Starting solids at 4 months? (Formula fed baby)

[Perogi]

I've got a little guy here that we are fostering who will be 4 months on July 31. He weighs about 15lbs and is in 6-12 month clothes.

 

I know when my oldest was born the doctor said to start solids between 4-6 months but I think the recommendations have changed now to 6 months? I can understand why it's beneficial to babies to continue to get the majority of their calories from breastmilk for a longer period of time but I'm not sure the same applies when babe is on formula.

 

I had intended to wait longer but my wonderful little content baby has become fussy, isn't sleeping and acts like he has a hollow leg! He was on a great 4 hour schedule, drinking 6 oz, and sleeping quite well through the night. In the past week or so he's wanting to eat every 3 hours, drains the 6oz and is waking all through the night looking for more. Something has to change!!!

 

I don't know if watching us intently whenever we're eating is really showing that he's ready to start eating but he certainly is very interested whenever anyone else is eating.

 

He's got a bit of reflux but is not medicated for it because it doesn't seem to distress him and he is gaining weight well, etc. We go through a lot of receiving blankets and outfits and bibs though because of his spitting up.

 

So - any experience or advice with starting solids at 4 months? Yay or nay? Start with rice cereal or something else? Sweet potatoes? I'm concerned about the added iron with boxed baby cereal because babe has struggled some with constipation with his formula and it's a lower iron formulation.

 

I'd love the opinions of the Hive before I see babe's doctor tomorrow for his 4 month check up.

[Parrothead]

Well, back in the day dd stared baby food/cereal at not quite 4 months. She was exclusively BF until then but so hungry I couldn't keep up. It worked for her, but like you said, standards have changed in the last 12 years.

 

Honestly I'd do whatever it takes to make baby happy. The fact that the standards change every few years just tells me that the experts aren't quite as knowledgeable as they want to be. Mom instinct is better. You know when baby is happy, sad, teething, tired and hungry.

[Impish]

Bump him up to 8 oz?

[TammyinTN]

Our dd just started rice cereal with our 5 month old grandson. He too has the hollow leg syndrome. ;) He's doing fine with it. I think this week they are adding applesauce to his rice cereal. Her peds said it was fine and if he was interested to go for it. She is just adding one new food a week to make sure they don't run into any problems. I hope this helps you a little bit.

[Pamela H in Texas]

He may have a growth spurt.

 

I would consider 3 to 3½ hour feedings and offering 8 oz.

 

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/delay-solids/

(yes, I know this is extremely pro-breastfeeding)

 

(btw, I had HUGE babies. My preemie was 7lbs 11oz and was 11lbs 6oz on his due date.

My full termer was 9lbs 12oz. She then was 26pounds at 5mo and 32 pounds at a year.

So I'm not just talking as a mom of just tiny babies or whatever)

Edited July 30, 2012 by 2J5M9K

[Ellie]

I say wait it out. Maybe change his daily routine? put him on the floor more often for baby athletics? Wear him in a carrier of some kind?

[Dobela]

He may have a growth spurt.

 

I would consider 3 to 3½ hour feedings and offering 8 oz.

 

I would not even consider food at 4mo.

 

(btw, I had HUGE babies. My preemie was 7lbs 11oz and was 11lbs 6oz on his due date.

My full termer was 9lbs 12oz. She then was 26pounds at 5mo and 32 pounds at a year.

So I'm not just talking as a mom of just tiny babies or whatever)

:iagree: My son was like that and I was told to bump him up to 8 oz. It has been a long time ago, but there was some chart or something that my pediatrician gave me that said to start solids only if they are drinking x ounces or more a day. He didn't hit that for another month or so, closer to 6 months. http://www.drgreene.com/qa/how-much-milk-should-baby-be-drinking has some interesting information. But I think I was told that ds should be taking more formula than he recommends in this article.

[LittleIzumi]

I never bother with rice cereal. We start with thin veggies & fruits. I never understood why rice should replace a complete formula or breastmilk. At least with the fruits & veggies it's giving natural vitamins and such. IMO.

