What others say you should feed your baby

When I first started looking into natural child birth, many of my resources strongly warned me against the evil medical world of obstetrics.  While in retrospect, the books emphasized being informed and educated about my options, I still remain wary of the medical community.  I think its because we’re so overmedicated here in the States, that we lose sight of what women have been doing for…well…ever.  I’m not going to talk about birth today, but Ive been running into the whole newborn nutrient/food debate.

They used to say not to introduce food until 6 months, and then give your baby iron fortified rice cereal.  Now they say you can give them rice cereal at four months.  Then I’m hearing rice cereal isnt necessary nutritionally (which I knew), but because of the iron, babies need it.  Then I hear the iron debate is a myth and isn’t necessary.  Then I hear you shouldn’t give your baby anything until 6 months again.  Some people say to wait until they’re “interested”, whatever that looks like.  Then someone else says even if they look “interested” in your food, they’re intestines aren’t ready to digest the food.  And then I’m supposed to be giving Viola a Vitamin D supplement since people are usually deficient in that vitamin.  So my breastmilk isnt enough.  Then I read that the Vitamin D studies were done on nutritionally deficient women in a pooor demographic.  

Can you see where I’m getting with this?

This is what I did…  my pediatrician wanted Viola to “socialize” herself with rice cereal at four months.  I said “no thanks”.  She had me giving Vitamin D drops to Vi, which we eventually stopped.  Partially because of my laziness, and partially because I take extra Vitamin D myself.  I made my own avocado baby food yesterday which we’re going to try this weekend.  Viola is almost 5 months.  Breast-milk is still 99% of her nutrition for awhile, so I’m not that worried.  Wish me luck!