Can someone please tell me we're doing ok???

Everytime I go see a nurse my confidence goes out the window :(

Last month when Juliette had her six month immunisations I was told to go slow on the solids so she doesn't become overweight.... So we've been doing it slowly, she has a small amount of solids most days (usually a tiny bit of fruit) and is breastfed otherwise.

Today I got her 6-8 month blue book check at the ECHN & have been told something completely different. I was told she should be having only around four breastfeeds per day (she's having 6-10 at the moment) and three solid meals. From what this nurse says, she won't take solids cos she's too full on milk all the time. She said to try her on one solids meal for a week, then two for a week then onto three, even if it's just a teaspoon or two of food, she needs to be started on solids properly.

I was intending on trying to cut out her 1-2 overnight feeds over the next six weeks, Aaron is on holidays & he can try to settle her overnight. I jut feel like having her on three solid meals in three weeks time is really pushing it.

The thing is they all use scare tactics which kill your confidence... The first one said go slow because I could cause her to be obese when she's older. The second said that she'll end up aneamic & have speech issues if she isn't properly started on solids soon. You just can't win.

GRRRRRR MCHN are here to stress mummys out and give conflicting advice!!!!!

HUGS HUN

I dont know about introducing solids properly as we are not there yet, just wanted to let you know you are not alone with being confused with info from MCHN. I have had sooo much diff things said about Jacobs slow weight gains.

You have a gorgeous happy healthy baby girl!! Keep up the good work

If it were me, I would keep doing what you're doing and stop going to the MCHN, you've gotten nothing but conflicting info from them and its doing your head in hun. She is perfect and I reckon she probably wouldn't have a bar of more solids anyway from what you've said about her and her boobies ;) She's only 7mths old, and it isn't going to matter if she's not having 3 solid meals yet - I think Alister was 9mths old before we had 3 meals, and even then it was hit and miss.

for a start you are doing great!!!

was it 2 different nurses??? which means 2 different opinions...im sure if you saw a3rd they too would have a different opinion.
go with your intuition if you think she wants more or less do it you may find that cutting out her night feeds she will want more.

you are doing a brilliant job! and congrats for bfing to here...

Sarah- I believe you know your baby and can tell if she needs more or less. I was blessed with a great MCHN so I cant comment on them bringing you down, though I have heard MANY women say the same thing ;)
Annabelle was on 2 solids at six months and only fruit and veg, fruit for lunch and veg for dinner. Then I introduced brekky she was about 7months. All this while breastfeeding. She was also having b/f during the night ;)
I think you're doing wonderfuly and your princess is beautiful ;)

Firstly I am so glad I boycotted the nurses at 4 months...

Seth didn't even want to start solids until 10 months! 3 meals at 6 months is just crazy. I would honestly go by baby, forget what they say. If she's not overly interested don't worry about it. If she's thriving, with good nappies its fine. She will get there in the end. Seth certainly isn't anemic or have any speech issues, and he's not obese either. What a load of crap I tell you.

Now I do have something for you to do. Go and stand in front of a mirror. And smile and nod, keep doing this until you feel confident enough to do it in person :)

Sarah - you are doing a great job. You know what YOUR baby needs and wants - not a MCHN.

:clap: to you. I think you are fantastic!

Pffft silly nurse.

Miss Sarah H and Little Miss Juliette - you are both doing an AMAZING job. :dance:

When I was in hospital, the MCHN there kept telling me to offer solids first, blah blah blah, despite the fact DS still eats like a horse and put on 600gms in 2wks :roll: Anyway.

There is no reason you can't take it slow with Juliette. I didn't have DS on solids fully until we went into hospital, and that was at almost 9 months. Breastmilk is still more important than solids at this age, and will still provide her with all the essential nutrients to keep her going and growing healthily.
Do what YOU want, YOU know YOUR baby and whatever YOU do will be wrong in a MCHN's eyes because they are so flipping by the book.

Is she content without solids?
Is she still sleeping?

Unless Juliette is demanding more food I say tell the nurse to shove it up her bum.

*ahem*
Off my soapbox now.
Juliette is beautiful, you are doing the best you can for her by trusting yourself. She deserves no less than that!

