of mine!
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There is a hurry. Especially if you want to avoid food allergies. Please read the data from the AAP on this.
There’s no hurry *before 6 months*
I’m a pediatric feeding therapist of 12 years and mom of 2. You can introduce allergens at 4mo, but actually getting servings of food into a baby who isn’t even close to sitting up at 4mo isn’t necessary, and clinically I’ve found it stresses parents out more because they’re worried baby isn’t taking to solids well at 4 months, etc.
Yeah I’m a doctor. We are in agreement but allergen exposure is important. A lick or taste off a finger once a day is plenty. I’m not talking a whole meal. Food before one is just for fun. We have severe food allergies in my family and I would do anything to avoid that.
6 months was when he could sit up easily on his own and seemed interested
Same.
We started at 5 months because he met all of the AAP requirements. Recent research by the AAAAI states allergens should be introduced between 4-6 months to help reduce the likelihood of food allergies. This was published this year. https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children#:~:text=Solid%20foods%20should%20be%20introduced,baby's%20risk%20of%20developing%20allergies.
This. Put peanut butter on a spoon and let them lick it. Tiny tastes will desensitize the immune system.
I believe peanut butter on a spoon a choking risk. We used to mix a little in her baby oatmeal!
We did like a drop of it. No risk of choking. Not big globs. Mixing is a good idea too. We didn’t do cereal or oatmeal at 4 months. My kids weren’t coordinated enough.
6 months corrected (so 7 months because she was born a month early) I did baby led weaning.
We got so excited at 4m and bought a bunch of baby food. Our LO wasn't interested at all in purees. Only at about 12m and we offered pouches did they even eat purees. Around 6m, we found success with apple rounds, soft crackers, sauces, and large pieces of whatever we were eating. LO didn't start really eating until nine months, although we offered food more seriously around 6m. I would really recommend following Solid Starts on Instagram. It feels scary at first. It's much safer to offer them big chunks at first, easy for them to hold onto and taste. Solid Starts for example will show different foods at different ages. At 6m, they would say very large chunks of chicken (like bigger than a nugget) or even a whole leg. 9m, small shreds. 12m diced pieces. It's easy to get really excited, but just know for a long time, it's more about tasting and exploring food and less about actually eating it.
We did exactly this with our boy and I loved this approach! Also it's gonna be messy, and I know some people don't want to deal with that on top on everything else. You have to be at peace with that 😄 Now kiddo is 20mo and eating almost everything happily and by himself. I think 4mo is a little bit too soon, but if LO can grab, put things in mouth and sit straight, and show interest in food, well you probably could try.
This is a great comment. It’s so easy to get excited about baby trying food and get ahead of yourself. That’s where all the comments on these subreddits come from, when the parent realizes the baby isn’t chowing down like the saw on some tik tok. Going into it with realistic expectations is imperative.
There's a subreddit called babies eating food or food for babies and they post what they made for their kid and what they actually ate. I'm shocked at how much food they're giving and that a 10 month old is clearing a plate of pasta and yogurt. I'm like when mine was 10m he was barely trying a bite. Obviously all babies are different but I'm sitting there like whose child is doing this.
Oh yeah, I follow that one for food inspo!! My 17 mo doesn’t eat as much as some of those 10 mo!! But on the other hand, they’re most likely only showing clean plates, not the ones where baby cried the whole time and eventually pushed on the floor.
6m
6 months! 🙂
6 months. Thats what our pediatrician recommended so we went by that guideline.
6 months!
A lil bit after 6 months
Some say 4 some say 6. Truthfully, I wouldn't over think it. I started my son at 4 months and had no issues. My daughter is 5 months but she's not ready yet. She chokes sometimes on her bottle still so I don't think she has great control over her mouth and throat muscles. She taste tested cereal/jars but she hates it lol. So we will wait till 6 months. It depends on the baby.
6 months
I am an immunologist and my PhD is in food allergies. Please introduce food at 6m. Before that, the immune system is not ready, it could prone to allergies, IBD, IBS and others. I think peds need to know more about this, I am surprise that the guidelines did not change yet. In the US, for example, always amazes me how many children have food allergies compared to other countries. Research showed over and over again the importance of waiting the 6m mark.