[Shawndrese]

My kids pediatrician told us to wait out on the fruits/veggies until 6 months because they are more likely to develop a food allergy if started earlier. I've never really looked into how true that is though. But I did rice cereal for a couple of months to until they were old enough for the good stuff :tongue_smilie:

(BUT they were up to drinking 8oz already....)

[Mama Geek]

I never bother with rice cereal. We start with thin veggies & fruits. I never understood why rice should replace a complete formula or breastmilk. At least with the fruits & veggies it's giving natural vitamins and such. IMO.

 

:iagree: We started with avacado, sweet potato, and banana at 4 months. DD continued to bfeed until about 15 months.

[TravelingChris]

I always started feeding my kids when they were about 4 months old. They were all FF. Especially my very thin middle kid. She was drinking 8 oz bottles and many of them. My kids were hungry and wanted food. They also all got teeth earlier than normal so I think their bodies really did need the food. They were all very skinny kids.

[ktgrok]

They can't actually digest solid food at 4 months, so that is why you wait. Especially grains. It just goes out the way it came in, which does slow down digestion so it might space feedings out, but they are not getting the calories. In fact, at 4 months you are replacing a high calorie food (formula) with a low calorie food (cereal). Signs that a baby is ready to digest solids are sitting up unassisted, a pincer grip (able to pick up objects with thumb and forefinger) and loss of the tongue thrust reflex. That is usually around 6 months, often more like 5 months for some babies.

[Slartibartfast]

I never did rice cereal, it isn't really a healthy food. It is essentially just giving kids sugar with vitamins dumped in.

 

I waited until six months and offered low allergen food like sweet potatoes, avocado, and squash. My ds probably started solids around five months because he was taking food off our plates and shoving it in his mouth. :lol:

 

I was a huge baby and they told my mom to give me rice cereal right away. Today my allergies are worse than my siblings.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Sis

[athena1277]

I had a bottle baby and a BF baby. I started both on baby food (starting with rice cereal) about 3.5 months because they were so hungry.

 

With my bottle baby, some wise person told me that when the bottle wasn't enough, it was time to increase the amount of foods. BTW, I never used 8oz bottles. I started with a bit of rice cereal at 3.5 months and quickly changed to about 1/2 a little jar of fruits/veggies per day, adding more solid food "meals" as baby grew and seemed to be hungry for more.

 

Like someone else said, your mommy instinct will know if it's time for your little one or not.

[nukeswife]

I think it will really vary from baby to baby. My ped told me to start my older two on solids at 4 months because they were easily drinking 8-12 8oz bottles of formula. They also both grew like weeds too. They both seem to have come out fine with no food allergies or anything like that. My youngest was a peanut of a kid who didn't seem to need the solids and also grew at a much slower rate, but the peds all said that was simply his growth track and he was fine. I guess he just takes after my side of the family where as my older two take after my husbands side more.

[ElizaG]

They can't actually digest solid food at 4 months, so that is why you wait. Especially grains. It just goes out the way it came in, which does slow down digestion so it might space feedings out, but they are not getting the calories.

I would be interested to see any medical references for the above. I don't see how this could be correct. Unless "solid food" means actual grains of rice, etc.

 

A generation or two ago, babies were started on cereal at 2 months. And they're started even younger in some primitive cultures. (I think it's in Our Babies, Ourselves where they talk about people using a gourd as a funnel to feed tiny babies. :001_huh:) I'm not saying this is the best idea, but they had to be getting something from it, or they would have wasted away.

 

We started giving a little rice cereal to my most recent breastfed baby at about 4.5 months. Her weight gain picked up right away. And her stools didn't increase. The food was pretty clearly going to her cute little arms and legs, not just to her diaper. It seems counter-intuitive, maybe -- as she was nursing a lot already, and it was such a small amount of cereal -- but that's what happened.

[Perogi]

Well, back in the day dd stared baby food/cereal at not quite 4 months. She was exclusively BF until then but so hungry I couldn't keep up. It worked for her, but like you said, standards have changed in the last 12 years.

