Starting Solids

Our experience with introducing solids into Grayson's diet has been a bit different than how I pictured it. He has always loved to eat, and about a month ago he started showing a lot of interest in our foods when we would eat in front of him. I just assumed that the transition to solids would be an easy one for us. While it hasn't been a bad experience in any way, it's certainly been different than what I expected.

Since G is breastfed, I've known all along that I wanted to wait until six months to introduce anything at all other than breast milk. From all of the research that I've done, and also discussing things with his pediatrician, I learned that breastfed babies have no need for anything other than breast milk until at least six months of age. You can read more about why that is here, if you're interested. A lot of what I've read even suggests that "food before one is just for fun", but since he was showing interest I decided we would start at six months.

I debated between doing Baby Led Weaning and the more traditional approach of feeding him purees I would make at home. After much research I decided that the homemade puree approach was right for us. I received a Baby Bullet as a shower gift, so a few days before his official six month birthday I started making food for him. I love the idea of making his food here at home so I know exactly what he'll be eating. The fact that a jar of bananas you buy at the store can sit on the shelf for several years before going bad makes me feel as if it's just not the freshest, or healthiest, thing in the world. Take a look at this super informative article regarding the truth about jarred baby food. It's pretty shocking. Another great thing about using the Baby Bullet is that it literally takes me about 10 minutes from start to finish to make several days worth of food for him. So the convenience issue isn't really a factor. Just as quick to whip up a batch as it is to run to the store for pre-made stuff.

So, once I knew he and I both were ready, Arsen and I sat him down in his brand new highchair, put on a bib, and brought out the food. Now...I will say we started with a food we probably shouldn't have. I read a lot about it, and I'm following the suggested first foods that come in my Baby Bullet booklet. There are about 7-9 foods they suggest starting with, so I picked what we had on hand for his first serving. Unfortunately that just so happened to be bananas. Basically everything I've read suggests not starting with anything sweet, because obviously they're going to prefer the sweet foods over veggies, so it may be a little more difficult to get them to try other things later. But, it's what we had, so we just went with it.

And they were a hit! He loved the bananas, and it was so cute seeing him eat them up. We started with a very small serving, only a few spoonfuls, and then we fed him the same thing for another few days, just once a day. I did notice a difference in his bowel movements, and his breathe didn't have that sweet baby smell anymore, which was heartbreaking for me for some odd reason. But he seemed to handle the transition pretty easily.

Well, we got a little too excited too fast. Since then, he hasn't been a fan of anything we've tried really. Avocado, sweet peas, zucchini, pears...nope, not having it. He literally will take a bite, make a horrible face, and then gag. Or spit it out. Sometimes gag and spit it out. He hasn't eaten more than a couple of bites of anything at all. I even gave him bananas again, and he wasn't near as excited. Just a few bites then he was done. We did try apples a few nights ago, and he ate those much better than anything else. But I tasted it and it tasted like applesauce, so of course he liked it.

I read somewhere that you should try a food ten times before deciding that they really don't like it, so that's my plan. I don't force anything on him. If he refuses to open his mouth after a couple of tries, then I dump the food and we're done. One big thing I learned was to portion out just a tiny bit in a bowl, because once you put a dirty spoon in the food it has to be thrown out. So I keep most of the food in the jar and just dish out as much as I think he will take. Which he usually doesn't :)

So! That has been our experience with solids. He's a big, healthy boy, and I know he doesn't technically "need" the food, so I'm not too concerned. He still does wake up once or twice a night for a feeding, and the pediatrician said eating solids a couple of hours before bedtime can cut down on that, but again, not really something I'm concerned about at the moment. I plan on breastfeeding for at least a year, so I'm hoping the introduction of solids won't really affect my supply, and at this rate it definitely won't. I'm kind of taking the approach that he'll eat his fruits and veggies when he's ready, and he'll wean himself when he's ready for that as well. I mean, I don't think I have it in me to be one of those women who's breastfeeding a four year old or anything, and tandem nursing seems complicated, so hopefully by the time baby #2 makes their appearance he'll have made the decision to stop.

Anybody out there have any tips or tricks that maybe I haven't thought of? More than anything I think it is a fun experience for all of us, and I love food so much I'm ready for him to experience some yummy things along with me.