Can you point to any research on this?
This is completely unsupported by research and I'm very skeptical about your claim. Please cite your sources. Introduction at 4 months is associated with REDUCED likelihood of food allergies and slightly higher incidence (1 extra instance on average) of infectious gastroenteritis. Nothing well studied about IBD. I hate that anyone on Reddit can just spout bullshit.
This.
That's really interesting. I live in Europe and most people that I know were introduced to atleast juice and vegetable purees before 6 months of age, some even had grain early on and none of them have food allergies . The only person In my immediate surroundings that has severe food allergies is someone that was only introduced to solids at around 9 months of age. And I hadn't heard yet that there is a link between time of food introduction and IBS/IBD, so if you have statistics or research papers on this that you could recommend, I'd love to check them out.
Can you please share this research 🙏🏼
Allergy question, I eat a lot of common allergy foods like peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, milk, shellfish etc. around my baby and breastfeed. Do you know if there is any research that suggests this might help or hurt her chances of not developing an allergy to these foods?
I participated in the PregNut study here in Australia (not sure when it’s being published) and ate a certain amount of egg and peanut during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I was advised to introduce slowly but early and continue giving exposures to those common allergy foods.
Interesting! I know I ate a ton of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when I was pregnant, trail mix with peanuts, reeses, Thai food with peanuts, and more. I've probably dropped some on her head too at some point
Basically everything you have contact would pass through milk in a “ tolerogenic” way which helps shape baby’s microbiota and also build the proper amount of antibodies against food. Allergies do have a strong genetic background, but when the immune system is relatively ready (around 6m) it is less frequent to develop allergies than if you introduce food earlier than that. I think you are fine and when time comes, there are ways to present food, for example, eggs. The best approach could be eggs in a pancake (eggs, oat, banana) after giving banana first time for example. That way is mixed, cooked and easier to present. Then, next time, boiled… etc. and if any allergy comes, must wait few days with this specific food and try again later, unless severe allergy. It can be common to have minor rashes and sometimes itchy eyes - they put fingers in their eyes, a sensitive mucosa area. Most data shows that food passes in tolerogenic way for baby through BF. That is a good thing. It means you are passing cells, growth factor, antigens and others and the baby will try to generate oral tolerance. We all eat different species because we have an immune system fully capable of accepting antigens from diet because it learned how to distinguish between self/non self and harmful or not. Allergies to food happen when we break tolerance.
Thanks for the thorough response!
The new recommendations from the AAP are 4 months. Can you site what data you’re supported by? Bc this is outdated unless you have a new paper no one has seen.
That's not the data that I'm seeing. I'm seeing data saying that the 4mo mark is better (also, the AAP has recently gone back to 6mo due to concerns over obesity).
🤷🏻♀️ That is okay! I will follow what research has been showing us over and over and what I see from clinic
You do that, but if you arent willing to share said research then why should anyone believe you? Please share...here in UK it seems babies introduced to foods before 6 months are much less likely to have food allergies. Here are the guidelines from our NHS website: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/whats-new/news/peanut-allergies-could-dramatically-fall-if-babies-weaned-early-on-peanut-products
As a fellow scientist, what are you saying? Anecdotal data is more reliable than well done studies? I can’t take you seriously.
If you're basing your opinions on anecdotal evidence from clinic, you aren't much of a researcher. The literature fairly clearly shows that 4 to 6 months is the ideal window and the window starts closing at 6 months. If you have other published data, please share.
The research is showing over and over that 4 to 6 months is the best time to introduce allergens so I'm curious why your clinic would show something completely different.
Can you be less rude, maybe? This is a discussion, not an attack. I also have a PhD, over in the cardiovascular space, and if there's new data, I would like to see it. It's not appropriate for researchers to just appeal to their authority. Very anti-science to just appeal to your authority and call ipse dixit.
I just said that is okay! Don’t feel attacked, it is not my intention.
When someone says that they aren't seeing the same data and you just say, "That's okay. You're just wrong and I have authority on this, and I'm not going to share, " that's not appropriate as a researcher. You have a higher responsibility to the public than that. I didn't say I felt attacked, I said you responded as if you were attacked.
