What if she's not ready at 6M

[cwolff]

My DD is 21 weeks.  So far, she eats 5-6oz every 3 1/2 hours or so.  Sometimes 7, though rarely and sometimes less.  Anyway, she loves to watch me eat, though she has liked this for some time.  She shows no interest in touching my food and doesn't follow it to my mouth, she just likes to watch my mouth.  She holds her head up for short periods of time, but not enough to put her in a highchair for any length of time.  She can sit in her bumbo chair for short periods also, but gets tired easily.

So, I'm totally freaking out that she's not going to be ready to start solids even after she's turned 6months.  I am not supposed to replace her formula intake with foods, so if she isn't hungry after a bottle then what am I supposed to do?  Has anyone started solids later than 6moths?  Or do you pretty much have to start them trying it now?

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Hi, it's not a huge panic to get them on solids immeidately as they turn 6mths.  My dd is 6.5mths and is only in the last couple of days maybe eating 1tsp of rice cereal.  She was poking her tongue out and had a look of disgust on her face for about a month.  It's really about learning texture and taste at this stage and really not until probably 8-9mths that they need it for nutrition (some babies do obviously scoff down a heap earlier than this).  You're not really dropping milk feeds in replacement for food until then anyway - she'll likely be needing more food with getting more active, so the food's on top of the milk.

Maybe wait a week and then just offer the same food every day at around the same time and she'll eventually start to take it.  It can take up to 10 taste tests for them accept a flavour/texture.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

I second that!  My lo didn't really start to eat consistently until close to 10 months.  Don't stress it - give her a chance to experiment with all the different tastes and textures - she'll get there eventually!

[Deb_in_oz]

seeing as she is only 5 months old i would try to relax about it - when you do start with rice cereal or pears or whatever you choose, it will be weeks (or days if she surprises you) before her intake is close to a "meal".  she has to learn about eating solids just like you do, so don't feel that at 6 months she has to be ready to sit up for 20 min and eat a jar of food.

we did the first month of solids (at least) for both our girls in their bouncer chair and they eventually transitioned to a high chair around 7- 7 1/2 months.

when you start, try to be relaxed and enthusiastic about it and she will sense that it is a positive step - if you are anxious she will be sensitive to that. 

after a rough start with solids at almost 6 mo, Olivia is now (most days) a great lover of veggies! she is still a challenge for me to feed, but when she likes what i am serving and is hungry she does great! so my advice is to read a book about introducing solids so you feel prepared, and then follow her lead, staying positive and just experimenting with her until she (and you) are confident solid eaters

[cwolff]

Thanks.  I actually have a good time feeding her now, because she's so funny.  I feed her on my lap with knees bent so I can look at her, and she's so funny.  Look away, look at something, look back at me, smile.  Squirm, try to turn away.  Anyway, I think I will definitely use the bouncy chair when I do solids.  I don't expect her to love anything right away, we had to give her juice a couple months ago for constipation, and she hated it for a while.  Now she's ok with it on the occasion I still give her a little.

I think once we really decide to start her on solids, it's going to be a funny experience too.  I just want to make sure I'm doing it right, and that she is really ready.  I really suspect it will go smoother then I think, I just need to get over my fear a little bit.  It's so silly, why would I be afraid to start solids...I don't exactly understand it myself.