There are so many different thoughts on which solids you should introduce to your baby first.. rice first because its non allergenic or oatmeal first because rice has no nutritional value. Fruits first so they like the taste, veggies first so they don’t get spoiled by the sweetness of fruit, both first and alternate between fruits and veggies.. but then you still have to decide which to start with. It’s a bit exhausting! Ultimately you just have to decide what you want to do and go with it. Give each food 5 days to make sure there are no allergies and then move on to the next, no matter what your little one will be just fine..

I eventually decided to start with oatmeal (our little one was a week away from his 6 month birthday when we gave him his first taste) and then alternate between fruits and veggies (orange and yellow veggies before green veggies.. last comes meat). For simplicity I also decided to try each for 1 week so I started the new food on the same day and wouldn’t lose track (I’ve got enough to keep up with these days).  If you decide to make your own baby food I found the book Sage Spoonfuls to be a helpful guide to teach you how to buy, prepare and store baby food.

So here’s our baby food list so far:

1. Organic Oatmeal mixed with breastmilk served warm
2. Banana – yellow, ripe with some brown spots – mashed and warmed
3. Sweet Potato- firm – steamed & mixed with breast milk or formula served warm
4. Apple- fresh red – steamed and pureed
5. Avocado- even green color and give a little when squeezed – pureed
6. Carrot – organic, orange, without cracks- steamed and pureed (The Favorite so far!)

Our boy is growing up so fast! We’ve been on a 4 hour feeding schedule the last 3 weeks (22-25 weeks) and we are about to add solids tomorrow (I still can’t believe it!) As soon as I get used to one schedule its time to change it again. He’s such a growing boy.. I can’t wait for this first reaction to solids though.. should be pretty fun 🙂

So here is the 4 hr feeding schedule we did to bridge the transition and get ready for solids..

4 Hour Schedule (22-25 weeks)

• 7:00 Wake him up and Eat – nurse about 12 minutes
  • usually a cat nap in the car on the way to work for about 20 minutes
  • 9:30- down for a nap, on his back, in a sleep sack with his paci
• 11:00 Eat – 8 oz bottle*
  • 1:00 – he is usually ready for a nap earlier at this point (less wake time)
  • On his back, in a sleep sack with his paci – even at daycare
• 3:00 Eat – 8 oz bottle
  • 4:45-5:15 – occasional nap in the car on the way home
  • 5:45 down for a nap regardless if he napped earlier in the car or not
• 6:45 Bath, Bottle, Bed – usually another 8 oz bottle

Couple of notes:

• We only send 8 oz bottles to daycare but he can usually eat more at that 11am feeding. At home I usually give him 9 oz. Recommended oz at his age is 32 oz (8oz 4x a day so that’s why I don’t send 9 oz every day- just a little too much milk).
• Goal is 2 hours of wake time followed by 2 hours of nap time. Doesn’t always happen- especially driving to and from working and other things that happen during the day but its a good goal.
• At 5.5 months (around 24 weeks) our little man started rolling over on his tummy and is sometimes choosing to sleep that way instead. However his favorite position is still on his back with his hands behind his head! hilarious!

Our boy just turned 5 months this week (22 weeks) and we decided to try a 4 hour feeding schedule instead of his current 3.5 hour schedule. Mainly because of his last two feedings being so close together and for ease in planning our days. Not sure if it is going to stick yet but here is our previous 3.5 hour schedule which he was on from 12 to 22 weeks.

3.5 Hour Schedule (12-22 weeks)

• 7 Wake him up and Eat – nurse about 15 minutes
  • usually a cat nap in the car on the way to work for about 20 minutes
  • 9- down for a nap, on his back, in a sleep sack with his paci
• 10:30 Eat – 7 oz bottle
  • 11:30/12 – he is usually ready for a nap earlier at this point (less wake time)
  • On his back, in a sleep sack with his paci -even at daycare
• 2:00 Eat- 7 oz bottle
  • 3:30-4:15 – short nap
  • I pick him up from daycare at 4:30, occasional cat nap in the car on the way home
• 5:30 Eat – nurse about 20-30 minutes
• 7:00 Bath, Bottle, Bed – usually another 7 oz bottle

This schedule was great for our initial school (daycare) and work routine. I would wake up at 5:30 am and get completely ready before waking up our boy at 7. Then I’d feed him and pump (while he sat in his bumbo or played with Daddy) and then be out the door by 8:15 to head to daycare and then work. On days when I had to be at work by 8:30 I’d wake up earlier and pump before feeding him but keep his wake time at 7 am.