Dr wants us to start solids

[mrsdee1982]

Just got back from C's 4 month check up.  She is our tiny little bean pole.  

Height - 25.25 inches - 87%
Weight - 12.38 pounds - 13%
Head Circ - 15.5 inches - 16%

The doctor is a little concerned, since her growth curve for weight has dropped pretty dramatically.  

Birth - 83%
1 month - 60%
2 months - 28%
4 months - 13%

So, she said C's reflexes are really strong and she thinks she'll tolerate solids well, so she wants us to begin giving her 1 "meal" (3-4 bites) a day, in addition to her normal nursings/bottle feeds (6-8 times a day).  


I think I want to avoid baby cereal/oatmeal, because I kind of feel like those are not as nutritious as fruits/veggies, but I also really don't know.  I want to make all her purees to begin with.  

So, any advice on how to start?  

[erbear]

My LO is smaller than yours. I hope they don't push solids on us; I don't want her to have them until 6 months. :/

[Widget123]

Im not a pedi but what ive read said that starting solids early is actually going to have the opposite effect as breastmilk/formula has more calories than solids

Im on mobile but here is an article from kellymom for example

kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-when/

Eta and baby is likely going to drink less milk/formula, not consume more with the added solids

[mrsdee1982]

erbear - Hopefully they don't push it on you. Our option is this or supplement multiple feedings a day with formula, which we don't want to do. So, we'll try this first. We go back in a month for a weight check.

For what it's worth, they aren't concerned because of her size, they are concerned because her growth curve is dropping, and at this point it should be staying pretty consistent. So, as long as your LO is consistent with the growth chart, they probably won't be concerned.

[erbear]

She's been consistently small, so there's that!

A friend of mine has a baby three weeks older than LO and he's much bigger. They use the same pedi and I just saw pics of him eating banana and "loving it".

[baytosa2013]

We go on Monday to see the Dr. I haven't researched yet but what is the benefit to waiting till 6 months versus starting now if the dr recommends or ok's?

[ashbash]

Oct 2, 2015 18:49:17 GMT -5 mrsdee1982 said:

erbear - Hopefully they don't push it on you. Our option is this or supplement multiple feedings a day with formula, which we don't want to do. So, we'll try this first. We go back in a month for a weight check.

For what it's worth, they aren't concerned because of her size, they are concerned because her growth curve is dropping, and at this point it should be staying pretty consistent. So, as long as your LO is consistent with the growth chart, they probably won't be concerned.

Sounds like you have a good pedi and and understandable but no alarming concern for the dropping of her curve.

I researched the heck out of food for DD1, as its really important to me and she was always tiny. I ended up going with mashed avocado thinned out with BM. And it couldnt be easier - cut up a few chunks of avocado, mash really well with a fork, pull out boob and squirt a few times into the bowl, mix and done

For a baby on the small side I feel healthy fats and easily digestible were most important and avocado fits the bill

Good luck! Hopefully starting solids is a fun endeavor for both of you

[dogmama22]

This was the straw that broke the camel's back with our ped. It doesn't make sense to start solids if baby is dropping growth curves. Our little guy is finally increasing growth curves, but his was due to a posterior tongue tie that the ped didn't want to acknowledge. We supplemented with pumped feedings until his revision healed and he consistently started taking 4-5oz at the breast. He's been jumping percentiles ever since. I would recommend seeing an IBCLC, doing a weighted feeding and seeing what they have to say. They can probably help you skip the formula and solids until you're ready. We plan to do baby led weaning around 6 months.

[erbear]

@badwolf321, was your LO also dropping in percentiles or just small, too?

[billyhorrible]

I agree with Widget123 and dogmama22 in that breastmilk is going to be more calorie dense than solids. I understand your doctor's concern about the curve, but there are other options outside of solids or formula. Do you want to start solids or are you just feeling pressure from your doctor?

[sabrinaml]

Cole had his 4 month appt yesterday. At the end I asked his pedi about starting food and he said I could but to remember at this age it's still for fun (which I had already known). But I asked because little man gained almost 5 pounds in 2 months! We've been doing rice in his bottle since he was 2 months to help with spitting up. Then I tried oatmeal with him around 3 months figuring what's the difference if I spoon feed it to him over putting some in his bottles (and I figured oatmeal has a little more nutrition than the rice.) I'll probably start on green beans or peas, though I'm very excited to try avocado. Our pedi also said to feed him in the morning that way if it doesn't agree with him we've got all day to get it out of his system and hopefully no one is up all night. And only stage one before 6months.

[nchauhan]

mrsdee1982, my friend was in the exact same situation. She started with sweet potatoes (like two bites) mixed with breast milk and then went to avocados mixed with breast milk. She swears that it helped her kid climb back onto her growth curve and that she slept better. But that may just be anecdotal advice.

edited to add that I just saw that @jemomma, pretty much already said this same thing about which foods to start

[mrsdee1982]

billyhorrible - Dr is concerned about her dramatic drop on the charts. I wasn't going to do solids until closer to 6 months. I think we will start with a few bites of avocado mashed up with breast milk. I'll report back and let ya'll know how it goes.

@badwolf321 - we have to go back for weight checks too. We'll see if this makes any difference.

[billyhorrible]

Oct 3, 2015 13:32:13 GMT -5 mrsdee1982 said:

billyhorrible - Dr is concerned about her dramatic drop on the charts. I wasn't going to do solids until closer to 6 months. I think we will start with a few bites of avocado mashed up with breast milk. I'll report back and let ya'll know how it goes.


Well if you want to wait, my doctor is very much a "wait till 6 months" guy. We had an issue with BH because his height is at such a greater percentile than his weight, that his BMI was 1%. 8% is the lowest they like to see. So he advised me to add in 1-2 nursing sessions a day instead of supplementing with anything else.

[txngrl31]

We went to our four month appointment last week and the DR told us we could start solids when we feel ready, no rush. She recommended rice cereal, then oatmeal and then vegetables. She told us to make it fun by feeding her during our meal times- maybe at the table with us when we eat dinner.

I plan to try rice cereal this week!

[gilder40]

Little bit had her four month appointment on the 22nd, and she's a tiny one too. She weighed 12 lbs 3 oz. It was actually a couple of weeks after she hit four months, but that was the earliest we could get in. Our doctor was pleased with her growth, she's up to the 30th percentile in weight from being off the chart. He said I don't have to worry about solids yet. Just keep nursing her and pumping like we have been. We will see what they say at her six month appointment. Geez, I can't believe that will be in a little over a month!!!