A Little Bit of Rice, Please.

Our daughter has finally reached the point where she needs more than breast milk.  We had visions of being part of the Baby Led Weaning movement, but our daughter has had plans otherwise.  We do still intend to feed her whatever we are eating, we may just have to mush it up a little more than we had originally planned.  We also had not planned on using rice cereal - at all.  Studies have been done that prove it disintegrates much faster in breast milk than in formula.  Thus, baby is hungry again sooner even with the rice cereal.  We just wanted to skip over it like so many people we've read have done.  Even our doctor was behind us on the decision.  Well, as all parents should be aware, plans changed.

Our little lady decided about a month ago that she wanted to eat more during the night.  No more nights of almost 6 hours straight before she woke up the first time.  She was getting up around 5 times and it was becoming more and more the longer time has gone on.  Last night she woke 7 times in 11 hours.  This is not a good sleep pattern for anyone and it makes for a very cranky Momma, Baby and Daddy.  I need more than 1 - 2 hours at a time, otherwise I just feel ill when I do have to get up and function.  I don't need much, 4 - 5 hours of solid sleep would be a blessing. 

When the doctor asked us today at our well baby visit if we had any questions I posed this one to him.  He gave us the same remedy we had heard from so many others - rice cereal.  Just for a few nights before bed mixed with some breast milk then add in veggies and switch it over to just the veggies once she has the hang of it.  So, tonight, we're giving it a go.  Hopefully we all get some much needed rest tonight.  

We do both realize there is nothing bad or wrong with rice cereal.  We just did not see a point of giving her something to help her stay full if it would disintegrate so quickly and she'd be hungry again within the same amount of time as if she had only breast milk.  (You should check out the videos on You Tube documenting the tests.  It really is impressive to see the difference!)  We would rather it be something with a little flavor and those wonderful healthy vitamins to help her stay full longer.

Here's to using that old Scientific Method way of determining if it will work for us ; )

What plans change for you and your little ones regarding the starting of solids?  Did any of your visions change or were your plans carried out exactly as you had foreseen?