 

Honestly I'd do whatever it takes to make baby happy. The fact that the standards change every few years just tells me that the experts aren't quite as knowledgeable as they want to be. Mom instinct is better. You know when baby is happy, sad, teething, tired and hungry.

 

That's kind of what I'm thinking too.

[Perogi]

Bump him up to 8 oz?

 

I know that makes sense but he seems to have a hard time keeping fluid down....he spits up like no baby I've ever known before - even 2 hours after a feeding. The doctor has said it's reflux but that meds aren't required because it doesn't seem to bother babe and he is gaining weight. I wonder if "real food" would stay down easier for him?

[Perogi]

Our dd just started rice cereal with our 5 month old grandson. He too has the hollow leg syndrome. ;) He's doing fine with it. I think this week they are adding applesauce to his rice cereal. Her peds said it was fine and if he was interested to go for it. She is just adding one new food a week to make sure they don't run into any problems. I hope this helps you a little bit.

 

At 5 months I'm pretty sure I'd just go for it - 4 months just seems that much younger. I don't know his doctor well enough to know if I trust his opinion to ask him, ifykwim.

[Perogi]

He may have a growth spurt.

 

I would consider 3 to 3½ hour feedings and offering 8 oz.

 

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/delay-solids/

(yes, I know this is extremely pro-breastfeeding)

 

(btw, I had HUGE babies. My preemie was 7lbs 11oz and was 11lbs 6oz on his due date.

My full termer was 9lbs 12oz. She then was 26pounds at 5mo and 32 pounds at a year.

So I'm not just talking as a mom of just tiny babies or whatever)

 

Wow! Those are some big babies!!

 

As I mentioned above, I don't know if he can do 8oz without just bringing it all back up. He also doesn't seem to love drinking his bottle - I wondered if he'd be more likely to eat. He's so distractible that drinking his bottle can be a challenge and if he burps and spits part way through he doesn't want to drink any more. The other issue with 3 hour feeds is that he usually stays awake for 2 hours then sleeps up to 2 hours so I would be waking him up to feed him.

 

ETA: I really totally understand continuing to EBF for as long as possible (like KellyMom suggests) but I'm not sure that I believe formula is so beneficial. I'd almost rather feed him avacodo or sweet potato than increase his formula intake.

[Perogi]

I say wait it out. Maybe change his daily routine? put him on the floor more often for baby athletics? Wear him in a carrier of some kind?

 

I'm not sure a change in routine is what he's looking for....Grandma's here right now so there are plenty of people for attention, carrying, playing and he's got plenty of floor time activity.

[Perogi]

:iagree: My son was like that and I was told to bump him up to 8 oz. It has been a long time ago, but there was some chart or something that my pediatrician gave me that said to start solids only if they are drinking x ounces or more a day. He didn't hit that for another month or so, closer to 6 months. http://www.drgreene.com/qa/how-much-milk-should-baby-be-drinking has some interesting information. But I think I was told that ds should be taking more formula than he recommends in this article.

 

That's interesting....I have a little chart by Similac and it says 30oz/day - which is what he's at already.

[Perogi]

I never bother with rice cereal. We start with thin veggies & fruits. I never understood why rice should replace a complete formula or breastmilk. At least with the fruits & veggies it's giving natural vitamins and such. IMO.

 

:iagree:

[Perogi]

My kids pediatrician told us to wait out on the fruits/veggies until 6 months because they are more likely to develop a food allergy if started earlier. I've never really looked into how true that is though. But I did rice cereal for a couple of months to until they were old enough for the good stuff :tongue_smilie:

(BUT they were up to drinking 8oz already....)

 

Maybe I will just have to ask the doctor and see what he says....although he's just a GP and not necessarily up on recent baby research.

[Perogi]

I always started feeding my kids when they were about 4 months old. They were all FF. Especially my very thin middle kid. She was drinking 8 oz bottles and many of them. My kids were hungry and wanted food. They also all got teeth earlier than normal so I think their bodies really did need the food. They were all very skinny kids.