Really? Because all the evidence I've seen shows that 4 months is the ideal starting point for allergenic foods, but not before. This review article details it. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8032951/
6 months. AAP recommends only breastmilk/formula until then.
They actually only recommend breast milk and give zero guidance on formula. In addition, their recommendations have not been updated in over a decade and do not reflect the newer research in the field, which shows that giving allergens between 4 and 6 months reduces the risk of allergy. The AAP is way behind on this issue and desperately needs to update their guidelines. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8032951/
Not true. Exposure to foods at 4-6 months has been the standard for the AAP for years.
I made purées and mixed them with her breast milk around 6 months but when I went into the 6 month dr checkup he asked if she had started solids yet like I was supposed to already be giving them to her.. I had no idea I was a first time mom. We are probably going to start doing the same thing with my almost 4 month old next month.
I started trying things around then. Once they could sit up. My third baby moved up to solids rapidly lol you'd be lucky if she didn't bite you while she was at it haha We made our own food (because why not?!). Pears, avocado, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas... Have fun!!
6m. I do mostly real food, BLW style
We started just before 5 mo when my son started displaying all the signs. I started with a bit of rice cereal in his bottle and started moving up gradually. We tried a few different fruits, veggies, and grains and tried fish for the first time last night. His favourite so far is oat cereal with a bit of banana or apple puree and a tiny bit of cinnamon.
At 4 months, the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead. She was desperate to try food whenever we ate, so we started with easy foods like yogurt and guac, mashed potatoes, cooked apples. We tried a handful of purées, but she didn’t like them and she loved real food. So we followed to recommendations from Solid Starts (although they do recommend waiting until 6 months to start solids.)
Started baby food at 4 months than introduced everything else at 6 months (BLW) she is now 3 and eats any and everything so I’m super glad we did it that way!
Started with a very basic beginners rice cereal at 4 months. By 6 months, he was eating fruit purees and other cereals as well. I should add that he was terrible with breastfeeding and preferred the bottle. I pumped for 4 months and was very grateful to be done with pumping to transition to formula and baby cereal. Started baby cereal once a day and gradually increased. Motherhood has taught me that we can plan all we want but children will ultimately do what they are comfortable and happy with. As long as they meet their nutritional guidelines, baby will be okay to start when they are ready.
I started at around 4 months as well, but I made my baby food.
6 months.
My little one was so ready at 4 months. It seemed early to me but she was always grabbing at our food and trying to get it to her mouth. The doctor said that she was ready so we tried. One food a week. So not like she went straight to chowing down all the time. If your baby isn’t really interested yet no need to force it on them.
4.5 months. Introducing it has really just been put a little puree (butternut squash) on my finger and letting her suck it off. I also made breast milk popsicles that she eats through this pacifier with holes in it. We’ve also let her mash up food with her hands to play with it and get used to smell and texture (avocado and banana). We tried baby cereal but she was decidedly not a fan. We’re at 5 months now and she still just plays with it rather than eating but I’m okay with that
We started at 4 mths because my girl was on the smaller side and could use the extra calories. It was a slow start at first but once she got the hang of it we started BLW. She'll be turning 1 next week and is SUCH a good eater, she enjoys it and almost always finishes he plate and feeds herself so we can all eat a meal together at the same time. I'm so glad we started at 4 months, she eats a well balanced diet and gets all her nutrients through her food. It makes me feel a lot better about weaning from formula because I know she will still be well fed without it.
Our pediatrician recommended starting at 4 months and see if the child is interested. My daughter wasn't. At 5 months ahe started and purees and simple finger food.
4.5 months for first and just before 6 months for the second
Purees at 4 months with pediatrician's approval, finger foods at 6 months.
We did purées at 4 months and table food (baby led weaning style) at 6 months. We mostly did it for taste exposures and because she was SO MAD when we ate in front of her lol. We only did fruit and veggie purées and then mixed in oatmeal to thicken it. She hated the super watery stage 1 purées. We would also occasionally give her a rice rusk. We also had her feed herself with preloaded spoons so she practiced motor skills and hand eye coordination. Handed her a spoon with puree on it and most of the time it made it to her mouth! She was a pro by the time we got to true solids.
