How Old Was Your Baby When They Start Eating Solid Food?

[krisb]

How old is a baby when they start eating solid food in Thailand? My wife says its alot younger than the 6months we start in the west. When did your Thai wife start with your child?

[Boo]

my son started on Jok, baby porridge & pureed fruit & veg at 4 months, by 6 months he was eating meat with the veg & rice, pureed.

I'm not thai though. Some babies need solids earlier than others, usually when they start waking up more in the night or trying to grab at your food, then you know they are ready.

[krisb]

my son started on Jok, baby porridge & pureed fruit & veg at 4 months, by 6 months he was eating meat with the veg & rice, pureed.

I'm not thai though. Some babies need solids earlier than others, usually when they start waking up more in the night or trying to grab at your food, then you know they are ready.

ahh jok same same joke! rice soup a little like gow tom. ok thanks for the input much appreciated!

[Carry]

Agreeing with boo, we started wih some pureed fruit and later veggies but around 4 months, also not Thai but true, when ur kid starts to show intrest in your food or when ony milk doesnt seem enough!

[mike123ca]

I think they started when their teeth came out.

The wife is not to keen on pain.

My son was about a year and a half.

My daughter was less than a year old,

but she has a beautiful set of teeth.

[krisb]

I think they started when their teeth came out.

The wife is not to keen on pain.

My son was about a year and a half.

My daughter was less than a year old,

but she has a beautiful set of teeth.

gee a year and a half. that seems a little old but there you go.

[VintageTQ]

I think they started when their teeth came out.

The wife is not to keen on pain.

My son was about a year and a half.

My daughter was less than a year old,

but she has a beautiful set of teeth.

That does seem old, i think he has mis-interpreted the thread. Nobody surely would keep their child off food until they are a year and half

[Sheryl]

By 6 months, solids/semi-solids are necessary in order to meet nutritional needs. In developing countries it is recommended to consume only breastmilk for the first 6 months due to the dangers of intestinal infections, but in more developed settings/educated affluent households, soft solids can safely begin anywhere between 3-6 months, of course being careful to ensure what is eaten is clean and adequately cooked.

[themadpoorfreelover]

my son started on Jok, baby porridge & pureed fruit & veg at 4 months, by 6 months he was eating meat with the veg & rice, pureed.

I'm not thai though. Some babies need solids earlier than others, usually when they start waking up more in the night or trying to grab at your food, then you know they are ready.

OK GUYS. TELL YOUR "EDUCATED" THAI WIVES (im not calling them stupid) TO NOT FEED RICE UNTIL AT LEAST 1 YR OLD. IT OFTEN CAUSES BOWEL DISCOMFORT AND HIGH BACTERIA LEVELS IN CHILDREN. Children dont start producing AMYLASE until they are at least a year old. Amylase is the enzyme which breaks down the polysacchirides and disacchirides in rice (starch and double sugars). Infact the only enzyme they reall produce in any level under 1 yr is LACTASE, which will break down milk sugar- lactose.

It is very bad practice, but we know how much thais love their rice, although it isnt necessarily something that is so good for. especially as white rice has been de-husked of all its nutrients and when they make jok they will often be putting in flavorings like soy sauce and msg- which are not good for bubbies body. remember folk this is thailand and the level of health and dietry education is way lower than western standard.

at 4-6 months you can start introducingthe following foods

egg yolk

chicken liver

pumpkin carrot broccoli

apple banana

ground beef/chicken

fish with omega 3

if your TGF insists on feeding that jok rubbish then watch her not to put in msg flavourings or other rubbish. it is just empty calories guys.

[krisb]

my son started on Jok, baby porridge & pureed fruit & veg at 4 months, by 6 months he was eating meat with the veg & rice, pureed.

I'm not thai though. Some babies need solids earlier than others, usually when they start waking up more in the night or trying to grab at your food, then you know they are ready.

