Ok If I Delay Giving My Six Month Old Solids?

Absolutely fine! The solids are just practice for now, so go ahead and hold off until 8 or 10 months. We didn't start solids until about 10 months and my kids are great eaters now. You'd never know they were "delayed".

I honestly think moms feed solids way too early. Breast milk and formula have vitamins and nutrients the baby needs. Baby food does not have much nutrition in it. Babies eat and eat and eat baby food because they are lacking nutrition and are starving for them. They need more formula and breastmilk instead of foods.

1) Yup. The only reason to start solids at 6mo was to get babies off of dangerous formula (we're talking 40s, 50s, 60s, 70's formula here... not modern formulla) as quickly as possible.

2) More and more doctors are recommending that babies start solids at 1yo instead of 6mo to give digestive systems time to mature

3) Nope. NOT normal for constipation, sleep disturbances, temperment change, etc. to happen when adding solids. When you add solids, literally NO change should happen. If a change it happening, their digestive systems aren't mature enough for solids. If you're getting physiological or behavioral side effects from solids, their bodies are reacting to being fed cardboard. They can't digest it. You'd get the EXACT same symptoms from eating something you can't digest.

4) Still int he study phase... the childhood obesity epidemic? (Which started with the baby boomers, and has just grown worse over the years). One of the facets being looked at is "starving" infants. Not actually starving them, but filling them up on food they can't digest, creating a nutritional deficit. Only about 50% of infants can digest solids at 6mo. Giving solids to an infant too young is being looked at as a possible cause in childhood obesity because a) it's tanking their metabolisms from the calorie deficity, and b) becayse it vanishes at puberty and c) because the correlation between dieting during puberty and lifelong weight strugges has been long established ((Girls typically pack on 10-30lbs during the beginning of puberty. Those who diet nearly all struggle with being 10-30lbs overweight until menopause. Those who do not diet, the weight melts off in about 12mo, and they don't tend to struggle with being overweight. So the link is KNOWN that at least during one period of life the metabolism can 'set' ... so the thought is that restricting calories in infants may be causing infant's bodies to hoard calories until the next 'marker' (aka puberty). It's still in the study phase, so no one can say for sure, but it makes sense observationally. There is undoubtedly no one answer to this epidemic, but rather a multifaceted issue. )

Of course! Your baby doesn't NEED other foods at this point. He's getting his nutrition from breastmilk, introducing foods is for the experience. If HE will let you take him back off go for it. Try again in a month or so.

How many "solid" foods is he eating? You could also pull him back to just ONE thing for a while until he's doing better. I wouldn't recommend rice cereal as that one thing, if he's constipated. Is there a fruit or veggie he likes? Try taking everything out but that one food, then introduce others only when his little system stabilizes.

You can absolutely go until he's 8 or 10 months. Even a year.

YES it is okay.
The internal organs are still developing. ie: the digestive system.
Hence, constipation occurs.
There is no "rush" to give solids.

And actually, solids is NOT as, nutritionally dense, as breastmilk or Formula.
And at least per our Pediatrician, a baby should nurse on demand still. And throughout the 1st year.
Even if on solids, nursing is still priority.
Solids DOES NOT REPLACE, nursing/breastfeeding.
A baby, still needs to nurse.
And if giving solids, it should always be... AFTER nursing. Not before nursing.

My kids had no change in bowel movements after having started solids.
But I also... did not overload them with solids. A "serving" size is only a tablespoon or so. Not an entire, "jar", for example.
And anyway, I primarily breastfed them throughout the 1st year. Even if they had solids, it was not a "main meal."

In the 1st year, "solids" is ONLY an "introduction" to so called eating.
It is not for the nutrition.

OMG, yes! Thank God for breastmilk, I say. One year or more is fine without solids, although my babies usually showed an interest at about 9 months.

Yes it's OK.
Babies should be getting their nutrients from breast milk or formula until 12 months old. Starting solids is to get them used to different flavors, but since you are still breastfeeding your baby will get the different tastes from that.

When you do give solids, try oatmeal cereal instead of rice cereal that would cause a lot of constipation in my daughter when she was a baby.

You are the Momma. You know best. You know your baby and you believe that what is happening is not good, you are doing something about it. Good For You!!

M

All a baby really needs in breastmilk or formula for the 1st year. The other foods are more for varity and to check for allergies, but if you feel that the other are causing issues follow your heart. Remember mom's know their child best - follow your heart.

Absolutely, it's ok!
I completely skipped over cereal, my first hated it, it constipated my second.
Neither had a whole lot of interest in puree's. I happily nursed them as much as they wanted. No problems!
Some mama's wait to go straight to table/finger foods.
You can definitely wait as long as 12 months!
I was trying to find some articles for you but not having success...they are out there though.
Riley gave you some really good info.
Trust your mama gut! :)

I exclusively breastfed until my babies had teeth (or longer). I figured that was their way of letting me know their digestion was ready for solids. I try to use logic, rather than some AAP rules that keep changing.