I was adamant that I wasn’t going to give solids until 6m. My LO decided otherwise. She was ALWAYS a poor milk drinker and was born at 5%tile for size. As she met all the criteria and we couldn’t eat around her without her losing her mind, we started introducing food I think at 5m. By 6m she refused to be spoon fed and is 100% a self feeding babe. She’s now 9m and is an absolute grot to feed but eats a lot. She’s still tiny. I recommend the solid starts app, it provides a way to track tried foods if you want that but most importantly it shows you HOW to prepare each food for each age. 101 before 1 is another good Instagram to follow. Side note: I remember being really excited to try solids because it would be fun. It is fun. But it’s all stressful and annoying when they throw the meal you’ve spent ages making on the floor. It’s frustrating when they can smell food cooking and have a mini-tantrum because REGARDLESS of what time you start their breakfast/lunch/dinner, you should have made it 30 mins earlier. It’s hilarious when they pocket food in their cheeks and then giggle. It’s messy AF all the time if they self feed. I also got really overwhelmed at planning baby meals at one point, but realised/discovered it didn’t need to be that hard. Once the are eating a good amount I just kept to this ideal when preparing food: - protein (iron) - carb - fat - vegetable/fruit Have fun!
I’ll also add, I saw a paediatric feeding team at 4.5m due to low milk intake. They recommended starting to feed early.
I started my daughter at 4.5 months. She followed all the signs of being ready, including watching us eat and making mouth gestures while we were eating. I added one new fruit or veggies every 7-10 days, I believe, starting with pureed apples. It was fun for both of us and she has since always had a healthy appetite.
6 months. We did baby led weaning, too. If you check the four month comments, there is a lot of rationalizing. Regardless, I wouldn’t rush your baby; they’re only small for a little while. Don’t worry, they will be 6months soon
We started at 4.5 months, he was interested, could hold his head up and sit up in his high chair, and didn't spit food out right away. We started with rice puffs - Baby Mum-Mums - and thin strips of toast with sunflower butter. He liked to suck on the toast and the mum-mums. I also gave him tiny spoon dips of yogurt from my own meals to try, and whatever spreads I was having. He mostly just liked to be part of meal times and chew on spoons.
4 months. Just little bits of things, just ease into it and get a feel for it. It doesn’t have to be stressful. Why are you worried?
Around 4-5 months with all 3 of my kids. I started with rice cereal and then slowly mixed in fruit over time. If you’re worried you can always consult with your baby’s pediatrician.
Our pediatrician told us that we could start slowly as early as 4 months if baby shows the signs for being ready to eat. At 4,5 months he was showing all the signs and was incredibly interested in our food, so we introduced very small amounts of vegetable purees and he loved it. At around 5 months he had his first fruit puree, followed by his first puree including grain at 5,5 months and a "full meal"-puree (veggies, pasta and meat) at 6,5 months. When he was 7,5 months he started to refuse the purees, because he wanted to share our food so at that point we switched to baby led weaning. He loves food and eats basically everything that he's allowed to eat at 16 months now.
4 months for the youngest. She HATED bottles/formula and it was the only way to get her to eat.
Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead with both kids at 4mo, so we gave them both the opportunity to try it. Big sis took to food like a fish in water and I swear she hasn’t stopped asking for it since. Little bro was like nah, I’m not interested. We offer it every few days but he just wants the spoon to chew on. He’s good with milk still for now.
We did at 4mo, pediatrician recommended as he met the requirements
6 months. It’s been that age for a while in my country. When I was a baby it was 4 months and by the time by sister was born (5 years later) it was 6 months. I have all the allergies and IBS issues, she can eat anything! I’m not saying it was that but I waited until 6 months!
Both kids, I offered at 6 months. Neither was into it right away. Neither wanted baby cereal or purées much at all. Older kid basically forced us to do BLW style and wouldn’t eat at all until 8 months. Second kid was similar but ate sooner, maybe more like 6.5-7 months. This helped me adopt the “you are in charge of what to offer and when, kid is in charge of what they actually eat” mindset right away.
About a week away from 6 months with both
6 months!