OK GUYS. TELL YOUR "EDUCATED" THAI WIVES (im not calling them stupid) TO NOT FEED RICE UNTIL AT LEAST 1 YR OLD. IT OFTEN CAUSES BOWEL DISCOMFORT AND HIGH BACTERIA LEVELS IN CHILDREN. Children dont start producing AMYLASE until they are at least a year old. Amylase is the enzyme which breaks down the polysacchirides and disacchirides in rice (starch and double sugars). Infact the only enzyme they reall produce in any level under 1 yr is LACTASE, which will break down milk sugar- lactose.

It is very bad practice, but we know how much thais love their rice, although it isnt necessarily something that is so good for. especially as white rice has been de-husked of all its nutrients and when they make jok they will often be putting in flavorings like soy sauce and msg- which are not good for bubbies body. remember folk this is thailand and the level of health and dietry education is way lower than western standard.

at 4-6 months you can start introducingthe following foods

egg yolk

chicken liver

pumpkin carrot broccoli

apple banana

ground beef/chicken

fish with omega 3

if your TGF insists on feeding that jok rubbish then watch her not to put in msg flavourings or other rubbish. it is just empty calories guys.

So rice will cause discomfort but all those other foods you list as ok wont?...hmm.

[themadpoorfreelover]

my son started on Jok, baby porridge & pureed fruit & veg at 4 months, by 6 months he was eating meat with the veg & rice, pureed.

I'm not thai though. Some babies need solids earlier than others, usually when they start waking up more in the night or trying to grab at your food, then you know they are ready.

OK GUYS. TELL YOUR "EDUCATED" THAI WIVES (im not calling them stupid) TO NOT FEED RICE UNTIL AT LEAST 1 YR OLD. IT OFTEN CAUSES BOWEL DISCOMFORT AND HIGH BACTERIA LEVELS IN CHILDREN. Children dont start producing AMYLASE until they are at least a year old. Amylase is the enzyme which breaks down the polysacchirides and disacchirides in rice (starch and double sugars). Infact the only enzyme they reall produce in any level under 1 yr is LACTASE, which will break down milk sugar- lactose.

It is very bad practice, but we know how much thais love their rice, although it isnt necessarily something that is so good for. especially as white rice has been de-husked of all its nutrients and when they make jok they will often be putting in flavorings like soy sauce and msg- which are not good for bubbies body. remember folk this is thailand and the level of health and dietry education is way lower than western standard.

at 4-6 months you can start introducingthe following foods

egg yolk

chicken liver

pumpkin carrot broccoli

apple banana

ground beef/chicken

fish with omega 3

if your TGF insists on feeding that jok rubbish then watch her not to put in msg flavourings or other rubbish. it is just empty calories guys.

So rice will cause discomfort but all those other foods you list as ok wont?...hmm.

yes. all those foods only need to be given in small amounts in order to gain the benefits ie vitamins minerals etc. rice is usually given by mothers in the form of "jok" or "rice cereal", given in copius amounts will cause bacteria in the gut to multiply causing bloating, obesity flatulence and other bowel problems. not not mention the insulin spike that these types of foods give which makes a sleepy baby. in the old days in western countries this was encouraged as it gave mothers "time to themselves" etc...

Do you understand what amylase is? to get my point you need to understand that the Thais view rice as the staple, even for babies and everything else is a luxury. the kids wont die from eating jok, and every now and then is not so bad. Often it becomes the daily meal mixed with mayeb some egg yolk. Its just empty calories mate. If you want the best for your kids then you should give them the luxuries for their health... unless one spends too much time in a bar in pattaya while TGF is looking after bubby.

there are many other foods that you can feed your baby of course, but i just gave a simple list for some educative purposes, also the foods on that list can be bought in any market in Thailand, not all of us have access to places like tops supermarket or whatever...

Edited November 30, 2012 by themadpoorfreelover

[Boo]

not sure why you have quoted my post but fyi, i'm not thai, i don't hang around bars in pattaya & I don't add msg to any food my family eats. You have an opinion on what a baby should eat but it is your opinion only.

