Why do people push you to start solids???

[vadensmommy]

I am just wondering how many of you out there get pushed to start solids??  DD is 18wks- just a week over 4mo, and everyone around me suggests starting solids.  My MIL, the sitter, people at work, other babies mothers, and I just don't get it!!  DD was 8lbs at birth, and is around 14 from what I can tell now (it's been a while since she's been weighed properly but we've got a checkup coming up). 

We were having some problems with her feeding properly about a month ago - refusing the bottle, and I tried everything - from teething treatments to bigger nipple sizes, etc.  Even started on acid reflux medicine.  Turns out I think our problem was a sneaky ear infection, and she finished her round of antibiotics today.  Even our Ped recommended we go ahead and start solids at like 14 weeks.  She has been FF since 1wk, and I've read that allergies aren't as big of a concern since she's always been on an artificial nutrition, and constipation isn't supposed to be as bad since the formula is already iron fortified and supposedly she's already used to it, but still! 

It was crazy to me, because our problem was that DD WOULDN'T drink, not that she wasn't getting satisfied.  She also wasn't sleeping through the night - but has all this week since getting the ear infection treated.  DH picked up DD from the sitter today, and she had not finished her bottle, and suggested to him that we should start her on cereal and that would make her drink more milk??!!!???    That seems awful absurd to me, am I the only one that has encountered this??  Isn't it supposed to be just for "taste" and a learning experience, and not a big source of nutrition??  Just curious what others think.

[KateD]

Oh my goodness, I agree with you entirely. I'm Kate by the way and I have 18 week old twins.  They are totally breastfed and Sophie goes through the night and Luke still wakes at 4am sometimes, but mainly sleeps through.  My HV advised me (only if I want to, not forced) to try 1-2 teaspoons of babyrice at 10am and she said this would continue for many weeks, just to get them used to different taste/texture and not to wean them by any means.  I haven't done it yet as I am totally satisfied that they are thriving on milk alone for now.  I want to wait till the "golden" 6 months if I can, just to prove I can do it and because it's what is in ALL the literature I've read. 

A friend of my mom's in particular (among others) keeps going on and on about baby rice, so much to the point that I don't like going to see my parents when they are at their caravan, as that is where she is too!   ::)I went yesterday and saw her twice while I was there and she mentioned it 5 times (i counted!!..how sad).  She drives me mad.  She is a lovely person and probably only means well, but I wish she would keep her opinions to herself, or at least not mention it so often.  Her only reasoning for doing it is because their poos are still runny! Whooppee!

Her daughter is a childminder and she "helps" her out so has vast experience of course.  Why would it be in every piece of literature, if it wasn't a safe thing to do. 

I am sticking to my guns and hope to last out another 6 weeks.  Hope you decide to too. 

All the best

Kate

[KellyC]

Good for you ladies, do what you feel is best based on the latest research and how well you know your own babies.  I always feel so lucky that I don't know anybody who likes to dish out advice on how I bring up my children! 

I waited until almost 6 months with Zander and it was great fun, I let him stick his hands in and get on with it and to this day he loves his food (mostly  ) which I put down to him being allowed to explore food himself once he was old enough to take an interest.  I also agree with Stacy's last paragraph but once you start giving solids the whole day is spent either preparing, feeding or cleaning up food - it's so much easier without!

Kelly x

[vadensmommy]

YES!  I can only imagine how much TIME it takes to feed solids.  I am already up at 5:30 am to be at work by hopefully 7:45 so I can pick up DD at 12:45 - I don't have TIME in the day to get cereal ready for her.  I already feel like she's always sucking on a bottle!  It will come in its own time, but for goodness sakes, why mess up a good thing when they are sleeping through the night and pooing consistently,  AND all the stuff you read says to wait???!!?? 

I have had to start just ignoring my MIL and sitter especially and just "smile and nod".  What they don't know won't hurt them. 

How many of you out there FF for the most part and still waited to start solids??

[KellyC]

Smiling and nodding is the way to go