Help!! DS won't nurse OR take bottle after meals

[bunnyslippers]

OP, any chance that's what the ped wanted you to work up to by the 9/10 month visit? My 10mo isn't eating NEAR that much. She mentioned that he should be working toward 20 oz of formula, down from what it was in the earlier period. Working toward, not a drop down to...a slow linear progression. Maybe your LO should be working UP to those feedings.

When the ped wrote down the recommended schedule, I assumed it was a goal, not something to jump head first into. I started DS on solids at 4 months with the ped's ok, and we worked him up B-L-D until after 6 months. I added in a snack, and still occasionally BF on demand when he needs it. DH called the office to run his schedule by the ped, and she was ok with everything I was doing. As an aside, I went through many fertility treatments (which didn't work, I ended up conceiving naturally!!) and had a few problems during my pregnancy. The OB was constantly reassuring me about everything. I would stay up at night with worry about whether or not he would make it or if I would lose him. Finally, I had to say to myself, "If the MD isn't worried, than I shouldn't be either." I still hold on to that mantra with my DS and his ped.

Many peds push solids early and too much, which leads some babies to drop nursing too early. I would not rely on them for appropriate guidance for solid foods - especially if they're seriously saying that nursing just 3 times a day is sufficient for a 7 month old!

If I shouldn't rely on my ped for advice on this, who do I rely on? I guess I could have called a LC or gone to a BF support group, but I would only assume that they would have told me to wait and continue exclusively BF.

Anyway, at many of your suggestions, I tried BF before meals and that worked out ok. He also nursed well before his naps. I feel much better about how much he drank. He also pooped 3 times yesterday!!

[KrisM]

If I shouldn't rely on my ped for advice on this, who do I rely on? I guess I could have called a LC or gone to a BF support group, but I would only assume that they would have told me to wait and continue exclusively BF.

Anyway, at many of your suggestions, I tried BF before meals and that worked out ok. He also nursed well before his naps. I feel much better about how much he drank. He also pooped 3 times yesterday!!

As for advice, often times peds are not up to date on current things. They also tend to tell people to switch kids forward-facing in the car at age 1, which is outdated .

I'm glad swapping it around worked for you!

[egoldber]

Well, the sad thing is, many peds received no training on breastfeeding or nutrition in medical school. These are things that peds have to decide to educate themselves about and keep themselves up to date. And like everyone else, peds are human, with their own biases and opinions. If you look at the research in this area, a shocking percentage of medical doctors (not just peds) do not practice medicine to the standard of care for their own medical specialty. Which means you have to be a savvy consumer and educate yourself. Which sucks.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I always think it's nutty that peds get maybe one brief nutrition course and even less about breastfeeding but that's true. Line up 10 peds and you are likely to get 10 answers. I look then to the AAP (American Academy o Pediatrics) for some ideas because at least it is a collaboration of a lot of pediatricians that work on policies. I own a book by the AAP ("Caring for your Baby and Young Child birth- age 5) and it is a great resource. I do not rely on just what my ped says but look in that book, the AAP website and then other books. I really liked the Dr. Sears' "The Baby Book" for a lot of information as well. As with birth and other parenting things I try to read several different sources in addition to talking to my care providers. After I hear what they all have to say I think about what makes the most sense to me. The AAP has a website where you can see what current recommendations are, like solids after 6 months for bf babies and 4-6m for formula fed babies. The book will give sample meals based on age. Very handy resource.

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

While personal experience is good, it doesn't make for a good scientific study. There are many studies, with thousands of babies involved, that show too many solids too early is not good. It's great if it doesn't affect your baby, but you can't generalize to all babies based on your experience.

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Exactly. Even talking to everyone in your social circle and past isn't enough people to equal the # that would be in a scientifically conclusive study.

Also some health issues that can be associated with early solids are not going to be apparent till older.

I agree that there are a lot of crappy nutritional habits out there that are making things how they are. But, I still believe that focusing on formula or breastmilk and delaying solids till 4-6m is a sound recommendation and that starting solids sooner has no benefit. (adding rice cereal to a bottle is sometimes medically indicated but not for a healthy baby.)

Beth

[WatchingThemGrow]

OP, I tend to stress about feeding more than some other things. The book Child of Mine, Feeding with Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter is a FABULOUS book to buy to help guide you through the varying stages through adolescence. You should order a copy. All my friends who are nutritionists rely on her advice.