Ped: "She should be getting most of her nutrition from solids now."

[Comtessa]

DD is 7 months. Is there any reason to think that this ped knows what he's talking about? I was so proud to report this morning that she's still getting almost all her calories from BM. But ped shook his head gravely when I said so, and said "she should really be getting three solid meals a day, of all 4 food groups." !!! She only eats fruits/veggies and grains. Isn't that normal??

When I said we were vegetarian, so no meat (and she's too little for nuts and hasn't tried beans yet) he recommended iron supplements b/c she's "missing a food group." I didn't even think to bring up the question of dairy (the "third" of his "four food groups," I presume) really being appropriate for a 7-mo-old.

We introduced solids at 5.5 months, but she's only eating a few spoonfuls of baby food every day; more for fun and exploration than for nutritional benefit. Are we going way against the grain here?

ETA: And another thing. I thought the whole concept of "four food groups" was way outdated anyhow? I mean, a can of peaches is hardly interchangeable with a bowl of spinach, nutritionally speaking. Same with ice cream and nonfat yogurt... etc. Should I pay any attention to what this guy says?

[Mama~Love]

Someone obviously missed the class on infant nutrition. Find a new Ped ASAP. That one is clearly clueless about what infants' needs are. "Missing" a food group? Good grief!

You are doing wonderfully! The longer she gets most of her nutrition from you, the better!

[CrunchyKnitter]

Originally Posted by Mama~Love

Someone obviously missed the class on infant nutrition. Find a new Ped ASAP. That one is clearly clueless about what infants' needs are. "Missing" a food group? Good grief!

You are doing wonderfully! The longer she gets most of her nutrition from you, the better!

Agreed. His ideas would not sit well with me and I'm not even a vegetarian. There is just so much about what he says that I think is complete BS.

[littlecityfarmer]

I believe the current recommendations are to introduce solids around 6 months, slowly adding one new food at a time. Breastmilk or a substitute (eg. formula) should be the primary nutrition source at least through the first year. Your ped has some bad info!

[April Dawn]

My son will be 7 months in a week (which I can hardly believe...) and he gets VERY few solids. We offer fruits and veggies once or twice a day, but he's not usually interested in more than one or two small bites, so we're not forcing it. His pediatrician says this is just fine at his age!

[GoldmanBaby09]

I would find a new ped, asap, as a pp mentioned. My baby is 5 mo today, but I have no intentions of starting solids any time soon. I plan to wait as long as possible before introducing anything. I believe a baby should sit unassisted, have teeth, and show interest before offering food. And your bm is always 100% nutritionally complete.

I have kind of an issue with Dr anyway. And if you can't trust him to know about basic baby nutrition, what else can't you trust him with?

[Ruthla]

By age 7 months, my daughters were still at the "tasting' foods stage. DS was up to one meal every day (up from 1 meal every 2-3 days). These 'meals' consisted of 1-2 ounces of solids.

Your ped doesn't know what he's talking about. If you can't change peds, then at least feel free to ignore his nutritional advice.

[gossamerwindweb]

Originally Posted by Mama~Love

Someone obviously missed the class on infant nutrition. Find a new Ped ASAP. That one is clearly clueless about what infants' needs are. "Missing" a food group? Good grief!

You are doing wonderfully! The longer she gets most of her nutrition from you, the better!

[Comtessa]

Originally Posted by GoldmanBaby09

...if you can't trust him to know about basic baby nutrition, what else can't you trust him with?

This!

Thanks for putting it into words for me.

I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in thinking this advice is totally off the wall. Sometimes as a first-time parent, it's easy to be convinced that the M.D.'s know more than they really do.

(Maybe it's the deluge of warning labels on everything from vitamins to tea that insist that the consumer "consult your doctor before using this product." We're convinced we're a nation of idiots dependent upon our doctors to keep us from serious bodily harm.)

