Having Solids!!!

My little girl has started on solids since the first day she hit 4months. This is because the pedetrician told us to do so... Why? My little girl is under weight (only in the 3 percentile range). My intention was to let her take milk fully for six months as recommended by the health authorities... Oh well... 

Since her milk intake is "polite", the PD recommends the following: 

1) Starting solids with Nestle Cereal (She made us buy the green tin from her clinic)

The green tin is plain cereal, so instead of adding warm water (for the Nestle in blue tin), add warm breast milk. PD mentions that Nestle Rice Cereal is the best and won't have allergy! 

2) Start by giving one teaspoon a day before her milk. 

Initially this is what I did, however I realised that she did not finish her milk and since she is not six months yet, I decided to give her the solids after milk instead. So if she can finish both her milk and solids, the better it is for her growth (isn't it?). I give her the cereal 1hr after she finishes her milk. 

3) Increase by one teaspoon every 2 days. 

4) You can only replace the milk feed entirely after she is able to finish 1/2 rice bowl of cereal. 

5) Other than cereal, can start to introduce root vegetables (e.g. potato, carrots, pumpkin)

This is because roots are the safest first foods that you can intro to babies... Fruits like apple also can be introduced but they are sweet, so to avoid developing sweet tooth, this should also be excluded. I read that strong taste vegetables such as brocoli should also be introduced later. 

6) Fruits (incl. avocardo), meat and fish can wait till after 6mths. 

I asked about brown rice cereal and she told me to wait till after 6 months. Apparently brown rice cereal causes phelgm in babies... So my Healthy Times Organic Brown Rice cereal will have to wait. 

While she has not progressed to 1/2 bowl of cereal, she is taking about 7 teaspoon each day during her lunch feed. If we happen to be out during lunch, she will have her cereal during the dinner feed instead. While she is still trying to gain control of pushing the food inwards instead of out, she seems to like the cereal very very much. I hope to give her pumpkin puree sometime when she hits 5 and 1/2months. 

Here is a picture of her having her cereal for the first time when she was 4months. 

Yesterday evening, my hubby and I decided to go to Ikea to get another bath tub (to use at our place) and a high chair. Originally, we wanted to get the cheap plastic one but we kinda feel in love with this one instead... It's more comfortable than the plastic one and it folds away nicely in a corner. The only disavantage is that it is cloth (so it's not easy to clean if the food drips. But the cloth can be machine washed! The damage for this chair is $69. 

Okay, I admit I got a little trigger happy after putting her on the chair... Presenting my little darling in her new high chair! :)

First few minutes on the high chair...

Staring at her dangling feet!!!

Mama, no need to put me back to the centre of the chair... I like to take a peek from one side ok?

Hmm... What's on the TV now?