Is This A Bit Much Or Am I Wrong?

[harperluu]

You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.

Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.

I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.

I love this and so true! I always let first time parents especially know, that baby food is for practice. It shouldn't be substituted for nutrition or take the place of feedings. I frequently see parents shoveling large quantities of baby food in increasing jar sizes to their young infants. They get stuck in a rut, and transitions to finger foods are difficult because babies get used to the shoveling and don't always want to do the developmental work for their food.

I have a one year old right now, that will not take a bottle or sippy unless someone is holding it. I won't hold it per se, but mom reports with a sigh and oh well, that she just wants mom to do it for her. I offer the sippy, encourage her to hold it at each feeding and we play the game of she holds it for a sec until she realizes I'm not holding it then lets it fall and tears. Getting her to take finger foods has been a chore, with open bird mouth as I approach and hold a food up for her to grasp. So frustrating, but she's figuring out I'm not hand-feeding her, when she is developmentally able to feed herself.

Sorry, but that was a rant. Just identifying with the stupid things parents do to get their kids to eat bit.

[justgettingstarted]

Thanks everyone! I'm so excited to be pregnant again happyface it's a big reason I started my daycare.

I agree that its too early to start solids especially for this little guy. He can't even sit up in a highchair yet without shoulder straps - DCD actually told me to be careful because he falls onto the tray sometimes DCD does drop offs and pick ups so I never see mom but I know she's the one calling the shots, so tonight I'm going to send her an email letting her know that I'm not comfortable starting solids yet here at daycare. I appreciate the suggested wording and will definitely use some of them!

I was really ready to term yesterday and am feeling a lot better about things now. I'm such a people-pleaser and hate saying no because I have such good relationships with all of my parents and don't want that to change. But being pregnant changes things so much. I also changed things around so that nap times are stress free even though he's on an opposite nap schedule.

[justgettingstarted]

Update

I talked to Dad at pick up about delaying feeding here at daycare and he really didn't get it - his answer was, he'll be 6 months in a few weeks, isn't that close enough? I also talked to Mom over email again about them keeping him up in the mornings so that he can be on a more regular schedule while here and they just aren't willing to work with me at all. So...I termed! I HATE having to term, its uncomfortable, I was cringing the whole time but I feel SO much better now that I did. I gave them 30 days notice and I can't wait to get back to my normal routine with my toddlers! I also already have two interviews scheduled for Sunday to fill the position. One is a one year old that would be fulltime! (current DCB is Monday thru Thursday which is a pain because I can't ever fill just Friday). Whew!