More details on his doctor's visit...
He weighed in at 6.3 kilos (13 lbs., 13 oz.) and was 62 cm (24.5 in.) long, although I don't know how accurate his length was based on the way she did it. I think he's longer. Anyway, he's doing well.
Can someone help me read those growth charts?! My doctor never discusses them or mentions anything to do with them, so I look it up at home. I am confused how to read it though when he isn't following the one line. I am not concerned about his weight or length, just curious because the doctor always acts like our kid is SO huge, even though I think the growth chart says he is at the 50th percentile or just a little under!
The most interesting thing today was our conversation regarding introducing solids to him. I said that I assumed we'd start with rice cereal. He definitely did not agree with that, despite every thing I have read (including books by doctors!) and every other mother I know says to start with rice cereal. He said that would be fine if Seth were small, but Seth isn't and doesn't want him to become fat, which is what would happen if he were put on rice cereal. "I don't like fat babies," he said. "You build your fat cells by the age of two, and fat babies lead to fat adults." He said we should start with fruits and juice! Everything I have read said to do that last because fruits are sweet and babies won't eat the other bland vegetables and foods after having that. Plus, their digestive system handles the rice cereal better and is easier on the stomach because it is similar to milk. I have also read not to give your child all of that juice so young because of the sugar and extra calories and the tooth decay it can lead to at such a young age.
By no means am I a know-it-all when it comes to this stuff. I read to stay informed but don't read enough to get paranoid. It's a fine line! I am also not a doctor and have never claimed to be one. However, I don't think I am going to follow this doctor's advice and start him off on fruits and juice. It's hard to ignore everything I have heard and read from trusted people in the US. And from what I've heard from other Americans here, the Hungarians have a different approach to some of these things. One Hungarian mom here was shocked that he was still only breastfeeding even at two months of age. "We started our kids on fruit right away!" I thought she was just one mom who did that, but I am finding out that is more typical here.
If any of you know more info on this as to why I should start Seth on fruits and juice instead of rice cereal sometime in the next two months, please let me know! I just have never heard that before but want to be open-minded if that truly is better.
And sorry, no pictures today. These last couple days have just been crazy. (And I think I took PLENTY of pictures on Sunday!)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
4 months old!
Posted by Kristen at 11:36 PM
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5 comments:
He is getting so big! I always have trouble reading the percentile charts too, plus the fact that there are different ones for breastfed and formula-fed babies confuses me even more.
I think you are right on about not following the doctor's advice since it conflicts with what you know from many sources.
I personally started at 6-7 months with whole foods like banana, avocado, sweet potato b/c rice cereal is pretty processed.
This is the website I liked a lot for help with solids - http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html
I say follow your instincts and research and start with what foods you want when you know Seth is ready (Here's a list of the milestones that indicate readiness for solids - http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html)
I have a friend whose husband is from Germany, and they all start their babies on carrots. His family all thought she was weird for feeding rice cereal.
I don't have much advice for you, as I am still figuring out all of this too! Just realize that all babies are different, and if he is breastfed, he can't be fat. Also, Madi was 14 lbs. 5 oz. and 24 and 1/4 inches long at her 5 month appointment, so Seth is definitely not fat. He's growing in length as well.
Grandpa says give him ice cream and get him ready for when he comes for his visit!
Coming from a nutrition major in college..."Do not restrict fat for children under two years of age." Now, that obviously does not mean to feed them ice cream or cookies all the time. But it does mean that you should not restrict (such as giving him Vitamin D milk until the age of two, not skim or 1%).
*The reason they suggest rice cereal first is due to allergies. Other foods (citrus fruits) can cause allergies in some children. But if you start with rice cereal, it is less allergenic than others. I don't think it really matters which fruit or veggies you start him on. (As long as you stay away from strawberries, oranges, blueberries the first yr of life). Supposedly you should also stay away from mangos too, since they are a citrus. I didn't knwo that and gave them to Daniel, but he never had a reaction.
*The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding the first 4-6 months of life. But after that, they do need other nutrients that will not be in the breastmilk (iron- this is why the US recommends iron fortified rice cereal for the first food).
As for juice, it does have a lot of sugar. But when he gets older you can just dilute it with water. But I have no idea why the doctor would recommend juice over rice cereal. Juice has a lot of dense calories with very little nutrients in it.
*I think this information is correct. I was trying to think back to when I was nursing Daniel and when I took my infant nutrition class in college. I'm not trying to sound like a "know it all", because I don't know it all...but since you are my sister, I think you could figure that out.
keep feedin' him whatever you already are, he looks like a stud! (he must get it from the dunham side)
-josh
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