Yet another "ready for solids?"

I know people post questions like this all the time, but...

The plan is to start Bug on solids at 6 months, which will happen in 3
and a half weeks. However I'm really beginning to wonder if it may
not make sense to start a bit sooner. Why I wonder:

1. I gave her a index card to gum and drool on while I was filing
yesterday, and she actually ate bits of it (proof was in her diaper
this morning).
2. She's been interestedly watching us eat for a while now, but I'd
say lately she's watching us avidly. Of course she reaches for lots
of things, but I swear she's more interested in trying to grab what
I'm eating than other things in my hands.
3. She's also pretty interested in drinking -- often if she's nursing
and I grab my water bottle she pulls off to watch it and watch me
drink it.
4. She's become more spit-uppy. She used to virtually never spit up,
but lately does more. I read somewhere that indicates that they're
over-stuffing themselves on milk to satisfy their bellies.

DH and I both have environmental allergies (dust, pollen) and a slight
tendency to asthma, but no family history of food allergies that I'm
aware of. Part of me is reluctant to start before 6 months, but I was
in the supermarket today looking at the baby food and rice cereal,
thinking about how much fun it will be...

Kate
and the Bug, June 8 2003

Hi -

Since both parents have a history of environmental allergy and there's
asthma in the family history, you should follow the sequence for
introducing solids to the allergic child. You see, the inheritence is
for the TENDENCY to allergy, not for a specific allergy or type of
allergy. Your asthma could turn into your baby's life-threatening
allergy to eggs. Or to no allergy at all.

My web site lists a couple of links to solids introduction sequences for
the allergic child. For what it's worth, they ALL recommend waiting
until your baby is SEVEN months old to begin.

I've never heard of spittiness being due to needing solids, by the way.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Beth Kevles wrote:

they ALL recommend waiting
until your baby is SEVEN months old to begin.

Seven months, or in the seventh month?

Phoebe
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

(Beth Kevles) wrote in message ...
Hi -

Since both parents have a history of environmental allergy and there's
asthma in the family history, you should follow the sequence for
introducing solids to the allergic child. You see, the inheritence is
for the TENDENCY to allergy, not for a specific allergy or type of
allergy. Your asthma could turn into your baby's life-threatening
allergy to eggs. Or to no allergy at all.

My web site lists a couple of links to solids introduction sequences for
the allergic child. For what it's worth, they ALL recommend waiting
until your baby is SEVEN months old to begin.

The one from J.A. Hall lists foods for six to nine months, so I
don't see the bit about seven months to begin. (The other link
doesn't seem to work, BTW).

I more or less followed this one, but I wish that I'd been able
to find such a sequence which actually explained the rationale
behind some of the instructions. I know I've said this here
before, but I could never figure out why, for example, peaches
were listed as 6-9 but plum was 9-12, or why pears were 6-9 while
apples were 9-12. Citations would have been really nice. I suppose
they might be included if one buys the book.

Beth

(Beth Kevles) wrote in message ...

My web site lists a couple of links to solids introduction sequences for
the allergic child. For what it's worth, they ALL recommend waiting
until your baby is SEVEN months old to begin.

I've seen the 7 months figure cited here but haven't found it anywhere
else (incl. the Hall website and google/pubmed searches on infant
food). I think at this point both she and us are developmentally
ready and eager for solids before 7 months, so I'd like to know what
the precise risks are allergy-wise before we decide what to do. If
you have cites or links to the research or recommendations I'd love to
see them.

Thanks much,

Kate
and the Bug, June 8 2003

Hi -

Since a computer crash late last year, I no longer have specific cites.
But basically, what you're doing is playing roulette. It may be that
you can start peanut butter at 4 months and have no problems. Or it may
be that you delay solids completely until 10 months and have huge
problems. But the odds are in your favor if you wait until your baby's
gut has sufficiently matured, around 6-7 months, to avoid allergies.

It's your first parenting test: do you do what your child wants, or do
you do what's healthiest for their physical well-being?

I'd certainly wait at least until the 6-month mark, regardless.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Beth Kevles wrote:

It's your first parenting test: do you do what your child wants, or do
you do what's healthiest for their physical well-being?

I know where you're coming from, but "I have no cites but
you're gambling with your child's health" really hits me
wrong, and the quote above with no cites is a just a guilt
trip. The only way for Kate (or I) to assess whether
starting solids is appropriate is to review the literature,
particularly in light of the fact that the AAP, WHO, the
working links on your page *all* say 6 months, and most
pediatricians (at least in my area) say 4 months is fine.

Phoebe
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

"Phoebe & Allyson" wrote in message
...
The only way for Kate (or I) to assess whether
starting solids is appropriate is to review the literature,
particularly in light of the fact that the AAP, WHO, the
working links on your page *all* say 6 months, and most
pediatricians (at least in my area) say 4 months is fine.

Phoebe
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt


Pheobe,
No offence intended but it seems to me like you had your mind made up before
you posted your original question. If that's the case then I understand you
standing your ground so strongly but why the post in the first place then?
We started Nicolas on a couple solids at about 5 months, but we also have no
history of allergies on either side of our families and frankly Nicolas made
more of a mess than ate anything. Yep, it was totally cute the first few
times but the cuteness wore off pretty quickly because of the cleanup. If I
were you I would maybe do one or two things for pictures and then let it go
for awhile. It's an awfully weird kid that doesn't eventually eat, he'll
have a lifetime of being able to try new things. Since you have allergies on
both sides of your family why not wait and not take an unneccessary chance
on restricting his diet when he is an adult.

Jen

(Beth Kevles) wrote in message ...
Hi -

Since a computer crash late last year, I no longer have specific cites.
But basically, what you're doing is playing roulette.

I'm playing roulette every time we go for a walk because the weather's
nice. We don't need to take that walk, and we could get hit by a car.
I figure that the increased risk of an unlikely but horrible outcome
is outweighed by the near-certainty that we'll enjoy ourselves.

It's your first parenting test: do you do what your child wants, or do
you do what's healthiest for their physical well-being?

I'm with Phoebe in taking exception to telling me this is a test, with
the implication that if I don't follow your advice then I'll fail it.
And my answer is that it depends how bad she wants it and what the
impact on her health would be. Sixteen years from now we'll be in a
far more dangerous situation when she and her friends start getting
their drivers licenses. It'll be best for her physical health and
well-being if I don't let her get into a car with (or be) a teen
driver. But in all likelihood I will.

As someone pointed out in the SIDS/co-sleeping thread, X times a very
very very small number is still a very very small number. If that's
the case I may decide not to wait a month and a half. If the numbers
aren't so small I'll be a lot more careful. But just saying "the risk
is higher" doesn't allow me to gauge how much caution I think is
warranted.

Kate
and the sleeping Bug, June 8 2003

In ,
Beth Kevles wrote:

*It's your first parenting test: do you do what your child wants, or do
*you do what's healthiest for their physical well-being?

Well, I think everyone agrees you do what's best for your kid - the
problem is (IMO) knowing exactly what that is.

I do not think there is a magic timer going off in each baby's intestinal
tract causing some kind of change in the gut at exactly six months old! I
think some babies are likely to be ready sooner than six months and some
probably a bit later. I HOPE that the other readiness cues are in some way
temporally associated with the readiness of the gut to accept solids while
minimizing risk of allergies, but I don't know.

-h (started one baby on solids at 4 mos, inadvertently [he just kept
stealing food off our plates!!], started other baby at 6 mos but she
rejected them til 8 mos!)

--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
not-so-newly minted veterinarian-at-large