A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

sister in law refusing to feed baby solids until 6 months


Posted: Aug 17, 2014

obviously this is her first baby.  She has been reading all of the articles and message boards/blogs where people breastfeed exclusively until 6 months of age.  Well this is fine and dandy, when she mentioned her intentions early on in her pregnancy I didn't really care, it's not my kid and none of my business.  However I noticed a few days ago my nearly 5 month old niece was excessively smacking her lips at a family dinner and screamed out a few times while watching us eat.  They say the baby cries inconsolably for a few hours every night.  I'm thinking, FEED THIS KID!!! I know it's not child abuse because they are giving her breast milk.  But she also had to have several visits immediately after birth because she was not gaining weight as a breast fed baby.  

For all of you who have new babies in the family what is the norm now?  I know I gave my boys the tiniest bit of baby cereal in their bottles just to help them feel satisfied around 4 months of age.  I know guidelines change but when your child is obviously hungry doesn't that mean it's time to feed them?

I don't want to interfere, I guess I am hoping you all say the same thing so I can put my mind at ease.  Thanks!!

;

That's what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends - link

[ In Reply To ..]
If the baby is not gaining weight properly, then that is an issue your SIL needs to discuss with her pediatrician. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with an infant being breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months.

Good Grief - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I would say if the baby was content and meeting normal weight milestones, then there wouldn't be a problem.

The fact that this poor baby is smacking his lips when others are eating and cries inconsolably for hours and is not meeting weight milestones, tells me (who is not a pediatrician) that something is wrong here. I personally think what she's doing is cruel. She could at least do as you did and introduce some baby cereal or something. Where did she get this notion that only breast milk should be used until 6 months? Did she get confused? It doesn't have to be all or nothing. She can still breast feed, but she should also be giving the poor kid some pureed or cereal-type food.

Unfortunately, the authorities wouldn't view this as neglect or abuse, but I wonder if her pediatrician knows that she is only giving breast milk.

Neighbor close to me and I had babies - about the same time

[ In Reply To ..]
This was years ago but her baby would cry and cry and she absolutely refused to feed except every 4 hours. I could not believe it then.

That is so mean - see msg please

[ In Reply To ..]
That is so horribly mean to let a baby cry for hours, no matter what the reason. Awful. My husband's mother did that to him, and he learned to not trust his own appetite instincts and ended up extremely obese later in life when he had control over his own eating, and as a result has all sorts of health problems.

I don't know why people are so cruel to their own babies.

These Same People - see msg
[ In Reply To ..]
These same people who let their babies cry for hours are probably the same ones who wouldn't let an animal whimper for 2 seconds.

The kid is showing signs of distress, and the mother not believing in solid foods until 6 months is not sufficient reason to neglect the kid's needs. Selfish of her.
I breastfed on demand for well over a year. - Old Hippie
[ In Reply To ..]
I gave birth for first time at age 40 at home in a pool under the watchful eye of an awesome older granola-head midwife. Baby was put on breast immediately, skin-to-skin contact, cord still attached to the placenta still inside me, no rush to clamp the cord, no pressure to do anything but just "exist" in the moment.

I hardly ever left the house but when I did, I breastfed on demand, in public if necessary, because a baby doesn't cry for no reason. I also wore my baby everywhere, which was a total blast. As she was always with me, if she ever showed interest in something that I was eating (never did do baby food), I would let her play with it, but she didn't really start eating food with any sort of regularity until 10 months or so, about when she started to sprout teeth. She ate what I ate, just smooshed up with my fork or made teeny tiny bite size. I remember hunks of soft broccoli being her favorite to gnaw on and pretty much every type of fruit. Breastfed for comfort (bedtime w/story) until age 2; her only illness EVER was about 3 days of a minor cold/stuffy nose. I fully believe that breastfeeding is responsible for her wonderful health.

We have also coslept since day 1 and still do to this day even though she is 2-1/2 and we are loving every minute of it. We have never been happier as a couple and have been married for 20 years.

I'm old enough to thankfully not care about what anyone thinks of what I do, or how I do it, except for my baby. Our parents and in-laws are long since deceased, so no worry about "this is how I did it" unsolicited advice. I have always listened to my own body and now I listen to my baby's.

