Time for Real Food

Most pediatricians and the AAP agree solid foods can be started between 4-6 months. Before Mina arrived, I read many articles on the nutritional benefits of breastmilk and how exclusively breastfeeding should be done for six months or even longer. I decided not to start our baby on solids until at least six months since that would clearly be better for her. Then Mina actually arrived. Even without any major difficulties, breastfeeding is hard work. I read babies need to eat less often as they grow older and was really looking forward to that. But since cutting out Mina's middle of the night feeding around eight weeks, she hasn't slowed down. Lately, she has been wanting to eat even more often. She also acts hungry whenever we eat, regardless of when she was last fed and watches us like a hawk. When we went to her 4-month check-up and her pediatrician gave the go-ahead for solid food, I was so ready.

We decided to start with fruits and veggies rather than rice cereal or oatmeal. First food: avocados. I blended them with a little milk, then froze small portions in an ice cube tray. Mina gets one small portion per day. As of day three, it seems like she still isn't really sure what to do with the avocado but she is swallowing more than she is spitting out. It is an exciting time in Mina world.