Solid Foods

Before Clara got sick, my biggest worry (as noted in my last blog post prior to her diagnosis) was having to introduce solids.  It was a sign that my "newborn" - become "infant" - become "baby" was growing up.  I wouldn't have even claimed that breastfeeding is the most wonderful thing in the world - although it is now something I cherish. I just didn't want her to grow up and move past the breastfeeding stage.  Plus, breastfeeding is free, and virtually mess free since Clara wasn't a spitter upper.

Now, here we are.  She is 6 months old and I can't hold out any longer.  The bigger problem?  I can hardly get her to eat at the breast, she has a tube stuck in her nose to force feed her, and I am supposed to be introducing solids!?!?  I can't even find the time to play with her most days because she is either nauseous or tired or attached to her IV (which makes it hard to have tummy time or encourage her to sit up or roll over around this IV line).

Fortunately, she is continuing to advance developmentally - particularly with her fine motor skills. When she pulled off the breast the other day and tried to instead grab my nipple and put it in her mouth, I knew she was more than ready to start solids.

So that is one of our new daily dilemmas - is she in a good enough mood and feeling up to "playing"? AND should we spend this one lone period working on gross motor skills or solid foods?

We tend to alternate days.  One day it is rice cereal and the next it is playtime.  Since today was focused on family fun, we will do solids tomorrow!