I was so excited to take Maggie to her 4-month-old checkup b/c I was sure the Dr. would say she was ready for solid foods such as cereal.  Then I was so disappointed to hear her say that they pushed the recommended age back to 6 months.  When did everyone else start their little ones on solid foods, and how long did you wait after cereal before giving them fruits & veggies?

Hi Amanda. Don't be in too much of a rush to introduce solids. If you breastfeed, your baby will benefit significantly more from your breast milk than from any solid food. If you formula-feed, it is still beneficial to wait till 6 month mark. I started giving my little girl (now 2-year-old toddler) a bit of freshly squeezed carrot juice, like a couple of tea spoons at about 5.5 months. Then at 6 months I introduced vegetables first. I found out that it is not necessary to start with cereals. So I started with vegetalbles then gradually introduced some fruit and only afterwards cereals, but she never really liked cereals anyway. They recommend to do vegetables before fruit not to get babies used to sweet taste first in case they won't take vegetables aftewards. In any case, do not rush and wait till 5.5-6 months. I read that babies are less likely to develop food allergy if you wait till 6 months to introduce solids.

Good luck

My daughter is 5 months old and I started her at 4 months.  I actually switch it up for her. Some days she has rice cereal and some days a baby food veggie.  (My doctor said it really doesn't matter what you start with but to watch out for cereal because it can bind.  This is why I don't just do the cereal.)  She only gets about 5 baby spoons worth at a time though.  Her doctor at her 4 month appointment said to watch for the signs such as interested in food and able to sit up supporting her self well.  My daughter was very interested in food and was actually rebelling against breastfeeding so I decided to try the food.  She loved it and was actually eating instead of just playing with it like her doctor said she probably would at this age.  In the end feeding her the food has been a blessing because she hates her acid reflux medicine and I can put it in her food and she will eat it where she won't take it any other way. 

So many people say wait until 6 months but I say listen to YOUR baby.  Every baby is different so listen to your baby's cues.  If she watches you eat food like a hawk, can hold her self up in her high chair and opens her mouth for it I say try it.  Just don't start giving her too much and remember to introduce only one food at a time and wait about a week before introducing another food in case of allergies.

Also concerning developing food allergies if you introduce food, her doctor said that recent studies are actually saying that food allergies are not determined by feeding too young.  She said to just make sure you avoid honey, peanuts and of course foods they can choke on.  Her doctor is very young and I feel would be more aware of what is going on recently. 

Good luck!

I have to say I agree with Tamra. My daughter who is now 2 1/2 years old was also started on cereal at about 4.5 months old. She too had acid reflux and hated her meds so I was able to put it in her cereal. If you start your baby on cereal you want to start with the thinnest grain and work your way up after a while. You will see they come in varieties. I know my daughter loved cereal. Of course that young they only eat very little because thier tummies are so small. I started her with about 1 tablespoon a feeding. Good luck and just do what feels right to you as a Mother.

I agree completely with the fact that you have to listen to your mommy instinct and your baby (look at readiness and other eating habits). Everybody's situation and baby is different. It never hurts to try if your baby is ready and you are as well. If something does not work, you can always wait a bit and try again :-)

Best of luck

Agreed! Listen to your heart, watch your baby for cues, and don't rush it. My baby started solids at 4.5 months...he was just so hungry after a bottle or full feeding from both breasts (I am breastfeeding), I talked to the pediatrician, and she suggested trying solids...William doesn't like plain rice cereal, so we tried the baby oatmeal (any single grain infant cereal is best for a first food) It was a hit from the very beginning...and now he has lots of new foods in his diet, one of his most favorites is peaches with baby oatmeal! ...we are even experimenting with mixed flavors (especially if there is a new flavor that he doesn't like, usually I mix with an old favorite, and soon its a hit!)

Just started my 6mo old and at first she hated the idea but only after 5 times she opens her mouth for the spoon! Even at 6mo though green foods like peas are too harsh on their tummy remember! You will know when she is ready because your baby will be really into watching you eat at the table and will start a this lip sucking thing...it's really funny good luck!

I started when my son was 5 weeks old I started putting cereral in his bottles. He was about 8 weeks old when I started feeding him applesauce and stuff like that.