Eating solids

Now that we are at the four-month mark, I've had a lot of people ask me when/if we are doing solids, and when I tell them no, not yet, they ask why. Times are so much different now than they were when I was a baby. Not that our parents were doing things "wrong" necessarily, there is just a lot more that doctors and scientists know about infant nutrition now than they did before.

I found a great article in the New York Times that summarizes many of the reasons that I am holding off on solid foods for Jack until he reaches 6 months. It also has a little bit of info about why I am likely not going to be feeding him rice cereal. For those of you who don't have time or just don't feel like clicking over to the article, here are a couple of those reasons:

• Research now shows that rice cereal doesn't really do much for an infant nutritionally. And up until 6 months of age, a baby is getting all of the nutrients they need through breast milk or formula. After 6 months, they are probably going to need some sort of Iron supplement.
• Research also shows that many parents give their children rice cereal to help them feel more full at night so they will sleep better, but apparently this is not true.

"One reason parents turn to solid food early is the persistence of myths about solid food helping babies sleep through the night or put on weight." - NY Times article.       

 

"That big fat bottle at the end of the night isn’t why your baby is sleeping — it’s a skill you acquire,” Dr. Gold said. “And if you think giving your child more calories is going to help him gain weight, but it gives him more diarrhea, then he’s not actually absorbing as much.” (direct quote from the article.)      

• "The early introduction of solid foods has also been linked to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, eczema and celiac disease." - NY Times article
• Researchers are finding that babies should be able to sit up unsupported to safely eat solids and should be making chewing motions with their fingers or other toys, binkis, etc. in their mouths.

Right now, Jack can sit for a few minutes unsupported so he's already hit that milestone and he is already making those chewing motions. Based on those requirements, he is ready for solids. However, my baby boy has quite the sensitive stomach it seems. I am ready and willing to wait a few more weeks until his gut has had time to mature even more. Me, and many members of my family, have stomach issues. Who knows if this is relative to being fed solids too soon, but I figure why chance it? He's getting plenty to eat from me right now and that is enough for me. I figure he has plenty of time for the rest of his life to eat solids. Nothing wrong with holding off a few more weeks.

However, yesterday he did literally grab my plate of food and pulled it toward him. lol. Methinks when I do start feeding my baby solids, he is going to be a great eater :)

And just because a post on this blog is not complete without a pic of my little guy, here ya go!

Sleepy cakes :)