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MR - your words have come across as preaching hon. Pantswearer was asking for advice not to be preached at. Popularity has nothing to do with it.
If I went by research results and what the expert's have told us I would have
a) a child who would have probably given me PND due to his reflux
b) an autistic child who would be to far withdrawn to go to a main stream school
c) attending my baby boys funeral
I think that Raven and Manta have simply raised a suggestion... now it's up to you to work out what to do with that suggestion. Suggesting something is different from critising ;) Whilst we might like to think of a thread being "ours" if we start it it's not really... it's a public discussion and everyone who reads the things people post in here could be influenced one way or another. And something which might be right for one baby will be very wrong for another. I'm not saying what you are doing is right or wrong... I am a big believer in instinct when it comes to mothering. for example I placed all my babies on their tummies to sleep (I won't go into the reasons) but finally it was endorsed by a paed and finally i felt better about it. I have spoken about this in BB threads and felt defensive but I tried to remember that guidelines are there for a good reason for the majority... there will always be special cases but BB does have a responsibility to make sure that people at least know the guidelines.
Have you tried rice cereal mixed with a bit of formula? Rice is a gentler food generally that wheat.
ETA: another suggestion; maybe ask the Mods to remove the two question marks in the thread title... they make it seem like you are asking whether solids at 3 months is ok or not.
PW, I am sorry that you felt my post was inappropriate. I can understand why you feel that way and I apologise for upsetting you. I am glad that your decision is working for you, and if you are happy with it, you should stand by it no matter what anyone else says. :hug:
However I stand by my decision to post also. My discussion of the guidelines was aimed at anyone else reading the thread who might not be aware and not at you. It does happen that people read something such as your thread and then decide on their own, with no medical advice, to give solids as it seems like the answer to all their reflux problems. In some cases it might be, but this does not mean it is the right thing for everyone. That is why I felt it necessary to point out the guidelines and to advise others to review their own individual circumstances.
Sorry Courts, I thought it was like an appointment or something :redface: didn't know what tweedle was.
Oh thats ok, no need to apologise at all:
MR - I have been discussing this with my GP and I agree each baby is different and has different needs.
I think Bath has said it very well, Raven was making a suggestion, and MR was pointing out the guidelines for the benefit of anyone else reading this thread, not for the OP.
TBH, I am almost too scared to post in here, but I'm going to do it, and hope that I don't offend anyone in the process. I too am a BIG believer in following your instincts as a parent. But sometimes we all need gentle reminders, I know I have along the way. My DS suffered with reflux (and so did we all). It was a particularly trying time, and I just didn't know what would help him most. It was suggested (by whom, I can't remember) that we try solids at 4-5 months to see if they would help. My gut told me this was not the right thing for my boy, so we didn't. I am SO pleased and relieved now that I didn't, as he has turned out to have a number of allergies, which would surely have been exacerbated by the early introduction of solids. There are strong links between babies who suffer from reflux having allergies, and my DS is one of those, I just I didn't know it at the time.
If anyone wants more info on reflux/breastfeeding/formula feeding (yes we did both)/solids, then please feel free to PM me.
Maz, I understand what you're saying, the 'experts' aren't always right. I certainly choose my 'experts' carefully, so that I can trust them, because I am generally untrusting of the medical profession. But sometimes, often in fact, the guidelines are quite accurate. I totally understand it's quite individual, which is why I think it's unhelpful for anyone to say that because it worked for them, or their child, that it's okay for the next person to do the same. I hope you get where I'm coming from :hug:
Can I point out - that despite the recommendations - the OP has openly discussed in this thread that she is off to a unit that will help her with her PND. To anyone that has not had it, it is a completely debilitating condition and you have enough doubts in your parenting and in making your parenting decisions without then being criticised when you do. Often it is difficult posting outside of the private forum for fear of judgement.
We may or may not agree but COURTS was asking for advice with how to deal with the professionals she will see there. There are countless threads on BB that debate the introduction of solids and even I feel as though some of you are underestimating the general intelligence of an individual if they look at this ONE thread and take it as advice... know what im saying?
I think you have all made great points about the guidelines, but when you're struggling you don't need to struggle more.
ETA: I meant to add - it's worthy of understanding what shoes someone is standing in before you make them feel as if they are being unreasonable when they become upset or irritated when reciving unasked for replies... In this situation it greatly influences self doubt and the way you feel of yourself as a mum.