Moms, new moms especially, can't win for losing. Be there if she asks for help but otherwise, unless there is downright child neglect, please just observe.
:)
Great job! - Mary Roach
[ In Reply To ..]
Ideal and wise way to bring up one's own child. Just in my opinion, what is best for each child is between the parent(s) and the pediatrician. It is no one else's business. Thank you for being such a great Mom! (BTW, breastfed for 2-1/2 years and coslept for 2-1/2, at which time she moved in to sleep with her sisters, as she did not wish to nor did she need to sleep alone. She only had one brief virus as a baby and was not sick until she went to elementary school. She is the healthiest of our three children still to this day and is very happy and well adjusted.)

I think I started feeding cereal - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
(just cereal plus breast feeding, no other foods) at 3 months or 4 months. However, I don't think that is a must. It depends on the baby. I also think if the baby is not gaining weight, SIL is probably not feeding long enough on 1 breast. For some reason, the idea that you had to switch breasts (because the first one would run out? LOL, not correct) was instilled in me 14 years ago. When I finally read a good book about breast feeding, it said not necessary to switch breasts in 1 sitting. Switch to the other side for next feeding only. If you switch, they get too much thin milk and not enough of the fat-containing rich milk. I don't remember the technical terms for the skim and fat milk. LOL. It's been 11 years since I breast fed. Anyway. I would not be surprised if that is the issue. However, I would have started giving my child cereal by now. I totally agree with you.

While on the subject of kids with first foods - how about this

[ In Reply To ..]
Was at a theater the other night and saw 2 children, apparently siblings, and one looked to be about 5, the other 3 and both had pacifiers in their mouths. Ugh! I hate to see that after a certain age.

You know what? It is still not your child - Mind your own

[ In Reply To ..]
You don't know how much the child eats or does not eat when you're not around. There are a lot of babies who don't gain weight immediately on breast milk but then they end up doing fine. Unless you're privy to the child's medical records, you don't know.

Baby cereal is made from grain and grain is horribly, horribly bad for a child less than 6 months old. Horrible.

Stay out of this.

you are right, it is not my child and I have not said anything - but when my mother brought it up

[ In Reply To ..]
I was concerned too. But we still won't say anything unless she loses more weight.

Pediatrician said breast feed to a year - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
This was 10 years ago. He was not a particularly gung ho natural type, so I was really surprised when, at 6 months, I eagerly asked, what food should I start with and he informed me breast feeding until a year was recommended and completely adequate.

Seems I remember a lot of people associating allergies and stomach problems with feeding solids and semi-solids early also

So, anyway, not unheard of to breastfeed for up to a year. I have also heard it said (advice during second child about 7 years ago) that if they are showing great interest in food to go ahead and introduce foods at about 6, but that breast feeding should still be the primary source of nutrition.

primary source of nutrition, yes but to wait a year to - introduce solids? Wow

[ In Reply To ..]
I would be afraid they would have issues once you did introduce solids wanting to eat everything in sight and becoming overweight.

Agree - And...

[ In Reply To ..]
...the baby is already showing signs of needing something more. Smacking lips while others are eating, not gaining weight, and unconsolable crying are 3 pretty serious signs that something is amiss here.

As to the grain discussion, I guess you'd prefer to have the kid starve, eh? Grains have been around for centuries and babies have done quite well on them. So, you'd prefer to torture the child, apparently, by starving the kid. Sweet.
Who said anything about starving the kid - I just said no grain
[ In Reply To ..]
Baby-led weaning folks. There is solid evidence that giving a baby cereal grains before 6 months of age does damage to their digestive system.

If the baby is not getting enough satisfaction from breast milk, there's no reason to not give her mashed up table food - what you're eating.

It works for a lot of people out there.

Grains are bad for humans period. I don't care that they have been around for centuries. The human body did not evolve to digest them.
Especially not modern franken-wheat - !!!
[ In Reply To ..]
Agree, especially not the high-yield dwarf wheat developed in the latter half of the 20th century. If I won't eat it, I sure wouldn't feed it to an infant.

didn't really happen that way - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
being a breast feeder, I always cringe at those routine feeding times and people trying to cram in the rest of that bottle. Of course, I had to live with wondering if he was getting anything. He seemed to, he grew, but you always wonder, there's no fill level on the side of the ___.

