Correct me if I'm wrong

[omelette]

Breastmilk is the best thing for baby for at least the 1st yr. The reasoning behind starting food prior to a year is to start to get them used to chewing, tasting a variety of things, practising pincer grasp, etc but not for calories or fat. Is this right?

[octobermoon]

that's what i have read and understand. but i am certain you could find some research somewhere that says something completely contrary. i think some babes will take to actual eating of the food on varying levels before a year and therefore gain nutritional value and calories from such. it's really going to be the baby who leads in some ways. that being said, as a mama i think you can and i am doing my best to try and make sure DS is getting the full benefit of breast milk till at the very least one year. for example i don't give him solids often, at this point maybe once a day kind of thing. he's 7mos.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by omelette

Breastmilk is the best thing for baby for at least the 1st yr. The reasoning behind starting food prior to a year is to start to get them used to chewing, tasting a variety of things, practising pincer grasp, etc but not for calories or fat. Is this right?

In theory, but it's really baby dependent. Some babies (like mine) love food and eat, eat, eat from the start. Others will barely look at food until past a year.

[mambera]

Originally Posted by tessie

In theory, but it's really baby dependent. Some babies (like mine) love food and eat, eat, eat from the start. Others will barely look at food until past a year.

I have an enthusiastic eater as well; but I've noticed that a lot of what she eats comes out the other end relatively unchanged. Eat fruit, poop fruit salad. This makes me think that she's probably still pretty inefficient at extracting calories and nutrients from solid food. She's 11.5 months old and I can't really imagine that she could be getting everything she needs from solids.

[HaikuMommy]

My understanding is that breastmilk as baby's main food source (in other words, no formula) until age 1 is ideal, but adding some solids after 6 months is a good idea because the baby's iron stores from being inside mommy get depleted by 6 months and they will be low on iron unless they start getting some iron-fortified cereals, etc. But I'm no expert, this is just what I've heard.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by mambera

I have an enthusiastic eater as well; but I've noticed that a lot of what she eats comes out the other end relatively unchanged. Eat fruit, poop fruit salad. This makes me think that she's probably still pretty inefficient at extracting calories and nutrients from solid food. She's 11.5 months old and I can't really imagine that she could be getting everything she needs from solids.

I guess this is also baby dependent because we didn't really have this other than with more solid, fibre rich foods such as peas and sweetcorn. I'd hazard a guess, because of the good weight gain and dropped bf sessions, that she was absorbing a good amount of what she ate.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by HaikuMommy

My understanding is that breastmilk as baby's main food source (in other words, no formula) until age 1 is ideal, but adding some solids after 6 months is a good idea because the baby's iron stores from being inside mommy get depleted by 6 months and they will be low on iron unless they start getting some iron-fortified cereals, etc. But I'm no expert, this is just what I've heard.

Iron levels do drop off but I think generally a balanced diet is advised rather than iron supplementation through cereal or medicine.

[mambera]

Originally Posted by tessie

I guess this is also baby dependent because we didn't really have this other than with more solid, fibre rich foods such as peas and sweetcorn. I'd hazard a guess, because of the good weight gain and dropped bf sessions, that she was absorbing a good amount of what she ate.

Really! That's interesting. I seriously have found entire blueberries, recognizable shreds of (cooked) spinach, and bleached-white hunks of strawberry in DD's diaper. Every time she eats a piece of orange her diaper is full of the little cells, all intact (and still very orange) like you just pulled them out of an orange section.

I guess I assumed this was pretty typical. Her weight gain's been fine though so I guess she's getting what she needs. But like I said it makes me think the milk is still pretty important.

[HaikuMommy]

Yep, Tessie, that's what I meant -- solids add iron through a balanced diet. I didn't give my DD any medicine, iron supplements or anything special -- but a lot of the cereals happen to be iron-fortified.

[octobermoon]

i'm not convinced most babies iron stores drop that significantly by six mos. this is from kellymom: "The original iron stores of a full-term healthy baby, combined with the better-absorbed iron in breastmilk, are usually enough
to keep baby's hemoglobin levels within the normal range
well into the second six months."

more here, check it out http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html

[ElliesMomma]

like most people on MDC, i'm keeping him nursing as long as possible. (and i'm pretty sure that i will -- my 4 year old is still nursing too!)

always nurse BEFORE and AFTER a meal. nurse overnight if it's at all possible, as this is the time you can get your richest hindmilk for your baby. nurse to naps, nurse to sleep. nurse whenever he cues you.

