First solids!

Well, I had planned on waiting until 6mo to start solids with Preston.  That was what the recommendation was with Hayden.  Apparently it has been changed back to 4-6mo and I've been reading that there are new studies showing that starting closer to the 4mo mark actually reduces allergies more than waiting until after 6mo.  So I've been going back and forth for awhile trying to figure out what we should do with Preston.  At our 4mo appt she said to try him on solids, when I talked to his developmental pediatrician she said that he has the head control and that it wouldn't hurt to try but he didn't NEED them right now so it was up to us.  

I asked on Facebook and got mixed reviews, seemed like all of my UK friends said not to try until 6mo and then all of my US friends said 4mo (or even before which I'm not comfortable with). We waited until 6mo with Hayden and he refused solids until 9mo and he has more allergy and digestive issues than any of them...actually he's the only one with issues like that.  Landon was started at about 3.5mo which I'd never do again but he has no issues because of it.  Casen was started right before 5mo and same with him.  It seemed like waiting longer backfired in our situation.  Hayden has always been the hardest to get to eat as well.  

In the end we decided to go ahead and give it a try and see how he does.  I made a trip to Target and got him some bowls, spoons, cereal, fruits and veggies and also the little spoons that attach to the pouches of food.  Oh and a couple bibs :)  

So tonight I pumped some milk and mixed him up his first bowl of cereal!  We bought Plum Baby organic whole grain brown rice cereal.  I made it up really loose at first.  He was so mad when I put him in his bumbo because he was sleepy, I was trying to talk to him to calm him down but it wasn't happening lol he was MAD. 

 I decided to just give him a bite to see if that got his attention....

It did...instance silence!

Very interested

He absolutely loved it!  He does still have the tongue thrust reflex so most came right back out but he wanted it, he was leaning in to get the next bite and got really mad when I stopped long enough to thicken it up for him

Smiles

Leaning to get the food

I don't think he's ready to eat it often, he did get better after I thickened it and he had had a few bites, he started swallowing more and he absolutely love it.  But we aren't going to push it, he won't be eating daily for awhile still.  He was very happy afterwards though, I think he really enjoyed just eating in general.  He isn't a hungry baby so I don't think it's that he was really full...he barely actually swallowed any anyways, I think he just enjoyed the process of eating.  He was so smiley during and afterwards and just talking away...very good mood <3