:clap:
Hi Courts, I would also like to reiterate what was said about the weet-bix - it is too high in salt and their little kidneys just can't handle it - that's not to say you should stop solids if it's working for you, because it sounds like it is helping, but just switch it to something else - raffertys do a fab cereal that isn't like the glue that heinz calls farex ;) so maybe it will be worth giving that a try instead.
FWIW, I think it sounds very important to you that you continue as he is happier and therefore you are able to cope easier yourself :hug: Dont forget though that milk always has to come first, but if the little bit of solids he has afterwards helps with his reflux issues (I know, I have been there too) then go with that. I don't think the folk at Tweedle will mind about the solids, afterall their priority is you. And the recommendations change all the time depending on the latest research. When my eldest was a baby the recommendation was for formula fed babies to start solids at 4mths, so that's what we did. But by the time my youngest was that age, the recommendations were for 6 months for both formula and BF babies.
MantaRay wasn't being critical or judgemental at all, but she was posting out of necessity just in case someone reads this and isn't sure about it as every baby is different and what is working well for you and your situation may not work for someone else kwim?
All the best :)
I agree CookieMonster.
However I did cringe reading the thread as I felt common courtesy and respect was not used by some of the posters.
I wasn't criticizing you just stating that you may want to rethink feeling him weetbix.
yes weetbix isn't meant for under 12 months.
We used the organic baby cerial.
Just for those arguing about allergies and food, Jaidan was my only early fed baby, I started him on food at 3 months because I misread a growth spurt to him being hungry for more than breastmilk. He is the only one who has allergies.
It wasnt meant to turn into a debate.
thanks to those who game me advice without making me feel stupid & overwhelmed
:hug: Courts. It is early days yet, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
But please, you asked for advice, and some gave it. We all won't give the same advice and that's okay. You need to pick and choose what will work for you based on where you're at in your journey. I'm pretty sure no-one tried to make you feel inadequate, they were just giving information which you are welcome to take or leave.
Please try not to feel attacked, feel supported, because we all want to see you do well! :hug:
I wasn't trying to attack you hun, just inform you. I was in your position once (not reflux but constant crying because of hunger) and turned to solids because I didn't know what else to do (I now know that I could have just fed him more often and persevered for another couple of weeks and it would have been over.
Jaidan now has a lot of allergies to foods, they make him come out in a rash. With no family history and him being the only one the doctors and I believe the cause was feeding him too early at 3 months (I think he was a little bit younger). Like you I fed weetbix, because I had no idea it wasn't good for children under 12 months. I now know that I should have waited and with I was more informed at the time because of the irreversable damage it's done :(
It's important to hear all sides, even if it's not what you want to hear.
There are other options for reflux, have you looked into them?
Thickened formula which is what helped my nephew a lot.
Medication to neutralise the acid and stop it burning.
Propping the cot mattress up so it's on a 45 degree angle.
Changing the size of the teat.
Wearing in an upright sling and carrying the baby as much as possible.
Burping more frequently
Having smaller bottles more often
Remembering that most babies grow out of reflux early, and very few go on to have it past 2 years.
Wow, okay.
Firstly, I think if you're truly comfortable with what you're feeding your baby, no one here could possible make you feel stupid about it.
I understand you have PND and I get you are feeling overwhelmed. But there are many people, including me, who have kids with conditions that make them prone to allergies who generally will impart well-meaning advice to try to ensure that another mother doesn't go through what we go through. That's not criticism, that's advice, from people who have BTDT (from both sides of the 'debate' btw).
I would hate for any mum who started solids early to then find out at 2 years of age that their child has allergies/eczema/asthma, where withholding solids may have assisted. Fix the reflux now, yep, but only to find out later that it exascerbates another condition you didn't know about so early on? How are you to know what's in the future unless someone tells you what's possible?
That way, you make your decision knowing EVERYTHING.
But if you truly don't want any advice at all that is contrary to what you're doing, just say so. But I think it's pretty fair for a mod to mention in this thread (as a sort of disclaimer for anyone reading) that it isn't recommended to feed your child weetbix at 3 months of age (even by the makers of weetbix).
Good luck with it all, hun.
MCHN tells me that as long as its not more than 1 teaspoon of weetbix then it should b e fine, he has decided to dislike them anyway, he is having his farex in his morning bottle.
When I was at Tweddle they asked that I dont feed him while I was there so i was sneaking it into his bottle in the morn and just havnt stopped,