conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Mya went to her 4 month check up today. I was eagerly waiting to hear that she would be starting rice cereal. I meet with a new Dr. and she said to wait on giving her solids at least until her 5 month check up. When I questioned it she said that it is recommended to give solids at the 6 month mark. I was not very happy with her overall. I felt like she was just trying to rush us out of the office. The Dr. asked how she sleeps and I told her that Mya was waking 2 to 3 times a night to eat. She said that I should stop feeding her in the middle of the night when she wakes up.
My last appointment was with my regular doctor. I asked at that visit if I should stop the midnight feedings and he said that if she is waking she is hungry and I should feed her. He said that if she was 6 to 8 months then he would not recommend feeding her. He said that she would be able to start solids by 4 months. He knows her history and I am very comfortable with him.
Now I feel like I should contact my regular doctor and see what he recommends but I don't know how to word it. Do I say that I do not agree with the last dr that I meet or just ask him his option. Should I say that they are giving different advice and I don't know who's to follow?

Has anyone has to deal with similar situations? How did you deal with conflicting advice from doctors in the same medical practice?

TIA

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

As far as when to start feeding, it is AAP guidelines not to start solids until 6 months. BUT, many moms start earlier. My ped follow the guidelines and I chose to follow them as well. So maybe do whatever you feel comfortable with. If you really WANT to start her now, then give it a shot, if she doesn't take to it then wait and try again in a month of two.

As far as sleeping, I think that is subjective. You know your baby better than either dr. Do YOU think she's hungry or do you think she's waking out of habit? And would YOU be comfortable letting her cry? I don't think there's a right or wrong medical answer as to when to stop feeding in the middle of the night. I think it's a mommy decides type of issue. Sure the drs can tell you what they think, but I think you should go with what you feel comfortable with. My ped, who I love, told me I could stop feeding him overnight at 4/5 months and to let him cry. I was not comfortable with that and still fed him until 9 months. At that point I felt he was ready to STTN and to stop eating. It was my decision. I know that alot of people follow their pediatricians to the letter but I choose to listen to what they say on issues like these and then do my own research and decide how I feel. It does not mean that I don't trust DS's dr, it's just that I felt that on that issue, I knew what was best.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

I personally would ignore the doctors advice and do what I felt was right for me and my child.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Do what feel right to you...I would call the other dr

My dr said to start her on cerial at 4 months, even then I waited 2 weeks for my comfort. When I asked him about the 6 month range he said becouse she was having over (I think it was) 28oz a day in formula she was ready

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

I would like to try to feed her solids and was really looking froward to it. Since she is waking 2oto 3 times a night I was hoping that solids would help with this.
My husband wants me to contact our regular doctor and see what he say.
I do not agree with not feeding her in the middle of the night. I don't agree weaning at this age.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Doesh she seem ready for solids? Does it seem like she needs more food in general or does she look like she wants to eat the food you are eating? If so, she may be ready. If not, then she may not be. You know your child best. We waited until 6 months.

As far as the night feedings, it is not unusual for a baby at 4 months to eat 2 times a night. If you want to see if she is ready to stop eating at night, when she wakes up, try giving a pacifier, rocking, soothing, etc. She may fall back to sleep without eating. I used to have my husband go in to DD when she woke up b/c when she saw me, she wanted to eat. It worked.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of the "advice" that people ask of their pediatrician's are not medical advice but rather "parenting" advice.

Medically speaking, 6 months is the recommended age to start solids. However, by 4 months some kids are ready to start solids from a gastrointestinal and oromotor standpoint. So the right answer is somewhere between there.

Medically speaking, a 4 month should have enough calorie stores to make it through the night without eating. You can safely CIO your kid at this age. The question is what are your parenting beliefs about CIO.

I'm going to tell you all a little secret that some of my pediatrician friends won't want you to know. While in a pediatrics residency you learn A LOT about medicine and how to treat babies you don't really learn a lot about parenting. I learned more about that from having my own kids.

It's funny after our first one my wife would ask me questions like the above all the time which I would just shrug off and say I don't know. I'll tell you all another dirty little secret that you parents don't want to hear. It really doesn't matter. Solids at 5 months or 6? Probably doesn't matter. CIO vs. waking up? Aside from your parental sanity in the long run it probably doesn't matter.

Now there are some things that do matter, but a lot of the things that parents fret over don't. So for conflicting advice, as long as you're within the realm of what's medically appropriate, use your gut.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Message edited 12/30/2009 9:04:54 PM.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

Feeding DC solids will not make or necessiarly help them sleep through the night, that is an old wives tale. We started my DS at 4 months and he woke at least 1x a night until he turned one....

That being said, if you feel DC is ready, then try it.

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?

you really have to do what you feel is best for your baby.. most people flip when they hear that we started ds on solids at 4 weeks... but if you saw how hungry he was (drinking 65 ounces a day) then you would probably change your mind... my ped told us at that point to give him cereal... which we did but after 2 weeks of cereal i just kept on going and started jars of food as well..... my ped may not have been the happiest about starting the jarred food but it was something that i honestly felt was best for him

Re: conflicting dr. advice...What to do?