Question for BF'ing moms

Ped said that when DD is 4 months in a few weeks we can start her on some food but the choice is mine. I'm breastfeeding her.... What do I do? What do other breastfeeding moms do?

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

I waited till 6 months. Ped also said 4, but I did my own research and waited. DS has consistently been in the 85-95% for both height and weight so obviously he was doing just fine on breast milk alone.

Question for BF'ing moms

The recommendation is only BM until 6 months so that's what I'm planning as of now. We have our 4 month appointment in a few weeks so I'll see what the ped. suggests since DD is kind of a peanut. They have mentioned waiting a few times but didn't specify how long.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

The Ped actually encouraged us to wait till 6 months since that is the AAP recommendation. We held off till 5 and a half months because dd was really ready to eat and we felt mean at that point. I definitely would not have started her at 4 months but that is just my opinion and what I felt comfortable with.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

Thanks ladies! Does anyone know why the AAP says to wait until 6 months?

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

we also waited until 6 mo..i figured since BM is supposed to be the sole source of nutrition and it is really for experimentation anyway...why rush?!?! KWIM?!?!

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

At 4 months, my ped asked if we wanted to start solids. I told him I wanted to wait until 6 months and he said fine.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

I followed the AAP guidelines and waited until 6 months. We started with yogurt and carrots.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

DS is almost 5mos and we started two weeks ago with rice, then with barley, then with oatmeal (5 days each to look for a reaction). We didn't start this early with my older two DCs (we started them at 6mos), but youngest DS is having trouble with constipation so we agreed that the addition of extra fiber was necessary.
My ped also wants me to go from grains right into fruits (apples, pears, plums, etc) but I prefer to start with veggies so that DS doesn't get used to the sweet flavor of the fruit before he's introduced to the veggies.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

With my first I started at 5 1/2 months and wish I waited another few weeks. With my youngest I was smarter and waited till 6 months and started of with finely pureed apple (home-made apple sauce, basically). My ped was telling me I can start solids at 5 months but I did what I needed to do! I didn't start cereal with either of them till 7 months. Again, based on MY own research!

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

I waited until DD was ready instead of some arbitrary ped's timeline. At five months old, she grabbed a piece of broccoli off my plate and tried to eat it, so we started food. If she wasn't ready, I would've had no problems waiting until 6 months.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

At 4 and a half months, we started DD on oatmeal. It was like one tablespoon, twice a day, so it wasn't interfering with how much BM she was getting. I enjoyed doing something new with her, and she liked the experience too. For a month before, she'd been swatting at my spoon while I was eating my own breakfast cereal, and she was mesmerized any time DH or I were chewing anything. So I thought she'd be ready. She took to it right away and had no digestive issues.

We didn't do real food (fruits, veggies) until she was 6 months.

I don't think the cereal was necessary so early, but she and I both liked the experience so it was fine for us.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

DD #1 we started at 4 months per the peds recommendation

DD#2 we started at 5.5 months because I wanted to wait until she showed signs of readiness to eat. Definitely happy that I waited

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

our ped recommended 6 months which is the new recommendation as PP mentioned so that is what we will probably do. DD is turning 4 months in a few days and i don't think she's ready at all.

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/delay-solids/

this link is really helpful

eta: I am going to try to hold out until 6 months butwill follow dd's cues of course. if she seems ready at 5 1/2 weeks, I probably wont' have a problem introducing foods to her.

Message edited 8/6/2012 10:48:49 AM.

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

I waited until 6 months. Food is mainly for practice the first year. I didn't see the need to rush into solids. I plan to wait until 6 months with DS2 too.

Question for BF'ing moms

We started rice cereal at 5.5 months. I would have waited till 6mo but DH was really excited and pushing to start so I figured I'd compromise and go 2 weeks early.

Question for BF'ing moms

I only fed DD breast milk for 6 mos.

Question for BF'ing moms

wait till 6 monhs - ebfing between 4 months and 6 months is so much easier - just have to have you where you go

once you start food it is something else you have to owrry about bringing and finding a place to feed

also many studies have found lower incedence of obesity in peope when they were EBF till 6 months- soacademy of pediatrics says to wait till 6 monts

also all my kids I was able to get to sleep through the night before giving food

Re: Question for BF'ing moms

I started cereal at 4 months and purees a few weeks after that and my supply dipped. For the next I will be waiting until 6 months to start.