Comments on: Ask Judy: How Should I Balance Breastfeeding And Starting Solids?

By: Ann Marie

Ann Marie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:56:29 +0000

On kellymom, they say that a baby should get a more or less constant amount of breastmilk for most of their first year of life. So the solids would be in addition to the milk they’re already getting.

Often, the baby starts getting really hungry at around 5-6 months, and they don’t seem to be satisfied with nursing or bottles alone. Keeping their milk supply steady and adding solids is a good way to add some extra calories and gradually introduce solids. Assuming they’re ready to eat, of course. In my case, DD was very ready to eat solids when we tried it at 5 1/2 months.

I work, and I initially sent the baby food to her daycare provider, so DD would get extra solids during the day, and nurse at home to keep my supply up. And feeding her baby food when we were driving around on the weekends was convenient too. I forget how old she was before we regularly fed her solids before and after work too. Somewhere around 10 months to a year old?

I’m sure you’ll find what works for you with some trial and error.

By: Whozat

Whozat — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:56:22 +0000

I should add that although she will eat many, many different kinds of solid foods, she’s still (by far) primarily breastfeeding at 16 months.
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By: Whozat

Whozat — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:55:34 +0000

I second what Tiffany said. We’ve also done “baby led” solids (also known as “baby led weaning” – but that refers to weaning ONTO solids, not OFF of breastmilk) with our daughter (now 16 months).

We started giving her finger foods at 6 months, and a week after her first bite, she was wowing the inlaws at a family dinner

Lots of good info and support on that at http://www.babyledweaning.com
.-= Whozat´s last blog ..Daily Peep: Purple Power =-.

By: Tiffany (As For My House)

Tiffany (As For My House) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:40:28 +0000

I am a big fan of the NO STRESS method of “introducing solids.”

First, wait until the babe is REALLY ready. Sure, they’re curious before, but Judy gives a great description of what food readiness is – right in line with the La Leche League guidelines. For all three of mine, this was not long after 6 months… maybe 7 months or so.

From that point until sometime after a year, the food was VERY little. I never measure, and never, EVER spoon-fed (until my last little, who adores applesauce!). They got chunks of mushy banana, then avocado, eventually Cheerios, etc… Self-feeding, and not much of it.

I would say that the time we crossed the threshold of them getting at least 50% of their nutrition from food didn’t happen until age TWO.

But why stress about it? All are big, healthy, smart, lovely people!
.-= Tiffany (As For My House)´s last blog ..Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts – Review =-.

By: Philippa

Philippa — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:25:18 +0000

This came at such a good time for me. My family and I just moved, a started working full time, my husband works full time, my son who is just about to turn 6 months is at work with me with our in house day care. I feel like life is so busy, im on a whirl wind and i am missing the mark with starting solids. All the other babies weren’t 100% breastfeed like my son and started solids so much earlier. I was feeling bad, like I wasn’t helping me son to develop and not giving hin foods he needs. Reading this helped a lot.