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Pony: If solids be the food of love...
4.23.2007
My mom has been pretty good at not being the typical grandmother-knows-best. She gives me tons of support and defers to my judgement. With one exception.
We have been having a friendly debate over introducing solids into G's diet. At almost 3 months, G. is growing big and strong with breastmilk. In fact, he loves the stuff so much, he has taken to grabbing Chris's chest hairs with both hands and ploughing his face forward with great, greedy expectation. What? Nothing there?
"In my day...."
In my mother's day, they gave baby solids at just a few days old. They discouraged breastfeeding. La leche league was filled with people who encouraged you to breastfeed until your child was five.
In my mother's day, no one had the allergies they have today. "Maybe that is because they just gave them a little pablum in the bottle...."
These days, everyone from naturopaths to the World Health Organization say that "breast is best" and not to introduce solids until six months.
Abi pointed me to this great site that provides links to the plethora of resources that recommend delaying the introduction of solid food into the baby's diet. It details the logic behind that assertion, from decreased risk of allergies, obesity, and respiratory infections to data on how the infant digestive system matures.
I emailed her some of these sources, but she still seemed unimpressed: "Next generation they will say something else... I am sure a little bit of rice cereal will help him sleep through the night."
sigh. I give up.
Then yesterday, she came over with cakes and muffins for, perhaps, the tenth time this month. And it was at that point I realised: It was not all about being right or asserting control. It was that in my family and especially for my mom, food=love (coupled, strangely, with an obsession with weight). And by not letting her feed G. until he is 6 mos., I am denying her a very important conduit of affection.
So don't worry! After another night of feeding G every 2.5 hours, I will, with pleasure, hand over the bib and spoon and sippy cup or whatever as soon as the time is right. Let the countdown begin. In the meantime, love can also be transferred through changing diapers.
