Don't panic!  The key is to just take it slow.  One thing I've found in researching solids is that the recommendations on amounts, order of introductions, etc. are different from one doctor/organization to the next.  I remember feeling so inadequate when it came to introducing solids.  I never could understand why I found it to be so difficult to figure out.  Well, seeing how many different recommendations there are out there, it's no wonder I didn't know where to start.  The best thing is to work with your pediatrician on a solids schedule that will work best for your infant. The following information is very generic and only highlights some tips about introducing solids.

The first solid food you will probably introduce to your  baby is cereal.  Most doctors recommend starting out with rice cereal.  Most babies tolerate rice cereal just fine.  But if you notice a sudden increase in gas, fussiness or any gastrointestinal related symptoms, you may want to ask your doctor about other cereals such as oatmeal or barley.  Some babies who cannot tolerate rice cereal do quite well with oatmeal.

If you're lucky, you're baby will just love this new treat called cereal.  But for some of us, we might as well be feeding our babies dirt because they spit it right back out as if it were!  My children would NOT eat plain cereal.  We tried and tried to no use.  I finally had to mix in a little fruit to "hide" the taste of the cereal.  I know some doctors caution against this because it can create a sweet tooth.  But for us, it was fruit-flavored cereal or none at all.  Hopefully your infant will do just fine on the plain cereal.

Most doctors recommend starting out with 1 TSP of cereal, twice a day, gradually increasing to 2-3 TBS, twice a day.  However, recommendations vary, so consult with your doctor on how much your child should be getting.

Once they've mastered cereal, it's time for some veggies and fruits.  Our specialist recommended the following schedule:

• Introduce 1 new food every 5 days
• Start with veggies - Alternate Green/Yellow/Green/Yellow
• Introduce fruits next
• Meats can be introduced around 8 months of age

Again, recommendations vary.  Some doctors recommend starting out with Yellow vegetables and then alternating with Green vegetables.  ( Yellow vegetables include carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.  Green vegetables include peas and green beans. ) 

Click here for a great chart on when to introduce the various types of solid foods.

What's Next?

Breastfeeding
Formula

References

Nestle Infant Nutrition Feeding Guide. http://www.verybestbaby.com/content/article.asp?section=fb&id=
20011011210271575717469

Personal notes.

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This site was last updated January 11, 2010.  All contents copyright © 2004 InfantReflux.Org.  All rights reserved.