Feeding the baby

Yes, you do have to consider feeding the baby, you know solid foods. This comes at you right when you really are getting the hang of breastfeeding and they are on a "schedule". Motherhood is a series of learning slowly and changing directions quickly. So Vivian was a VERY big eater, breastfeeding very often and for long periods of time. I did not know when to start solids, no one really tells you and the books all say between 4 and six months, but when your talking about a baby 8 weeks makes a difference. Example: Vivian weighed 5lbs. 13 1/2oz. at her 1 week appointment (babies usually loose a bit of weight while in the hospital) and 8 weeks later she weighed 9lbs. 14oz. Everything is different for ever child, don't let anyone tell you to begin doing this or that on a specific day or at a specific age, go with your gut and a few general rules. My doctor told me after she has been sleeping through the night (that is if your child normally does that) and then the baby begins to wake up in the middle of the night wanting to feed, you know it is time to introduce rice cereal. Make the rice super runny and if your breastfeeding, pump some of your breast milk to mix for a more familiar taste. It will be a mess the first time which is half the fun (see photos). Vivian started eating solids/rice at 5 months. You feed them just rice for a few weeks, then add the yellows one at a time for one week, this is to make sure they do not have an allergy. If you feed too many things all at once and they have an allergy you will have no idea what caused it, but if you give one at a time you will know. Yellows meaning sweet potatoes, squash, and the like. Once you've given the baby all of those, you then add the greens, meaning peas, green beans and so forth. At 7 months she started eating finger foods, but just the little teething biscuits and melt in your mouth puffs because she still did not have teeth. It took Vivian a long time to get teeth (first tooth June 8th 2007) so my doctor gave me another bit of sound advice. Put the food in your mouth, if you can smush it with just your tongue (mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, bananas...), she can eat it with just her gums. She is and always has been a good eater. She now eats just about anything, but her favorite is still probably egg omelet with cheese! Bottom line, no one can really tell you how it is "supposed" to go because it is so different for every child and for every parent. Again just do what feels best to you. My last bit of advice, keep checking the babies weight. This is the best sign that things are going well with the feedings. If the baby is gaining weight then things are going well. Oh and don't taste the cereal...seriously disgusting!