Is Your Baby Ready for Solid Foods?

Hye peeps,

Baby Zara just turned 3 months old TODAY!!! ;p

Last week me and my hubby had a conversation on when is the best time to introduce solid foods to baby Zara. Hubby told me that according to his family, we may start introduce solid foods to baby as early as at 4 months old. Then I said, as far as I know usually people will start on solid once baby reach 6 months.

The discussion initiated a concern so I did some research online.

There are no "strict" age guidelines on introducing solid foods to your baby. But exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life is highly recommended. Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as an infant's consumption of human milk with no supplementation of any type (no water, no juice, no nonhuman milk, and no foods) except for vitamins, minerals, and medications. Exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to provide improved protection against many diseases and to increase the likelihood of continued breastfeeding for at least the first year of life.

My Parent's Insist That My Baby Needs "Real Food"???

Some parents may be tempted to give in to relatives, grandmothers and sometimes even their own mothers, who say "Give that baby some real food, she's starving." or "Nursing that baby isn't enough, he needs some real food".

Remember that "real food" is breast milk and/or formula and these contain all the important nutrients that an infant needs to develop properly. Breast milk in particular, and/or formula, will be enough to sustain your baby's nutritional needs for up to age 1 year old. In fact, introducing solids too early may displace the important nutrition your baby needs to receive from breast milk and/or formula.

This ensures optimal nutritional exposure and may stave off food allergies amongst other issues.  Further studies have shown that an infant's gastrointestinal tract has not or may not have matured enough to properly digest/utilize solid foods until around 6-8 months old.

Studies show that babies are highly individual in developing a readiness for solid foods.  One baby might seem to be ready for solids at 4 months, while another shows no signs of readiness until around 6 or 7 months.  Just because your friend's baby may have began eating solid foods at 3 or 4 months of age does not mean that your baby should. 

"Signs" that may indicate your baby is ready for Solid Foods

 

 

I read an article on getting prepared for signs that baby is ready for solid foods. There are many signs that might lead you to believe that your little one is ready to begin eating solid foods. But how exactly do you know if your baby really is ready for solid foods? 

Your baby may be 3 months old or 4 months old when you start to feel she may need "something more" than formula or breast milk.  Maybe she is beginning to awaken more often at night or eat more often than "usual" and you wonder if introducing solid foods may be what she needs.

A Growth Spurt May be Confused with a Readiness for Solid Foods!!!

A growth spurt will occur between 3-4 months of age. Your baby may begin to wake more frequently at night for a feeding as she once did as a newborn.  This growth spurt often accounts for the increased hunger in your baby and it should not be taken as a sign that your baby needs solid foods added to her diet.

You may try offering your baby more frequent nursing sessions and/or bottle feedings instead of solids; you will find that within a week or two, your baby is oftentimes over the growth spurt and back to feeding "as usual".

Here are a few "signs" that may indicate your baby is ready for Solid Foods:

1.  Loss of tongue-thrust reflex - This allows baby to drink and swallow liquids with ease; with the tongue-thrust reflex still present, baby may simply drink in liquid purees or push the food back out. According to Dr. Jim Sears, in the first four months the tongue thrust reflex protects the infant against choking. When any unusual substance is placed on the tongue, it automatically protrudes outward rather than back. Between four and six months this reflex gradually diminishes, and that glob of cereal actually may have a chance of making it from the tongue to the tummy!
2. Ability to let you know she is full from a "meal" with signs such as turning away from the bottle or breast.  This is important so that baby is able to self-regulate the amount of food being eaten.  This helps stop baby from accidentally overeating as parents may continue to feed baby thinking that she is still hungry.  
3. Ability to sit up and hold head up unassisted  
4. Doubling of birth weight  

Won't My Baby Sleep Through the Night If We Start Solids?

Some parents believe that if they start solids "early" then their infants will sleep through the night sooner.  As your baby grows, his sleeping patterns as well as eating patterns change continually. 

