Starting Solids..

I am in complete shock..

I cannot believe my baby started solids yesterday... I have no clue what to think, but wow. When they say they grow up quick, they really do mean it..

So my little girl is a bit above 3 months old, it sounds so early but even I am in shock about that. But I suppose every baby is different ey?

Basically I am using SMA Formula, which is very similar to S26, and I found it is a bit gentler on the tummy if you are mix feeding, whereas S26 and S26 Gold I have found to be a bit too heavy.

Elle was started on 180mL bottles early, and now same with solids AND teething (yay, not really) but for the last 7 days she started showing signs of really wanting food. I didn't know if it was teething. She would be grouchy after a bottle, so first things first, try a different formula. That didn't work, so SMA was her formula. She refused all other formula's, and got runny poop.

I tried a bottle with a bit of rice cereal in it, still not satisfying. And it didn't seem like JUST teething at all to me. She was chewing like she wanted food.

Straight away I rang the Maternal Health Nurse (who was amazing) because I know the risks and babies putting on too much weight is not a good thing... And I got the go ahead to start giving her some rice cereal here and there, some banana in a mesh feeder here and there etc. It was good.

Basically, Elle is at a good weight for her age, but she is also a very alert baby. She has been since she was born. From the word go, she smiled, noticed faces, touched everything out of curiosity and wanted to play. When she had her first needles (it was scarey) she had already rolled over by two months old, brings her hands together and interlocked them, focused on her toys and it was endless amusement for her, and especially loved meeting new people.

My observations were correct though, she needed a bit more energy to sustain her through all the wonderfulness she has started to enjoy in life. And breast milk and formula weren't cutting the cake anymore.

So this afternoon she had her first ever meal of Farex Rice Cereal, ate the whole entire lot with such ease, and played, watched telly with the big kids when they got home, and enjoyed it. No grumpiness, and squealing the house down. Yep, She has learnt to squeal recently too. Was very close to saying Dadda tonight in the bath.

So my word of advice and what I have taken from all this, is sometimes you are more in tune with your babies wants than you think, and don't be afraid to ask. Some babies do things earlier, some do it a little bit later and that's okay. Never be afraid to ask.