*mwa*

Sarah, I was actually thinking about you last night. I know, how weird right! I was thinking, I remember when Sarah was just about due with miss j, and stressing about her milk coming in, asking should she start expressing colostrum to try and encourage her milk supply to come in earlier so she can breastfeed. You were so scared and you just wanted to be able to give your gorgeous princess booby milk.

And here you are, my darling, at 7 months and still breastfeeding. You've got a GORGEOUS chubba bubba to show for it. Girl, go look at your princess and remind yourself that YOU BUILT HER. For 9 months while she was growing inside, and now for 7 months growing on the outside. What would she have done without you? She has grown and thrived BECAUSE OF YOU.

Now, **** the CHN. Don't go anymore. Sometimes I wonder why we do it, you know, we want that professional approval that we are doing the right thing, but we never friggen get it! Honey, just look at your girl. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. You are doing more than ok. You are doing fan-bloody-tastic! If you don't want to cut her down to 4 breastfeeds a day, then don't. If you do, then do it because of you, and not what some dried up old CHN (ok, projecting my own issues now, I'll stop :p) thinks is best for you.

BTW, you can't cause her to be obese if you follow her hunger cues. You're teaching her to eat when shes hungry and stop when she's full. Holding out if she wants it, or force feeding her if she doesn't, is more likely to be problematic than following her lead and her letting you know if shes hungry.

I know how you feel hun - having been there yesterday and then wondering if I am doing the right thing by my little man... Then I got home, looked at him, saw how happy and content he is, he is growing beautifully, sleeping beautifully, feeding beautifully - what more can I want.... and it sounds like Juliette is doing the same hun. FWIW Izzy was only down to 4 feeds at 12 months time - do what suits you and your baby hun, if she wants 6-8 feeds give them to her. You have heard it before but until 12 mths food is fun, she can explore tastes and textures -who cares how much and what goes in! :) As far as 3 solid meals go - Izzy doesn't have 3 some days so you just have to go with the flow. You are doing a fabulous job - keep it up. :hug:

Sarah, my DD was a champion eater but is built like an athlete. You've seen her - and I'd be prepared to bet that she bf and ate just as much as Juliette does. So ignore any obesity comments, Juliette is just storing what she needs for when she really gets moving!

Lucy wasn't that interested in solids for at least a month after I first introduced them at 6 1/2 months and even then, they were secondary. I always told myself that bm was her most important food until 12 mths and anything else was experimental. I think letting her lead you and just offering (not forcing) what you think she is ready for will help her develop the right approach to food. Have you read the ABA's booklet on 'Introducing solids'? It was a great confidence booster for me. I took the 'family foods' approach they recommended and ignored all other advice (complete with nod and smile, a la Cai!). If you like, I can lend you mine. PM me your address (it's only a small booklet).

Sarah hun, you are doing a great job. Follow your instincts and you'll be fine. Like Cai, now I know why I only saw a MCHN once or twice with DS2!

Firstly, the idea that bf babies can get anaemic is outdated. As bm is low in iron, it used to be believed that solids were needed to provide iron. Now that science is more advanced, we know that nearly 100% of the iron in bm is absorbed by the baby - as opposed to a far lower percentage of iron from any other source - the worst being iron fortified cereal from which less than 5% is absorbed. Studies have shown that bf babies that are given only bm, no solids, until 12 months, actually have higher iron levels than those that are eating food. So do not worry about anaemia.

There is a reason that bm is the most important source of nutrition until 12 months - it is the very best thing your baby can have. Many children do not have an interest in solids until 12 months or later and this is just fine.

Just keep doing what you are doing hun. You ARE doing ok. Better than ok, you are doing great. Keep up the excellent work. :hug:

You are doing a great job, Sarah. to quote Pinky McKay - "Don't let anyone "should on you"....

I don't believe anyone has asked Juliette what she wants! There is no reason to hold back on solids - at this age she can eat what she wants! Nor is there any reason to hold back on breastmilk. she will set her own levels, and in turn that will help her understand her own appetite.

Good on you

Sarah! You're doing FINE!! :hug:

Juliette is only six months - my breastfed babe wasn't much interested in solids at six months either and was still having 8 breastfeeds in 24 hours at least. He was nearly 9 months before he really started eating solids properly and wanting them.

