so the peas went horribly wrong

after i wake them from their 11-1pm nap should i try again w/solids only this time with squash???
or wait another week??

 

I think you got good feedback that said wait another month.

What's your hurry anyway?

 

it's not that i'm in a hurry i just would like them on solids by 6 months and since it takes a while to get into the swing of things and a lot of practice i wanted to get started. they will be 6 months in 2 weeks. i certainly don't want to wait unti 7 months. physically they are givig me ALL the signs, chewing, pushing the nipple out, biting, wanting to eat people food. they CAN eat from a spoon, the peas just didn't go well.

 

from reading all of your posts...i would wait

 

mine hated peas. they still spit out more than they eat. They love sweet potatoes, and squash. It won't hurt to try it. they may surprise you. BTW in the beginning, we had more babyfood on us and them than they actually ate. It took almost a month of practice before they started to enjoy it.

 

They are also giving you signs that they aren't ready, by throwing up after you feed them. I'd give those tummies a rest for at least a day and then maybe tomorrow try squash. If for some reason they didn't tolerate solids until they were 7 months old that is no big deal, it doesn't mean you are a failure of a mom or they have somehow failed and are behind other babies. All babies develop at different rates and they were 5 weeks early.

 

I would wait. I also am a bit confused what the big hurry is? ardon: I know you said you want them on Solid Food by 6 months, and I am just not sure why?? Right now, eating the pureed food is pretty much for practice until they get off formula at 1 year (or per your pedi) and move onto Table Foods and Milk. The formula is still responsible for providing nutrition up until that transition, so there really is absolutely no rush to this.

They will get it, but the only thing that these arbitrary deadlines (that you set) are going to do is stress both you and the babies out! Rather than constantly looking forward at all the things they could be/should be doing (or what you think they should be doing) try and enjoy the Now! I can promise you that it all goes by way too fast, and before you know it they aren't little babies anymore.

I know my pediatrician suggested that when introducing new foods to wait 3-5 days before moving on to a new food item, to ensure that they don't have any food allergies.

 

I think I, and others, already mentioned this on your other thread before you started, but it can take babies MONTHS to get eating solids. We started at 4 months, and it was 7 months before they would really eat solids off a spoon. 3 months of "practice" and frustration, and they did it when they were ready. If I ever do this again, I won't even start until 6 months. I feel bad that I spent months frustrated and trying to push them to do something they weren't ready to do, even if it was only once or twice a day. My advice is to give them a break. And switching around the foods quicker than the recommended one every 3-5 days is not the answer.

 

About two or three weeks ago, your babies were having major issues with formula. That barely got better and you started them on solids, which did not take well. Now, you want to try another solid, because you have decided that they should be on solids by six months.

Honestly, and I can't think of a better way to say this (and I should really, since I have two five year olds and probably could give better advice). I think you're overdoing it a bit with your babies who are still so small (totally understandable what with you being a first time mom and all). Their digestive systems need time to adjust, and just because it seems OK, and they gain the lb one month, does not mean they're ready to start the next leg.

I understand being enthusiastic, but they are babies, and premies at that. They need to lead sometimes... Every spit, gurgle, push, swallow and frown is not a sign, and again IMO you would be better off not reading so much into everything which they do. Relax, tomorrow will come and so will next week and next month.. Enjoy them, they're only small for a while.

 

it's been 4 days since stopping the peas, so they gave me all the signs that they couldn't digest them and threw up. squash i have heard is easy on the bellies so i wanted to give that a try.

most of you ladies started your kids at 4 months so i don't understand why it's an issue for me to want to get them going by 6 months.

when they ate the solids they took the bottle SOOOOOOO much better and their reflux improved. now that the solids have stopped for few days everything is worse again - could be the teething thing too but solids DID help.

yes, a lot of the advice was to wait another month but a lot of others suggested i wait a week and start with something like squash.

i don't have a deadline, they are ready - just not for peas.

 

I haven't read your other posts so I don't really know the background here that some of the other ladies seem to be referring to. However, I will say that mine HATED peas and anything else green when we first started - they would spit them out and gag and then just close their mouths so I couldn't get the spoon in. We just stopped offering those for a while and moved to sweet potatoes, and squash which they loved. They do eat green beans and peas now so don't worry that something they don't like today is going to be off the list forever! My pediatrician said to try something for three days before introducing something new and that's what we did - we tried peas for three days and they never took to them so then we started squash and they liked that and then we were able to incorporate new things and fall back on squash and sweet potatoes if they wouldn't eat the new thing because we knew that it wouldn't negatively affect them. Good luck!

 

Actually I didn't start until 6 months and it was at that point that I did cereal first. And, very thin at that.

SLOW down. There is no rush. Unless you just want to try and "force" them. If so, good luck. But you'll find that if you keep asking the same questions, those of us who have BTDT will be less willing to take the time to help you learn from our experience.

