[Rainbow Brite]

Hey there, I'm just looking for reassurance. We aren't planning on introducing solids till 8-9 months. Today we had the 4 month check-up. dd dr said to start pablem now and then veggies. She went on about how they need all the extra iron. We just smiled <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/blahblah.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="blah blah"> blah blah blah. I did ask about solids interfering with the iron absorption from breastmilk, and she agreed, but said they need the extra from pablem. Then she's like at the 6 month appt you can tell me how it's going Bri thinks we should just skip the 6 month appt. She said that she's seen babies bf till 9 months (how can she read my mind?) and they are fat and pale. She also said if dd spits out the pablem, to keep trying and have her angled etc. Um, last I checked the tongue-thrust reflex was to prevent them from chocking and a survival tool; not something to be forced. I'm just annoyed. She also asked how she was sleeping, we said great, and she's like "oh good, then you don't need to give her pablem at night to help her sleep!" <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="rolleyes"><br>
Anyways just really looking for some reasurrance. Bri said he'll do whatever I want, and is just annoyed b/c everyone says something different and he doesn't know what to believe any more.

 

[captain optimism]

The current recommendation from the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics is 6 months, not four months. It used to be 4-6 months, but they moved it back.<br><br>
Many people here have gone to nine months, I did 6 months exclusive breastmilk. We did not feed iron fortified cereal more than a few times because it made his poop disgusting and I was sure the iron must be going right through. At 9 months we had a blood test for iron and lead levels, and his iron was fine, just from breastmilk and food.<br><br>
At the 6 month mark it still took a little while for ds to get the hang of eating. He didn't tongue thrust it out at that age, he was just bemused by the whole concept! The first food he "got" was sweet potatoes. I think docs push pre-packaged cereal as vitamin insurance, but in our experience it was not the best thing to offer!<br><br>
The most important thing at this age that docs do is weight checks and developmental checks, unless you are also doing vaccines, and then there are some vaxes as well. But you aren't! We really like our pediatrician and trust most of what he tells us (I know some is his opinion as a dad, not as a doc! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">) I would say that you need to find a new pediatrician who is more up to date and whose judgement you trust, and in the meantime, you need your own way to do weight checks and your own list of developmental milestones.

 

[saritabeth]

I started my dd on some very limited solids at 4 months only because she was grabbing and begging. Her first solid food was sweet potatos followed by pears. She just tasted and ate a small amout once a day for several months. I did add some oatmeal to it (less binding than rice cereal) but we don't eat oatmeal all that often. I do bf dd and the food was mainly b/c of her desire. DD has been drinking sips of water out of my glass since she was three months old. Its just who she is. I think you know your baby best and should do what you think baby needs.<br><br>
Now, I was told that I needed to start some solids before 9 months so that baby could get the hang of texture in her mouth. I have no clue how much truth there is to that.<br><br>
All I know is that my babe has just started moving to two feedings a day at nearly 7 months. We have *just* started expanding her solid diet to include bannanas, squash, peaches, applesauce.<br><br>
There are somedays, still, that she doesn't eat solids. your milk is just fine for your little baby.<br><br>
Don't rush your baby if you don't think s/he's ready.<br><br>
Whats pablam anyway?<br>
enjoy that babe!!<br>
Sarita

 

[Rainbow Brite]

Thanks! Pablem is the rice cereal. We are planning on skipping it completely anyways. Bri suggested we switch dr's one with our thinking, but we can't just switch dr's here in Ontario. We have such a severe shortage that many ppl don't have any dr, and the dr's that are around don't take new patients. Plus, I doubt there is going to be any dr that doesn't go by the book. We aren't vaxxing. The dr is like at 6 months you can tell me how it's going. We had a heated discussion about the vaxes last time, and I don't feel like *disagreeing* with her at each appt. Ugh!!!!

 

[marisa724]

Honestly, if it would be that difficult to switch, I would just smile and nod at the dr.'s appointment and then do what you feel is right when you get home. The weight gain and the developmental milestones are the important things; if you want to keep attending her WBVs to see that she's good as far as those go, then go right ahead.<br><br>
An alternative would be to do a little research between now and your six month visit so that you would have scholarly articles to show why the recommendations have been changed. It sucks that you have to educate your dr, but at least you wouldn't have to argue about it. You can just say, "I know what you recommended last time, but here's something I read that says differently."<br><br>
If it were me, I'd probably just do something like you're already doing with sleep -- oh it's fine, no problem. Then let her tell you how well your DD is doing, then you can say, "Oh really? Because we didn't give her any of that crap you suggested." <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"><br><br>
(My ped gave me a prescription for vitamin drops at the six-month visit, and I made it known that they aren't necessary for BFed babies, but she insisted. So I smiled, thanked her, stuffed it in my pocket, and "lost" it on the way home. I like her in every other respect, though, so I didn't want to push it. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">)

 

[Rainbow Brite]

Thanks again! I have already done lots of reading, and have various articles, and I'd have no problem bringing them in to educate her, but we already got into it w/vaxes, and I just don't want every appt to be like this. It's just frustrating! I do think she's outdated, and would never just take any advice w/out checking it out, and I doubt we'll take her advice on much of anything, I just want to avoid telling her how we aren't listening to her for these things kwim? I have no prob lying to her <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">: , but just don't want to say we've started all these foods in case later when we do she has a reaction or something like that. We'll prob just say we are taking it slow b/c she didn't seem ready when we tried it. It's just frustrating!

 

[phathui5]

I wouldn't recommend lying to your ped. I've always been honest with ours and it's given her the opportunity to learn more about delayed solids, vegan kids, etc. Also, lying just isn't a good plan. If she finds out somehow that you lied about something little like food, she's not going to believe you about anything.<br><br>
If you have the articles and you want to avoid confrontation, you could even mail them to her office with a note.

