Not listening to your ped?

Do you listen to what your ped says all the time? Mine wanted me to start solids at 4 months. I tried oatmeal a few days in a row and I just felt like DD wasn't ready.

After doing some reading, I found the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as others, recommend waiting until 6 months to introduce solids. I brought this up to my ped tonight and he basically dismissed that.

I guess people will have different opinions on the topic, I'm just wondering if you listen to everything your ped says verbatim or do you use your own judgement as well?

Message edited 2/26/2014 11:24:00 PM.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

A lot of peds have different opinions about things & will give different advice so even though I pay attention to what the ped says, I also do my own research & use my own judgment to some extent for what I think is best for my kid.

My ped also recommended starting solids at 4 months but I waited until closer to 5 months. No big deal I think.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

I feel like listening to the dr word for word is a thing of the past. In the time we live in where information about EVERYTHING is so readily available, I feel like we owe it to ourselves as moms to consider what the ped says but also gather our own info and do what works best for our own children.

I listen to my ped about some things but not others. He actually suggested I start my DS on solids (cereal) at 4 months. I waited till 6 months and started with sweet potatoes. He tries to guide me but let's me make the ultimate decision- as it should be as the parent.

I think sometimes with parenting it's easy to forget that there's no right or wrong (in most cases anyway ) and what works for one may not work for another. Your ped can guide you, but don't forget that's YOUR baby and you have access to tons of info, suggestions, theories, advice, etc, right at your fingertips

Eta: when I was looking for a ped, I interviewed one practice where they flat out said it was their way or the highway. That would just NOT work for me whatsoever.

Message edited 2/27/2014 12:24:14 AM.

Not listening to your ped?

I think we can all agree doctors don't know everything and even with yourself you have to be your own doctor and do research on your own.

Seems every ped says something different. Mine said 6mos and to skip rice/oatmeal bc it is almost always binding and has little nutritional value. She said to start with orange veggies.

Well at 6mos dd really didn't seem ready for solids yet so I started with a little banana mixed with breast milk, and then avocado before moving onto the orange Veggies.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

When my child is sick I listen to what my Ped has to say. Obviously she has the degrees and knows more about medical issues and the body more than I do. For things like feeding, behaviors and sleep I listen to what she has to say but I also use common sense, my gut and other information I've come across to make my own decisions.

Not listening to your ped?

For the most part, I listen to the ped. There are some things I don't agree with though. According to my ped, I shouldn't give my DS peanut butter, but I already gave it to him.

Not listening to your ped?

It depends what it is. For the most part I heed the advice of the doctor

Not listening to your ped?

Just curios but is your baby on formula? My ode had us start on 4 months with cereal but they said breast fed babies should not start until 6 months

Not listening to your ped?

Nope. Some stuff yes, other stuff def not. I'm the mother and I know my baby better than anyone and know what's good/best for her.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

On medical issues, I listen to him. I EBF, and he sadly knew very little about BFing, so I never listened to him about length of time per side, etc. He also never told me definites about food, rather suggested I could start at 4 months or wait until 6 months. I waited til almost 7 months. I never ask him food questions, or sleep questions. I followed my own instincts and research.

What it comes down to is a ped is a medical Dr, and approaches everything from a medical standpoint. Things like feeding, sleeping, etc aren't medical issues, so I never bothered discussing them.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Posted by PennyCat

I feel like listening to the dr word for word is a thing of the past. In the time we live in where information about EVERYTHING is so readily available, I feel like we owe it to ourselves as moms to consider what the ped says but also gather our own info and do what works best for our own children.

I listen to my ped about some things but not others. He actually suggested I start my DS on solids (cereal) at 4 months. I waited till 6 months and started with sweet potatoes. He tries to guide me but let's me make the ultimate decision- as it should be as the parent.

I think sometimes with parenting it's easy to forget that there's no right or wrong (in most cases anyway ) and what works for one may not work for another. Your ped can guide you, but don't forget that's YOUR baby and you have access to tons of info, suggestions, theories, advice, etc, right at your fingertips

Eta: when I was looking for a ped, I interviewed one practice where they flat out said it was their way or the highway. That would just NOT work for me whatsoever.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Every ped will say something different. I've gotten varied advise from different peds in my practice re feeding. We were going to wait til 6 mo and begin with veg b/c DDs had eczema. One ped said wait til 7/8 mo b/c they would be ready then and less stress for all of us. Well, they were eyeing everything we ate and went nuts over cherry Tylenol so I knew they were ready at 5.5 mo.

