C's First Introduction to Solids

Waiting for food to be served

Time does not seem to like moving slowly, and in a flash, my little baby C is now a big baby, ready to start on solids. Although this is my second time introducing solids to my baby, but I realised I actually forgot a big chunk of what to do. I know the basics of how to introduce solids, the usual and most common kind of first foods, but I can't really recall how I progress from food tasting to replacing a milk feed with R. 🙍 I also can't really recall how much water I fed R during this period. My poor memory is really making things difficult for me these days...... and it is at times like this, I hope I had blogged or kept a diary or recorded about those days, and I can refer to it. 😔

And I also did not countdown to his solid day correctly. I was counting in terms of months, so I was waiting to feed him solids when he turns 6 months old. But I was enlightened by a friend that we should count by weeks, and 6 months is not really 6 months, it is 24 weeks. So I ended up giving C solids a week late. But it is ok, now I feed him more! hahaha

I think the portions he eats now is bigger than R at the same age. And he seems more interested in looking at us eat. He will stare very intently when we eat, observing very closely. This is also a cue that the little one is ready to start solids. 😊

First 2 teeth making their appearance!

And what surprise me most was C actually teeth 2 months earlier than R. He has not started solids and his first 2 pearlies sprouted already! C darling, you very well prepared for food horz! 😋

C started with avocados

And he didn't like it rightaway

C is different from R, he likes to observe and play with his fingers, he likes to suck his fingers and fists and he also likes to pick up things with his tiny hands and put them into his mouth. R did not do any of these, and it was easy for me, because I do not have to fret over what he was putting in his mouth. But I have come to realised, C's habit of stuffing things into his mouth and exploring his hands and items with his tongue, actually does alot of good too. C's fine motor skills are more advanced as compared to R at the same age. He was so good with his grip, that I actually let him try to self-led wean a few times. I know I have to follow through to be more successful in self-led weaning, but when we have elders at home, they really cannot stand the mess C will make.

Sucking happily on apple slice

Munching on yummy watermelon

He really enjoys food more when he is able to hold and eat on his own, than getting spoon fed. When my mom took the watermelon away, because he took a bite and looks like he is gonna choke a few times, he cried so pitifully. 

"Give me back my watermelon!"

R does apple eating live demo for C

C eats rusk better than R 

C started with avocados, then I let him tried apples, oatmeal cereal, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, plain porridge (with butternut squash / sweet potato), bananas and potatoes with chicken & ikan bilis soup. We also let him try grinding the super hard rusk, he didn't have much success softening it enough to taste much of the teething biscuit. R used to hold this rusk, and knock it against the table before throwing it on the floor. R didn't like it and he didn't put it into his mouth, unless I helped to. 

His expressions are usually happier and food seems to taste yummier when he self feed.

To prove my point

Another avocado meal picture to prove how he don't enjoy spoon feeding much. LOL. This spoon was a gift from godma Zynn, but not for him, for his gorgor R last time. I didn't get to use it then, so I am using it now, and really quite useful! He really does not like avocado, but by the 3rd day he is opening his mouth more readily. So my guess was, he was not used to the texture, taste and smell of avocado, thus he was put off, and gagged abit too.

Having oatmeal cereal

He was kind of apprehensive what stinky food mommy wants to feed him this time. See that face, like mixture of worry and confusion and like doesn't-taste-so-bad expression.

He decided later that this cereal is quite yummeh!

So far, the foods that he very eagerly wants to eat are: Oatmeal Cereal and Potato Mash with Chicken Soup. The rest took a few tries, before he'll decide if he wants to eat it heartily.

Sweet Potato Puree

MMMMM! Not bad!

Water drill

Here's C posing cutely with the banana he is gonna eat soon

Here's R trying to force feed C

C does not like banana much, to R's dismay, because R likes bananas a lot and he cannot fathom why didi didn't like it. While C refused to eat the banana, R was standing beside us repeating,"Didi don't like banana ah? Then I eat ok? I eat half!" 😓 In the end I gave R half of the banana and he was very pleased. 

All in all, so far, C seems to like eating and he'll cry for more when he likes the food, and he'll turn his head left right, left right when he doesn't. He usually will press his lips together when the spoon comes, and then lick a bit of the food on his lips, if he likes what he tasted, he'll open his mouth readily, if he doesn't, then we need to "chase" his mouth as he will keep turning his head. If he hates what he is eating, he'll block out the spoon with his tongue or push the spoon out with his tongue. Smarty C.

He usually like to "suckle" the food off the spoon, which I find very cute. LOL.

Finally, I shall end off this post with a photo of a very satisfied diner! Someone loves the potato mash that mommy prepared, served with the chicken soup ah mah cooked. 😋

The potato with chicken soup is too good, it deserves a standing ovation!