Yeah, the pediatricians example to me was that he had a mother with twins that was still only breast-feeding at a year...

I breast fed w/o solids until 9 months. - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
My now 34 y/o daughter is quite healthy with 2 children of her own and a great career. Holding off on solids didn't hurt her any.

Yes, 6 months is the recommendation--sm - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Breast milk is completely sufficient for the first 6 months. There can be any number of reasons why the baby cried inconsolably for a while, and hunger is only one of those tissues. Teething? Gas? If the child is underweight now, then the pediatrician should be working with the parents.

One of the theories about food allergies now is that it may be related to introducing solids too early. We may have been eating grains for a long time but that does not mean they are not causing a problem. Along those lines then, rice cereal is the least irritating. This child may be ready but if her parents wait an additional one month, then it is not likely to be a big problem either.

Similar Messages:


Sister In Law Expecting Her First Baby. Oh BoyOct 28, 2013
First off she's kind of gross even though she's an RN.  Think Duck Dynasty/Honey Boo Boo.  She's a tom boy.  My grandmother and mother have both told me she is adamnant that her child is a boy.  Now she is saying on facebook if she has a girl she will make her a tom boy like she is.  They find out on Wednesday what they are having.  part of me wants her to have a girl just so she can see you can't make a child be like you no matter how hard you w ...

Face The Nation - Big Gaps - Months And Months (sm)Mar 08, 2015
in  Mz. Clinton's emails.  Fancy that!  Gaps of months and months.  There's a surprise.   Yes, Bob Schieffer, she can delete them right off the server in her home without anyone ever seeing them.  She needs to be in jail.   Link ...

Nurse Refusing To Perform CPRMar 04, 2013
There is such a ruckus about the nurse at a senior home refusing to help an elderly person there who has collapsed, called 911 and not doing CPR as the woman at 911 pleading her to do so. Others are up in arms about this but the family of the elderly woman apparently not so. What others do not know is what were the elderly woman's wishes, did she and/or the family have something in effect that said no resuscitation, no heroic efforts or the like. Apparently this senior home in California ha ...

Why Is Issa Refusing To Include All Gunrunning OpsJun 24, 2012
In an earlier post, the claim was made that looking at gunrunning operations during the Bush administration was "stupid" since everything went so smoothly under the Wide Receiver program.  Well then, if that’s the case, WR should stand up under close scrutiny just fine, shouldn't it?  The operative word here is "if."  The F&F operation was not conceived in a vacuum. The fact that gunrunning tactics were initially (mis)conceived in 2005-2006 is inescapable, as ...

Moody’s: States Refusing Medicaid Expansion Will ‘Put Pressure’ Aug 15, 2013
"Investor services and credit rating agency Moody’s has some news for GOP governors hesitant to expand their state Medicaid programs under Obamacare: either hospitals in states refusing the expansion, or the states themselves, will feel pressure on their credit ratings due to higher uncompensated care costs and cash-strapped budgets." .... Moody’s has consistently argued that Obamacare is a good deal for hospitals and states. In fact, before the Supreme Court had issued i ...

Bernie Sanders Supporter Boasts On Facebook About Refusing To HelpDec 27, 2016
because she had a Trump bumper sticker. A motorist boasted that he had refused to help a woman whose car was stuck in the snow after he spotted her Trump bumper sticker. Troy Brown took a picture of a stranded vehicle in the snow and posted it on Facebook with the caption: 'I was going to help her but she has a #Trump sticker on her car #CallYoPresident'. He also posted a video of himself purportedly driving on by. ...

Bakers Fined $135K For Refusing To Make CakeJul 08, 2015
Preliminary ruling has been finalized.  This decision is wrong.   ...

Did You Hear That Mooch's Clothing Designer Is Refusing To Design Clothes ForNov 18, 2016
I don't think we'll see Melania coming out with a black widow dress or a chicken feathers gown any time soon. Oh, darn. Poor thing. What ever will she do? LOL ...

