Linda -

Here's a thought:  What the mother of this low-intake 5 month old needs to do is start solids a little early, to make up for a bit of a shortfall in her milk supply.  The most complete solid food she can offer is formula - it's not as complete as breastmilk, but it sure beats rice cereal!  This is quite different from starting formula at 3 days, when it is truly a breastmilk replacer.  Her 5 month old baby is on the brink of looking around for other foods anyway, and her intestines have started to rev up to take in new foods.  The mom is lucky that a reasonably complete, reasonably easy form of solids exists for this stage - in the form of formula.  

I have no problem with calling supplementation at this age "slightly early solids"... and it sure sits better with me when I do!  My guess is it'll sit better with her, too.

The doctor gave you the job of bearing the bad news because he knew you'd do the wonderful job you did.  All you really did is confirm for her something she's known for months now, and you did it with tact and grace.  We'll probably never know which was better in her case - underfeeding for 5 months but exclusively breastfeeding, or  adequately feeding in those early months but using some formula.  I have to say I'm inclined to think slight underfeeding and maintaining that exclusivity for 5 months was very likely the right thing to do, but either way the baby has turned out fine and now they can look to those early solids to put some extra meat on those lovely bones :-)

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC  Ithaca, NY  USA
www.wiessinger.baka.com  


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