SF, back to school, delay solids?

[HoppityBunny]

My baby boy is strictly exclusively BF and is coming up to 6 mths old on 5th September. I had started my other 2 DDs on solids at 6 mths, but this time round. I am considering maybe waiting a little bit longer cos of Swine Flu. My DD1 goes back to school and DD2 to nursery. They maybe most likely to bring SF home with them and infect my son with it too. I heard the SF cases are going to soar in Sept cos of kids going back to school. So I thought if I delay the solids with my son and use the 'wait and see' approach. If my son does get SF, he will stand a better chance of fighting the virus if he is still being exclusively BF and come out better out of it.

I read that if babies are being exclusively BF the probability of respiratory illness is significantly reduced. Say, if my son does get SF and having had started the solids, he is going to go right off solids anyway cos he's ill, so it wouldn't be the best of starts. So, following my instincts, I think it would be wise to delay the solids and what would my HV think about it? Should I even bother querying it with her?

Is it a good idea? What do you think?

[LIZS]

How long would you hold off for though ? There is no guarantee they'd get it as soon as they go back, if at all. Given that it is his first winter he may pick up all sorts of other viruses as well, exclusively bf or not.

[HoppityBunny]

SF is probably the worst of them though. I am thinking of delaying till 7 mths.

[FrameyMcFrame]

Try not to worry too much about swine flu, I wouldn't let the fear of that affect you doing what you would normally do.
Swine flu will be here to stay, not just this winter but for years to come, just like other flu viruses. You will stil be bf while you are weaning so your DS will get some protection.
We've all had SF at home and it was mild.
hth

[HoppityBunny]

OK, thanks, FrameyMcFrame glad to hear that the SF was mild.

Maybe I am panicking a bit, there's lots of talk about SF becoming nastier.

And, I have been observing my DS lately. He looks physically developmentally more ready for solids than my 2 girls ever were! He's happy and gaining weight fine. But, it wouldn't hurt him to wait a week or two after the girls had started school/nursery on the 4th. Just to see . . .

[MrsBadger]

I wouldn't worry and would introduce solids when he is ready (sitting up well, lost tongue thrust, is grabbing food etc) regardless of swine flu

so long as you are still bfing he will get the benefits of it - after 6m solids alongside bfing do not compromise the immune benefits of bfing (iyswim).
The 'exlcusively bfed babies have less risk of respiratory infections' thing is comparing bf babies to formula-fed ones and isn't related to adding solids.

Don't bother asking your HV, IME they rarely have anything useful to say about weaning anyway.

[HoppityBunny]

Thanks MrsBadger for making it clearer me I just couldn't see at the time about respiratory infections really isn't related to adding solids. You are certainly right, yeah I leave the HV out of it.

Can I be honest with you? My DD1 sat up at late 7 mths and DD2 didn't sit up till late 9 mths! My DS isn't sitting up, but has much better stronger upper body control than my 2 girls did. I always thought this sitting up ready for solids thing is a bit far fetched, cause most babies certainly aren't sitting up at 6 mths? What do you make of it. I go ahead and started my girls on solids anyway despite the fact they were never sitting up at the time. Have I done it wrong?

[FrameyMcFrame]

I'm sure you have not done it wrong. I started my DD on solids at 4 months and she could not sit up at all! She couldn't sit by six months and was on to 3 meals a day by then(she is 8 now so the advice was different then) My DS is sitting up at 5 months and totaly different so he is having some solid food already and loving it.
I think it is quite confusing for Mums when the advice keeps changing.

[MrsBadger]

any time after 6m is fine - it's starting before 6m if they're not showing signs that's not recommended (mad local HVs notwithstanding)

very good evidence-based guidance on 'signs of readiness' from Kellymom here

[HoppityBunny]

I read the Kellymom link, still I do find it confusing. As it says sitting up without support. This had been quite some time away for my babies as they had always sat up rather late, but their other reflexes on mentioned on the link has always been on time.

It is pretty confusing, because I myself is convinced that babies that are actually sitting up at 6 mths are in the minority. And, I had always just gone ahead with it, cos everybody expected me too. If had followed the standard advice down to a "t". I would have weaned DD2 at 9 mths and DD1 at nearly 8 mths.

My DS is more 'ahead' developmently than my other 2 baby girls were. Not sitting up though at all though, would balance for a few seconds on my lap then topple if I let him go.

[crokky]

I would still start on solids. Your baby will still be receiving a large quantity of breastmilk - the solids are in addition to the breastmilk at the start - I didn't actually cut any breastmilk down at 6m when I started solids with my 2.

My DS has just recovered from SF. He's 3. The main problem for him was the raging temperature and extreme fatigue and general illness. It wasn't particularly respiratory, although he had a dry cough which was less of a problem than the other symptoms. My DD (aged 1) has not caught it yet so there is always hope that your baby won't get it from your bigger 2.

[crokky]

Oh, and I meant to add, if your DS gets swine flu, he'll be needing a load of baby nurofen and calpol so he won't just be taking in breastmilk anyway.

[HoppityBunny]

good point

[messalina]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. My DH and I BOTH had suspected swine flu at the same time (and had to look after DD aged 10 months at the time) in shifts because we felt dreadful. She didn't get anything so it cannot be THAT infectious, though I guess we were more careful around her than two little children might be. I think you are worrying too much about it. I was quite worried before we actually got it and then I became quite laid-back about it because it is still a mild illness. And they are bringing out a vaccine for it in the very near future. The trials are being done as I write. I would certainly not delay weaning just because of swine flu. Your baby's iron intake is more important than whether he gets swine flu or not. And iron levels start to deplete at six months in BF babies.