Dear Lactnetters,
I hope I am not to late to reply to the discussion around rice in ABM.
But lest the standard of early introduction of rice makes our
breastfeeding or partial breastfeeding moms start to feel they ought to
start rice cereal earlier here is some thoughts:
Introduction of solids
There is no advantage in introducing solids to a healthy, full-term,
breast-fed  infant before 6 months of life.  Several studies concluded
that solid foods given before 6 months of age generally replace the milk
source among breast-fed but not formula-fed infants. (Heinig MJ, et
al.     Intake and growth of breast-fed and formula-fed infants in
relation to the timing of introduction of complementary foods: the
DARLING study. Davis Area Research on Lactation, Infant Nutrition and
Growth.  Acta Paediatr. 1993 Dec;82(12):999-1006. ) and (Cohen RJ, et
al     Effects of age of introduction of complementary foods on infant
breast milk intake, total energy intake, andgrowth: a randomised
intervention study in Honduras. Lancet. 1994 Jul 30;344(8918):288-93. )
It can be argued that breastmilk, a superior food, is being replaced by
solids, and inferior food.  In fact, one study of 1013 babies found that
babies who were exclusively breastfed for four months or more had 40%
fewer episodes of acute ear infections than breastfed babies whose diets
were supplemented with other foods before four months (Duncan B, et al.
Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis
media.
     Pediatrics. 1993 May;91(5):867-72.) Many parents are encouraged to
begin solids early in the hope that the infant will sleep through the
night.  Two studies found no difference in the sleep patterns of babies
that were given solids before bedtime and babies who were not. (Keane,
V. et al. Do solids help baby sleep thorugh the night? Am JDIs Child
1988;142:404-05 and Macknin, M., et al. Infant sleep and bedtime cereal.
Am J Dis Child 1989;143:1066-68) An infant exhibits readiness signs for
solid foods at or around 6 months of age by its ability to sit up, pick
up food and put it in its mouth, increased demand to nurse, readiness to
chew and a fading of the tongue thrusting reflex.

This is out of a article I am working on, sorry for the funny way it
sounds.

Also, I had a letter to the editor in the PA Journal Advance published
about use of antidepressants in brestfeeding mothers, thank you to all
of you who privately e-mailed me, especially Alicia Dermer, who I said I
was going to send a copy of the article snail mail, but never got around
to it. Anyway, thank you,
Jennifer Coombs, PA-C