[themadpoorfreelover]

not sure why you have quoted my post but fyi, i'm not thai, i don't hang around bars in pattaya & I don't add msg to any food my family eats. You have an opinion on what a baby should eat but it is your opinion only.

its not muy opinion only.. its the opinion of modern day pediatricians/nutritionalists.. depending on if they are recently trained/well read.

do your own research regarding amylase, what its role in digestion is and that it is not secreted sufficiently enough by children under 2 yrs to properly digest disacchirides and poly sacchirides. I stand by what I say.

and sorry i was speaking to two groups of people:

western mothers that feed their babies in the "old" style, rice porridge and baby meals and stuff

and

guys that hang around in bars or whatever while their thai wife/GF stays at home cooking up jok and lacing it with MSG and other stuff..

toddlers wont die from eating jok, though it does not really have a positive effect on their health. kids this age only have small stomachs,

why fill them with vitamin deficient empty calories which they cant really utilize properly..?

unless one was looking for the insulin spike so that they can get a few hours of "personal" time, while bubby sleeps.. jok does have its uses for some people.

actually that is one of the best way to tell if bubby is having problems digesting their foods, if they get sleepy after a carbohydrate meal.

though they should/can get sleepy after consuming lactose, as the enzyme lactase is their main defense in the world and all the work going on in their little biochemical bodies makes them sleepy from this.

[themadpoorfreelover]

rice, jok, wheat, barley -whatever even as adult our biochemistry has not evolved well enough to get the best energy from these foods...

have a read of this article:

The Late Role of Grains and Legumes in the Human Diet, and Biochemical Evidence of their Evolutionary Discordance

http://www.beyondveg...egumes-1a.shtml

Edited December 2, 2012 by themadpoorfreelover

[Boo]

my sons is nearly 6, never had a problem with his stomach & eats a varied & balanced diet which includes meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, grains, beans, fruit, in fact since he was a year old has eaten exactly what myself or husband has eaten but in pureed or mashed form till he was able to eat solids. He now eats seafood, curries, cheese, basically the palette of an adult & still has no issues with digestion. If I could be bothered I could find research to support eating grains & legumes. There is pretty much some kind of research to support any opinion. But I really don't care enough about it. My "proof" is a healthy child who gets nothing worse than a runny nose once a year, is excelling in school & has above average physical capablities.

I appriciate that you beleive this research to be true but what modern pediaticions support now will change again in 2,5, 10 years. They are forever changing their minds about what is right & what is wrong & insulting posters thai wives & insinuating that parents feed their kids rice or jok to make them sleep to get some personal time is unessecary. There is a way to get your opinion across without being offensive or preachy.

[themadpoorfreelover]

Boo, on 2012-12-03 00:30:48, said:

my sons is nearly 6, never had a problem with his stomach & eats a varied & balanced diet which includes meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, grains, beans, fruit, in fact since he was a year old has eaten exactly what myself or husband has eaten but in pureed or mashed form till he was able to eat solids. He now eats seafood, curries, cheese, basically the palette of an adult & still has no issues with digestion. If I could be bothered I could find research to support eating grains & legumes. There is pretty much some kind of research to support any opinion. But I really don't care enough about it. My "proof" is a healthy child who gets nothing worse than a runny nose once a year, is excelling in school & has above average physical capablities.

I appriciate that you beleive this research to be true but what modern pediaticions support now will change again in 2,5, 10 years. They are forever changing their minds about what is right & what is wrong & insulting posters thai wives & insinuating that parents feed their kids rice or jok to make them sleep to get some personal time is unessecary. There is a way to get your opinion across without being offensive or preachy.

yes people don't want to listen to facts and science that's why there is such a big market for homeopaths.

chances are you are in your mid thirties to mid forties and earning an above average wage. (compliment) you may have been university educated, (another compliment) educated enough that you trust your own opinion.(flattery) (chances are you went to university before windows was standard hence why you don't know how to use a spell checker i do notice you use full stops and punctuation though but that is pointless if words are not correctly written.[sorry i had to speak the truth])

kids don't start to secrete amylase from the pancreas until around 2yrs.

