Baby Weening - when to introduce purees?

[Anon]

I have a 4 month old who I've started to ween. For the past two weeks, all I've given her is porridge mixed with her formula, and only a tiny bit, with the bulk of her meals being formula. How long should I wait before introducing purées?

NOTE: While I know that the advisement is to wait until 6 months before introducing solids, I have chosen to start weening my child at 4 months, or rather, she chose it and does well with it. Please help me to determine how long I should wait until introducing purées and adding some variety in her diet, Thanks!

 

[woollysheep]

On the UK it is recommended that babies should not be given solids until 6 months. However, if you have a starving child, over 4 months old, then introduce foods one at a time. It is quite okay to give purees now if you have already decided to give cereal. Try mashing a very ripe banana. Although green banana is difficult to digest, very ripe banana is one of the easiest things to digest and full of minerals that are good for baby. Just mash with a fork. Much healthier than baby cereal (which really isn't good for babies, although it is convenient), try porridge (1 tablespoon oats with 3 tablespoon water into plastic or pyrex jug, microwave for 30 secs or less (until it boils). Add a little mashed ripe banana or cooked apple. Once baby is used to it, cook up a bigger portion.

You know, I agree with the 6 months recommendation, but for generations babies have been started on solids much younger - and most of them survived! So I really wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Coma Gray]

She can start now but it's advised to have her eat one flavor for 4 days before introducing a new one to be sure of possible allergies.

 

[Greybeard]

Babies let you know when they are hungry, they all advance at different rates, we started with ours at six weeks, they grew up big and strong and healthy, I think that a lot of the advise given is to make you buy their products for longer

 

[Nicole Bescoby]

The rice and cereal's are not very nutritious whatsoever so I would start blending and puréeing vegetables now. She will like it a lot more and its better for her and its easy for you too because you can make a big batch and freeze it into small containers. Honestly don't worry about starting early we were going to with our baby too but he doesn't seem all that interested and he's on special milk for his tummy so want him to be on that for a while first.
xxx

 

[Lesley, 29, UK]

my daughter is 5mths i have tried her on purees but she didnt like them at all, screwed up her face and refused to open her mouth again lol, even sweet ones like pear, but obviously she was only used to the creamy texture of baby cereal mixed with formula. I would try mixing fruit puree to her porridge & formula in the morning and veg purees to cereal & formula as a dinner , decreasing the amount of cereal added over the weeks eventually she will be able to eat them on her own...feel free to introduce them anytime she might like them!

 

[vickibruce2002]

go with your baby, if your baby is ready for weening then go for it! I used to mash up various veggies - parsnip, potato, broccoli etc not that she really liked it!! I would start using different pureed foods now, see she gets on. At a later date you can start introducing some foods with lumps in. good luck.