4 months too early? What do I do with baby rice?

[Mozismyhero]

Think my DS is ready to start solids. He is only 4 months and I wanted to wait until 6 months (as advised) but he is showing signs of wanting solids. He has had a bt of mushed banana so I tought I'd try him on baby rice.

Questions:

What time of day is best? Morning?

Do I give it him before or after his bottle?

Thanks - off to give him his bath now!

What signs is he showing at 4 months? Can he sit up, pick things up and get them to his mouth?

If the signs are him waking in the night, crying more etc these are developmental signs to do with his age, not a need for solids. There is more nutrition and calories in milk (breast or formula) than in any solid food you could give him at this age. I'd wait. If he is hungrier, give more milk.

Not hungier, no and not waking more in the night. He is grabbing food as I am eating and putting it to his mouth. He can't sit up unaided but if I keep my hand on his back, he can.

You can wait longer or you can start now if you want to. It is a lot of faff though!
Time of day will vary from baby to baby. A lot of people start with breakfast but some babies prefer lunch. If you give it to him before his bottle he will drink less and tbh he needs the milk more - food is just for fun really
I used to give breakfast after morning feed - no straight after buta little while later. I also didn't give dd1 lunch for a long time as she then wouldn't feed from me and I preferred her to have the breastfeed. This is years ago when weaning at 4 months was the norm. The HV was horrified she was 8 months old and not on three meals a day You don't have to go straight to three meals btw. I would start at one and leave him at that for as long as possible and when he's a bit older - nearer to 6 months - introduce lots of finger food that he can feed himself.

Thanks Northernlurker. Might give baby rice a go tomorrow after morning feed and see if he likes it.

northenluker- it is so good to see someone actually give advice to someone who is asking for help and not just jump on the 'if you wean before 6months your putting your child at risk of diabetes, kidney problems, alien abduction etc'

i was absolutely lampooned on my posting on a thread here, wish you were there! :)

How old? In weeks I mean.

I think if your child is sitting, has lost the tongue thrust, can reach, grab and put food in his mouth then there's little reason to start with purees. Unless you're massively keen on them? He certainly doesn't need them and they're a bloody faff.

But if you're going to start, take the advice of a good hv and remember milk first and milk mainly.

Hello Mozismyhero

My DD2 is now 17 weeks old and like DD1 (now 8) is having baby rice, semolina, fruit purees as well as breastmilk. DD1 was the same at 4 months and was onto baked beans and potato at six months. She also breastfed til she was 2 1/2 (God i know) so I personally think you go with your gut.
My DD2 is already 7.5 kgs and has a big appetite. She was ogling everything I was eating, opening her mouth and making a grab for the plate.
She will still take milk between meals and at night. In January this year cambridge geeks and the British medical journal published they thought exclusively breastfed babies ought to start weaning at 4 months to get more iron and to avoid allergies. Same as having lumpy food sooner.
DD1 seems to have done okay and did same for her.
Where I am (not uk) the paediatricians have no probs with 4 months (aware WHO says 6) and they also insist on prophylactic vitamin D and fluoride from birth as vit D lacking in breastmilk and fluoride to avoid cavities...make of that what you will!
Good luck to you and little 'un!