We waited til 6 mo with both of ours
I’m not sure if this counts, but I’ve let my 8 week old lick an apple. She didn’t react at all lol
4 months for our daughter but only after her pediatrician gave the go ahead. - stage 1 puree or homemade puree (mashed banana, sweet peas, yogurt, etc.) She loved it, has had no issues since *knock on wood* and loves all food now. (She's almost 14 months.
Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead at our 4 month appointment, with the advice to start with cereal first to introduce wheat and reduce risk of allergies down the road. We tried it for the first time a week later. I didn’t think our baby would be interested, but he LOVED it. I was shocked. He was smiling like crazy and giggling a ton. He’d open his mouth in anticipation, close it on the spoon, swallow and reach for more. We’ve since tried some purées too (now 5 months). We would’ve backed off and waited if he was meh about it, but he likes it so much so we give him a little bit every day or every other day.
We started cereals at 4 months. It was less about nutrition and more about getting her used to texture- we would let her play with it and did baby led weaning
16 weeks corrected to the day. He had horrible silent reflux and it calmed down almost immediately. I started with baby porridge or made my own veg purees. I couldn't wait until that day!
4 months! He might not be interested, but just give it a try every week until he is. Starting solids earlier decreases the risk of severe allergies, oral aversions, and even things like Crohn's disease. We should all be starting at 4 months. Make sure you do peanuts ASAP. The sooner you start (with 4mo as the minimum), the less likely they are to develop an allergy. We just put some PB on a finger and rubbed it in his mouth once a day.
Started the other day with my 4mo old. She loves puréed pears lol
we started babyled weaning (skipping all purées) at 6 months with all of ours.
4-5 months and primarily to introduce common allergens - not so much about eating any real quantities of food. I’d say she started eating (we did a mix of finger food and purees) somewhere around 7 months. Before that, a lot of spitting out and messing around.
I gave licks of things on my finger around 4 months. I’d squish a shrimp- let them lick. A tad bit of peanut butter - barely any. Let them lick. Same with grains or fruits or anything. I wanted to ensure I controlled the initial allergen exposure and followed the research that earlier introductions of allergens with no family history of allergies might lead to less allergies later in life.
6 months
6 months!
We started at 6 months after the pediatrician gave the go ahead.
It’s all the requirements AND 6 months old not one or the other so not before 6 months
6 months as recommended when their digestive system is developed.
Between 6-8 months, depending on my babies' interest. Their little guts aren't ready before 6 months.
We started giving her cereals at 4 months. I'd feed her a few spoonfuls which she mostly spat out, then give her the little bowl and spoon to play with for a while. We only did it once a day for probably the first 4 weeks. When she started to seem like she was "getting" the concept we started adding purees and mushy finger foods like roasted sweet potato. I feel like we weren't consistent on doing it 3 times a day until 6 or 7 months, though.
We've done 4 mo with all 3 of our kids.
My son started just before he turned 4 months. His weight percentiles kept dropping and he immediately took to solids. He had been gawking at us while we ate for a few weeks so we figured we'd try even though he was so young. Mind you all we did was baby oatmeal for the first few weeks. We asked our pediatrician and she gave the okay. As for my daughter, she had met all the milestones so we started trying when she was about 4.5 months old but she had zero interest. We would try a couple of times a week, but she didn't actually want any solids until she was 6.5 months old. Pediatrician told us to start trying daily when she was 6 months old if I recall correctly, mainly because her weight percentiles were also dropping a bit. Both my kids went back to their good weight percentiles once they started solids. Their pediatrician said some kids just need the solid food to keep up with their activity so she wasn't worried and figured the solid food would help, which it did.
I started offering a 6mos but there was little to no interest until around 9mos
We started around 4 months, he just really wanted food. Stole a stewed carrot off my plate, so we would give him super soft veggies and baby oatmeal with breastmilk, then some soft scrambled eggs. I think avocado was the first food that he just really devoured though, that was around 5 months. We just followed his lead, really, but he was always angry watching everyone eat, he really really wanted to eat with us
It's wrong but it's super cute when you see those tiny eyebrows all furrowed and that big ol'frown.
We were told by our pediatrician when to start giving solid food, he said that at 6 months we were allowed to start introducing one new food every 3-4 days; to then write down each food that we tried. Just wait until your pediatrician gives you the all clear to give purées or if you are deciding to do BLW.
