Solids; 4 months vs 6 months?

Just to preface this, I have absolutely NO desire to start Christopher on
solids at anytime in the near future. He certainly isn't showing any signs
of readiness, and the thought of him even being close to old enough bums me
out!~ He'll be 4 months old next week!

That said, things are truly awful here at home while I'm at work. I've
given up my new supervisor job to go back to my old floor, where I can be
more flexible and work some 4 hour shifts instead of 8 hours shifts. Not
working is unfortunately not an option, but luckily I'm only gone a few
nights a week. Though with 4 hour shifts, it'll end up being 4 nights for
now. At this point, he freaks out whenever he even sees a fake nipple
heading in his direction. He SCREAMS, sometimes cries for 2 hours, and this
is a normally very mellow baby. It's breaking my heart and is terribly
stressful for everyone who's home, most especially for Christopher. I've
asked my hubby about trying a cup or syringe but he says that won't even
work, because by the time he picks Christopher up at 5 pm, he's gotten to
the point where he's already hungry and starts screaming pretty quickly
thereafter, and he'd choke. We're going to try the avent spout this weekend
and see if that helps.

What I'm wondering is exactly why the recommendation has been changed from 4
to 6 months. I know all the reasons for waiting, and the signs of
readiness. As I said, I know that he's not ready now and will NOT push it.
However, 2 more months of this is going to be hell on my family if things
don't get better. I'm wondering if maybe 5 months is a feasible time frame
if he seems to be ready. Has it been found that allergies are more likely
before 6 months, vs say maybe 5? Is it that baby's gut is more ready at 6
months than at 4 or 5? How likely is it that baby will have problems if
food is started a little earlier than 6 months, but well after the former
recommendation of 4 months? Christopher's 4 month appt is next week and
I'll talk to his MD about it then, but was wondering if you all have any
thoughts.

laurie
mommy to Jessica, 28 months
and Christopher, 16 weeks

*This email address is now valid*

Laurie wrote:
snip
What I'm wondering is exactly why the recommendation has been changed from 4
to 6 months. I know all the reasons for waiting, and the signs of
readiness. As I said, I know that he's not ready now and will NOT push it.
However, 2 more months of this is going to be hell on my family if things
don't get better. I'm wondering if maybe 5 months is a feasible time frame
if he seems to be ready. Has it been found that allergies are more likely
before 6 months, vs say maybe 5? Is it that baby's gut is more ready at 6
months than at 4 or 5? How likely is it that baby will have problems if
food is started a little earlier than 6 months, but well after the former
recommendation of 4 months? Christopher's 4 month appt is next week and
I'll talk to his MD about it then, but was wondering if you all have any
thoughts.

I don't see how solids are going to help, I'm afraid. It doesn't seem
to be about food, but about missing *you* instead. I think it's best to
hold off until 6 months, given the research, unless the kid is begging
for food; I can't see solids as being a substitute for mom in any case.
Is there any possible way your husband could work a side job (I know,
he works full-time already, but he might find working outside the home
easier than dealing with a baby who screams for two hours straight)? I
could so easily see my two kids doing the same thing if I had returned
to work, and it must be horrible for you, and Christopher. I wish I had
some easy answer for you.


Hugs,


Emily

I think Emily was suggesting that instead of YOU going to work, maybe your
husband could work an extra job (at least that's how I took it?) instead??
"Laurie" wrote in message
t...

Emily Roysdon wrote in message ...

I don't see how solids are going to help, I'm afraid. It doesn't seem
to be about food, but about missing *you* instead.

I do think this is a big part of it, you're right. However, he just won't
eat, and he really doesn't start to get fussy until about 2.5 hours after
I
drop him off- so he's definitely hungry, too. I was thinking that if he
had
*something* in his belly, it might help (again not now, but maybe when
he's
5 months or so). But you may be right in that it may not help, anyway.

I think it's best to
hold off until 6 months, given the research, unless the kid is begging
for food; I can't see solids as being a substitute for mom in any case.
Is there any possible way your husband could work a side job (I know,
he works full-time already, but he might find working outside the home
easier than dealing with a baby who screams for two hours straight)? I
could so easily see my two kids doing the same thing if I had returned
to work, and it must be horrible for you, and Christopher. I wish I had
some easy answer for you.

I wouldn't have anyone to take care of him if my husband picked up a side
job. He goes to daycare with his sister from 2pm until 5 pm,
unfortunately. It's not my mom or a relative taking care of him.

Thanks for the sympathy.

laurie
mommy to Jessica, 28 months
and Christopher, 16 weeks

*This email address is now valid*


Hugs,


Emily

Hi Laurie,

Sorry to hear things are so rough. I had a somewhat similar situation -- my
daughter *refused* to have anything to so with any sort of bottle or
artificial nipple -- and believe me, we tried every kind on the market! We
also did try the dropper/cup, but it didn't work well -- I think the dropper
wasn't fast enough, and the cup just ended up drenching her. (She's now 9
months, and still won't drink from a bottle, although I can now get her to
drink some from a sippy cup.)

