Solids vent

apansey87 · May 2013

So we had our 4 month appointment today. Baby girl is 25 inches long and 12 lbs 2.5 ozs. We EBF. My pedi told me to go ahead and start solids. Told me to do cereal and once she was good with that introduce fruits/ veggies. I don't want to do cereal as it's nutritionally void and the gerber dha/vitablock one has some ingredients I wasnt fond of. Also I know the aap is now saying 6 months.

I guess my vent is that there is too much conflicting info and the research is making me crazy! Why cant the medical community just come to a consensus?

I bought a banana that I was thinking of mashing and thinning with breastmilk. But I don't know. Damn decisions.

this decaf life · May 2013

Just do what feels right to you, we're following the AAP recommendation of 6 months and luckily enough our pedi agrees and said to start cereal/vegetables/fruits at 6 months. I'll be focusing on vegetables & fruits first.

sbevmc09 · May 2013

I think the problem is there is little consensus on nutrition in general and a lot of thought is really slow to catch up. I wouldn't go by your pedi's outdated advice, especially if it's not what your instinct is. There really isn't any benefit for starting earlier than necessary.

jobiann · May 2013

Research shows there is no harm in waiting until 6 months so I'm waiting, however if we are at 5 months and 2 weeks (he is 4 months 2 weeks now) and DS is showing all the signs...I won't feel guilty giving him some mushed up banana once a day. It's based off of your instincts too. You are the Mom and you know your LO best.

rockyrollgirl · May 2013

Do what is right for you. Judgement regarding this decision is more annoying to me then the conflicting information. That is just my opinion though.

BLPL101 · May 2013

My pedi said I can start at our 4 month appointment. DD was born a month early and is not ready AT ALL. I was shocked that she said to start giving her solids. I am waiting until 6 months.

apansey87 · May 2013

My daughter has had great head and neck control since she was very small. She sits supported and is very interested when were eating. So she's showing all the "signs" they say to look for. Just makes it all the more confusing.

mgade001 · May 2013

Not sure if you're familiar with the BFing guru Jack Newman. He's super awesome at getting back to you when you email. You might ask him for advice.

https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=drjack

Allycat11 · May 2013

apansey87:
My daughter has had great head and neck control since she was very small. She sits supported and is very interested when were eating. So she's showing all the "signs" they say to look for. Just makes it all the more confusing.

I feel the same way about my daughter but plan to wait until 6 months. There is evidence supporting waiting until 6 months but nothing that say it is harmful to wait until then.

It really is a personal decision and up to you.

bstengler · May 2013

i really feel like this answer is different for every baby. some are ready before others and i dont feel like its a problem to wait, or start early.

ourselves, we have slowly started to give LO bananas & sweet potatos. he will be 5 months tomorrow. i dont try to force it though. if hes not into it, thats alright. we go back to the bottle.

MelissaRae1525 · May 2013

sbevmc09:
I think the problem is there is little consensus on nutrition in general and a lot of thought is really slow to catch up. nbsp;I wouldn't go by your pedi's outdated advice, especially if it's not what your instinct is. nbsp;There really isn't any benefit for starting earlier than necessary.nbsp;

I agree with this, and really, what's the harm in waiting? I'm definitely skipping cereal too

aklawrence1 · May 2013

Some people feel very strongly about this and some don't. Go with your instinct... If that means going with your pediatrician or if it means going against, do what's right for you and your baby. What's right for someone else isn't necessarily right for you. Don't do something just because someone says they think you should... It's your decision.

Mason&Mama · May 2013

We also had our 4 month appointment today. My pedi strongly recommends starting solids now. I will probably start slowly around 5 months.

ungraceful13 · May 2013

We were given the go ahead as well. We are holding off. DH and I agreed that possibly at 5 months we would give her some fruit or veggie purees, if she is seeming ready. We plan to skip cereal altogether.

zonagirlie · May 2013

this decaf life:
Just do what feels right to you, we're following the AAP recommendation of 6 months and luckily enough our pedi agrees and said to start cereal/vegetables/fruits at 6 months. I'll be focusing on vegetables amp; fruits first.

This.
The problem truly is that drs are not required to keep up on new info. They should. But there's no requirement by law that they recertify every few years. Drs should have to take a best practices course yearly. My ped does a lot of research because she's a mom to a four month old. I'm lucky.

karen_loy · May 2013

DD is 4 months today, I'll probably start offering her some pureed veggies and fruits over the weekend, just to try

We won't be doing any kind of cereal

apansey87 · May 2013

zonagirlie:
this decaf life:
Just do what feels right to you, we're following the AAP recommendation of 6 months and luckily enough our pedi agrees and said to start cereal/vegetables/fruits at 6 months. I'll be focusing on vegetables amp; fruits first.

