Ask Judy: What Type Of Solids Should I Be Giving My Baby?

Hey Judy! Since I last emailed, my daughter and I have tried some solids and she’s cut two teeth. Solids were tentative at first, but she’s in love with them now — particularly peas and peaches. She’s SO enthusiastic that she’s started to realize what restaurants are. She plays quietly until food arrives, then once it hits the table, no matter what it is, it better be in her mouth in 10 seconds or she shrieks. And it has to be from our plates — she doesn’t want the homemade purees I bring along with us. Eats them at home, not at restaurants. She’s a handful! :)

Which brings me to my question: Since I’ve read that solids up to 12 months are more for experimenting than nutrition, I’ve been keeping her to just one meal of solids a day so as not to overfill her or replace BF sessions and push her into early weaning.

But she just LOVES eating solids. She’s really wanting to do it herself, too — definitely could handle finger foods.
She seems so HUNGRY when I give her solids. Am I feeding her enough? Or is she just enthusiastic about exploring? Our BF sessions really haven’t changed much — they last about the same amount of time — but I have noticed a decrease in what I can pump. — Krista B.

Hi Krista,

I would definitely recommend following your daughter’s cues. She will let you know when she is ready for more solids. It is good to always offer breastfeeding before offering solids, but there is no need to limit her consumption of them. It is great for her to explore and great that she is so enthusiastic about them! I believe she is about 9 months old now, correct? I would say start giving her finger foods that she can pick up herself and let her explore – you can give her soft meats, any kind of fruit or vege and easy to dissolve cereals. I’m not surprised that you are pumping less now – as she eats more and more solids, she will start to decrease the amount of breastmilk that she takes in. Just keep nursing her first and then let her explore whatever you think is appropriate. It sounds like this phase of her life is going to be a lot of fun for both of you!!

When did you start your baby on solids? What were some favorite foods? Please leave a comment on this post to share your thoughts or suggestions for Krista

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