In our office, moms walk in all the time wanting a "recipe" of how to raise
their children.

How often to feed, how much to feed, when to pick them up, etc.  Much of
our teaching isn't breastfeeding, but child care, normal development and
trusting their instincts.  They leave much relieved, then baby turns 6
months....

And the calls come in - what to feed, when to feed, how much - sound
familiar?

So I try to answer similarly to the first part of the child's life - what
is normal, etc.  BUT - I do add the part about eating being a "social"
time.  In other words, starting solids should not be scheduled so mom feeds
baby xxx number of baby food jars at xxx time and baby eats alone.
Mealtimes are for the FAMILY - social times - where the TV is off
(HORRORS), parents sit down at a table, baby is in a seat or in a lap, and
if baby indicates an interest (and it's not peanuts) - share your food.
This reduces stress considerably.

In Puerto Rico, the first food and be the mashed red kidney beans cooked
with delicious "sofrito" which includes garlic, onions, green peppers,
tomato sauce, etc all stewed up in a wonderful-smelling stuff (and MESSY)
we mix with rice.  Yes, I know, we're supposed to start one thing at a time
- but if they've been eating these flavors and foods via breastmilk, and
family members are not extrememly allergic - why?

Advertisers seem to make this so much more complicated than it needs to be
- $$$?

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Project Director - Proyecto Lacta - Puerto Rico
http://netdial.caribe.net/~prlacta/
Lactancia Materna '98 - La Mejor Inversion