I am the type that's into instincts. Trust my instincts as a mother. Trust my baby's instincts. I believe he is purely instinctual right now and so I trust him to know when he is hungry, when he is tired. This is why I feed him on demand and let him sleep when/where he sleeps. I don't worry about schedules. I don't look at the clock. I've never been able to tell you when/how long/etc. I feel this is healthy and normal.
I know this is not for everyone. I really really believe in instincts! I believe that each mother and baby is different and that mothers know what is best for themselves and for their babies!!!
But for Frederick, and me, this works. He is very happy and healthy, not cranky, and I get plenty of sleep etc. I support mothers and their decisions to schedule or not or in between and I'm grateful that many people (and ALL of our family) support us (these ideas are very much Collin's too), and our parenting choices.
Okay so! We have read a LOT about starting solids and we feel that Freddie will start when he is ready. I personally have no problem waiting as long as possible because its just for play and learning in the beginning, its sooo easy to continue having breastfeeding his main source of food until at least a year....he gets complete nutrition that way. Plus we finally got the hang of things a couple of months ago!! ;) I still plan to nurse him to about a year, or longer, depending on how things go.
After reading stuff, getting advice from his/my doctors & lactation educators, hearing peoples personal stories, and discussing how we feel/what MAKES SENSE to us (ultimately the biggest decider), we decided long ago that for him to start solids he has to be at least 6 months old, sitting up, able to pick things up with just pointer and thumb fingers, and have lost his tongue-thrust reflex (which causes him to instinctually push things OUT of his mouth.)
Now that he has started sitting up(!!!), we will sit him at the table with us. If he seems interested in food, he can hold, touch, squish, play with, and taste some of the things we have to eat. According to a breast feeding/pumping/intro to solids class I took, before 12 months, solids are for play/learning, and after 12 months they are for nutrition. We will give him vegetables, then meats, then fruits last, so as not to get him too into sweets, giving him things slowly, in case of allergies. (SEE! IM LAID BACK, but also have a plan and am very researchful/thoughtful about my choices, trusting my instincts AND my head, along w my husbands findings and opinions.) this approach has worked for us during this whole darn thing. :). (BUT WE also don't claim to be experts on any level and realize we will make mistakes and learn from everything!! Had to throw that in there!)
Last night as we were all eating homemade wings (so yum), which included celery and carrots on the side, Freddie got interested. He kept reaching for Collin's veggies!! So we set him up in the floor with his own little plate of celery sticks and carrots (while watching closely so that he wouldn't choke!)
At first he just practiced chasing them, grabbing them and holding, looking at them. They all got everywhere!! Then he started putting them in his mouth and biting down/chewing hard!! I think he was using them to teethe! It was hilarious watching him be so serious about the whole thing. Then he nursed a ton because he is going through another growth spurt and went to sleep. He has been sleeping longer, and so well, having fallen into his own routine. Now we pretty much just bounce him a little and say, "go to sleep," and pat his bottom, and then put him down and he just goes to sleep. Collin is an expert put-to-sleeper and has developed a few routines w him. Also we love most things written by Dr. Sears on attachment parenting/sleep.
Link to his credentials and basic ideas:
http://www.positive-parenting-ally.com/dr-sears.html
That little bundle of darling goodness is so sweet, incredible, amazing, smart! I love being a parent!
