I didn't really know much about that, but could vaguely remember mum mixing up bowls of mush for my two younger sisters. Googling "baby rice cereal" sent me down the rabbit hole that is starting solids and the conflicting advice parents are given from every source.
Some things I learned on my first day of research:
- the majority of baby's nutrition before 12 months should come from breastmilk or formula
- baby should have nothing but BM or formula before 6 months
- there is almost zero nutritional value to rice cereal (arguably the added iron)
- there are signs of readiness such as being able to sit unassisted and loss of the tongue thrust reflex that should be met before baby starts solids
- there are no 'first foods' and baby can eat anything that is prepared appropriately, with the exception of honey
- there is no need to introduce foods in a certain order, or one at a time
- foods known to cause allergies should be introduced as close to 6 months as possible, and under medical guidance if there is a family history of allergies
- baby doesn't need to eat purees if she waits until 6 months to begin solids.
The last point was interesting to me and led me into the world of Baby Led Weaning. I was pleased to see that sources including the NHS and the Australian Breastfeeding Association recommend beginning baby with finger foods. I was also disheartened to learn that although the WHO recommendation clearly states no food before 6 months, many guidelines still mention starting puree at 4 months. And I suppose that makes sense, if you introduce baby to solid food before they have lost their tongue thrust reflex, and before they can sit unsupported, the only way you can possibly feed them is to mush everything up.
Following all my research, I was disappointed to turn up to our 4 month appointment and be told to start baby on rice cereal. When I said that we weren't doing that, and that we would be waiting until the recommended 6 months to start solids, I was given a sheet of which foods I should start first, in which order, and how long to wait between new foods. So much outdated information!
I then had to endure two months of being asked by family why I was making baby 'miss out' on solids, as my cousin's little boy who is three weeks older started at 4 months. I just repeated the same line over and over, "We are waiting until the recommended 6 months so baby can share family food right away." I then had to deal with my mum defensively telling me that she just did what she thought was best when we were little, and we turned out ok. All I could say was, yes, you did your best at the time, now I am doing my best with the information I have available.
With all that in mind, I grabbed the Baby Led Weaning Cookbook and got planning!
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| https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Baby-led-Weaning-Cookbook-Gill-Rapley/9780091935283 | \ |
I could have written that post myself Bron! I did exactly the same as you, and that led me to BLW as well. I had to constantly tell others the benefits of waiting - receiving blank looks in response. Didn't matter, I knew I was doing what was best for Theo!
ReplyDeleteThat's so good to hear! Hope it worked well for you :)
DeleteI'm happy with our choice. There were a few moments of doubt, when he just wouldn't eat much at all and his sleep was awful. The comments of 'well he must be hungry' filled my head and I thought I needed to get more food in him at dinner time. But I think in the end they were unrelated.
ReplyDeleteI think it was 13m something just clicked and he started wolfing everything down. He still has his toddler defiant moods and he won't eat anything but chicken and cheese - but on the whole, he eats everything we eat!
I just noticed my reply to this never posted! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
DeleteI hear you on the sleep front. I have been asked about baby's sleep and told that she would be sleeping through if she was being fed puree ("eating" more) but my research suggests that sleep is developmental and therefore unlikely related as you mentioned.