Why?

-Shannon- · #1 March 6th, 2006, 12:01 PM

Just curious as to why some people don't want to start their babies on solids? Is is because of allergies? I am just wondering how everyone feels about it.

playwithlights · #2 March 6th, 2006, 12:06 PM

i will be startin gage on them in a couple of weeks. i have no problem with it. i think he needs em anyways.

_Rebecca_ · #3 March 6th, 2006, 12:08 PM

For me it is allergies. My oldest dd has an anaphylaxis reaction to peanuts and pumpkin seeds.

djs61111 · #4 March 6th, 2006, 12:12 PM

I am sure you will get alot of responses, I have read a ton of things about allergies to diabetes to obesity.
I havent started Ella simply becuase she only eats 4-5 oz at a time and I just dont feel she is quite ready. My youngest had to have cereal in his bottle at 2 weeks (every bottle) because of reflux and diarhea and I didnt start my second on cereal until 4.5 months. They are both very slender boys w/no signs of any allergies. I will start Ella when I feel she is ready. All babies are different and some need it sooner than others, its a personal choice.

~Trina~ · #5 March 6th, 2006, 12:30 PM

I haven't started Joshua for a couple reasons.

1. He's only eating about 6 oz every 3 hours or so ... so he's obviously not overly hungry

2. For the most part, IMO they aren't really necassary at this point .. its messy and time consuming ..and there is really no nutritional value in cereal, so I wait as long as possible

3. Here's my biggest reason...and to me its HUGE. I've read a LOT of studies regarding the increased risk of diabetes. Now, we all know I am not a fan of most studies because you can find a study that will tell you whatever you WANT to believe if you look hard enough. However, this particular link seems pretty strong .....and well, it's personal for me. In 2003, I rushed a poor little 2 year old to the emergency room while his parents were away on their honeymoon because he got VERY sick in a very short amount of time. He was airlifted to Mayo Clinic after they did bloodwork and found his blood sugar levels to be 1500!! (YES... FIFTEEN HUNDRED!!) He was in an acute state of DKA ... from the ONSET of diabetes. He was a completely healthy (or so it seemed) child one day ... and the next night I was watching him have seizures in an ICU bed hooked up to tons of machines and breathing equipment. His blood became so acidic from the intensely high blood sugar levels that it litearlly killed his brain and he died 2 days later when life support was turned off. I was in my first trimester with Kira at the time and it was a horribly tramatic situation for me. I've never seen a child die before ...and to this day I still have nightmares. To me, anything that shows such a strong risk of diabetes is just not worth the chance to take. It's a personal thing to me, and I don't expect anyone who hasn't been in that kind of situation to understand or agree with me. But I'll hold off until just before 6 months.

Are you sorry you asked?? LOL

faithbaby · #6 March 6th, 2006, 12:43 PM

We had a public health nurse to our last "mum's group" and she said that here in Canada they are just in the process of changing the recommendation from starting babies on solids from 4 months to now 6 months due to the possible onset of allergies and illnesses (like Trina mentioned, diabetes) that are out there.

So for us, we'll wait till 6 months, but every baby and parent is so different do what you think is best for you and your baby.

ivyd · #7 March 6th, 2006, 01:15 PM

Eden is now 5months and I started her. She eats rice cereal and step 1 veggies! She loves it, but still doesn't really know how to eat it. I feel she told me when she was ready. See Eden slept through the night since she was born and about 2weeks ago she started waking up once about 2am. I think she wasn't getting full. So I started. No biggie, she'll live. LOL Heck, 2others survived me.

#8 March 6th, 2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

I haven't started Joshua for a couple reasons.

1. He's only eating about 6 oz every 3 hours or so ... so he's obviously not overly hungry

2. For the most part, IMO they aren't really necassary at this point .. its messy and time consuming ..and there is really no nutritional value in cereal, so I wait as long as possible

3. Here's my biggest reason...and to me its HUGE. I've read a LOT of studies regarding the increased risk of diabetes. Now, we all know I am not a fan of most studies because you can find a study that will tell you whatever you WANT to believe if you look hard enough. However, this particular link seems pretty strong .....and well, it's personal for me. In 2003, I rushed a poor little 2 year old to the emergency room while his parents were away on their honeymoon because he got VERY sick in a very short amount of time. He was airlifted to Mayo Clinic after they did bloodwork and found his blood sugar levels to be 1500!! (YES... FIFTEEN HUNDRED!!) He was in an acute state of DKA ... from the ONSET of diabetes. He was a completely healthy (or so it seemed) child one day ... and the next night I was watching him have seizures in an ICU bed hooked up to tons of machines and breathing equipment. His blood became so acidic from the intensely high blood sugar levels that it litearlly killed his brain and he died 2 days later when life support was turned off. I was in my first trimester with Kira at the time and it was a horribly tramatic situation for me. I've never seen a child die before ...and to this day I still have nightmares. To me, anything that shows such a strong risk of diabetes is just not worth the chance to take. It's a personal thing to me, and I don't expect anyone who hasn't been in that kind of situation to understand or agree with me. But I'll hold off until just before 6 months.

Are you sorry you asked?? LOL[/b]

I was going to respond...but Trina did it for me!

-Shannon- · #9 March 6th, 2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Are you sorry you asked?? LOL[/b]

Not at all. I had no idea two months made such a big difference! I did start my girls with cereal at 4 months and have only fed Joshua one time. But, after hearing your story, I might wait the next two months before feeding him again. Do you know why two months can make that much of a difference? That is scary!

Thanks for all of your inputs! I was just curious!

_Brandy_ · #10 March 6th, 2006, 01:26 PM

For me, like Trina said, increase in diabetes (which we have in our family), increased risk of allergies (again a family history). It is also time consuming and messy! LOL! The main source of nutrition until 1 year is milk and it is a lot easier for me to just nurse at this point.

~Trina~ · #11 March 6th, 2006, 01:34 PM

URGH I had a whole response typed out and when I hit the send button .... i got page cannot be displayed ... and I lost it!

Basically what I said was ..... I can't remember enough of the specific details to recite them without running the risk of making a miniscule error and have someone from another board see this and trash it all LOL ...

I read tons when Kira was a baby and refreshed it all again recently (to make sure I was aware of changes) ... and the lowest point of risk for diabetes is starting solids between the ages of 5 and 6 months. The highest window of risk is before 4 months ....and suprisingly (at least to me!) the 2nd highest window for risk is starting AFTER 6 months and before 9 months. It generally has to do with the maturity and the functionality of the digestive system and the pancreas ..... it appears a baby is doing just fine and then wham one day when they are older... you find yourself in the ER and a diabetes diagnosis.

Soooo, I'll start here in a week or two ... when he's between the 5 and 6 month window ...and who knows... he may end up being diabetic anyways .... only time will tell. But at least I won't look back on this time and wonder right? *shrug*

kate's menagerie · #12 March 6th, 2006, 02:31 PM

For me, like the other ladies said, it's because of things I've read about allergies and other issues. But the biggest thing is that I'm fine with feeding him when he wants and he's still satisfied so I'm going to hold off until 6 months.

#13 March 6th, 2006, 09:12 PM

I am waiting with Ben because of the issues we already have with him. He is just now starting to straighten out and I do not want a set back!

I think Tyler was probably around 4-5 months when we started him...very little bits of cereal. He had intestinal issues also.

Sorry I can never give any information on Justin, He was taken away from me by my ex-husband in a bitter divorce. Long, sad story nobody wants to hear. I was more or less estranged from 5 months to about 8 months.