I am pleased to report he is now a happy, healthy, solids DEVOURING two year old...who is still breastfeeding ;)

Listen to your instincts first and foremost - not someone who only sees your baby for 10 minutes a month ;) You're doing great. :hug:

PS And Barb is dead on. She'll decide the right balance of breastmilk/solids and will do a good job of it too ;)

Sarah, like the others have said, you are doing a brilliant job!

FWIW, Lexie late to start solids, and only managed 3 meals a day by about 14 months! No speech or overwight issues here.........

whaaat? most babies don't start solids till 6-7 months, if your breastfeeding I wouldn't stress over it. Chase started at 6 months and he was NOT having 3 solid meals until about 10 months!

Sarah, you're not doing ok....YOU'RE DOING GREAT!!! Fantastic, wonderful, brilliant. As the others have said, go with your instints. Mum knows best. Juliette will know when she's full or when she's hungry. Keep up the great work! :hug:

OMG Sarah, your MCHN is right! Don't you know if you feed/don't feed your baby enough/too much solids/milk she will get too fat/thin/fast/slow!?

Pffft! They can't both be right hun but they CAN both be wrong!

You're doing champion, ignore them.

Bx

You are doing o.k
You are doing o.k
You are doing o.k
You are doing o.k
You are doing o.k
You are doing o.k


Everyone has said what I wanted to say but just wanted to let you know DS almost 9 months, is really only been having 3 meals a day for the last month or so. He is still b/f at least 6 times a day upto 10 times a day still now. I too was worried about anemia because we haven't really introduced meat but as MR said they absorb lot's of iron from b/m & he also has brocoli most days which is a great source of iron if you are worried.

Actually on second thoughts NO You are doing o.k.....

In Fact You Are Doing a brilliant job

I offer 3 or 4 solid meals a day, and DS has around 7 bf's as well. He's 9 months old. Sometimes he'll scoff all the food, othertimes he'll turn up his nose and just want bf. My MCHN has no real concerns with him - she wants me to keep offering lots of different foods, and he'll work it out for himself.

I would offer J small amounts of solids reasonably often and see how she goes. If in a few months she's not eating well then maybe get concerned!

Sarah, I just wanted to pop in and say you are doing a fantastic job and should be so proud of yourself!
I never ever went to the MCHN's after the home visit, I relied on doctor visits for vacc's and weighing my DS fortnightly at my local chemist. I followed DS' queues regarding solids and would offer but not persist if he wasn't interested.
If I were you I'd stop going to the silly nurses and start listening to your gut, you're little Juliette's mummy and you know best!!

All I have to say is thank you, you guys are awesome :D

I'm feeling so much better reading everyone's responses & think I might just give up on going to the ECHN from now on. Nothing worse than making myself feel like a bad mother once a month :rolleyes:

Sarah you're doing a fabulous job. Your little princess is doing so well.

I don't have anything new to add but just wanted to stop by and say you are doing a great job.

I get conflicting info from my MCHN too. Frustrates me no end.

It sounds like you are doing a great job to me! You know your bub better than anyone :) I am always wary of MCHN comments that imply that ALL babies "should" be doing something or other by a certain age. Every baby is different, one size does not fit all!
In my experience, my DS had 1-2 meals a day by the age of 1, however they weren't exactly meals (think maybe two tables spoons of food!). I don't think he would have a bar of breakfast until he was around 2. He loved breastfeeding and obviously thought it was way better than anything else I was offering. Your bub will get there in their own time :)

I must be lucky. I have never had a bad MHN visit :)

OMG! Why is that these MCHN do this to us!! I now stick to the one nurse and make sure I get her every appt for the very same reason. I don't have an average sized baby and some of the others were making me feel inadequate, but this one looks at us as individuals and doesn't take much notice of where we are on the chart...just that everything is well with us and going in the right direction.

As for solids vs breastfeeding.... I figure that once upon a time women breastfed their babies for years because there wasn't a whole lot of other choice so breastfeeding your baby at 7 months is certainly not wrong. And at this age it is more experimental with the solids. What do they like, what do they not, what can they digest easily, what can they not etc. It will be hit and miss for quite some time, but while she is getting milk from you (or a tin for that matter) she will not starve, or be malnourished.

So I say you are doing more than OK

The two of you as a team are doing just awesome! :clap: