My mom thinks we should try solids...help and advice?

[todzwife]

Dallin is showing no signs of being ready for them though- except that he is waking up hungry every 2 hours at night. I am so tired! I dont even know if solids would help! When he gets up at night he really is hungry- not just waking for the fun of it. He's so busy during the day, I don't think he's getting enough, so he's making up for it at night. What should I do? Maybe try a couple oz of formula after I nurse him before bed? Should I try solids? Or should I suck it up and wait another month? sorry if this is rambly- its 3:30 AM

[toomanystrollers]

Shandelle,
Since Dallin is 5 mos. old, you could mix up some rice cereal and see what he thinks - he'll let you know if he's ready or not. FWIW, Neve started cereal right 'bout his age but she was grabbing food away from me so I knew she was ready.

As for solids/formula improving sleep, IMO it's a myth b/c none of my 3 made any dramatic improvements because of solids. The sleep improvements seemed to be more age related if anything.

[Rachels]

If anything, solids aggravated Abigail's sleep. Formula would have done the same thing, since she turned out to be sensitive to dairy. It's important that you wait until he shows you signs that he's ready. Babies start to show readiness cues on par with their gastrointestinal development. If you introduce solids before he's letting you know that he's ready, you risk really upsetting his belly. Hang in there. I KNOW it's hard to be so sleep-deprived. Remember that your mom was feeding you back in a time when everybody thought babies should have cereal in the first month. Her mindset is very different around solid food. You have to do what you know to be best for your baby, no matter what she thinks about it. FWIW, around that age was Abigail's worst sleep to date. It did get better. :)

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[etwahl]

shandelle, i also think that solids makes baby sleep better is a myth. lauren is one year, and we started solids at 6 months (and she now eats like a ravenous monster) and STILL nurses every 2 hours at night. she just likes to nurse at night. it's "her"' thing.

from everything i've read, most recommendations say to wait until 6 months. but you have to do whta's best for you! also, i'm very anti grandparents tryiing to influence parenting decisions, but that's just me!
]

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[jerseygirl07067]

Funny you mention that "grandparents" thing. My mom does not stop talking about the darn rice cereal! And DD is only 11 weeks! In fact my ped even says he tells parents they can give very small amounts if they want, but it really won't make a difference in his opinion. He prefers BF or formula exlusively for the first 4-6 months. (He says it's usually just to "appease grandma")

When I explain to my mom that I BF DD right before bedtime, her comment is, "See it's just like the rice cereal. You had rice cereal from 2 weeks on, blah, blah, blah... :)

I just have to laugh...

Mary

[sadie427]

I would also wait for other signs. Have you tried offering him more during the day--putting him to the breast every two hours? I didn't see much improvement in sleep when we started solids either. I had an every-two-hours (actually every 1 1/2!) waker at around 4 months--ended up realizing he wasn't actually hungry and we had to "sleep train" him. Now he only wakes once or twice. But if you think he's really hungry, I'd try nursing him more during the day. HTH

[mommd]

LOL! My Mom has been bugging me about the stupid cereal since DD was 1 month old! She actually bought me some! I tried to explain to her that all DD needs is breastmilk, but I just get "Well, with you kids, I started cereal at 2 weeks.." Maybe that's why I hate rice now??? :)

[todzwife]

Thanks ladies- DH and I agree that we want to wait. I can deal with the niht wakings. The thing that gets me is right at 4 months he started sleeping from 10-4 and three weeks later started waking more than he did when he was a newborn! He got up twice last night (1 and 3)and slept till 6:30 when I usually bring him in bed with me ( DH leaves for work then). Now if I could just get him to skip the 1 AM waking I would feel sooo much better!