This.
The problem truly is that drs are not required to keep up on new info. They should. But there's no requirement by law that they recertify every few years. Drs should have to take a best practices course yearly. My ped does a lot of research because she's a mom to a four month old. I'm lucky.

Our pedi is a younger woman, but I have no idea if she's a mom. But you bring up a very interesting point. My husband is an engineer and has to do some continued education to keep his license. You would think medical professionals would have to as well.

My DH thinks we should try the mashed banana just to gauge her reaction. If she gives us the WTF face revisit at 5 months.

ObLaDi · May 2013

We're waiting till 6 months and then doing BLW.

FWIW, I'm an MD and we do have continuing education and recertification requirements. There is x amount of CME each year. I don't recall offhand whether recert is every 5 or 10 years; I'm finishing residency next month so I have some time before I have to worry about it. I'm also not a pediatrician.

I take our pedi's advice on nutrition, sleep, etc with a grain of salt.

Allison546 · May 2013

I'll add to the vent. I think the whole topic/debate over when to start is overblown. 4 mos, 5 mos, 6 mos, cereal, veggies/fruit, oatmeal, WHATEVER. I really don't think it matters in the long run. Yeah your baby might get allergies if you start too early-- your baby might get allergies anyway. Is cereal just for texture? All of our babies will learn how to eat real foods eventually-- they won't be on purees the rest of their lives. It's all just silly. Go ahead and start when you want.

FWIW I'm waiting until 6 mos because I don't see the rush-- I like our EBF routine right now and don't feel like fixing something that ain't broke just yet.

Wild_flower25 · May 2013

Allison546:

I'll add to the vent. I think the whole topic/debate over when to start is overblown. 4 mos, 5 mos, 6 mos, cereal, veggies/fruit, oatmeal, WHATEVER. I really don't think it matters in the long run. Yeah your baby might get allergies if you start too early-- your baby might get allergies anyway. Is cereal just for texture? All of our babies will learn how to eat real foods eventually-- they won't be on purees the rest of their lives. It's all just silly. Go ahead and start when you want.

FWIW I'm waiting until 6 mos because I don't see the rush-- I like our EBF routine right now and don't feel like fixing something that ain't broke just yet.

THIS!! I'd applause if I knew the emoticon.

I have to decide whether or not to smile and nod today when my pedi tells us to start her on solids or whether to bring up the AAP recommendation. Not sure yet. But DS started at 5 months, he has no allergies and is a great eater. I really don't think its a big deal in the long run.

bundymommy · May 2013

Definitely do what feels right. As far as your pedi and the AAP...well, I don't do everything my pedi says, and I don't do everything the AAP says, either. Think of it more like "advice" than "recommendations."

I started my first at 4 months. She wouldn't eat cereal, but she loved bananas so we skipped the cereal all together until later when I would mix it in fruits for the iron content. She was a big baby (much bigger than your 12-pounder!) and started sleeping poorly at night after having STTN since 8 weeks. Once she got those extra calories she definitely improved.

My second weighed as much as your LO at 2 months, so he's definitely a whopper of a boy! Smile I personally feel physically he is ready for the extra calories, so will be starting him on solids right at 4 months per the pedi's okay. He started STTN at 12 weeks but the last week he has been waking up during the night, even after downing a 10oz bottle in the evenings.

All that to say, you have to do what feels right to you.

AppleJacks81 · May 2013

aklawrence1:
Some people feel very strongly about this and some don't. Go with your instinct... If that means going with your pediatrician or if it means going against, do what's right for you and your baby. What's right for someone else isn't necessarily right for you. Don't do something just because someone says they think you should... It's your decision.

Amen sista!

Some kids are ready, some aren't. I don't think it's a big deal either way. DS was ready around 5 months, and DD seems to be hitting milestones on the same timeline. If she isn't pushing the food right back out with her tongue, I say bring on the cereal/sweet potato combo. That was DS's first fave

amandadawson · May 2013

You should start solids when LO is ready for them. So, follow baby's cues of readiness for solids, and if baby is ready go for it. We started at 6 months but my LO wasn't really interested in solids.

Now I use this website https://goodmomming.com to get inspired with foods for my precious. It's kind of useful.

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