Muslim Flight Attendant Suspended For Refusing To Serve AlcoholSep 08, 2015
I wonder how this will go down the Kim Davis' supporters. My bolding.(CNN)A Muslim flight attendant says she was suspended by ExpressJet for refusing to serve alcohol in accordance with her Islamic faith.In a bid to get her job back, Charee Stanley filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday for the revocation of a reasonable religious accommodation.She wants to do her job without serving alcohol in accordance with her Islamic faith -- j ...

Today I Went To Feed The BearJan 17, 2012
x ...

Feds Cut $167 Million In Domestic Programs To House, Feed Illegals ForDec 02, 2016
The Department of Health and Human Services is raiding several of its accounts, including money for Medicare, the Ryan White AIDS/HIV program and those for cancer and flu research to cover a shortfall in housing illegal youths pouring over the border at a rate of 255 a day. HHS is trying to come up with $167 million to fund the Office of Refugee Resettlement that is accepting the youths, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. Washington Examiner ...

Trump's Apprenticeship Plan Will Feed Into Thees High-payingJun 25, 2017
Even if you disagree with President Donald Trump and his administration, there are some positive kernels out there. Trump has put an emphasis on jobs, for example, specifically jobs for the struggling middle and lower class. Although those promised jobs might not necessarily come to fruition, it’s good to hear somebody at least talk about blue-collar struggles. One way the president is focusing on jobs is by attempting to bring back apprenticeships. Apprenticeships, of course, are on-the-jo ...

Sarah Palin's Hunting Trip To Feed Her Family Cost $42,400 Or $141.33 Per Lb. Of CaribouDec 07, 2010
When Sarah Palin took us on a hunting/camping trip with her dad Chuck Heath on the latest episode of Sarah Palin's Alaska, she said hunting was necessary to "fill her freezer!"  Hunting for caribou means “food on the table and in the freezer for a lot of Alaskans,” the former Govenor extolled. She opened her freezer to let us see how the Palin meat pantry was getting bare. “For many people in remote areas of Alaska, there’s no grocery store nearby, we just g ...

His Sister Is A Dog? LolMay 01, 2012
Doctor dictates: "He has 1 sister who is 12 years old and a dog." l had to stop and think about it for a moment. Changed it to: "He has 1 sister who is 12 years old, and he has a dog."   ...

Mom, SisterMay 05, 2013
Pray for mom, almost 92 and broke hip.  Pray for my sister - has a form of leukemia - and pray for my job /  Thanks to all who accept to ...

Sister WivesOct 07, 2010
Has anyone watched that new show on TLC, Sister Wives?  I had stated I would never watch something like that, but then were talking about it on the news in the middle of the night one night and I was curious.  I have watched the first two weeks and just don't get it.  My husband is going to watch it with me because I asked him to, as I want a male point of view of the show.  I am sure he will think it is crazy, but I am curious.  I just do not understand how you can ...

Talked About This Before With SisterFeb 03, 2016
I have come to the decision finally to take the advice of every therapist I have ever seen. I am breaking ties with my family to completely avoid my sister. She has mental issues, is mean, nasty and narcissistic. She flew all over me again today, and once again is refusing to speak to me. She told me off with text messages. How convenient. She refuses to let me air my feelings to her on the phone. I know this would be impossible anyway. I have joined a group at a church I attend called t ...

In 6 Months, Nov 09, 2016
After a trial run, it could happen based on how people blame everything on the ....., right? Let's hope for the best.  ...

Sister And Mother ProblemsDec 27, 2011
I am at a complete loss as to how to handle this situation.  My mother and sister have done this before and I pretty much just let it go, but they have done it again.  I have an 11-yo daughter who loves to see her grandma and her aunt.  My sister has 2 smaller children that my daughter also loves to see and play with.  My sister seems bent on telling my daughter things I did before she was born.  Nothing God awful- like when my much older child was younger, I would go ou ...