Baby #1 (who is almost 10yo now) was exclusively BF until 8.5 months and I BF him until he was 16 months, when he self weaned to 1 nursing a day.

Baby #2 (who is almost 6yo now) was exclusively BF until 4.5 months, when he reached out and grabbed my burrito and shoved it unto his mouth. I BF him until he was 16 months, when he self-weaned to 1 nursing a day by that point. (He was also 4.5 WEEKS late in gestation, so he was not a normal 4 month old when he got teeth.)

Baby #3 (who just turned 4yo) was exclusively BF until 18 months. She refused food. No weight problems. No developmental problem and great digestion. She got her first tooth at 12 months and just didn't want it.

Baby #4 who will be 11 months old next week, is STILL exclusively BF. We try and get him to eat solids, but he'll take a bite or two and be done. He was 21# at 6 months.

If my babies ever got constipated, I'd open a capsule of PB8 and sprinkle a little in their food or in their mouths and then latch them on. It balances out normal healthy bacteria and they were never sick....still aren't.

Oh, and I never give them grains....including rice cereal. Grains turn into sugar once digested and we have such an issue with diabetes in this country that I just stuck to veggies, then fruits and those have plenty of fiber in them. None of my kids have allergies or digestive issues.....and they haven't even had a runny nose in the past 3 years.

Breathe and trust your intuition with your child. My MIL asked me at 6 weeks postpartum when I was going to wean baby #1. What?????

Its not going to be as soft anymore. Think about it. He was on a all liquid diet before, so his poop was going to be liquidy. Now that you are feeding him solids it will be firmer. Go with your instincts, but in my opinion if he doesn't seem to be in pain he is probably fine with the solids.

yes thats fine if you want to do that. or even add pears to his cereal. your baby isnt going to be harmed in not getting solids.

Are you also giving him a few ounces of water? That might help. At 6 months, food is an addition to your nursing. Nurse first, food second. If you are offering food first, that may contribute. Also, babies start out pooping all.the.time and slowly change over to a few times a day or even a few times every few days. That may also be a factor.

tons of mommies say what i think too. I would do one other thing. I would go to breast milk only for 2 weeks. then for the next 2 weeks do RICE cereal mixed with your breast milk for 2 weeks. Make it very runny. then if diapers are good then make it a bit more cereal once a day. do this again for 2 week if things are still good. then go for adding food. do each new food for 2 weeks. Also know the poop will change many many many times. I would not worry to much about it. I know its very very hard to do. Mommies and worry go hand and hand. pm me if you want to talk more. take care

www.sachsehomemontessori.com

My son never had a drastic change in BM's with the introduction of solids - I went slowly. Nursed first, then ONE meal a day was ended with avacado or banana (mashed w/ breast milk) for about a month. Then I upped it to two meals a day for a few weeks ended with solids and slowly increased it. Delay for a while then introduce the SLOWLY and only give after you have nursed your child as a "dessert" almost until you are 30ish days from weaning. Remember, children used to breastfeed almost exclusivly until 2years old - crazy right?

Here is my thoughts on this....

My oldest is now almost seven.

I nannied for a good friend of mines sister who had a kiddo about two months younger then Brody........Who was ten months old at the time I started watching her son.

Her kiddo was not allowed to eat hardly anything. He was 8 months old remember.

I would have to make lunch for my kiddo and then give him something gross and miserable. He had just started the process of solids at that point.

Fast forward about a year and a half....he starts getting sick constantly. Has issues eating anything and everything. Ended up having a million food allergies. And even having to have surgery.

To this day her sister and I have stood by the fact it was because he did not start eating the right solids when he was younger.

I mean he was still eating pureed mixes until he was 15 months old. By that time they should be doing pretty well.

I also think it helps them adapt cognitively a bit better. Learning to eat connects alot of dots for a baby. The hand mouth with food is a major milestone.

I know I am not an expert. This is just my theory......But they need to get the solid foods started. Even and including the Breastfed babies.

I remember my daughter getting really constipated at one point shortly after we introduced solids...I breastfed her all day and I too thought she would be hungry...but she was fine :). I know the cereals have extra iron, which is constipating....bananas (another favorite first)...is also constipating. Our daughter just seemed prone to it...no matter what we did! I don't think delaying is a big problem...I've 'heard' that if you delay different textures past 9 months they may be more finicky...but I'm sure you'll hear just as many people telling you otherwise...with their babies to prove it :). We've really tried to follow our kids lead when it came to solids...and they're all great eaters (could be just luck tho' - that wouldn't surprise me!). Nutritionally, he doesn't need anything your milk can't give him. Exposure wise...I think it's nice every so often (we waited till 7-8 months with our last)...to mash up some veggies or fruit. Once our kids hit 10-12 months we tried to introduce a variety of 'flavors' other than salt and sugar (ie. a LITTLE curry powder on mashed butternut squash...a little cinnamon on no-sugar-added applesauce...etc.). If he's not missing it...I wouldn't worry about it...when he starts reaching for stuff...then maybe start giving him bits to try :)