 

gee thanks. i asked because people who had BTDT had given mixed answers, wait a week try squash, wait a month, etc....sooooooo i was asking again to see if squash was a good choice since the peas didn't work.

if you don't like my questions, stop reading them.

and every child is different, so BTDT does not make you an expert...the boys are ready, despite what you may think.

but thanks for the vote of confidence...really!

 

I would wait a few weeks. Puking up entire bottles after starting something new, is a pretty good indication that their tummies are not ready.

 

:headbang:

 

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[font="arial][size="3"]Then what is the purpose of your threads asking for advice? If you're so sure, go for it.[/size][/font]

 

Well, if you really think they are ready, try something yummy - sweet potatoes if you feel you need to do veggies first, or just do a fruit. If they are ready, they'll eat fruit. If they don't, you'll know, and you won't have to go through a parade of veggies with them refusing them. But that's me. I never bought into the whole "veggies first" thing. I thought that switching to fruits (we started with sweet potatoes) would make them learn to like eating off the spoon. (NOTE - it didn't. My full-term, big babies waited until they were good and ready to stop the tongue thrusting and refusing food. I didn't listen to the wonderful advice of all the ladies here who told me to stop for awhile.)

 

Even if they are ready, there is no issue with waiting a couple of weeks and then trying again. Or, if they are tolerating the rice cereal in the bottles, then why not just do that with a spoon. Its all the same. They dont need veggies or fruits right now. They are just learning. So then just teach them with something they already can tolerate.

 

I agree with Becky.

 

The first food I gave my girls was squash but it made Amelia puke. I noticed that when she got up from her nap after eating there was orange all in her blanket and crib. I had to stop the solids for awhile and when I started again I did sweet potatoes and had better luck with that.

 

Back in my day (and it wasn't that long ago) pediatricians recommended solids at 6 months old as a general rule. Our pediatrician had us start at 4 months, only because my kids were 20lbs at that point. We started with cereal. When they are under a year it's just for practice, they really aren't getting much nutrition from solids. So there is no need to stress and there isn't a particular time when they should start by. From what you have posted today and in the past, I would wait another month and then try again.

Honestly, you will find that if you ask the same question repeatedly, you will get the same answers and at some point you will get frustrated replies. I know you want to hear that you are doing the right thing, but it seems that you only want to have people agree with you. In this kind of forum environment, you are going to get people with all sorts of different experiences and the replies will reflect that.

 

You said yourself, in this thread that you wanted them on Solids by 6 months, and you definitely did not want to wait until 7 months. That sounds like a deadline to me. It is only going to cause you and the babies frustration by forcing this on them.

I have never heard of solid foods improving reflux, if anything I would think that the acids and such in these foods would irritate it more than helping it. :umm: Maybe it was just a fluke thing, that their bottle intake was better at the same time you started solids.

You may think that they are ready, but based on everything you have shared it sounds like they may need some more time. Every child is different, but a lot of us have BTDT and are trying to help you based on our experiences.

 

ok no more questions from me....even though i got and still get mixed answers from BTDT mom's even in this thread!

GI suggested pea intolerance and to wait a week and try a new veggie, like squash so that's what i'm going to do.

as for solids helping w/reflux...yes it is possible. a friend of mine with preemie (29 weekers) had horrible reflux with her daughter, as soon as solids were introduced things got a TON better.

and a LOT of peds say to start solids at 4-6 months (going by the AAP now) if your child has more than doubled their weight...which mine have and which is why i want to start the slow and often time frustrating task of getting them on solids. GI and ped says it's ok...just try a different veg.

but rather than deal w/all of the VARIOUS responses and suggestions i get from people ranging from try another veggie, to wait a month, to try fruits first, etc....i will keep my questions solely to my doctors since yall don't want to hear them.

the boys showed an intolerance to peas, the took to eating out of a spoon wonderfully and chewed very well. alex threw up an entire bottle ONE time and i think it's because he had a burp under all his food that when it came up so did his meal. they have been throwing up a lot lately because they are teething and have a huge amount of saliva in their bellies and that's what's been coming up - spit, not food.

but thanks for the HELPFUL responses i got from the lot of you, the other BTDT mom's thanks anyway.

 

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to be another vote for waiting another month. If they are throwing up bottles after eating solids that is not doing them any good at all. The formula is where their nutrition is coming from, not the solids. So, if feeding them solids too early for their immature digestive systems is causing them to throw up the formula, they are missing out on their nutrients which they need to grow. That isn't doing them any favors. I'm not sure what your rush is for them to grow up, but in this case I really think it's best to just give their little tummies a rest for a month or so & then try again.