 

And what did you start with?

 

I really can't see him managing 8oz bottles.

[Unscripted]

Yep- 4 months on the dot for both of my babies. My first had reflux (medicated and all- it was terrible)- and the solids certainly helped smooth that out. I agree with Mrs Mungo- the standards keep changing because there really isn't a definitive answer- JMO. I do agree with leaving out the rice/oats. Start with fruits and veggies... Give him just a bit at first, then follow-up with the bottle after.

I am one of those crazy Dr Denmark lovers... /full disclosure. Lmao!

[Perogi]

They can't actually digest solid food at 4 months, so that is why you wait. Especially grains. It just goes out the way it came in, which does slow down digestion so it might space feedings out, but they are not getting the calories. In fact, at 4 months you are replacing a high calorie food (formula) with a low calorie food (cereal). Signs that a baby is ready to digest solids are sitting up unassisted, a pincer grip (able to pick up objects with thumb and forefinger) and loss of the tongue thrust reflex. That is usually around 6 months, often more like 5 months for some babies.

 

I wonder why they can't digest it? I mean, it's hardly "solid" in the sense of adult solid food. And have you seen the ingredients on a formula tin?!

 

He's not sitting up unassisted and hasn't developed his pincer grasp. I don't know about the tongue thrust reflex.

[Perogi]

I never did rice cereal, it isn't really a healthy food. It is essentially just giving kids sugar with vitamins dumped in.

 

I waited until six months and offered low allergen food like sweet potatoes, avocado, and squash. My ds probably started solids around five months because he was taking food off our plates and shoving it in his mouth. :lol:

 

I was a huge baby and they told my mom to give me rice cereal right away. Today my allergies are worse than my siblings.

 

Sweet potatoes and avocado were 2 I was thinking of starting with. And I figured I'd make my own rice cereal because I really, really, really don't want the added iron that is in most (all?) boxed baby cereal.

[Perogi]

I had a bottle baby and a BF baby. I started both on baby food (starting with rice cereal) about 3.5 months because they were so hungry.

 

With my bottle baby, some wise person told me that when the bottle wasn't enough, it was time to increase the amount of foods. BTW, I never used 8oz bottles. I started with a bit of rice cereal at 3.5 months and quickly changed to about 1/2 a little jar of fruits/veggies per day, adding more solid food "meals" as baby grew and seemed to be hungry for more.

 

Like someone else said, your mommy instinct will know if it's time for your little one or not.

 

Interesting that you didn't go up to 8oz. I feel somehow (instinct I guess) that more formula is not what he's looking for...

[Perogi]

I think it will really vary from baby to baby. My ped told me to start my older two on solids at 4 months because they were easily drinking 8-12 8oz bottles of formula. They also both grew like weeds too. They both seem to have come out fine with no food allergies or anything like that. My youngest was a peanut of a kid who didn't seem to need the solids and also grew at a much slower rate, but the peds all said that was simply his growth track and he was fine. I guess he just takes after my side of the family where as my older two take after my husbands side more.

 

Wow! 8-12oz?! I'm certain his belly couldn't hold that much in at one feeding.

[Perogi]

I would be interested to see any medical references for the above. I don't see how this could be correct. Unless "solid food" means actual grains of rice, etc.

 

A generation or two ago, babies were started on cereal at 2 months. And they're started even younger in some primitive cultures. (I think it's in Our Babies, Ourselves where they talk about people using a gourd as a funnel to feed tiny babies. :001_huh:) I'm not saying this is the best idea, but they had to be getting something from it, or they would have wasted away.

 

We started giving a little rice cereal to my most recent breastfed baby at about 4.5 months. Her weight gain picked up right away. And her stools didn't increase. The food was pretty clearly going to her cute little arms and legs, not just to her diaper. It seems counter-intuitive, maybe -- as she was nursing a lot already, and it was such a small amount of cereal -- but that's what happened.

 

Thanks for your perspective.

