Monday, May 17, 2010

Starting solids on my six month old

My younger daughter is almost 6 months and I think it is the cutest age!  She smiles almost every time we make eye contact and will chuckle out loud to peek-a-boo and other funny noises I make.  Where did the time go?  I know I probably spent a lot more time paying attention to every developmental milestone when I had my first.  It is not that I don't want to pay attention.. but it is just that my attention is so split now!


So I'm getting ready to really start feeding solids.  I think it is bittersweet to start solids because I really love breast feeding her.  It amazes me that she can grow so big and thrive on my breast milk alone.  Now, instead of just the yellowish poop... we'll have to get ready for more smelly poop!


The usual recommendation is to start feeding one new item for a couple of days before adding a different item.  This is to watch out for food allergies.  It is probably also wise to have some infant Benadryl around just in case.  We were fortunate with our first daughter and she has no food allergies at all.  Hopefully, it'll be the same for her sister.


Now some say you should start with veggies while others say fruit because fruit is sweeter and taste more like breast milk.  Well, I decided to go with sweet potato since it is a veggie but also sweet.  She seemed to like it.... the peas not so much.  However, it really does make me a little sad to be spoon feeding her solids, so for about a week or so, I stopped all together and went back to breast feeding only.


See, my favorite part of being a mommy is cradling my baby in my arms as she nurses contently.  Every now and then, she'll stop, look at me, and throw me a huge grin.  Oh.. despite all the craziness and sleep deprivation I'd have another kid just to experience those moments over and over again.


Sigh.  But they will all grow up.  My older daughter is barely 2 1/2 years old and I already get teary-eyed sometimes when I think about how she'll be walking down the aisle one day in a wedding dress!  Yes.. I am quite sentimental...