In my absolutely unbiased opinion, it sounds to me like your 17 yr. old
daughter is doing an absolutely great job feeding her baby, and the MD must
have been thinking of something else when he gave that advice! At WIC, we
would never advise a 6-month old baby to get 3 meals a day and cut down on
nursing!!! If your daughter were my pateint, I would tell her"sounds ike you
are doing everything right - your baby is thriving, and getting to learn
about people foods at her own pace, and still getting most of her
nourishment from your good milk, and that's exactly where you want to be
right now". There is absolutely no need to rush the solids (as you know
already); at this point they're just a "frill", but the breastmilk is where
all the good stuff comes from. Not a bad age to start using a cup for
liquids other than br. milk, if the baby seems interested - that way your
daughter could avoid the whole bottle scene entirely. The vitamins? I don't
know - I didn't give 'em to my kids, I can't imagine that a nursing baby
really needs them, but I know the docs always tell moms to give them (hmm,
wonder if they own stock?). Don't cut down the nursing now, with the baby
doing so well. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! (I'm assuming the mom
doesn't want to wean just yet.)

What is the doctor thinking!?

Cathy Bargar