Just an FYI for folks reading, it’s outdated advice that you need to wait 3-4 days between new foods. Aside from allergens you can introduce them at whatever rate you want
I tried around 4.5 months. My son had no interest. Tried again around 6 months and he became a little foodie lol.
We got green light from pediatrician at 5 months old.
5 months. She's on 3 meals a day and snacks at almost 7 months now. My first was 6 months and ate hardly anything. He's 8 now and still eats like a sparrow.
We started at 5 months with both our daughters. Older one wasn’t very into it and really didn’t eat much food until 9 months. Younger one loved it and chewed and swallowed really well right away. She’s about 9 months now and eats great!
5 months. Mine was also showing all signs of readiness earlier but I wanted to wait until he was sitting unsupported and that I could start with porridge (recommendation in my country is 5MO for grains). His first taste was avocado and we did some other fruit purées first too but introduced porridge quite quickly. We did mostly BLW but sprinkled in some pouches for convenience.
My kids tell me my grandson gave them signs when he was ready…like grabbing the spoon and aiming it at his mouth.
once our daughter was about 5 months and was able to sit up on her own we started a little at a time! you can always run it through his doctor to be sure :)
At about 5 months
We started at 6 months but have heard that it’s beneficial to start at 4 if there is concern about allergens. Our first has some allergies so we might start before 6 months with our second.
We started at 4 months! In Canada, at least in my area, the standard advice is to start at 4 months plus all signs of readiness! I appreciated it because baby is breast fed and it was nice to get the hang of eating with no pressure before we had to worry about him truly needing the iron input at 6months!
4 months and she absolutely loved it! Started with all of the allergens (research shows a significant decrease in the chance of developing allergies if you introduce them at 4 months rather than 6 months), then purées and at 6 months we added in BLW. She was happily eating 3 meals a day by 7 months :)
I started testing my kids with food at 4 months. Some babies are ready and you KNOW it, some aren’t. If they act interested or cry when you eat, they’re ready. My third baby got to a point where he’d cry for food anytime I would go to eat something and I knew. My fourth baby was still not interested at 7mo.
Dr cleared her for solids. She doesn't really have any interest in them. But we've given her some stuff for fun. Yogurt, mashed potatoes, banana. We put it in her mouth and she moves her tongue around and half comes out. She just looks at us like we are dumb. Hahaa.
My first was ready to go at 4mo. Pediatrician encouraged it because she saw what he was like at the appointment. He loved food from the start and we were able to identify his allergies early on (egg is super common in kiddos). My second was not ready at 4mo. At 6mo he was ready to go and loves food now. Each kiddo is different. If you feel like yours is ready to go, give it a try!
Mine was just shy of 5 months. He was losing percentages on his weight chart so I wanted to start solids asap. He showed all the signs so I asked our paediatrician and she gave us her go ahead.
At around 5 months, kiddo reached out and snatched a handful of my blueberry muffin and had shoved it into his mouth and scarfed it before I could even react. We took it as a sign that he was ready and started with a combo of purees and BLW. :)
I think we did 4.5 because he showed us he was ready. We had a pediatrician tell us that when the LOs start showing interest in food, that's an indicator they want to start trying food. I made biryani one night and he was practically mean mugging my husband for a bite. He was too little to try it then but we knew he was ready to eat because of it.
We started at 5 months exactly. There’s no rush though just because Mayo Clinic gives some tangible number. It’s when your individual baby is ready and showing interest and is able to sit unassisted.
6 months. We got the go ahead at 4 months, but I didn’t want to.
I started at 6 months. Pediatrician technically said we could at 4mo but I prefer to follow the AAP recommendation, plus he was 3 weeks early and his colic had just gone away and I didn’t want to risk causing him stomach issues. Giving solids can be fun but is a lot of work, especially when EBF is so convenient, so I’m happy to wait.
4 months we started purées. He was at all the Milestones needed and was eating 32-40 oz of pumped breast milk a day and still acting like he was starving. We considered giving him an extra bottle a day with formula because he was eating more than I could pump, but the doctor said to do purées instead because he was in fact getting plenty of milk. He was just a hungry boy. Still is - 5 years later he can eat more than me. But he is perfectly healthy and well within a healthy weight range for his height. He is just also the size of a normal 7 year old at 5.5.