Please Pray For My Sister Who Was Just DiagnosedDec 09, 2010
with stage 1 breast cancer.  She is probably facing surgery within the next week.  She lives about 600 miles away, so I am not able to be there with her.  Please keep her in your prayers.  ...

Since We Were Kids, My Sister Has Been Ratting Me Out To Mom!Jul 11, 2011
As an adult, she hasn't changed that much.  Always looking for something to tell mom about me or just plain gossip about me to mom and anyone else who will isten.  As a young adult, when I still had the energy to have a fiery temper, I would fight with her.  After I had my second child, I decided to just not pay attention to her anymore and just ignore her BS.  Our kids are now teenagers and still my sister plays her games.  Today I finally blew like Mount St. Helen ...

Need Advice About Step Sister's SonMay 19, 2011
I would really appreciate some advice here because I just don't know what I am supposed to do.   With the exception of my mother's funeral, I have not seen my step-sister in almost 40 years.  She and her mother had moved to a different state several years before I moved out from home and to a yet different state when I turned 18.  When we each came home to visit, we never came at the same time, thus never saw each other.  She is younger than me and I remember h ...

Loaned My Sister Money, Now She's Mad At MeJul 06, 2012
yeah, i'm an idiot.  feel like such a fool.  my oldest sister needed $500, car insurance emergency, on 06/08/2012.  i dropped everything, ran to the bank, and withdrew 5 crisp $100 bills.  she emphatically promised me that i would be repaid in full on 06/22.  of course, being a complete dope, i didn't have her sign a contract confirming these details.  a week later, she tells me things had gotten worse for her and she wouldn't be able to pay me on ti ...

Anybody Watch Sister Wives?Feb 04, 2015
and married Robyn.  "Restructuring the family."  Meri should sell the house and get out of Vegas! ...

Abusive Sister (an Update)Apr 04, 2015
I posted on the Prayer Board some days ago about my relationship with my sister. Just wanted to add that after she learned from her daughter that I would not be attending Easter dinner with them (obviously), I got a text from my sister, who got her rear end up in the air over absolutely nothing and was refusing to speak to me for a month again. She no doubt feels guilty (if that, indeed is possible for her.) Her text read: I am sorry we do not get along. I hope you have a nice Easter. I wi ...

Obama In 39 MonthsApr 13, 2012
39 months of Obama in 231 words You must have health insurance to be a citizen, but you don’t need proof of citizenship to vote. Profit is scorned, non-profit revered. A man is innocent until proven guilty, unless his guilt suits a convenient narrative. Arming foreign criminals with guns that kill our agents is unworthy of investigation or a staffing change. Forty million new patients will receive health care without increasing the number of doctors, but your doctor and your health c ...

3 1/2 Months So Far In Cam BootNov 20, 2009
I saw my PCP today and he asked why I still had the boot on 3.5 months after I broke my foot.  I told him the bone had pretty much healed but I have a peroneal tear and damaged muscles, tendons, etc.  Every time I go to the pod doc, he asks how it feels, I'll tell him it's still painful, he tells me 2 more weeks in the boot and charges me my $35 copay.  Well, M.D.'s don't think much of foot doctors and he told me to see an ortho doc.  I got an appt. for Mo ...

I Posted A While Back About My Sister Being NewlyJan 11, 2011
diagnosed with breast cancer.  She underwent surgery last week, all 4 lymph nodes sampled were negative and her rebiopsy of the breast is believed to have gotten all the cancer cells.  She was diagnosed as stage 1 DCIS; however; she is triple negative which is gong to make her treatment difficult.  She begins chemotherapy tomorrow for 4 treatments 3 weeks a part and then 7 to 10 radiation treatments.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  Her outlook/mood  is ...

Sister Feminists: A Woman President, YesJun 27, 2016
No one can possibly be more in sympathy than I am with respect to the positive aspects of electing a woman as President of the United States. ...but not just ANY woman, because there traits other than mere gender that MUST be condiered.. Hillary Clinton has specifically stated that she will continue - and even extend - a number of the policies of the current administration, including "affordable" healthcare and immigration. I have three children - two daughters and a son - and I can see what ...

Terrorist Attack Certain Within 3-6 Months!Feb 03, 2010
.. ...