I don't think she's ready for solids....

Jamie just turned 4 months old, and I am exclusively breastfeeding. Everyone is pushing me to give her solid foods, but I just don't think she is ready yet. She still pushes stuff out with her tongue, even her pacifier. Mainly, I know that she really doesn't need any other food except for booby juice. When I try to tell my old man this, he asks me if I read it on a site run by a bunch of assholes that don't even have kids...he's open-minded, but for this I can't even get him to read a little ol' article about it. pthhhhhhht. Also I feel since I am the one responsible for her nourishment, it should be up to me and only me. Is my motherly instinct telling me wrong?? Is it wrong for me to feel this way??? And her pediatrician also said I should, but do I really need to be taking advice from someone who A: has no children and B: has no experience with breastfed babies??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

No way!!! You and your baby know what is best. Let her take the lead. Can she sit up unassisted? Can she grasp small objects? Is she interested in food? For the first year, she needs no other nutrition than breast milk. Food in the first year should be purely experimental, testing flavors and textures. If you and your sweetie aren't ready-don't do it!!!

 

Right. Because everyone knows that all breastfeed children turn out to be maturally co-dependent homosexuals.

Sorry, couldn't resist feeding the troll.

As Sugrmag said, until your child can sit up, grasp food, and has lost her instinctual sucking reflex it she isn't really interested in solid food. Also, she might not have the stomach enzymes needed to break down the solid food.

 

You're right, she's not ready.

Baby should be sitting upright without support
Have at least 2 teeth
Be able to pick up small objects between thumb and forefinger
show obvious interest in food, like grabbing off your plate
should not push food out with her tongue

If she's not doing all or most of the above, she's not ready.

 

trust your instincts...they won't steer you in the wrong direction...i agree with brighid....the baby isn't ready yet...tell everyone else to piss off....

 

Everything is pointing to waiting for me too so I think I will just tell everyone to back off about it and not rush her into something she isn't quite ready for. Her daddy is constantly trying to give her stuff everytime I turn my back and it makes me nervous. Anyway, thanks for the input!!!

^^^ And honestly, do some people just go around looking for something to disagree with so they can talk shit?? That was really unessesary and even more immature...

 

i breastfed all three of my kids exclusively for 6 months, then added solid foods gradually over the following 6 months. they all weaned themselves at about a year. all three were fat, happy, healthy six month olds on nothing but breastmilk too.

 

yep, you dont have to start until 6 mos anyways... some not until closer to 9


your DR is an idiot

 

most are. i'd be WAY better off if i had never listened to a single thing any of them have ever had to say. :tongue:

 

right on sister!

 

I was thinkin the same thing. We live in a really small town and around here everyone tries to get babes on solids fast so they don't have to buy as much formula. The doc even said "You're the only one that comes here that breastfeeds her baby." It's pretty sad actually. So I kind of have to find my own way

 

awwww, yeah breastmilk is healthier than old pablum anyways... he might be worried about your baby being anemic but if baby is only 4 months Br Milk should still be fine ... I started my babies at 4 months (old fashioned) but they are saying now 6 months is when they are develpomentally ready.




The "must feed ababy solids to solve all your problems" thing is getting old.

an old wive's tale.

 

Yeah I hear you. I actually had an old woman tell me recently that most women can't breastfeed because their milk "just isn't strong enough" so they have to use formula instead. "It's better you know; fattens 'em up!"

 

yeah, and you know that's what EVERYBODY wants...to be FAT! :tongue:

 

bah, one of my babes at work is 9 months and entirely breastfed... chubby and content and happy with life.

 

Jamie is 13 1/2 lbs but is 26 inches long so I guess it makes her look skinny or something because people around here are always asking me if she was preemie or if I'm feeding her enough...I tell them she's breastfed and she eats when she's hungry and I get a dirty look. Go figure. Everybody else knows what your child needs better than you I guess.

 

yup.


(I feel like I'm sitting on a porch and drinking lemonade saying that)


What did she weigh at birth? 13.5 does seem a little small.....

 

She was only 6 lbs 4 oz; I had a very stressful pregnancy but she was born 3 days before her due date on july 4th

 

well, if it makes you feel any better, i had to kick my mother-in-law out of my house (literally) because she was hysterically pressuring me to feed my 6 week old oatmeal.

she also thought breastfeeding was a sexual thing. she would freak out if i'd feed the baby in public or even at home. needless to say, i didn't allow her to spend much time around me. she was a product of her lousy education. i wasn't about to let my kid's health be affected by her ignorance.

more power to you, mama. do right by your baby and ignore them all. be strong.

 

Wow, that's really sad that she really feels that way about everything - but I'm glad you aren't in that situation anymore. That just seems so crazy to me!!! What do people think boobies are for? Well, sucking, I guess, but not babies just men...go figure.

I really appreciate the reassurance. I figure what's the point in having instincts if you can't even listen to them because of everyone telling you they are wrong??? Pthhhhhhhht I say!!!