The joy of teaching a baby to eat solids
78Everything you read about starting a baby on solids says to wait until they are 6 months old. Then you hear advice about only giving your child a tablespoon of solids, starting them with rice cereal, vegtables before fruit, and more of the same. I am telling you, I started my baby on solids, and all the advice can be ignored.
Some of the advice is good. Advice such as, "no peanuts, honey, or milk until they are one year old," is advice that can save your child's life. Follow that type of advice. However, any advice that dictates how much or how often to feed your baby solids can be ignored.
My husband and I left our 3 month old baby with my mom for a while. We came back to find him eating rice cereal. It was mixed with formula, so he had some nutritional value. And contrary to all the advice, he was smiling and eating like a champion. He ate almost a full ounce of rice cereal before we decided to stop him. So much for waiting until he's 6 months old.
Then he decided he didn't like the spoons. However, he would use his hands to eat anything. He would cover his hands in solids and lick them clean. I would also use my finger to feed him solids. Then I would use the spoon as a play toy. As soon as he got used to the spoon - he did this by playing with it - he used the spoon exclusively. It just took 2 weeks to get him to that point.
And now he eats all kinds of food from the spoon. He finished all the Gerber level 1 foods, and is onto Gerber level 2. He also eats teething biscuts and bananas. He loves it. He eats whole containers of it.
Don't get me wrong, this is a messy task and one that can take a while. But there is no reason to limit your child to three solids a day and a few teaspoons each time. Get him used to the solids. Let him have as much as he wants. He will know when he's full. And he will learn to eat the solids better if he gets more practice time - i.e. more solid food.
So go at it, have fun, and let your common sense - not all the websites - be your guide.
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Our doctor said that it truely doesn't matter - so long as you don't give the peanuts/honey and milk early on. Kids are able to tolerate all kinds of things, and food is something they love to learn about. It isn't a terrible idea. It was a great one for us.
Also, the over one-year breast-feeding thing is great for countries other than developed ones. In developed countries you have access to food and pure water. In developing countries that is not true. But in the US, where I live, there is no reason to be breast feeding your baby beyond 1. Especially not in public. I was on mass transit on my way home from work and saw a woman breastfeeding her son, who was old enough to ask for a "breast snack" and carry his own backpack and walk on his own. That is certainly too old to be breast feeding.
Why no reason to breastfeed beyond 1 year old?
But in any event, your son wasn't a year old, he was 3 months, so why mess up his digestion with formula and rice?
What is wrong with BF in public?
What difference does it make at 3 month to feed him rice cereal? It is simply rice mixed with formula. It does nothing to his digestive system. At this age they are eating food that is liquid anyways.
Breast feeding in public can be a rude thing to do - especially when your child is walking and talking on his own and able to ask for a "milk snack." If you want to breastfeed a baby, and do it nicely (so that you are not exposing yourself) that is fine. Go for it. I don't care. But when a child is old enough to walk and talk - carry some Cheerios.
There is nothing wrong with feeding a baby solids early. Some parents have to. Nothing about formula messes up his digestion. Formula, these days, is just as good as breast milk. Even my pediatrician says so.
And for your information - not all mothers can breastfeed. I couldn't. I had serious infections and needed medication. And my son wouldn't latch on. There is nothing wrong with formula, and for you to say that it messes up digestion is completely false and puts even more - unneeded- pressure on moms to learn to breast feed. Some people cannot. What about adoptive parents? Special needs children in the NICU? If formula was that bad for babies, it wouldn't be out there.
Food is good for kids, and how they get their nutrition and calories is up to the parents. My son liked ceral, and he liked the feeling of eating. Some kids just like solids. Nothing wrong with it. And it certainly doesn't "mess them up."
nwunderlich i agreed with you....i believe in formula some nutrient doesnt have the breaskmilk...All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish...same with eating cereal and formula.....londongirl has no idea at all....good day
I think each mom, can race their kids the best way they can,and I think BF is the best thing to do, but I could only do it for 3 months and then I had to give him formula, and it was fine, the point here is that as longest you baby is growing fine,is a happy baby, and you are doing the best you can, is all about the way you want to do it.
I BF my baby boy whos now 2 months but he's been getting bottles BM AND formula when I'm out in public or whatever. My baby had jaundice and the hospital gave him bottles while he was under the lights. BF is good for passing on immunity to things but I truly believe formula has way more nutrients! Especially since a fussy baby = not eating properly mom = not so nutritious milk.
My son spits up so much milk though, I believe he has reflux. He still gains weight (was born at 8lbs 5oz and at 7 weeks was 12lbs). From what I read online seems like bigger babies are ready earlier for solids.
Well I tried it today with him, very thin mixture of rice cereals and he actually BF better and more often and therefore slept more (he usually is up so much he had bags under his eyes - not to mention mine too).
He seemed to enjoy it and figure out the spoon very fast, no mess - seriously. Not to mention, no spit up since! I'm impressed actually. I used to change his clothes after 3 major spit ups and would still change him at least 3 times a day! (plus wash the floors, bedding, my clothes, blankets, burp clothes, his tigger security blanket).
So guess what? He's going to have another tablespoon or what he feels like chowing down on tonight when daddy gets home and I'm not ashamed of it!
