Happy Half Birthday!
We are still breastfeeding, and it is going great. Not with a little reluctance, I agreed with Tim to start slowly introducing solid food this week. With suggestions and articles from http://www.kellymom.com/, we decided to start with banana mixed with breastmilk, hoping it might be an easier transition since it would be sweet, like the milk she was used to.
This is the face we saw both Sunday and Monday when we attempted it. She seemed pretty confused by the whole eating thing. She would open her mouth for the spoon, but then when the food touched her tongue, she would spit it all out. I think she did swallow a little, but not much. We will give bananas one more try tonight and then probably move on to avocado in a few days.
Good News
So is she eating "real food" yet?
- World Health Organization
- UNICEF
- US Department of Health & Human Services
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Dietetic Association
Yet, most people seem to think that breastmilk isn't "real food" and that it won't sustain a baby past three or four months. Every family has to look at the research and do what works for their family, but here are the reasons that we are delaying solids. (Most of this information comes from http://www.kellymom.com/ and http://www.askdrsears.com/)
Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.
Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains 50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown.
Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.
If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy.
Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies. (particularly important to us because both Tim and I have some food allergies)
It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies. From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream. This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.
Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.
The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood.
Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.
Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby's diet - they do not add to baby's total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.
Delaying solids allow babies to lose the tongue-thrust reflex.
In the first four months the tongue thrust reflex protects the infant against choking. When any unusual substance is placed on the tongue, it automatically protrudes outward rather than back. Between four and six months this reflex gradually diminishes, giving the glob of cereal a fighting chance of making it from the tongue to the tummy.
These are some of the reasons that we will be waiting until Laurel is at least six months old to try solid foods.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Happy Half Birthday!
We are still breastfeeding, and it is going great. Not with a little reluctance, I agreed with Tim to start slowly introducing solid food this week. With suggestions and articles from http://www.kellymom.com/, we decided to start with banana mixed with breastmilk, hoping it might be an easier transition since it would be sweet, like the milk she was used to.
This is the face we saw both Sunday and Monday when we attempted it. She seemed pretty confused by the whole eating thing. She would open her mouth for the spoon, but then when the food touched her tongue, she would spit it all out. I think she did swallow a little, but not much. We will give bananas one more try tonight and then probably move on to avocado in a few days.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Good News
Thursday, July 9, 2009
So is she eating "real food" yet?
- World Health Organization
- UNICEF
- US Department of Health & Human Services
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Dietetic Association
Yet, most people seem to think that breastmilk isn't "real food" and that it won't sustain a baby past three or four months. Every family has to look at the research and do what works for their family, but here are the reasons that we are delaying solids. (Most of this information comes from http://www.kellymom.com/ and http://www.askdrsears.com/)
Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.
Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains 50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown.
Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.
If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy.
Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies. (particularly important to us because both Tim and I have some food allergies)
It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies. From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream. This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.
Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.
The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood.
Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.
Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby's diet - they do not add to baby's total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.
Delaying solids allow babies to lose the tongue-thrust reflex.
In the first four months the tongue thrust reflex protects the infant against choking. When any unusual substance is placed on the tongue, it automatically protrudes outward rather than back. Between four and six months this reflex gradually diminishes, giving the glob of cereal a fighting chance of making it from the tongue to the tummy.
These are some of the reasons that we will be waiting until Laurel is at least six months old to try solid foods.