Around the time a few parents begin to offer solids early is just about the time that an infant may be sleeping for longer periods at a time.  This is a natural progression as an infant ages and it oftentimes coincides with the addition of early solids.  This coincidence perpetuates the dangerous myth that early offerings of solid foods will help an infant sleep "through the night".

For example between 6-8 months old, baby is often back to waking at night for a feeding.  By this time baby should be eating solids and it appears that those solids are no longer helping baby sleep through the night.  In reality, baby is hitting another growth spurt and may wake again during the night for more feedings regardless of eating solids. This really is "normal" and your baby may wake again during the night for more feedings regardless of eating solids.

**Please keep in mind that these "signs" of being ready for solids do not mean that your baby's inner digestive system is mature and ready.  You should thoroughly discuss starting your baby on solid foods with your baby's pediatrician.

If your pediatrician insists that you start your 4 month old infant on solids and you don't feel baby is ready, ask the pediatrician to explain the benefits of starting solids early. And remember, you NEVER have to begin introducing complementary foods simply because your pediatrician has suggested that you do so; unless there is some medical need.  Only when you have thoroughly discussed the pros and cons of introducing solid foods with your pediatrician will you be able to have a better grasp of just when you should begin offering baby solid foods.

 
lilyto

Delivery Experience Columbia Asia

Hye peeps!

Today I'm going to share my 1st delivery experience. I lived in Taiping last year before moving to Penang early 2013. When I 1^st got the great news, I already have Columbia Asia in mind. Since that was my 1^st child, I want to give it the best that I could afford. I wanted it to be a very pleasant experience.
 

Columbia Asia Taiping has 2 O&G specialist, one is Dr Khairul and the other one is Dr Jeya. I chose to deliver with female doctor so I requested my maternity check-up to be with Dr Jeya. I started my maternity check-up at Columbia when I was in my 7^th month pregnancy. Before that I went to government Klinik Kesihatan. For mommies who interested to know about the charges, the charge varies according to the doctor you consult. For me, it was about RM80 per session.
 

My time came on the day that I should come for my routine 2 weeks check-up on the week 37. My check-up should be at 8 PM but that morning, my urine was brown in colour. I called hubby and asked him to pick me up at 11 am to see Dr Jeya. I informed her about my conditions and she decided to do a urine test. The results showed that my urine was infected and it was brown because it was mixed with blood.
 

Dr Jeya asked me to go to labour room to see if I have dilated. At first I was really nervous about the pain. But she did it very gently and there was no pain at all. I was 2 cm dilated and she asked me if I want to get admitted. Of cos, no! I still got a lot of work to settle before I leave for maternity leave. She asked a midwife to do a fetal monitoring test using an electronic fetal monitor. There was no contraction yet but my baby is in sleeping pattern.
 

Dr Jeya asked me to come back for a follow up. I came back at 8 PM and my baby was still in sleeping pattern. There no contraction and no pain at all. Dr Jeya’s concern was that my baby was not moving much so we decided to take her advice and get admitted.
 

I was admitted on 19^th but I stayed 2 cm dilated until 20^th evening. Since my baby was still in sleeping pattern, Dr Jeya decided to induce to help me speeding up my contraction. On that night, about 11 pm my contraction started. At first the reading was about 60 only, but towards the morning it went up to almost 120. If during the day, I could still laughing and joking around but that time I could barely talk due to the pain that I tried to bear. The contraction stopped at 7 am.
 

At 9 am on the 21^st Dr Jeya came to check on me. I was 3.5 cm dilated. She decided to send me to the labour room. Usually if you were 4 cm dilated, only the doctor will sent you to labour room.
 

After took my last meal (1 slice of bread and half mug of hot chocolate) I was sent to labour room at 10.30 am. The midwife started me on drip. The drip contains Syntocinon, which is an artificial form of oxytocin, the labour hormone. Then, my contraction started. Honestly I couldn’t feel any pain until I was 5 cm dilated. I was talking and joking with the midwife and hubby. At 1.50 pm the contraction reached 120. Dr Jeya came and checked on me. That time I was 7.5 cm dilated. She told me the baby was bulging and very eager to come out. After 3^rd push, the head came out but stuck at the shoulder. Dr Jeya have to use vacuum since I have no more strength to push. Alhamdulillah at 2.55 pm the lil princess was born. Her angelic face took all the pain away! 

