>I have suggested to the mother that she forget about the introductions of
>solids.  I told her that I have known of many a baby to grow just fine on
>breast alone through the first year. The parents are linked into OTs
>and other early intervention experts.  I am not second guessing any care
>plan they have prepared just gathering as much information as possible
>because this case is so rare.   I do wonder if a window of opportunity will
be lost >if the spoon isn't introduced at the appropriate time.

Eating isn't dependent on introduction of a spoon at the "appropriate time."
Spoons aren't necessary at all for a child to learn to eat well. Kathryn D.
had a good post on this last year.  I'll see if I can find it.

You are right to encourage this family to continue as they have.  "Experts"
may talk about the "window of opportunity" in spoon feeding, but if these
parents had listened to the "experts" and looked at research from the
beginning they would have *known* that this baby wouldn't have progressed so
well as she has. And interventions would probably assured the *expected*
outcomes instead of the remarkable outcome you have described.

I know of countless healthy babies who were exclusively breastfed 'till 1
year, and even more who used spoons only to bang pots, and these babies grew
up to use, not only spoons, but forks, knives... and chop sticks.
Ahhh...what about cultures where people eat with chopsticks?  Those babies
aren't introduced to a spoon at the appropriate time.  Maybe the
"appropriate time" is the time when the child asks," Mom, can I use a spoon
to stir this casserole I'm preparing?"

This is a wonderful success story and I would encourage these heroic parents
to continue trusting mother's milk and their own nurturing, and not let the
experts get in on their "party."

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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