Serious Opinions Needed (I forgot stats in PP)

mchell9 · December 2010

LO has always been low-weight- at her 4 month today she was 10 lbs 14 oz and 23 1/4 inches long and 16 inc head. For weight she is in the 5%...barely on the chart- she was 10% last time. She gained 1/2 lb since 3 mt check.

Dr talked about starting rice cereal. I'm cautious. I have read that the fat/caloric content of rice cereal is way less than BM (Oh - I EBF) and will result in LO feeling more full and not wanting to nurse as much. That doesn't sound like a good plan for LO. But dr said the iron may help her and that since she is low weight the rice cereal is more substance (not her words exactly).

So WWYD?? I was hoping to BLW...

lj smith · December 2010

My LO was a peanut until we started solids and stopped EBF. I had to stop at 3 1/2 months due to supply issues, but once we switched to formula and she began getting solids consistently (5 months or so) she totally chunked up. She's close to 20 lbs now.

I'm not saying to stop BFing at all. But maybe solids could help with her weight if you are really concerned about it. It helped with my DD. When she started cereal she actually increased the ounces in her bottle by about 1 1/2. Plus you mix the cereal with expressed BM so she is still getting the calories nutrients that way too.

Hope that helps.

jen-dale · December 2010

DD did not decrease her intake when we started solids but she was more content and less starving ans she started STTN better.

mommyof2tob · December 2010

With DD#1 we started cereal at 4mo because she was a peanut. It really seemed to help her gain sime weight. We only gave it to her once a day so she was still nursing throughout the day every 2ish hours. We waited until 6months to add other solids.

BabyRN2009 · December 2010

I have no personal experience to share with you, but I was just researching last night for my own information the reasons to delay solids until 6 months or more. There is a ton of info on kellymom.com that seems to be well backed up by the AAP and other sources. Here is what she says about iron:

Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia.

The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby's iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. See Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary? for more information.

Also this page https://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html (don't know how to make a clicky on a Mac!), scroll down to the "myths" section and it addresses smaller babies as well as iron content of breastmilk. According to this, I'm not sure how starting cereal would help increase her weight or help with iron absorption. Maybe if you could show your pediatrician this he/she would be able to explain further why they're recommending it?

GL with whatever you decide! And (((hugs)))...I know this is probably a tough decision! You're doing a great job!!

erinkate23 · December 2010

Is she otherwise healthy?

Being little isn't a health problem. Some people are little, some people are big. Some big babies grow up to be little people, some tiny babies grow up to be large people.

Personally, as long as your LO is healthy, I wouldn't worry too too much about her size. If she is doing well, developmentally, I don't know why it would be a huge concern that she's a littler baby. Could be ignorance talking here.

How is your supply?

OregonMama · December 2010

Did you discuss your concerns with your Dr? That you didn't feel it was a good plan and you were hoping to do BLW? I think that would probably be the best thing to do.

That said, my experience: Emberlyn showed a ton of interest in food at four months so she's been getting that along with still breastfeeding and I haven't had any supply issues. Oh, but I skipped cereal all together. I discussed with her pedi the different options for food and the reasons behind cereal vs. fruits and veggies. He told me whatever I was comfortable with was okay, that it wasn't necessary to give her cereal, and to just follow her lead.

mchell9 · December 2010

I tried talking to pedi- she wasn't really "hearing" me.

My supply seems fine- LO seems satisfied and has plenty of wet diapers.

I feel like there is such conflicted advice...not from you guys but just in general. I hate this. I'm not going to do anything yet.

roundtheworldgirl · December 2010

DD1 was a tiny thing, too. She was born at 5th percentile. I started cereal with her at 5 months but it did not help her gain weight. In fact, she didn't gain any weight - not one ounce - between 5 months and 7 months. And At 7 months she was below the chart line, despite the fact that we haad introduced various fruits, veggies, egg yolk and meats! I weaned her and started her on goat milk (she had a dairy allergy). Then she started gaining. This was because I was having a supply issue. I will say that my experience has convinced me that solids do not help babies gain. Because of that, I would not follow your pedi's advice. That's just me, though.

Kelly0615 · December 2010

We started rice cereal at 4 months and O wasn't really interested. To this day, he scrunches up his face when I give him the first bite. We have to con him into opening his mouth. He does fine swallowing...just not interested nor does he like cereal.

He still takes the same amount of formula. I was under the assumption that the cereal would fill his tummy & he would sleep better. He's been waking up to eat 6-7oz between 12-3am. I think our situation is just unique. I'm sure he is having a growth spurt & I think we need to eventually try a vegetable & see if he likes it better.

You know what's best for Ellie. Go with what your instincts are telling you. As long as she's healthy & happy, you could do either. Good luck, girl.

((HUGS))

racer88 · December 2010

My LO was/is still the same way, just a peanut. She was also in the 10lb range at 4 months. She was just over 15lbs at 9 months. She's definitely not starving because now that she's on solids and feeds herself she eats like a horse I swear

I BF as well, and will say around 3-4 months she started nursing A LOT more. You know what is best for your LO.

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