I didn't ever attack you personally. I attacked you weak and baseless argument about the benefits of Jok "which you cant bother trying to prove or research" either. then why give the advise? do you really think you can win people over easily because the word moderator is written under your name, what so that means your word is god?

forums may be the lowest cultural denominator after blogging and Google.

but actually I did quote your post as I wanted to provide some more detailed information than you had. Giving good food advice for kids should really take up more than a few lines. and you are a moderator? I was trying to help answer the question by giving relevant up to date advise about the dangers of feeding too much jok, as Thais do. relevant because I assume the OP is a man with a baby and a Thai wife/GF living in Thailand so OK if you are going to give some advise about feeding children do a little bit more research and please give some kind of detailed dietary advise that will be beneficial to the kid.

[themadpoorfreelover]

my sons is nearly 6, never had a problem with his stomach & eats a varied & balanced diet which includes meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, grains, beans, fruit, in fact since he was a year old has eaten exactly what myself or husband has eaten but in pureed or mashed form till he was able to eat solids. He now eats seafood, curries, cheese, basically the palette of an adult & still has no issues with digestion. If I could be bothered I could find research to support eating grains & legumes. There is pretty much some kind of research to support any opinion. But I really don't care enough about it. My "proof" is a healthy child who gets nothing worse than a runny nose once a year, is excelling in school & has above average physical capablities.

I appriciate that you beleive this research to be true but what modern pediaticions support now will change again in 2,5, 10 years. They are forever changing their minds about what is right & what is wrong & insulting posters thai wives & insinuating that parents feed their kids rice or jok to make them sleep to get some personal time is unessecary. There is a way to get your opinion across without being offensive or preachy.

during the nazi siege of petersberg in the second world war the city was locked down and no food could get in our out. people were starving and got through by feeding themselves things like soap, paper, leather and wallpaper.. guess what! they survived.

Thailand is a developing country, hence rice being the staple that is fed to everyone.. rice polishing began at the end of the 18th century, in the last century there was a large famine in SE Asia, people in Thailand survived by eating white polished rice, they had little protein or vegetables in their diets. many children developed rickets. but guess what they survived! during the industrial age in Europe mothers started feeding their babies rice soups and other porridge, feeding these kinds of foods is old health science. Thailand is a developing country and they eat alot of rice because they need a cheap filler to stave off the hunger pains. why do that to a child? seems cruel to me.

Edited December 2, 2012 by themadpoorfreelover

[themadpoorfreelover]

insinuating that parents feed their kids rice or jok to make them sleep to get some personal time is unessecary. There is a way to get your opinion across without being offensive or preachy.

i used the pronoun "one" so i was not directing at anyone other than mothers that feed their kids jok or porridge so that they can get some personal time.

[Boo]

as I said, an opinion is just that. You can express yours without being offensive or rude. My being a moderator has nothing to do with the posts here & playing that card shows the weakness of your argument as do your pointless comments about spelling. Did you not understand my post? If yes then my spelling is irrelevant. As for forums being lowest form, so what, this one is popular & allows the opinion of many not just one who wishes to force theirs on everyone.

Anyone having children takes their chances & determines their own parenting style, if you don't like their choices then that is something you need to learn to live with as it is none of your business.

[Boo]

oh & my food advice was given as a parent with a young, healthy child. That is all any parent is really interested in imo & on this lowest form, the disclaimer states that all information given is an opinion only & not provided by a professional. I'm sure if the op really wanted to he could engage one to give him the current fashion on child rearing.

[Boo]

snip

yes people don't want to listen to facts and science that's why there is such a big market for homeopaths.

I have done my own research, I have looked into all the various opinions on what humans should or shouldn't eat & yet have still decided that my child will eat a balanced diet incorporating all the food groups. That is called making an informed descision. You might not agree with it but that's not my problem. Just because someone says something is so, doesn't make it so. I subscribe to various journals on health & if I followed every report, article or research paper published I'd be dead through fear of eating anything. Feed your kid what you want, I'll feed mine what I want & those thai mothers you so look down on will carry on feeding theirs what they want. Simple really.