 

Have you noticed how many of your threads turn into debates and defensiveness? Do you see many other threads like that on here, especially in The First Year and Expecting Forums? This is such a supportive place, but it seems that any time someone answers one of your questions in a way that you don't like or want to hear, you get defensive and make comments like the above bolded.

Really, all everyone here is doing is trying to help you with your new baby boys.

 

The reason your getting "mixed answers" from those that have btdt, is because all of our babies are differant. My twins are night and day differant! One had reflux the other didn't. One loves the peas the other doesn't. There is no "right" answer to any of these questions, just what we've done. They will all be mixed answers because we are all individuals, doing our own thing.

As for the peas, do what the GI said. I also still add oatmeal to every meal of pureed food, try that. It thickens it up and they eat it better, from MY experience.

Good luck.

 

Of course you get mixed answers, because we are a very diverse, mixed group of moms who have had very varied experiences in raising our kids. That doesn't mean that you or anyone else can't learn from our experiences though.

No one is disputing the AAP's recommendations. But there is a reason that the recommendation has such a broad range, because not all babies are ready at the same time. And some babies, especially preemies will not be ready during that recommended range. The recommendation is to try to start solids during that time, but if there are signs that they are not being tolerated, it is usually recommended to stop, wait for awhile, then try again.

I don't think anyone said they didn't want to hear your questions. I think it's more of a feeling that you don't necessarily want to hear the answers, unless they agree with what you want to hear. Which is fine, take the advice & do with it what you will.

I'm sorry, but I thought from what you said in your other thread that the boys had been throwing up A LOT since starting the peas. If that's not the case, then there must have been some misunderstanding.

I think you have to realize on a forum like this, if you are going to ask questions, you are going to get answers. Some of the answers may not be what you wanted to hear, but they almost always come from a place of having been through the circumstances already and wanting to help out a fellow mom. The women (and men) on this board are incredibly supportive & helpful and have a ton of experience & wisdom, what you do with the responses is up to you.

 

I would wait another week and try rice cereal just plain for the first 2-3 days and then maybe add some butternut swash or banana to the cereal. Once they take that well, move on to butternut squash plain. That's what I would do.

 

My girls were 28 week preemie's and both of them had severe reflux. So yeah I think I can say I know a thing or two on the issue as a whole. Just because that was the case with 1 of your friends, does not mean that is the norm.

I don't understand your defensiveness on every issue. People have taken time out of their day to help and support you through this, whether you can see that or not. Of course people have varying opinions on every subject, and I think you have seen that reflected here.

It is apparent you are an expert on this issue, and don't care to hear any advice that people have to offer that is contrary to your opinions on the subject.

 

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[font="arial][color="#2C3644"]Were there any unhelpful responses here? No, just some you didn't want to see. I think you're being a little too harsh on those who mean well.[/color][/font]
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[font="arial][color="#2C3644"]And btw... Mixed answers come because every baby is different, and will always be different. [/color][/font]

 

Peas are often not tolerated as a first food. I hate that they are marketed for the first feedings because babies often cannot tolerate them. My first son had issues with them, as did my BFF's 1 year old. I would stop everything but formula and wait a week to 10 days to let their tummies settle down. Then I would go back to the beginning and start with oatmeal cereal (I believe you have done rice already). I would give them that until they are taking it and eating well. Cereal is the best practice food because it is cheap and easy for them to digest. Once they are slurping the cereal off the spoon, then start adding in veggies, then fruits.

 

thank you.

 

I would agree with this for sure, this is what I did and at 4 months when my pedi suggested it. My son had reflux and did fine. Good luck, I know it's frustrating.

 

I agree with all the PP before me. You are getting mixed answers because all babies are different! The summary and general consensus from everyone is that you should wait to start with something new - the differences of opinion have to do with how long you wait, and what you should start with next. That's where you momma's intuition is going to have to guide you.

To throw in my 2 cents. My DS has reflux, my pedi did recommend trying rice cereal on a spoon to see if that helped or not. My boys were not born early, so at 4.5 mos, I did try rice cereal off a spoon. It was a failure! :FIFblush: So then from 4.5 mos, to 6 mos, I would give them a week or two break, then on a good day, where everyone was happy, and well, maybe I'd try it again. It wasn't until about 6 mos, that there was any consistency to them eating off a spoon (during that whole time, I only offered rice cereal). Once they got the hang of eating off a spoon, their first veggie was sweet potatoes.

Good luck!

 

I agree here. Stop the veggies and just practice with single grains. Rice cereal, oatmeal. Thats good stuff. You can mix both of these cereals with juice next month. Then you can get daring and try squash.

I started the boys at 4 months once a day, and it took lots practice. By 6 months I was able to do veggies, and fruit. They had no reflux, if they did I would have been more hesitant.

I waited a full week between new foods. I really wanted to rule out allergies. MY middle son had Anaphylaxis with peanut butter, so you can never be too cautious.