Infants, solids, and allergies

 

My babies have always started solids around 6 months.  And they started table foods – we skipped “cereals” (nothing but carbs – sugars – and inhibits iron absorption) and it always seemed silly to feed my baby bland tasteless carrots from an expensive jar when I was serving the rest of the family wonderful spiced flavorful carrots.  Autumn’s first food was crablegs, and she LOVED it!

Anyways, I have always done this, I have always let people know about it when asked.  My doctors have supported it.  With no family history of allergies, there was also no reason to withhold any foods.  I found an article in 2005 written by a Stanford University professor that supported what I, my docs, and many other moms believed:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646449/

…That’s right, rice cereal may not be the best first food. Peanut butter doesn’t have to wait until after the first birthday. Offering fruits before vegetables won’t breed a sweet tooth. And strong spices? Bring ‘em on…

But I have been ridiculed for this belief – told I am giving life-threatening ideas to others.  As a chuckle at this comment, my children and the millions of others are all fine and healthy.  Since an infant (or child, or adult) can be allergic to ANYTHING, not just the “big eight”, you’re not safe feeding them at all.  Right?

The AAP has now formally rewritten their recommendations on solids and allergies.  They still support waiting for six months, but now they find no evidence to support any benefit to delaying foods like peanuts, shellfish, etc.  Since some look at the AAP as the God of All that is Right and Holy in Childraising, I thought I would pass this tidbit along:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;121/1/183

Although solid foods should not be introduced before 4 to 6 months of age, there is no current convincing evidence that delaying their introduction beyond this period has a significant protective effect on the development of atopic disease regardless of whether infants are fed cow milk protein formula or human milk. This includes delaying the introduction of foods that are considered to be highly allergic, such as fish, eggs, and foods containing peanut protein.

So now that the AAP has changed their ideals, perhaps more moms can quit wasting money on jars of foods and enjoy stress-free and easy meals at home, simply opening the cupboard and giving their baby whatever is in there, whatever the rest of the family is enjoying.  This is still a personal choice – there is evidence to support that if there is an allergy in the family, your baby’s chance of having one increases, so decide what will work for you. 

Personally, I can’t imagine not having PB&J sandwiches, fish sticks, strawberries, eggs, and more on the lunch menu for my infants and toddlers!

 

Yup, I decided to move this over too.  Good information for those that need it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberstalking

A number of key factors have been indentified:

• False accusations. Many cyberstalkers try to damage the reputation of their victim and turn other people against them. They post false information about them on websites. They may set up their own websites, blogs or user pages for this purpose. They post allegations about the victim to newsgroups, chat rooms or other sites that allow public contributions, such as Wikipedia or Amazon.com.^[4]
• Attempts to gather information about the victim. Cyberstalkers may approach their victim’s friends, family and work colleagues to obtain personal information. They may advertise for information on the Internet, or hire a private detective. They often will monitor the victim’s online activities and attempt to trace their IP address in an effort to gather more information about their victims. ^[5]
• Encouraging others to harass the victim. Many cyberstalkers try to involve third parties in the harassment. They may claim the victim has harmed the stalker or his family in some way, or may post the victim’s name and telephone number in order to encourage others to join the pursuit.
• False victimization. The cyberstalker will claim that the victim is harassing him. Bocij writes that this phenomenon has been noted in a number of well-known cases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying involves recurring or repeated harm willfully inflicted through the medium of electronic text. In order for it to be cyber-bullying, the intent must be to cause emotional distress, and there must be no legitimate purpose to the communication.^[1] Cyberbullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, pejorative labels (i.e., hate speech). Cyber-bullies may disclose victims’ personal data (e.g. real name or workplace/schools) at websites or forums, or may attempt to assume the identity of a victim for the purpose of publishing material in their name that defames or ridicules them.

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As I do more and more research on the laws and regulations against cyberbullying and cyberstalking, I am amused to see that the vast majority of the sites and documentation are geared towards children and teens, the usual stalkers.  Children and teens.  Mentally unbalanced, emotionally immature.  Children.

I am sated at this point – I now know for a fact I am above reproach.  Attack, abuse, lie lie lie, talk, stalk, whatever.  I am so much better than you.  I am so much smarter than you.  I have intellect, dignity, maturity, class, common sense, inner and outer beauty, a solid strong family structure, wonderful friends, and I know for a fact - without a doubt – I am an AMAZING parent/wife/friend. 

Since it appears mostly children and teens fall into the category of bullies, you continue on in your little girl ways and maybe some day you will grow up and merely DREAM about being as amazing as I am.   You never will be, however.  The hatred, maliciousness, immaturity, and ignorance that spew from every pore in your body will never change.  It’s inbred.  And you are breeding children just like you.  You will be a sad pathetic person for the rest of your life.  That’s a shame.  I do feel sorry for you, for the unnecessary path you have chosen, for the feelings of complete and total insecurity and inadequacy you have.  Perhaps you can seek some professional help? 

And the best part is, you can’t affect me.  I’m above you.  You are vapor. 

 

Thank you to my friends who have made sure I know this.  You know I love you, you know you have the shirt off my back when you need it.

 

http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/sleep/fleiss.html

Some blurbs from it (not the whole article, it’s a must read, it’s very informative!!):

 

1. Don’t ignore your children’s cries. After all, they may be sick, in danger, or in pain. Babies and young children are emotional rather than rational creatures. They can’t comprehend why their cries for help are being ignored. Even with the best of intentions, ignoring children leads them to feel abandoned. The result will be insecure, unhappy children. You cannot “spoil” children by responding to their cries. “Spoiled” children are those who don’t know what to expect from their parents. They are often alternately punished or praised for the same activity at different times.

Expecting babies or young children to “self-soothe” is unreasonable. Responding to children’s cries, comforting them, and trying to help them overcome whatever it is that is bothering them is not only effective, it is the only proper way to help them fall asleep.

2. Don’t let children “cry it out”. Many best-selling childcare books actually instruct parents to let children cry themselves to sleep, suggesting that this will teach children how to “self-soothe”. Wiser parents and doctors find this an unacceptable and self-defeating practice.

3. Don’t expect your infant to sleep through the night. Any sort of “training” to make babies sleep through the night is unnatural and possibly dangerous.

10. Don’t “train” your child to sleep by regulating feeding times. When in good health, a baby will signal when he or she needs to feed. Feeding should never be governed by a time schedule. The idea, currently promoted by some childcare book authors, that babies can be “trained” to “sleep through the night” by restricting, regulating, and managing feeding is unrealistic and cruel. When an infant wants to feed, it is because his or her body requires nourishment. Depriving an infant of nourishment when he or she needs it is, frankly speaking, abusive. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics is very worried by the rise of so-called “parent-directed” feeding schemes as alleged methods of “training” infants and children to sleep through the night.