Well, we have to change peds anyway b/c we can't afford this insurance anymore. I can't say I'm disappointed - today's advice was the last straw. At her last well-baby, he gave me a paternalistic lecture about "being firm" with my four-month-old about sleep, using CIO to "convince" her she doesn't want to wake up at night!!!! I sorta snapped on him: "I don't want my daughter to learn that she can only count on me to be a loving parent during daylight hours."

[sweetpeppers]

...time to get a new doctor...

[listipton]

Ds was not eating solids at 7 months. He was barely tasting foods either (he just wasn't a fan....). Even now at 14 months, he's pretty much a boob man and he's gaining/developing well. Here is the link to kellymom on bfed babes and solids. Happy reading!
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html

[April Dawn]

Originally Posted by Comtessa

At her last well-baby, he gave me a paternalistic lecture about "being firm" with my four-month-old about sleep, using CIO to "convince" her she doesn't want to wake up at night!!!! I sorta snapped on him: "I don't want my daughter to learn that she can only count on me to be a loving parent during daylight hours."

Four months old? Wow.

Edited by April Dawn - 7/5/11 at 7:55pm

[texaspeach]

I think his suggestion is outdated. they used to suggest rice cereal at 3 months and expect babies to be getting 3 meals from "4 food groups" by 7 months (the baby book my gmil had from 1945 said to give juice at 3 weeks! it's a miracle we survived at all)

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Comtessa

(Maybe it's the deluge of warning labels on everything from vitamins to tea that insist that the consumer "consult your doctor before using this product." We're convinced we're a nation of idiots dependent upon our doctors to keep us from serious bodily harm.)

Somewhat OT, but I tend to agree. I really think all those labels are a major contributing factor to the "doctor as God" mindset that's so rampant in our culture. It depresses and frustrates me when I let myself dwell on it too much.

[BlueWolf]

Definitely new ped time. As a comparison, my ped told me "Your DD should be getting breastmilk or formula as her main source of nutrition for the first year of her life".

[Baby_Cakes]

At first I was going to say just smile and nod and ignore that advice, but now I'm really concerned about what else your ped is misinformed about! God forbid your LO gets sick and he gives you totally wonky advice! I would jump ship and get a new ped. At 7 mo my DD was still just tasting things. I think it's pretty well known that before 1 solids are just for fun.

And I do think the 4 food groups things is bunk. It just doesn't make sense. It may have simplifed things back in the day, but you can get your nutrients from a variety of places, and you can mix and match -- nothing is "missing" just because you and your baby don't eat animals.

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

babies under 1 should still be having mainly breastmilk and at this stage solids are just for tasteing and getting used to the different textures. my ds caden is 21 months and still doesn't really eat a lot he loves my dads home made soups and curries and could eat cheese and raisins/sultanas untill they come out of his ears but most foods he just pics at and some days he hardly eats anything just has breastmilk.

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by Mama~Love

Someone obviously missed the class on infant nutrition. Find a new Ped ASAP. That one is clearly clueless about what infants' needs are. "Missing" a food group? Good grief!

You are doing wonderfully! The longer she gets most of her nutrition from you, the better!

My best friend has a 20mo that still doesn't eat that much food. Her ped told her yesterday that it's fine, he's still getting everything he NEEDS from the breastmilk. He'll eat more when he's ready.

GET A NEW DR!

[bandgeek]

Solids are not supposed to replace milk during the first year. In order to stuff a baby with that much baby food, you would have to cut back their milk intake, and they wouldn't get the nutrition they need. Your pedi is completely misinformed. I've known some babies who have eaten 3 meals a day by 7 months, but those were kids who were started on solids way too soon and not given more than 2-3 bottles of formula a day.

My kid didn't even start eating until he was 15 months! He's a healthy 5 year old now.

[ktmama]

Maybe you need to re-think your expectations of your ped (whoever he/she is). Doctors are good for giving health care interventions, not for advice or information on nutrition, sleep, parenting or anything else that isn't broken or diseased. If you're vaxing, then you need your doc, but if you aren't, I'd seriously reconsider the whole regular WBV thing. I know this isn't the advice you asked for, so it's just my $.02.