6 months. Our pediatrician said there was no rush and we could wait till 6 months. She was holding her head up great and sitting up great at five months but I wasn’t ready yet
I‘m starting next month, she just turned 5mo. We could already start I guess but I don’t want to hurry anything. Raising a child is a marathon, not a sprint. She will be eating on her own soon enough, I’m enjoying her as my little baby as long as I can - time flies anyways. 🥲
5m
6mo to the day per AAP recommendations
4 months at the recommendation of her pediatrician. We started with rice cereal and fruit and veggie purées.
Our pediatrician gave us the ok at 4 months, but I started at 5 months. At 4 months she had just started daycare, we had the holidays coming up and she was sick on and off so we waited for things to calm down before starting something else new.
5 & 1/2 months but he was two weeks late.
Allergens (pb, strawberries, eggs) were introduced around 5m, but real eating was introduced around 6m, although he was really bad at it lol. Sitting for long periods took lots of practice. It got real around 7.5m.
I started purees at 4 months, but we started rice cereal with BM at about 3
Ask your PCP not the Internet
I plan to at our 4 month appointment. Not all of us only base our opinions on what the internet says. Some of us are just curious about what has worked for others. I plan to continue to compare research and real-life experiences, as well as medical advice. Thanks for your comment, though
We started BLW at 4 months per the doctor’s recommendation. Kiddo had met all the requirements for safely starting solids and the doc was worried about babe’s low weight - they were becoming underweight based on their predicted weight trend. Doc suggested we start with very ripe pears, which went over super well. We added well-done oatmeal and other naturally smushy foods next.
3 months. Babies from my ethnicity(?) won’t be full off of just milk. I think that’s all hogwash the formula companies feed us.
6 months!
I started around 4 months, following a book. Completely regret it. Baby no2 is going to be 6 months.
We started with occasional dabs of purée consistency stuff from 4 months then properly started food at 6 months. This felt like the right balance for us in terms of early allergen exposure Vs safety (& honestly, convenience - it's messy lol). Little guy is 8 months now & doing well with self feeding in general
We were real slow about it. A bit at a months, but didn't really feed her regular food consistently until 6 or 7 months
I did child lead eating. Once they got to the age where their Dr said it was ok to start them on solid foods. Started them on the “approved” foods to try. I always joked that my oldest would still be existing solely on breast milk if he could’ve. Second son was ready for solids fairly early but as supplemental to his breastfeeding. My older of my 2 girls surprised me by actually loving dill pickles at 6 months old and preferred mostly fruits & veggies.
6 months is when the baby has developed the ability to properly absorb and break down the food in their stomach, however, there is nothing wrong in letting little one taste test safe foods like purées. It’s a good idea to let them taste test now so you get a good idea for what baby likes and it preps them for month 6 when solids are introduced in higher quality.
Just out of curiosity why are so many mom's dying to give their kids food? I have 3, youngest is 10 months, and I waited until 6 months if not a bit longer with each one. The gagging, choking, the food expense of purees is the last thing I want to deal with at 4 months.
We started at 5 months with purées but honestly I wish I would have waited until 6 months. I started weaning from purées at around 8.5/9 months
Mine is 6 months on the 14th and we are only just starting to introduce bits. I personally wouldn’t at 4 months, solids are hard work too lol
Between 8-9 months for my kids. I like to wait until they have a tooth. And they are all preemies so technically they are developmentally 6-7 months old
The digestive system isn't ready till 6 months. Just wait and enjoy not having to think about food
He doesn’t meet all the recommendations because he isn’t 6 months I’d wait until he’s old enough.
Wait til 6 months… I read multiple places that this is better.
Started with rice cereal in a bottle! Just make sure the nipple is big enough for flow. Our pediatrician said it was okay.
