On Mon, 25 Aug 1997 12:06:55 -0400 Robyn Kozierok <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>>Good point.  This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that
>>babies from allergic families be exclusively breastfed for one whole
year.
>> This means nothing at all except human milk for the entire first year.
>
>I've never heard this position from the AAP.  They do recommend no milk
>other than human milk, but I've *never* heard them recommending no
solids.

I've never seen this position by the AAP either.  I've seen it from WHO
(World Health Organization), but that's a BIG difference in groups.

>Developmentally it's not a great idea because babies are "primed" to
learn
>to eat at around 6-9 months of age.  Giving no solids until the first
>birthday *may* make sense from an allergy standpoint but not a
developmental
>one, IMO.  Of course allergic babies should be introduced to only the
most
>hypo-allergenic solids first.

This is exactly the reason I've seen for not delaying the introduction of
solids.  It's supposed to be a time to learn, not all that much for
nutrition.  Breastmilk and/or formula should still be a large part of
their diet.  That's why you start with rice cereal and add simple fruits
and the orange veggies.

> Also, my baby was back to nursing every 2 hours
>day and night by 6.5 months, when we finally introduced solids.  He
really
>did seem to need more than just breastmilk at that stage, although it
took
>several months for him to "get into" eating, and we never pushed (at 14
>months he still eats only about 15 different foods, but now loves to eat
>and is moving along well introducing 1-2 new foods/week).

My daughter was down to nursing every 2 hours or LESS by four months.
She would have these marathon nursing sessions each evening where she
sort of stocked up for the big night's sleep.  I was physically and
mentally exhausted.  By the time daddy got home from work, she was in
"power suck" mode and I couldn't get a break at all.  There were days I
needed to peel her off of me!  So we started solids on the early side of
recommended (between 4 and 6 mo).  She's done very well with them so far.
 At 5 1/2 months, she gets 2 meals of solids a day and still nurses 6 or
7 times a day.  This was also before we really got into figuring out this
whole allergy thing so we didn't see any problem with it.  I wish I'd
have waited a bit longer, but I was running out of stamina to keep up
with her.

>Anyhow, if this is truly the position of the AAP I'd be very intersted
>to see a reference!  My ped was barely supportive of what I thought the
>official position was, of delaying solids until at least 6 months.

Our pediatrician asked at our 4 month checkup if she was on solids yet
fully expecting that she was.  I'd like to see those references also
because I've never come across any position by the AAP for that.

Kathy