That’s my story. And here is my review:

The doctor

Dr Jeya is a very experience O&G specialist. She’s very friendly and soft spoken. I could not ask for a better doctor and even I have moved to Penang, I don’t mind coming back to Taiping for my next time ;)

The midwife

All of them were skilful and friendly. They’re still smiling even they have to come to do the fetal monitoring at 3 in the morning! But during the time the midwife have to check on how many cm I have dilated, I found one of done it painfully. I have to ask other midwife to do for me instead of her since I couldn’t bear the pain. Dr Jeya done it very gently and I couldn’t feel a thing!

The midwife also brought me my baby for her 1^st milk. She asked me if I want start BF or give formula milk 1^st. I absolutely BF my baby!

 

The new born baby Damia Zara

 

The service

I would give Columbia Asia a 5 star! It was worth every penny. They allow not only husband but also mother and mother in law to be with you in the labour room. But they have to take turn and come in 1 person at a time. But it was very thoughtful and it’s really important to have all the people you really need the most with you during that critical time.

Visiting time is from 9 am to 10 pm. However, for delivery cases they allow family members to stay as long as you are in labour.

The waiting area for labour room

 

The meals are yummeh! They served mostly western meal. They provide you breakfast at 7, hot chocolate at 10 am, lunch at 12, hot chocolate at 4 pm, dinner at 7 and another hot chocolate at 9 pm.

The facility

It’s a huge and new hospital. You would not regret your stay here.

From this photo you can see the hospital overview

 

I chose a 2 bedded room. It was spacious and can fit a huge family. It’s a modern designed room.

This photo taken in the my 2 bedded room. On the right is the toilet attached in every room

* Daddy and Lily Jr*

 

My mom and my sister stayed overnight with hubby. It’s an added advantage to stay at private hospital because they allowed family members to stay overnight with you.

They have a nursery for new born and a nursery for children.

Baby Damia Zara in the new born nursery

 

The cafeteria serves great food at reasonable price. The outside parking lot is spacious and they also have basement parking lot. And the parking is FREE!

The charges

Here comes the most awaiting part. Yes, the doctor is great. The midwives are friendly. The room are a 5-star-hotel type. The service is VIP class. That’s why you have to pay more for all of the above. For 3 days 2 nights stay, I was charged about RM 3100 and for my baby was RM 500. The total for mommy and baby are about RM 3600. It was a normal delivery but have to use vacuum.

Overall, I gave Columbia 9.9/10 for giving me this awesome experience.

I would recommend all the mommies out there to consider Columbia Asia for your delivery. I will absolutely come back to Columbia Asia for my next time.
 

 

 

lilyto

Autumnz Marvel Single Electric Breastpump Initial Review

Hye peeps!

Finally my new gadjet has arrived!!

 

I have tried it last 2 nights at home. The pump have 2 different suction which is T1 and T2. T1 is for short & fast rhythm with lighter suction to activate milk letdown. After a while you can change to T2 for slower rhythm with deeper suction to encourage maximum milk flow.

For me, using the Avent Phillips manual pump is better in terms of volume. I can get 4oz in 10mins using the Avent pump. Using Autumnz, it is easier and you dont have to manually pump. But the volume I got after 10mins is only 2 oz. It is difficult to get a good suction, u have to carefully and properly place the shield so there's no gap in between ;) Yes manual pump is tiring but volume is more important for me. Thats why I am using the Avent manual at work and Autumnz at home for leisure pumping ;p

But this is the early review after 2 times usage. Maybe I have to explore more on the pump and will get back to u guys soon!

lilyto

Mamypoko MURAH!

Hye peeps!

Mamypoko now offer at TESCO. From now til 3rd Fen 2013. Only RM 41.88 for super jumbo pack!

Cepat2 mommies and daddies. Borong bebanyak!!

 

lilyto