Just go with the flow and take baby's ques. You don't need to follow everything the ped says with things like solids. They don't eat that much at 4 mo so the logic is they aren't being denied less formula or BM. It's really just to teach them to eat.

Message edited 2/27/2014 8:36:55 AM.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

No, I take his advice under consideration but ultimately I do what I think is best for my kids. I, of course, know them better than anyone so even though something might be recommended at a certain age it doesn't mean my kids are ready.

As an example, my DD was SO ready for solids at 4 months for a number of reasons so when I introduced them she LOVED it and never looked back.

With my DS, he was completely content with just bottles and showed no interest in food until he was a little older. I tried at around 5 months, he wasn't really interested so I waited and then around 6-7 months he liked a few things.

As with anything, you have to follow your best judgement because to be honest, there are so many varying opinions among peds that you won't ever get one perfect, right answer. Most things are just a guideline, do what's best for YOUR child.

ETA - Like others said, when it comes to illness I listen to my ped.........although depending I may even get a second opinion if it's a chronic issue. But other than illness, I use my own judgement on what's best for m kiddies.

Message edited 2/27/2014 8:44:13 AM.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Use my judgement. I take their opinions and then do my own research and make my own decision. My ped also suggested solids at 4 mo, but I know DS isn't quite ready.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

This is one reason I really like my ped. He never says you should do this or that. I just took DS for his 4 month appt and the ped said if we wanted to we could start solids, but there's no need to at this age since he's gaining fine. I like this approach b/c he's just providing the info and not telling me what to do one way or the other.

If you are consistently not happy with what the ped is telling you, you should consider switching. I know there are times when judgement calls need to be made as parents, but I think you should be able to trust your ped and take their advice most of the time.

Not listening to your ped?

I def listen when shes sick. I trust my peds he knows best when it comes to that and from my experience with him, I have also felt that hes shown me I can trust him. Hes always done the right thing for my dd when shes sick.
Do I listen to him blindly, NO... I dont believe 1 person can be the expert at everything even a Dr. My peds suggested it about 4.5 months but I ended up trying initially, didnt like my dds reaction and waited until about 5-5.5 months and I could tell a difference. I tend to listen to my peds about his suggestions for foods and introducing foods when she started solids because he has a background in nutrition and everything he told me was right on the money. I would research it though to see if I found the same info.

The 1 time I didnt listen to him it paid off. My dd had reflux and initially he didnt want to change her formula because the Alimentum is thinner and he was concerned she would spit it up more. But in my gut I felt the formula was the REAL issue and the reflux was just not as severe as he thought. Well I didnt listen I changed her formula and guess what? With the change of formula and the Zantac I had a brand new baby. He was right she had Reflux BUT it wasnt severe. It was a mild case, it was her milk protein intolerance excerbating it and making it worse.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

About illness and medical stuff, absolutely. Things like feeding, sleeping, etc. - I never feel like she is telling me what to do with that stuff. She asks how things are going/I ask questions. She gives opinions and suggestions. I value her opinions and suggestions, and I appreciate the advice. I do my own research and listen to my own instincts as well.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Mr dr said we COULD start solids at 4 months, so they left it up to us. I did it about once a week, and i knew she wasnt ready but you could see the progression in how much she actually took in. But she didnt really start getting much until 5.5m

Re: Not listening to your ped?

It's a fine line.

I have a conversation with my ped & bring up issues with her.

Food: When DS was ready for food (4 months), we started. Went beautifully. When DD was ready for food (4 months), she didn't do as well as DS, so I worked with the ped to introduce food by 5 months. Medicine is individualized. There were reasons specific to us that she started earlier than reccs.

As for "research": it is one thing to do google research & another to do medical research as a non-Dr & a totally other doing medical research as a Dr. Bring up the reccs. Your Dr will most likely have a good reason why they believe otherwise. If not, find another group.

You have to trust your Dr, not blind trust, but trust that they have your kid's best interest & a whole lot of knowledge at hand. In turn, the Dr has to listen to you, your desires, your kid's reactions & rethink courses of action.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Not all the time. My PED office was pro CIO, not very pro BF, and strict about bottles.

I did not CIO, stopped pumping at 3 months bc I felt good about stopping after I spoke with them, and my kid had a bottle until past 2. Gave solids at 3 months bc he was ready

They follow AAP, but since things change so much, not strictly

Message edited 2/27/2014 11:54:22 AM.

Re: Not listening to your ped?

Re: Not listening to your ped?