Delaying solids and peer pressure

Well, DS is now almost 5 months old (will be on 1/11) and I'm getting lots
of peer pressure about feeding him solids. His teacher at day care wrote
on the top of his daily sheet "Is he eating cereal yet? He seemed to be
interested when the other kids were eating?" Well, of course he seemed
interested - what else is he going to do when you sit him at the table
where all the other kids are eating? She has a baby who's a month younger
and she told me that was counting the days until he could start solids
(she's starting at 4 months). When I tell people that my doctor said to
wait until 6 months, they look at me like my doctor is crazy. Does every
other doctor out there just ignore the current policy of the AAP? Everyone
keeps telling me their doctors said they could start solids at 4 months.
Of course, since I educate myself a bit, I had already decided to wait
until 6 months or after to start solids regardless of what the doctor
said. Fortunately, he said what I was thinking anyway.

Interestingly, on the other side of the spectrum, my MIL keeps telling me
NOT to start him on food anytime soon. She BFed DH until 3 years old and
didn't give him solids until 10 months. According to her, that was the LLL
recommendation. She thinks I should wait until he's older. If he doesn't
want solids, I'm not going to force the issue, but I'm not waiting until
10 months to offer either.

Manda

Manda wrote in message ...

When I tell people that my doctor said to
wait until 6 months, they look at me like my doctor is crazy. Does every
other doctor out there just ignore the current policy of the AAP? Everyone
keeps telling me their doctors said they could start solids at 4 months.

*delurking*

I took Mack the Baby to the pediatrician for his 4m WBV Monday and his
doctor asked me oh-so-casually if I was thinking about solid foods
yet. I looked at her like she was crazy and said, "Of course not, he's
not six months old yet!" She beamed from ear to ear and said that was
exactly the answer she was hoping for. :-)

Kate

*thanks to everyone in m.k.b for the stories and advice
you take the time to post . . . now back to lurkdom*

KateB wrote:
Manda wrote in message ...

When I tell people that my doctor said to
wait until 6 months, they look at me like my doctor is crazy. Does every
other doctor out there just ignore the current policy of the AAP? Everyone
keeps telling me their doctors said they could start solids at 4 months.

*delurking*

I took Mack the Baby to the pediatrician for his 4m WBV Monday and his
doctor asked me oh-so-casually if I was thinking about solid foods
yet. I looked at her like she was crazy and said, "Of course not, he's
not six months old yet!" She beamed from ear to ear and said that was
exactly the answer she was hoping for. :-)

That's sort of the same experience that I had with my doctor. I was
prepared to answer the food questions at his 4 month WBV because I know a
lot of doctors still do say to start at 4 months. He very casually asked
me how I feel about food. Before I could come up with an answer (I thought
he was asking because he thought I should be thinking about food), he
continued on and said that, if possible, I should continue on exclusively
BF for 6 months. I was glad that we were on the same page. Unfortunately,
I think there is another doctor in the practice who would have said
something different if I would have seen her. At 2 weeks, I told here that
I thought he was sensitive to dairy in my diet and she told me to switch
to lacto-free formula. (!) My baby pooped on her right after that - so we
know what he thought about that suggestion! His 6 month WBV is scheduled
with that doc, so I need to call and reschedule.

Manda

wrote:
Does every other doctor out there just
ignore the current policy of the AAP?

IME, yes. And even those who advise 6 months aren't going to tell
determined parents that 4 months is too early.

Phoebe
--
yahoo address is unread; substitute mailbolt

wrote in message ...
Does every other doctor out there just ignore
the current policy of the AAP? Everyone keeps
telling me their doctors said they could start solids
at 4 months.

I will find out on the 14th what my doctor says, at DS' four-month WBV.
They seem to stick 100% with the AAP rec's though, so I imagine (I
hope!) they'll recommend waiting until 6 months. Not that it is going
to have any effect, since that is what I plan to do regardless of what
they say.

IKWYM about other people's comments on what you choose to feed your
child. I get surprised reactions every time I have to explain to
someone that DD does not eat any tree nuts or seafood yet, and won't
until she's at least three.

Interestingly, on the other side of the spectrum, my
MIL keeps telling me NOT to start him on food anytime
soon.