[Unscripted]

You don't need much in the beginning while babe is getting used to the spoon. He is really just getting a good taste for a week or two while he gets used to the new utensil. I think I started with bananas, and maybe a table spoon or so to start with (obviously I didn't give him the tablespoon in one big bite! ;) ) 2tbsp on the second week, and three on the third. Then when I added a new food- an easy veggie, I would back off one tablespoon of bananas and add the new veggie- then keep it there for a while to watch for any sensitivity/allergy signs. HTH!

[PeacefulChaos]

Well, back in the day dd stared baby food/cereal at not quite 4 months. She was exclusively BF until then but so hungry I couldn't keep up. It worked for her, but like you said, standards have changed in the last 12 years.

 

Honestly I'd do whatever it takes to make baby happy. The fact that the standards change every few years just tells me that the experts aren't quite as knowledgeable as they want to be. Mom instinct is better. You know when baby is happy, sad, teething, tired and hungry.

 

:iagree:

I won't bother reading any further, but I do think that starting with some very thin cereal would be fine at 4 months. Other baby foods at 5 months, maybe - but I always started with veggies. :) HTH

[Slartibartfast]

Sweet potatoes and avocado were 2 I was thinking of starting with. And I figured I'd make my own rice cereal because I really, really, really don't want the added iron that is in most (all?) boxed baby cereal.

 

If you made it with whole grains it would be fine IMO.

[Perogi]

Yep- 4 months on the dot for both of my babies. My first had reflux (medicated and all- it was terrible)- and the solids certainly helped smooth that out. I agree with Mrs Mungo- the standards keep changing because there really isn't a definitive answer- JMO. I do agree with leaving out the rice/oats. Start with fruits and veggies... Give him just a bit at first, then follow-up with the bottle after.

I am one of those crazy Dr Denmark lovers... /full disclosure. Lmao!

 

I think it's the reflux thing that's making me think more formula is not the answer. Are the solids easier for a reflux baby to keep down?

[Perogi]

You don't need much in the beginning while babe is getting used to the spoon. He is really just getting a good taste for a week or two while he gets used to the new utensil. I think I started with bananas, and maybe a table spoon or so to start with (obviously I didn't give him the tablespoon in one big bite! ;) ) 2tbsp on the second week, and three on the third. Then when I added a new food- an easy veggie, I would back off one tablespoon of bananas and add the new veggie- then keep it there for a while to watch for any sensitivity/allergy signs. HTH!

 

That makes sense :)

[Perogi]

:iagree:

I won't bother reading any further, but I do think that starting with some very thin cereal would be fine at 4 months. Other baby foods at 5 months, maybe - but I always started with veggies. :) HTH

 

If you made it with whole grains it would be fine IMO.

 

I was reading up yesterday and would cook up some brown rice to make into cereal for him.

[ElizaG]

If you made it with whole grains it would be fine IMO.

This is debatable. For example, traditional Chinese medicine is not in favor of feeding whole grains to infants and young children, or anyone with a weak digestive system. They would tend to give them white rice porridge (congee).

[Perogi]

This is debatable. For example, traditional Chinese medicine is not in favor of feeding whole grains to infants and young children, or anyone with a weak digestive system. They would tend to give them white rice porridge (congee).

 

Would Basmati or Jasmine be better?

[ElizaG]

Would Basmati or Jasmine be better?

I think you can use any kind, depending on your preferences. There are variations in different countries and regions. Short grain rice would make a stickier porridge.

 

The main thing is that you have to use a lot of water or stock (~10 cups per cup of rice), and cook it gently. This site has detailed instructions.

[Unscripted]

I think it's the reflux thing that's making me think more formula is not the answer. Are the solids easier for a reflux baby to keep down?

 

My advice is purely anecdotal... But, yes, I think so. She was slowly growing out of it (likely that her sphincter was just getting stronger as she grew)... But it makes sense that thicker food isn't going to slide back by that valve as easily as a fluid. She could have at 12 ounces I am sure (both babies had a great appetite) but 60% would have easily came back up.

Either way, it didn't matter, as I fed her based on Dr Denmarks advice... Not because of her reflux. That was just a nice side affect.