[themadpoorfreelover]

snip

yes people don't want to listen to facts and science that's why there is such a big market for homeopaths.

I have done my own research, I have looked into all the various opinions on what humans should or shouldn't eat & yet have still decided that my child will eat a balanced diet incorporating all the food groups. That is called making an informed descision. You might not agree with it but that's not my problem. Just because someone says something is so, doesn't make it so. I subscribe to various journals on health & if I followed every report, article or research paper published I'd be dead through fear of eating anything. Feed your kid what you want, I'll feed mine what I want & those thai mothers you so look down on will carry on feeding theirs what they want. Simple really.

ok u win

[themadpoorfreelover]

snip

yes people don't want to listen to facts and science that's why there is such a big market for homeopaths.

I have done my own research, I have looked into all the various opinions on what humans should or shouldn't eat & yet have still decided that my child will eat a balanced diet incorporating all the food groups. That is called making an informed descision. You might not agree with it but that's not my problem. Just because someone says something is so, doesn't make it so. I subscribe to various journals on health & if I followed every report, article or research paper published I'd be dead through fear of eating anything. Feed your kid what you want, I'll feed mine what I want & those thai mothers you so look down on will carry on feeding theirs what they want. Simple really.

ok u win

but i do now wonder if you have any academic training.

"argument and critical thinking 101" :

one cant attack an argument by renegading assaults which try to throw mud on the value of personal opinion.

"its just opinion, your opinion my-opinion etc..."

and yes your child is probably healthy and well done,

but I dare say that you did not feed him/her jok for their entire childhood

so

my point is that excessive consumption of jok by babies and toddlers is not a healthy practice.

I want you to acknowledge this fact please

as

this fact is relevant to this discussion because we live in Thailand

and

in Thailand, in many of the homes, villages, cities and cousins, babies i have seen, the common consensus is that "jok"/"baby cereal" are the ideal foods to feed a baby

this is very relevant information

as some of us here, have Thai GFs/Wifes/Mothers of our children

which:

have been brought up believing certain things about what is healthy

which as we know in the "west" are not

so i offer my advise to those who need it

if your child is a healthy six year old then this does not apply to you

and do notice that you said you fed jok, and among other things vegetables and meat.

that's fine

but if you had not given the jok it may have been better.

one child's health is not indicative of the wider effects of certain dietary practices.

example:

If i murder a person, i am a murderer.

I am a person too, therefore all people are murderers.

one child ate some jok and is healthy

all children eat jok they will be healthy too.

if you want to show me that amylase production isn't necessarily in order to breakdown "jok" (or other poly sacchirides)

i can give you a clue:

if you want to aid the digestion of jok in young babies/toddlers then you should include banana in their diet.

i don't know how much is ideal

but

banana does contain the enzyme amylase.

i believe that is what makes fruit go brown...

amylase:

.....breaks down sugar... and starch...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylase

another interesting fact:

why does rice taste sweet?

why? because saliva contains trace amounts of amylase, which on contact with poly sacchirides will break some of those down into disacchirides and other sugars, which leave a sweet taste in the mouth...

so like i said from the beginning the best advise i can give people that live in Thailand and have children with Thai families that try to influence what the child eats is to be strong and not let them make jok the staple food for the baby.

Edited December 3, 2012 by themadpoorfreelover

[themadpoorfreelover]

snip

yes people don't want to listen to facts and science that's why there is such a big market for homeopaths.

I have done my own research, I have looked into all the various opinions on what humans should or shouldn't eat & yet have still decided that my child will eat a balanced diet incorporating all the food groups. That is called making an informed descision. You might not agree with it but that's not my problem. Just because someone says something is so, doesn't make it so. I subscribe to various journals on health & if I followed every report, article or research paper published I'd be dead through fear of eating anything. Feed your kid what you want, I'll feed mine what I want & those thai mothers you so look down on will carry on feeding theirs what they want. Simple really.