i do all of the above, AND offer baby led weaning. this means that i have given him whole, nutritous foods right from the start, beginning at 6 months. he has been an enthusiastic eater. so much so that he is beginning to really put on weight. which is a good thing, as he was on the skinny side, off the charts skinny actually, and he has put on 2.5 pounds in the 10 weeks since we started BLW. in the past week he has put on a full pound! the kid can EAT. we told his 4 year old sister, who is going through a typical preschool "picky" stage, that she better hurry up and eat, or her brother is going to swipe her food and eat it! and this morning he did just that. she was eating a "picnic" on the floor, he crawled over and started stuffing his mouth.

who am i to hold him back from this kind of experience with enjoying his food?

i say: push the breastmilk, don't offer bottles, sippy cups or pacifiers AT ALL. all sucking done at the breast, and his needs will be met, and your milk will be taken. as for the solid food, let him decide how much to eat. (and you decide what quality nourishing foods to offer.)

[intrepidmother]

i say: push the breastmilk, don't offer bottles, sippy cups or pacifiers AT ALL.

And if mommas have to go to work? Really? It seems like you would do a disservice to the child.

My LO LOVES to eat and seems to digest everything perfectly well. She also drinks water out of sippy cups or straws and LOVES that. I go back to work when she's a year and I am happy/relieved to know that she will get her needs met while I'm gone.

[Icehockey18]

About the iron thing.... My ds had his iron levels checked at his 9 mo (they cheack all babes at this age) apointment and they were WELL above normal. Ds is ebf'ed and has no interest in food. He has never had any cereal and only swallowed maybe a teaspoon of yogurt and applesauce. Mama can provide enough iron without the addition of any supplements (food included). Maybe some babies/mamas are different, but I agree 'food before one, just for fun'. If they are interested, let them eat all they want, but there is no need to push it if they are not interested (we obviously are doing/believe in blw).

[omelette]

Thanks.
I was feeling pushed by our doc to give food. She says 1/2cup/day for added calories and fat. I didn't consider this a need more of a 'if he's interested'.
I'm going to stick to the bm best for 1st yr.

[Norasmomma]

For me I see this as a completely individual thing. There is no possible way either of my kids would just have mostly bm for their first year. Both of them have been enthusiastic about food and eating since about 4.5 months. There are other women I know who have babies who are almost one who barely like food.

Also unless I want to nurse round the clock-literally I have to give my older babies some food, their caloric needs are very high due to immense activity levels. My son barely stops crawling now, my DD was the same way. Maybe that's why they want to eat early because they develop mobility pretty early on, their bodies know that or something.

I think it all is very individual.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by HaikuMommy

Yep, Tessie, that's what I meant -- solids add iron through a balanced diet. I didn't give my DD any medicine, iron supplements or anything special -- but a lot of the cereals happen to be iron-fortified.

Ah, right. I was thrown by the adding iron-rich cereal comment.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by mambera

Really! That's interesting. I seriously have found entire blueberries, recognizable shreds of (cooked) spinach, and bleached-white hunks of strawberry in DD's diaper. Every time she eats a piece of orange her diaper is full of the little cells, all intact (and still very orange) like you just pulled them out of an orange section.

I guess I assumed this was pretty typical. Her weight gain's been fine though so I guess she's getting what she needs. But like I said it makes me think the milk is still pretty important.

It's probably my kid being the weird one. Oh, she got teeth early and is missing just the one now at 17 months so maybe being able to chew food properly helps?

[Asiago]

My pediatrician said it's not necessary for nutrition, it's just to get started on oral motor skills.

[SusanaLaLoca]

I'm curious about this too. I've been supplementing with formula since I brought DS home from the hospital (supply issues after his 3-week NICU stay) and since last month he's been very curious about food, and insists he try everything we put in our mouths. I've been giving solids for a little over a month now (he's 7mos), from rice cereal to pureed food to tea biscuits or whatever piece of food he can grasp and gnaw on with his 3 teeth himself.

But, the question about nutrition puzzles me. I keep hearing that BM/Formula is primary until 1yr, and that solids are just to "play". But, I read on Dr Jack Newman's site (http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Pro...k%20Intake.asp) that if supplementing, you can use solids to supplement and not formula. This would mean baby gets its additional nutrition from the solids, and it's not just play.

So who is right?

[boobs4milk]

millie loves to eat and her weight gain is up. she slowed way down between 3 and 6 mos but since we intro'ed solids, she's gained almost 3lbs in 2 months! i am being pressured to do vitamins, but we figured up what she eats in a day plus the fact that her nursing has INCREASED since then and i don't think she needs vitamins.

susana, i d k about using foods instead of formula. i like dr. newman, but i would think that if you are using foods instead of formula, you'd need to be followed by a nutritionist.