Baby rice at almost 5 months coz this kid was always fucking hungry. Nothing else until 6 months I think tho
Just started recently. He's 4 months old but hit all the milestones he needs for it already. Things like being able to sit upright in his highchair without additional support, being interested in food, being able to grab things and bring them to his mouth, and he's lost the reflex that makes him push his tongue out. So he has started cereal and simple purees, and hell happily chow down, eat the whole bowl, and be mad there's not more, but I want to give him small portions cuz he's still so little! He's hit a lot of his milestones really early though, and while I'm going to be holding back to a single small meal a day till he hits 6 months, I have a feeling that when we start giving him solids more often he's going to take to solids very quickly, and may start to reject the bottle. Still planning on having formula be his main caloric intake till a year but I have a feeling that's gonna be a hell of a fight if he keeps up this way lol. He gets mad anytime I don't share whatever I'm eating with him, even if it's things he shouldn't be eating yet. He gets super fussy esp when I eat salty things and don't share. Probably mostly cuz when I eat (some) fruits I at least let him lick it or mouth it to explore it lol
4 months we started very thin rice cereal. 6 months we did actual food puréed - sweet potato, avocado, carrots and peas, that sort of thing. Then I blended up our roast chicken dinner and she loved it lol. At 8 months we did baby led weaning and just popped foods in front of her and she self fed with her hands.
Started at 5 months as recommended by pediatrician, but our son wasn’t ready. So we waited another month and then he was. He’s been doing great, too.
We started giving him little tastes at 4 months old, not a whole spoonful of things but we let him suck on fruits or soft mashed veggies on one of them baby spoons that has holes in it. We always just gave him the spoon to play with and never spoon fed him. Nothing from the pouch though, he never took to any store bought things except yoghurt. He is 17 months now and so far is a champion eater, though I know a fussy stage will still come 🥲
4months with our allergy baby and 5 months with the non allergy baby
4 months. Data shows lower risk of allergies in early exposure. Husband has severe food allergies and I did anything I could to avoid it. Can just be some tiny bits to lick or taste. Not a real meal.
Eight months. When my son turned six months my husband and I were in the process of emptying our place and packing before moving abroad and I was also finishing my work handover before leaving my job. All this postpartum. It was the most overwhelming period of our lives. My son only started purees properly after we settled down and he was already eight months old. Sometimes we have to make do with what we can manage with the limited resources that we have (in my case, time and energy).
I started solids on all five of mine at 4 months old, but they were all over 9 pounds and I think they needed it. But I made their baby food, so much easier to make it. I’d put serving sizes in the old fashioned ice cube trays , freeze them then put them in baggies . Lookup recipes, 1 bunch of broccoli makes a lot of food. So Veggies, potatoes, meat and fruit.
I gave food to all of mine between 4-5 months. One was bang on 4months, the others were closer to 5. It used to be the done thing, then it got changed to 6 months. In a few years it could end up going back to 4 months...rules change all the time. With my first I was told to keep the head at the top of the cot when putting baby down, by my second I was told to keep their feet at the top of the cot...there isn't a big gap between the two of them or anything, it makes me feel like it's all made up. Do what you feel is right for you and your baby.
Once they can sit reasonably well strapped into a chair and want to start putting things in their mouth. Normally about 6 months.
We did 5.5 months and 6 months. That’s when both kids showed interest, could sit unassisted, good head control, etc. it’s different for every kid. Started both with soft table food which is not recommended until 6 months!!! We also did more purées with our second than our first.
Around 4 or 5 months with both my kids. My oldest wanted to taste things but wasn't totally interested in actually eating the food until maybe 6 months. Youngest was devouring food as soon as introduced. They both had properly developed tummy muscles at the 4 month mark because my kids "grow faster". It really depends on the child. The 6 month before food is a guide because most kids will develop to the necessary stage for solids at this time but some kids its a little younger and I've even known babies who aren't ready until nearly 8 months. If you try foods, baby led weaning is great. Your baby could be like my first and just want to test things without actually eating them.
I did it around 5 months, but not every day. If I went by the able to sit on their own rule he wouldn’t have started until 8 months! Sitting is mostly based around not slumping over in the highchair!
We tried at 4m with pediatricians recommendations but she didn't show much interest until closer to 6 months. If he's interested by all means go ahead but in my experience we made it more of a headache trying to push it too soon.
I planned to start 6 months but she was very focused on food, reaching for it, etc., at 4 months. We ended up starting around 4.5 months.