 

[Rainbow Brite]

Thanks again everyone. I can see how lying wouldn't be the best! I just don't want to always get into *discussions* at each appt. I research everything when it comes to Satine very thoroughly, so I never just discount what the dr is saying just b/c kwim? I guess I just want to be polite and not make it seem like I'm not taking her advice (which I'm not but you guys know what I mean right?) I'll prob just say we decided to wait, and use a bit of flattery <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/mischievous.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="mischief"> . Say something like based on her comments on iron, I decided to really look into it etc. I'll bring my hand outs in case she starts to question us, but I'd like to avoid that!<br>
Some things went well though. The nurse said that she doesn't vax her children!!!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"><br>
The dr never mentioned vaxxing, and she never mentioned vitamin D which I thought for sure she would since the Cnd Ped just recommended it <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">:<br>
Anyways, I just don't want to offend her, but still won't do what she recommends just b/c she recommneds it!

 

[girlndocs]

If you don't want to get into discussions, how about just not discussing it? What do you think would happen if you said politely, "Thank you. I've researched the issue and made my decision" and then simply refused (politely) to discuss it? It takes two to have an argument, after all.<br><br>
As far as solids go, I agree: listen to your instinct. Obviously you have solid reasons for believing your plan is best for your baby. It can be so hard to have people push fear-based information at you, though: suddenly it seems like what you were so sure about is silly or even dangerous. I hate when people play on my concern for my baby like that <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">:<br><br>
Just in case you could still use some reassurance, my dd is 9.5 months old and has swallowed maybe a teaspoon of solid food (fruits and vegetables, no cereal) in her life! She's wild to be at the table with the rest of the family, and she's very interested in smashing/playing/dropping food, but she has no interest in eating it yet :LOL She's over 20 lbs and definitely not "fat and pale" -- muscular, healthy & coordinated.

 

[ebethmom]

nak<br>
with both of my babies, I tried to hold off on solids until 6 months. both demanded FOOD at 5 1/2 months! we just started lila on organic rice cereal. we've had good pediatricians so far. they encourage us to follow our babies' cues.

 

[Electra375]

I used the La Leche League's book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding for a guide to introducing solids. In the US, 6mo is the starting norm that doc recommend unlesst they are old as dirt and are not up on the new guideline.<br><br>
I used organic rice cereal and dd gagged, so we dropped it. She does fine with sweet potatos etc. now. W/ ds2 I actually bought Quinoa and Millet and followed the directions I got from Mothering.com I think to toast it, grind it and add boiling water to make it like baby cereals. DS2 probably had a wheat/ gluten problem that has resolved itself b/c he just doesn't like those products and a little bit is okay with him but a lot causes all kinds of stomach issues.<br><br>
With ds2 he had problems eating fruits and veggies and rice and oatmeal, so a friend and a LLL leader suggest I move on to meats and go back. I did and he was fine (at 9 mo old this was going on).<br><br>
As for WBV, if you aren't vaxing then why are you going? Is it to keep the doc you have in the Canadian system? I would just <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> and agree and not say much if you have to go to the appts to keep your doc in case of an ER.

 

[amyandelle]

Here are some pics of my 9 month old exclusivly breastfed (up until last week)baby and I can assure you she is neither fat nor pale!! :LOL It sounds like you are doing a great job Mama!! Do not let those Ped's try to push you around!!<br>
Amy <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/hug2.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Hug2"><br><a href="http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=78404656606" target="_blank">http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.js...id=78404656606</a>

 

[stafl]

Here is some really good advice at Dr. Sears' website about starting solid foods: <a href="http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032000.asp" target="_blank">http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032000.asp</a><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">As with all aspects of parenting, watch your child and not the calendar. Besides the developmental milestones above, watch for these ready-to-eat cues in your baby:<br><br>
Able to sit with support, reaches and grabs, and mouths hands and toys<br>
Watches you eat, following your fork as it moves from plate to mouth<br>
"Mooches," reaching for food on your plate<br><br>
Mimicks your eating behaviors, such as opening her mouth wide when you open your mouth to eat. Grabbing your spoon is not a reliable sign of feeding readiness, since baby may be more interested in the noise, shape, and feel of your utensils rather than the food stuff on them.<br><br>
Baby can show and tell. Around six months of age babies have the ability to say "yes" to wanting food by reaching or leaning toward the food and "no" by pushing or turning away. Expect mixed messages as your baby learns to communicate. When in doubt, offer, but don't force.</td>
</tr></table></div>
Just want to ditto what everyone else has said! Just follow your baby's signs and your gut instincts. At that link also lists many reasons to wait until baby is ready, good reasons. My oldest didn't start eating solids until 9 months, and didn't start eating meals until 14 months of age, even though I started trying to feed her solids at around six months because her doctor suggested I start solids at FOUR months!!!! She wasn't ready, and there is no way to force feed an infant solid food when they don't want it (no humane way, anyhow). She had her first illness at three years of age, so obviously I didn't harm her in any way by not forcing her to eat solids before she was ready. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Edited to add: Yeah she's pale! She has red hair and very fair skin, what do you expect? But she's never been fat. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1">

 

[mommybritt]

We had the cereal fight with my dr <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> There was a study done that's referenced in my Breastfeeding Answer Book that babies who were exclusively breastfed to 7 months had higher iron levels at 12 months than babies who started solids at 6 months. I know how it feels to be constantly at odds with your dr. We had an appt last week that went well although he asked no less than *4* times how the babies were sleeping at night - every time we said "fine" or some variation of that, I think he was just itching to give us advice. I did notice a copy of Ferber in his office, though so I was not going to open that door for him!