I know that moms have all sorts of reasons for the when of starting solid foods with their babies. I started feeding Seth rice cereal at 10 weeks because he was incredibly ornery (understatement) and I was convinced by my pediatrician amongst others that he was just hungry. I was young and inexperienced and I believed them. I’d tell you what the rice cereal did to Seth’s system, but it would probably embarrass him. It wasn’t good, I’ll tell you that.
With each subsequent baby I’ve waited longer to introduce solids than I did with the last. There are lots of reasons for that, but for me it boils down to two things: I try to balance between my babies’ readiness and my own readiness to start feeding one more little mouth something that requires preparation. The more children I have, the less eager I am to start. I wasn’t really ready to stop exclusively nursing Silas yet.
Silas was done waiting though, and last Friday, the very day he turned six months old, we took the plunge. I boiled a sweet potato, and then I snuck in the bathroom with a little wooden bowl. When I emerged it held a couple tablespoons of milk. Keats was amazed, and kept asking me where I got the milk. I for some reason was struck speechless. Why is this embarrassing to me? It’s true that I have issues with body part words. I promise that I try to fake it so I don’t pass my issues on.
Why couldn’t I just tell my eight year old son, that I hand expressed milk from my own breast to mix with Silas’ sweet potato? (It embarrasses me just to write that.)
Gabe, standing there also, looked at Keats like he was crazy, and said something along the lines of, “she got it from herself (silly.)” Oh, duh. Thanks, Gabe. “I got it from myself, Keats.” (No need to use the word breast, phew.)
Later that evening, as we sat around the dinner table, Keats innocently asked if Silas is done nursing now (as in for good) since he had eaten that sweet potato. Once again, poor Keats was regarded by his siblings as if he is a crazy person. After all, he is the older brother of Beatrix, who at age three, was only weaned a couple of months ago (insert Hallelujah chorus.)
“No sweetie, he still nurses, and will for quite some time (but I will openly admit that I hope not for as long as Beatrix did.)
Can you guess what my answer was? Don’t worry, Seth came through for her with a piece of Dubble Bubble.
Yesterday was sad milestones, today happy ones! I have a friend who swears by a hard boiled egg yolk mashed with avocado. Superfood!
This was such a sweet post! Thank you for the smile. 🙂
you mean Job?
No, this is an old post. That is Silas! Aren’t they similar though?
Wow! Yes they look very similar!
I wanted to share with you that I have had a ‘shoulder dystocia experience’ as well! It was with my first child (I am expecting #5). His shoulders were too broad…he weighed 9.3 and was very long and skinny. They checked him out afterwards and everything seemed fine. Two days later we found out he had broken his arm during delivery. The doc had checked the arm she pulled but it was the other arm (humorous) that broke. Don’t ask me about my condition, I am sure you know all about that! Birthing after this first big boy has been less traumatic :)!
I’m glad your births have gotten less traumatic!! We are so thankful that Job very miraculously escaped without injury! He was stuck for long enough that the situation got pretty intense–but no broken bones or other long term problems. And me, well–yeah don’t ask 🙂