Just goes to show you, not only can't you please everyone, you can't
please *anyone* when it comes to your parenting! lol.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 9 mo.
And Jaden, 3 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

wrote in message ...
Well, DS is now almost 5 months old (will be on 1/11) and I'm getting lots
of peer pressure about feeding him solids. His teacher at day care wrote
on the top of his daily sheet "Is he eating cereal yet? He seemed to be
interested when the other kids were eating?" Well, of course he seemed
interested - what else is he going to do when you sit him at the table
where all the other kids are eating? She has a baby who's a month younger
and she told me that was counting the days until he could start solids
(she's starting at 4 months). When I tell people that my doctor said to
wait until 6 months, they look at me like my doctor is crazy. Does every
other doctor out there just ignore the current policy of the AAP? Everyone
keeps telling me their doctors said they could start solids at 4 months.
Of course, since I educate myself a bit, I had already decided to wait
until 6 months or after to start solids regardless of what the doctor
said. Fortunately, he said what I was thinking anyway.

Interestingly, on the other side of the spectrum, my MIL keeps telling me
NOT to start him on food anytime soon. She BFed DH until 3 years old and
didn't give him solids until 10 months. According to her, that was the LLL
recommendation. She thinks I should wait until he's older. If he doesn't
want solids, I'm not going to force the issue, but I'm not waiting until
10 months to offer either.

well, at my last aust bf assoc meeting, there were a few health
professionals there. we were talking about intro of solids & they said that
in their experience when the current recommendation was at 4-6 mths, a
*majority* of mothers started solids before 4 months, with alot starting at
2 months! and now the recommendation is at 6mths+, they expect that the
majority to start at 4-5 months, even though they are advising them
different & trying to get the right info out there.
--
elizabeth (in australia)
DS - born 20-aug-02

"elizabeth emerald" wrote in message ...
well, at my last aust bf assoc meeting, there were a few health
professionals there. we were talking about intro of solids & they said that
in their experience when the current recommendation was at 4-6 mths, a
*majority* of mothers started solids before 4 months, with alot starting at
2 months! and now the recommendation is at 6mths+, they expect that the
majority to start at 4-5 months, even though they are advising them
different & trying to get the right info out there.

Sounds right. Probably alot of people parent by instinct (myself
included) rather than by following rules, so of course they end up
feeding earlier than the doctors say.

KC

Probably alot of people parent by instinct (myself
included) rather than by following rules, so of course they end up
feeding earlier than the doctors say.

I don't see why this would lead to feeding earlier. Since babies really don't
need solids till at least 6 months, that's what instinctual parenting should
lead you to do. If your individual baby shows distinct readiness for solids
that's another matter, but I don't think most do until around the six month
mark. I think you might be confusing instinct with the cultural conditioning
that has made it so hard for all of us to recognize our true instincts, let
alone follow them.

Leslie

I do think there is an instinct to feed those hungry little mouths.
The instinct isn't to start a whole routine with all the rules. It is
just to give your baby a bit of what you are eating. I know I had it
at least. It was very tempting to give the baby a bit of the banana I
was eating off my finger or anything else that I thought they could
handle. I gave into this instinct a bit with both of my girls.
Feeding at regular intervals started when I had the desire to start
it, and I believe that desire came from them grabbing at food and
watching things that went to our mouths, so they obviously wanted food
and would therefore get it.

It's my instinct at least. I am sure the strength of instincts do vary
by individual though. I think I am a person who follows her instincts
alot.

I have kind of a funny true story about the instinct to drink. When I
was a waitress approx 20 years ago I kept filling up the iced tea of a
woman, and her husband's iced tea was always still full and not in
need of filling. The woman told me that her husband was taught to not
drink anything until the end of the meal and then to drink his whole
drink, and that she was taught to take a sip of drink with every bite.
I told them that I'd been taught to drink when I was thirsty :-)

KC

(Leslie) wrote in message ...
Probably alot of people parent by instinct (myself
included) rather than by following rules, so of course they end up
feeding earlier than the doctors say.

I don't see why this would lead to feeding earlier. Since babies really don't
need solids till at least 6 months, that's what instinctual parenting should
lead you to do. If your individual baby shows distinct readiness for solids
that's another matter, but I don't think most do until around the six month
mark. I think you might be confusing instinct with the cultural conditioning
that has made it so hard for all of us to recognize our true instincts, let
alone follow them.

Leslie

I do think there is an instinct to feed those hungry little mouths.
The instinct isn't to start a whole routine with all the rules. It is
just to give your baby a bit of what you are eating.

Oh, okay. I see what you are saying. I thought you meant more than that. :-)

I told them that I'd been taught to drink when I was thirsty :-)

LOL. It know that I have tried very hard to teach my kids to listen to
whatever messages their bodies are sending them regarding eating and drinking.

Leslie