DD will be 6 months at the end of this month and we're going to try solids if she indicates she's ready. There's a ton of info out there and it's making my head spin trying to sort it all out. What best practices do you have for starting solids with a baby that's been exclusively breastfed until now? Any and all tips are welcome!
Gracias!

Hi Carla. Like you, I breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. I did not try to rush it. I agree: there's too much info out there about "correct" strategies. My breaking point was reading that the American Academy of Pediatrics can't even agree on one best age to introduce solids! The nutrition panel says 4 months, but the breastfeeding panel says 6 months. Argh! So I thought just letting it happen naturally would be best. I mean, if nursing is going smoothly for mom and baby, why rush to introduce solids?

I started her off with rice cereal mixed with a little expressed milk or a little water. She was not into it at all for a long time. We'd just give her a little each day and not really worry about it. Eventually she became interested and started to really swallow it down. Still, she never really started to wean until she got old enough for finger foods. She's never been into being spoon fed.

My two best tips for you would be: 1) start with rice cereal because it is the easiest to prepare and also the least likely to cause an upset tummy or allergic reaction, and 2) have a camera ready for when she gets that first taste. You WILL see some really funny expressions of disbelief on that little girl's face!

I also started after 6 mos with my last child. The doctor said with all the allergies in our family it would be best to hold off until then.
He had me start with rice cereal for one week. Then barley cereal for another week. A different cereal that I can't remember for the 3rd. And then mixed cereal the fourth. No fruit until then i think which was for me mashed banana. Just a smidgen.
But by the third week I bumped him up to mixed. I couldn't stand the smell of barley.

Yes, get the cameras ready for the facial expressions. They are sooo adorable.

We're doing the whole solids thing now too...sorta. I introduced new things one week at a time, we started with bananas, then pears, then rice cereal, then peaches. We started doing all of that before the holidays, and haven't really gotten fully back into the swing of it yet. I pretty much only give her something when she indicates that she wants it (when we're sitting at the table and I'm fighting to keep her out of my food). I've had a blast so far. And she loves trying all the things that I've given her so far. Hope you're having good luck too!

This was soo important when we had #1, and now with #3, it hasn't even crossed my mind. Too busy I guess. We won't be able to start until we get his rashes and wheezing under control anyway (milk and wheat allergic, other possible allergies too). Then we'll have to be crazy careful, and wait a week or two between foods.

Doesn't sound like fun, so I'm not anxious to rush into it. I hate allergies...