Exhausted: sleepless nights and weaning
- 09-30-2008, 06:33 AM #9Registered User
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totally depends on the baby. many babies are perfectly ready to and capable of eating solids by 4-5 months. others are slower to lose the tongue thrust reflex and/or cannot hold their necks up steady enough to be able to swallow/digest.
- 09-30-2008, 06:59 AM #10Registered User
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Kellymom on delaying solids: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ay-solids.html
Dr. Jack Newman (BF Guru) on starting solids earlier:
http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Sta...id%20Foods.asp
- 09-30-2008, 08:20 AM #11Registered User
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It seems to me that a lot of the research on delaying solids is based on exclusively breastfed babies, and i can understand why it should be encouraged to continue with breast milk for as long as possible especially if your baby is satisfied with what he/she is having.
However, if you have a formula fed baby it would make sense to me that the reasoning is different. I am now giving my baby 40 ounces of formula per day, having added a nightime feed back in - the recommendation is not to exceed approx 32. This gives her a bloated tummy. To drop a little of that in favour of a small amount of rice cereal that I can mix with EBM (i do have a small amount!)would maybe stop her tummy being so bloated as i can reduce the formula and increase the cereal slowly.
Even my other baby is taking over the 32 ounces but until I looked into this I hadn't thought to start her on solids and now i'm wondering whether I should start her at the same time. She isn't displaying as many signs though. I don't want to push them into taking something they don't want and I hope if they're not ready they will just refuse and I'll have to stick with the waking in the night and try again a week later.
- 09-30-2008, 08:26 AM #12Registered User
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Follow your instincts.
You can try the solids, if they aren't ready you can always stop.
- 09-30-2008, 08:29 AM #13Registered User
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If you're interested I'd recommend getting a copy of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth. He was our pediatrician in Chicago. He's very down to earth and has been practicing for years. He's done lots of research in the sleep field and I am currently waiting for his study on twin sleep (in which we participated). I've seen it for sale in Hong Kong (the kid's book store in Stanley Plaza has it). Some say it's difficult to read, but I never had issues with it, although it can be a little repetitive at times. He shares great information on the importance of sleep and how sleep works for the various ages. Highly recommended it (and I don't get commission ;))!
With regards to the solids, just try ... agree with pp, you can always hold off if needed. My 3 way above average kids were only ff and have done great with solids. They're still great eaters. Agree, follow your instincts.Last edited by MommyTo3; 09-30-2008 at 08:33 AM.
- 09-30-2008, 09:28 AM #14Registered User
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Paddles:
I agree, the main benefit I see is the study on kellymom talking about iron supplementation, but obviously that doesn't apply to a formula fed baby, as they are iron fortified. I was searching for these answers last night as I am anxious to start solids myself :)
Dr. Jack Newman's answer appeals to me, but I'm still holding off... I don't know why I'm so worried about it?
- 10-09-2008, 12:45 PM #15
just so that u can feel better ...i have a 6 month old who wakes up every HOUR by the clock from 11 pm to 6.00am....and he is a healthy happy baby/....i guess he just can;t stay away from me!! i am looking for miracles too so pls. help.
- 10-09-2008, 12:53 PM #16Registered User
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I started my son on solids when he was 4.5 months old, partly because he seemed ready and partly because he was still waking up 3-4 times, sometimes more at night. He has always been 95 percentile and we thought solids might get him through the night. He was exclusively breastfed.
He took to solids very well, and by 8 months I had introduced pretty much every food possible (bar nuts and honey).
Introducing solids did not get him to sleep through the night. And we tried everything. Then at almost ten months he weaned himself and slept through the night at the same time.
Now he is a fantastic sleeper, both at night and day.
His not sleeping at night NEVER affected him- he was a happy, healthy, big baby who was sitting unaided at 4 months and walking at 10.5 months.
Now he is an intelligent 23 month old who will not stop talking!!
We were too waiting for a miracle that would get him to sleep- we tried everything and nothing worked. Then one day, around ten months, it was like he just got it and that was it.
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