"Feed your kid what you want, I'll feed mine what I want & those thai mothers you so look down on will carry on feeding theirs what they want. Simple really."

then why try to offer advise? seems pointless if that is your attitude.

its not just the mothers, although they are doing what they have learnt from their families/peers. i do look down on the general health practices in Thailand.

i don't want to presume anything about you but i wonder if you have ever lived out here in "real Thailand with "real Thai people" and if you have seen the "real health and dietary practices they engage in".

do you know what padeak is?

have you ever lived in issan to see little kids even younger than 2 yrs old eating padeak?

have you seen kids younger than that eating noodles with uncooked pigs blood?

what about spicy larb?

....and the parents will be jeering away as their little champions can eat spicy, crazy food, just as they had eaten when they were young...

i stand by what i say. feeding jok to babies is not good for them.

[Boo]

ah bless, it must be nice to be 24 & to know everything huh. just fyi, i was living in thailand before you reached double digits in age but that is neither here nor there. the OP asked, "When did you start feeding your child solids" He didn't ask for advice on the types of food although many of us responders provided him with some examples of what our kids were fed, at what age & when they moved on to other foods so my reply was not pointless.

I suggest you scale back a bit, no one likes a know it all, I'm sure you are doing a good job with your child but you aren't the first nor the last to have a child or to get pious about how to raise them. Eventually you realise that most people do the best they can or know how to. I raise my son with issan in laws wanting to do all sorts of nonesense. I put my foot down on the dangerous & take a pragmatic view on the plain ignorant. Things are not done maliciously, you can try to educate those around you & good luck if they listen but most people will make their own minds up & that is also their right. Preaching & being condecending really gets you no where

[krisb]

Themadpoorfreelover, your at that age I think. Sorry, dont take offense to that. Im imagining your cupboards are quite bare?

Also theres people on here that have lived in Issan and have known Thailand longer than you have known your parents. So please, shutup about that, Im saving you from digging a deeper hole!

Boo is spot on, you can read till your cross eyed about whats good to eat and whats not. End of the day a happy healthy child is all the proof I need also.

As long as your diet is balanced, and not much junk food, its not all bad is it?

All I asked is when did your child start eating solid food?

So themadpoorfreelover....when did your child start eating solid food?...please tell me your posts are speaking from your experience as a parent, not from a magazine subscription?

Also kow tom or jok includes veges, egg, meat etc. I love eating it, so will my baby. Its just rice soup after all.

Personally, I dont know how they eat plaadek, I think its horrid, up to them. I also dont like the pigs blood bit either, once again up to them. I suppose its ok to eat the meat of the pig so whats a bit of blood in some soup?

Laab is ok, in fact its one of my favorites, whats wrong with it?....delicious.

Anyhow its all good, I just wanted to when parents started feeding their bubbas solids thats all...Thanks for all the enthusiasm!!

[TommoPhysicist]

6-10 months ours ate a lot of Nestle Cerelac plus mum's milk.

9 months - 1 year, soft stuff, boiled rice, etc.

1+ chews on anything plus mum's milk. Including my Marathon bars.

Hates fish flavour anything.

Edited December 4, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[krisb]

I cant wait to feed mine her 1st lemon....

Im gonna get a video camera, sit her in a high chair, press record and hand her a slice of juicy lemon.

Thats not mean is it?

[Boo]

My son loves lemons, always had, we did the whole "get the camera & lets give him some lemon for a laugh" only for it to backfire when he happily chewed it to a mush & demanded more

[runaway2012]

i think themadpoorfreelover's comments are very informative. his first reply may have not answer krisb's question, but his comment is related/connected to the peoples advice on what to eat when we start feeding our babies solids. it made me do some research on amylase and made me decide not to feed my baby with "jok" most of the time, just once in a while just to please my wife.

Boo is just a bit sensitive why her reply was quoted by themadpoorfreelover, well in fact the reply was not obviously for her only, but for the rest of the people reading this thread.

anyway, peace people! we are here to share information, to be educated, and to be better parents to our children.