Formula Feeding

TTMA Starting Solids When Exclusively FF

The AAP recommends all babies that are EBF wait until 6 mos until introducing solids...I've read this is mainly due to the immmature gut. I've read it's ok to start FF babies earlier than 6 months. I'm confused as to why you want to start a FF baby before 6 months but not an EBF baby? Don't they have the same gut maturity regardless of how they're fed? DS is 5 mos 1 wk and I know it's a parental decision on when to introduce solids but I wish there was more info for FF babies instead of EBF babies...HALP!

Re: TTMA Starting Solids When Exclusively FF

  • Probably a silly question BUT how do you know when the tongue thurst reflex is gone? Just by trial and error? Or are there physical cues to look for?

    PS love your SN and avatar...we're a boxer loving family too :)

  • edited October 2014
    In my book making such a distinction between BF and FF babies is bull! If BFed babies have immature guts, then so do FFed babies. Giving a kid formula does not speed up gut maturity.... That's why I have a personal issue with this whole gut theory...and if I am not mistaken it is STILL called a 'theory' as opposed to being a scientific fact.

    Our pedi said latest rec was to wait till 6m (that was in 2012 so maybe recs changed some since then?) due to allergy risk so we did.

    Personally I didn't see any benefit in rushing solids. You have your kid's entire life to push solids...
    Give the kid solids when they're ready (not pushing the spoon with tongue TOO much, because at first they do it anyway) or at 6m at the latest so you avoid iron deficiencies etc...
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  • I was confused by that too @harmonicbabe26 ... I didn't think it should matter if they are FF or BF as they're systems are still going to mature at the same pace. I think I'll try with him at 5.5 months and see how he handles it ... thanks for the input ladies!! :)
  • The AAP rec isn't actually 6 months. It's 4-6 months with no difference between FF and BF. What the AAP tells doctors is the earliest is 4 mos, the latest (and that's a detail a lot of people miss) is 6 months. And then there's a list: double their birth weight, holds head up well, sits up assisted well, has mostly lost tongue thrust reflex. There's this push toward waiting beyond 6 months, especially among the BF community, and that's actually just as bad as starting too early. Interestingly, it's worse for BF babies to wait beyond 6 mos than it is FF because of iron levels and amount of calories. I liken it to people who try using latch and a seatbelt for a car seat installation. They think "If x is good, then x plus is better!" It's not accurate, but you can see where the confusion comes from.
  • Btw, I started DS at 4.5 mos because his tongue thrust reflex was completely gone and the kid was hungry. He's now almost 6 mos and does great with his food. I started his sister a little later because she kept the reflex longer. I honk she was closer to 5.5 mos.
  • edited October 2014
    @MommyAtty‌ that's very interesting points. My DD was born in Switzerland when we were living there so I am giving an account of our experience there. In my opinion, in many ways their healthcare and attitudes to child care and rearing are far better than here. I don't consider AAP an end all be all of all baby knowledge, for the simple reason that I myself was not born or raised here - clearly my mom would have followed many diff recs and I and my sister turned out perfect. And then the experience of having a child overseas also gives me some perspective. US is not the most advanced or most informed of all 1st world countries. In many ways it is quite inferior. Our Swiss doc shared their guidelines, which included solids at 4-6m, but she did encourage us to wait till 6m if we wanted to. Based on their guidelines, our DD was getting meat as part of her meals every day, to prevent iron deficiencies, whereas here people are still told to wait much much longer before introducing meat... Also I never was told anything about 'food is for fun before 1' and that statement is ridiculous to me... Solid food is a very important part of nutrition and is introduced for a reason. And finally, over there people don't freak out so much over BFing vs FFing. BF is encouraged but ultimately a fed, healthy baby is the priority. The attitudes are a lot more normal and there is none of the vicious judging that I see here.... Just thought I'd share some random unrelated points :) I think having a child over there really gave me some good perspective and let me gain some distance from the judgey attitudes we see here.... Sorry iPad ate all paragraphs...
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