Today was Eddie's first day of solid foods. We have felt that he has been ready to eat for awhile, displaying many of the signs the pediatricians say indicate such readiness: an interest in the act of eating, i.e. watches you while you eat (he has been doing this since he was born!); the disappearance of the tongue-thrust reflex; an increase in appetite; and the emergence of teeth. But the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that you wait a) until a baby is 6 months old, mostly because their digestive systems are too immature before then and they are more prone to food allergies, and b) until the baby can sit upright unsupported. Eddie is 5 months and 1 week, and he cannot sit unsupported yet, but we felt he was ready to eat because he exhibits the other signs of readiness.
So we planned to start today - bought the high chair last weekend, got him a cool plastic spoon and got the rice cereal ready - and of course little Eddie himself had other plans - his teeth seemed to be bothering him so much today and he was fussy all morning, postponing our monumental feeding to the afternoon. He was in a decent mood after his second nap of the day so we got the meal ready and presented it to a rather unenthused baby. He was more interested in playing with and sucking on his new bib. But he did eat. He sort of lapped it up very gingerly and delicately - so precious!
The teeth really seem to be bothering him though - he just woke up after sleeping only 2 hours, which hasn't happened in several weeks. So we think it's the teeth - maybe the top ones are coming in. But the added variable of newness, i.e. starting solid foods, makes you doubt and worry too. Every piece of literature that exists for new parents prepares you for the worst - allergies, adverse reactions, even death - and so when your baby's behavior or health is in flux, it is best to not add a new variable, or so I feel. So if Eddie's teeth are bothering him again tomorrow it looks like we will postpone the solid foods until he is in a better mood.
1 comment:
have fun starting little eddie on solids, it's so fun watching them taste and enjoy! however, if you don't already have a diaper sprayer, i'd recommend installing one asap! we started lu on solids first and have been dunking her diaps and swishing them in the toilet waiting for our sprayer to arrive! i heard a sprayer makes all the difference!
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