Starting solids

I thought I was going to wait until my DS was 6 mths before starting solids,
but his recent behavior has started me thinking...

Background: He's 5 mths old, weighs about 20lbs (birth weight was 8lb 3oz)
and can sit with support. He can actually sit unsupported for about 10-15
seconds.

He's teething badly and wants to bite everything. He sits on my lap while I
eat dinner and swipes everything I put to my mouth, towards his own mouth.
He's particularly fond of swiping my water glass and when I put it to his
lips, he seems to know what to do (but spits the water out after it enters
his mouth).

So, is this just a developmental thing they do, or does it sound like he
might be ready for a taste of food?

In article , "CY" wrote:

So, is this just a developmental thing they do, or does it sound like he
might be ready for a taste of food?

Nah, developmental. The mouth is very sensitive, so to truly know something,
they have to put it in there. And I suppose they must be interested in why
when *they* put something in their mouths, it comes back out again, but when
*we* do it, it doesn't!

If your baby can't swallow water, I'd leave solids for a while.

FWIW my DS2 is nearly 5 mo and weighs over 19 lb. He can't sit up unsupported
any longer than yours can.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

"CY" wrote
I thought I was going to wait until my DS was 6 mths before starting
solids,
but his recent behavior has started me thinking...


I started my DS a couple of weeks ago for several reasons. He was actively
swiping food and swallowing it, he could sit unaided for more than a minute
(can now do so for 5min!) and he's going from a palmer to a pincer grasp.
A good sign if they're ready is the tongue thrust - I can feed DS without a
bib because none comes back out of his mouth!


Jean

--
DD - June '02
DS - May '05

my feeling is teething and developmental phase, I would consider offering
him a chunk of cucumber from the fridge, some babies find that really
soothing, it would give him something to play with that is real food, but
the chances of him actually swallowing any are fairly low and if he does, as
far as I know cucumber is ok for a first food anyway.

Anne

"CY" wrote in message
...
I thought I was going to wait until my DS was 6 mths before starting
solids, but his recent behavior has started me thinking...

Background: He's 5 mths old, weighs about 20lbs (birth weight was 8lb
3oz) and can sit with support. He can actually sit unsupported for about
10-15 seconds.

He's teething badly and wants to bite everything. He sits on my lap while
I eat dinner and swipes everything I put to my mouth, towards his own
mouth. He's particularly fond of swiping my water glass and when I put it
to his lips, he seems to know what to do (but spits the water out after it
enters his mouth).

So, is this just a developmental thing they do, or does it sound like he
might be ready for a taste of food?


It sounds developmental to me. I started DD on solids 10 days before she
turned six months, but in hindsight she was teething and I could have waited
at least another few weeks.

--
Amy
Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02,
& Ana born screaming 30/06/04
http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/
My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/

CY wrote:
I thought I was going to wait until my DS was 6 mths before starting
solids, but his recent behavior has started me thinking...

Background: He's 5 mths old, weighs about 20lbs (birth weight was
8lb 3oz) and can sit with support. He can actually sit unsupported
for about 10-15 seconds.

He's teething badly and wants to bite everything. He sits on my lap
while I eat dinner and swipes everything I put to my mouth, towards
his own mouth. He's particularly fond of swiping my water glass and
when I put it to his lips, he seems to know what to do (but spits the
water out after it enters his mouth).

So, is this just a developmental thing they do, or does it sound like
he might be ready for a taste of food?

Try the food and see. If he gobbles it up, he's hungry. If he mostly chews
and spits it out it is probably developmental and you can wait longer. Luke
was doing all you describe and actually hollering during our meals. I
persisted and waited two weeks and then finally gave him a taste 10 days
before he turned 6mos old. He ate it like a starved man so I think for him
it was a sign he actually wanted the food. Hunter had the same behaviors
(mouthing, grabbing, sitting etc.) without the hollering and he had zero
interest in actually eating food and didn't start solids until closer to
10mos.

--
Nikki
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
EDD 4/06

CY wrote:
I thought I was going to wait until my DS was 6 mths before starting solids,
but his recent behavior has started me thinking...

Background: He's 5 mths old, weighs about 20lbs (birth weight was 8lb 3oz)
and can sit with support. He can actually sit unsupported for about 10-15
seconds.

He's teething badly and wants to bite everything. He sits on my lap while I
eat dinner and swipes everything I put to my mouth, towards his own mouth.
He's particularly fond of swiping my water glass and when I put it to his
lips, he seems to know what to do (but spits the water out after it enters
his mouth).

So, is this just a developmental thing they do, or does it sound like he
might be ready for a taste of food?

I'd say developmental, personally, but that's just based on my own
experience. DS#2 is about the same age as your little one, birth weight
was 7/13, now he's about 18 lbs, and he's been grabby and chewy for a
while. I've tried him on a few little bits of food - a bit of avocado
and a peeled, mushed kidney bean - and he hated the avocado and loved
the kidney bean, but they both came back out rather than being
swallowed. So, I'm going to put off really starting solids for a few
more weeks.

Melania

THANKYOU for that advice! DS loved the cucumber and cried everytime it
disappeared!! Seemed to help, though he's not dextrous enough to hold it in
the right spot so he kept dropping it so he needs help from Mama!!

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
my feeling is teething and developmental phase, I would consider offering
him a chunk of cucumber from the fridge, some babies find that really
soothing, it would give him something to play with that is real food, but
the chances of him actually swallowing any are fairly low and if he does,
as far as I know cucumber is ok for a first food anyway.

Anne

THANKYOU for that advice! DS loved the cucumber and cried everytime it
disappeared!! Seemed to help, though he's not dextrous enough to hold it
in
the right spot so he kept dropping it so he needs help from Mama!!


glad it helped, got that tip from some friends a couple of years ago, seems
to work sooo much better than either a plastic teether, or trying to rub
cream in

Anne