People like LondonGirl make people like us feel guilty for taking care of our children differently (different doesnt = wrong). I used to feel guilty about giving him a formula bottle when I was out (my mother always asks if its BM or formula and frowns if I dont say BM - which is wrong since she gave us similac >_< )So since I'm a forgetful lady, well I'm glad he gets his vitamins and all in his formula! HAHA as far as I'm concerned having both, he eats better then me!
Number and amount of meals is individual and you should listen to your child there. But, people who start giving their babies solid food before they reach four months are risking all kinds of allergies.
There is nothing wrong with bottle feeding if a mother is unable to breastfeed. But, I have to admit I find your comment about breastfeeding, developed and undeveloped countries and US insulting.
I absolutely agree with LONDONGIRL, EMMAMEDU, BF is the best you can give to your baby. The breast milk is adapted to the baby at all times though the day and night. There is no way close to compare breast milk to formula, there are over 500 components that formula doesnt have...find it quite ignorant at this stage with all the information we have, despite all the benefits for you and your baby, protection against allergies, illness, infections and so on. Ask your pediatrician about it. If you couldnt BF your baby thats understandable but giving him solids just bfore 4 months!! you are putting your healthy son at the edge of all sort of allergies. Best of luck!
FYI:
Your baby will suffer from your careless attitude. It is now MUCH more likely he will suffer from childhood obesity and a range of other health problems.
Both LondonGirl and nwunderlich have good points and bad points, and as a medical professional, I would like to clear a few things up, wether you are in highly developed country or an impovershed area. If as a mother you have no personal medical issues and you are capable breast feeding is the BEST thing for your child, ideally to age 2, of course everyone is different on this age, some say 1 year. either or is good. But you introduce other food, including whole milk (preferably organic due to all the steroids these days) at age 1 year.
You start solid foods when your child is ready, they will tell you if you pay attention. each child is different. The recomendation/guidelines of solid foods are just that guidelines, it is not set in stone, it stated for the absolute protection to prevent injury. Not all parents are observant and monitor their children closely or properly and there are choke/allergic reactions, that can be quickly addressed with no issue, if you are on top of things.
I breast fed twins for a full year (in public too, but with discretion) solid foods were introduced around 3 months combined with the breast milke, at 1 year whole milk was introduced gradually. each feeding was 1/2 breast milk 1/2 whole milk. now at 19 months they are on whole milk, and solid food, and I just give them breast milk at n ight before going to bed.
People need to stop being so stressed out, there is no set in stone answer, just good commonsense, do the best you can do for your child. and stop worrying and criticizing what everyone else is doing.
First I want to say there is no reason a person shouldn't be able to breast feed in public. it is a natural thing and if you can go for it. My twins just started on solids. My son took to it like peanut butter and jelly, but my daughter is having some difficulties. Will continue to work with her on a daily basis so she can get used to it. And suggestions on how to teach them to swallow solids...or does it just eventually come to them?
My 4 month old has refused to latch since he was 2 months, and he topped out at 18 lbs yesterday at the pediatrician's office. HOWever, I still pump every day to give him at least 80% BM, and some formula for when I'm at work and school. Whoever told you formula is the same as breast milk is plain wrong. There are at least 200 ingredients in breast milk that we haven't even identified. It contains antibodies, anti-allergens, the perfect balance of nutrients and healthy fats (NOT palm olein oil like Enfamil, which discourages calcium uptake from the intestines and contributes to childhood obesity), and guess what? At night, according to the mother's pineal gland/circadian rhythm, BM contains sedative properties to help your child sleep better. If you can't breastfeed, it's unfortunate for both you and your baby. It's a wonderful bonding experience. And breastfeeding in public is no different than bottle-feeding. Your baby's hungry, you feed him. Yes, you should nurse modestly. But the taboo applied to it, as well as breastfeeding past the age of one in the U.S. absolutely has to do with the sexualization of a woman's body and breasts. FYI, you don't have them to fill out a sweater. They're made to feed children, something that a mother should take pride in. Unless you have personal health problems that prevent you from breastfeeding (or lactating and diligently pumping, in my case), it's better to at least try to breastfeed for awhile than not at all. From a financial point of view, breastfeeding saves boatloads of money. Formula is stupidly expensive. I can't imagine how much we would spend if our son was strictly formula-fed. He started taking 8 oz a feeding at 2 months, and now takes between 8-10 oz a feeding every 2 hours like cno keith, and is ravenous when it's time. He shows all the signs of being ready to start semi-solids, and we got the pediatrician's okay to start him, so hopefully he'll be more satisfied. It's not the worst thing to formula-feed your baby, but breastfeeding is definitely the best thing. Just go look at a formula can. What's it say right on the front? "Experts agree, breastfeeding is best."
LondonGirl Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
That's a terrible idea! You risk increasing a baby's chances of all sorts of ill-health later in life by feeding solids before 4 months at the earliest - and formula, to boot!
"The Department of Health recommends that solid food should not be introduced before a baby is six months of age. Also, that after six months, you should continue breastfeeding and/or giving your baby breast milk substitute, alongside solid food for up to two years of age, or beyond."