Our solution was to start her on solids at the earliest possible moment -- I
actually did it the very day she turned 4 months old. She wasn't really
showing signs of wanting solid food (I'm not sure she was even aware it
existed), but she did take very well to what we gave her -- runny rice
cereal and oatmeal (made with breastmilk), and some of the yellow vegetables
(sweet potatoes, squash). For some reason, although the fake nipple made
her hysterical, getting cereal off a spoon from her father was just fine.
She continued to nurse about the same amount after introduction of solids,
and has never had any problems with anything she has eaten (and yes, we do
have a family history of allergies/asthma, though not related to food).
She's still nursing now, although mainly at night, and has gradually upped
her solids to three meals a day plus snacks.
In our case, I really do think the problem was with her being hungry when I
wasn't there, not with her just wanting me. Once we started giving her
cereal, etc., so she never got wound up into hysteria from hunger, she was
just fine with my husband. So I think it would be fine to start trying
Christopher on the more innocuous solids -- rice cereal, oatmeal, etc. --
and just be very gradual in introducing new things. It may be ideal to wait
until 6 months before ever giving a baby a bite of anything, but in some
situations (like yours, it seems) I think that starting with solids closer
to four months is a very reasonable course of action, especially if you're
careful about only introducing foods likely to be "safe". After all, entire
generations of kids were raised starting solids earlier than 4 months, and
the vast majority of them are just fine.

Good luck and hope it all sorts itself out soon!

VG


"Laurie" wrote in message
t...
Just to preface this, I have absolutely NO desire to start Christopher on
solids at anytime in the near future. He certainly isn't showing any signs
of readiness, and the thought of him even being close to old enough bums
me
out!~ He'll be 4 months old next week!

That said, things are truly awful here at home while I'm at work. I've
given up my new supervisor job to go back to my old floor, where I can be
more flexible and work some 4 hour shifts instead of 8 hours shifts. Not
working is unfortunately not an option, but luckily I'm only gone a few
nights a week. Though with 4 hour shifts, it'll end up being 4 nights for
now. At this point, he freaks out whenever he even sees a fake nipple
heading in his direction. He SCREAMS, sometimes cries for 2 hours, and
this
is a normally very mellow baby. It's breaking my heart and is terribly
stressful for everyone who's home, most especially for Christopher. I've
asked my hubby about trying a cup or syringe but he says that won't even
work, because by the time he picks Christopher up at 5 pm, he's gotten to
the point where he's already hungry and starts screaming pretty quickly
thereafter, and he'd choke. We're going to try the avent spout this
weekend
and see if that helps.

What I'm wondering is exactly why the recommendation has been changed from
4
to 6 months. I know all the reasons for waiting, and the signs of
readiness. As I said, I know that he's not ready now and will NOT push
it.
However, 2 more months of this is going to be hell on my family if things
don't get better. I'm wondering if maybe 5 months is a feasible time
frame
if he seems to be ready. Has it been found that allergies are more likely
before 6 months, vs say maybe 5? Is it that baby's gut is more ready at 6
months than at 4 or 5? How likely is it that baby will have problems if
food is started a little earlier than 6 months, but well after the former
recommendation of 4 months? Christopher's 4 month appt is next week and
I'll talk to his MD about it then, but was wondering if you all have any
thoughts.

laurie
mommy to Jessica, 28 months
and Christopher, 16 weeks

*This email address is now valid*

"Laurie" wrote in message
t...
Just to preface this, I have absolutely NO desire to start Christopher on
solids at anytime in the near future. He certainly isn't showing any signs
of readiness, and the thought of him even being close to old enough bums
me
out!~ He'll be 4 months old next week!

That said, things are truly awful here at home while I'm at work. I've
given up my new supervisor job to go back to my old floor, where I can be
more flexible and work some 4 hour shifts instead of 8 hours shifts. Not
working is unfortunately not an option, but luckily I'm only gone a few
nights a week. Though with 4 hour shifts, it'll end up being 4 nights for
now. At this point, he freaks out whenever he even sees a fake nipple
heading in his direction. He SCREAMS, sometimes cries for 2 hours, and
this
is a normally very mellow baby. It's breaking my heart and is terribly
stressful for everyone who's home, most especially for Christopher. I've
asked my hubby about trying a cup or syringe but he says that won't even
work, because by the time he picks Christopher up at 5 pm, he's gotten to
the point where he's already hungry and starts screaming pretty quickly
thereafter, and he'd choke. We're going to try the avent spout this
weekend
and see if that helps.

What I'm wondering is exactly why the recommendation has been changed from
4
to 6 months. I know all the reasons for waiting, and the signs of
readiness. As I said, I know that he's not ready now and will NOT push
it.
However, 2 more months of this is going to be hell on my family if things
don't get better. I'm wondering if maybe 5 months is a feasible time
frame
if he seems to be ready. Has it been found that allergies are more likely
before 6 months, vs say maybe 5? Is it that baby's gut is more ready at 6
months than at 4 or 5? How likely is it that baby will have problems if
food is started a little earlier than 6 months, but well after the former
recommendation of 4 months? Christopher's 4 month appt is next week and
I'll talk to his MD about it then, but was wondering if you all have any
thoughts.


We had a similar problem - I wan't working too much - DS only needed to have
one bottle feeding, but refused and screamed forever (normally very good
natured), and we did wind up offering solids at 4 months. Took him a while
to get the swing of things, but it eventually (a couople of weeks) held him
over well enough until I got home to nurse him. DS is now 9 months, and no
problems with food, other than getting gassy at things that tend to make me
gassy as well. :-)

Good luck with whatever you decide!

~Patty

Took him a while
to get the swing of things, but it eventually (a couople of weeks) held him
over well enough until I got home to nurse him. DS is now 9 months, and no
problems with food, other than getting gassy at things that tend to make me
gassy as well. :-)


I have agree with these last two posts. Try cereal. I'm thankful
that we were able to wait until six months to start solids but given
your situation... My son has been only been luke warm towards
bottles. It's now getting to where he won't take any bottles at
daycare. They mix his cereal with a lot of breastmilk and try to
"spoon" in his liquids. He nurses A LOT at night so I know he's
getting what he needs.
Good luck - Heather