Anyone still exclusively breastfeeding? (delaying solids)

bawags · December 2013

My daughter is 10 months old now and still exclusively breastfed. She's growing well, meeting all her milestones and seems quite content without solids. Her pediatrician didn't even flinch at her 9 month appointment when I told him we hadn't started solids yet. I've gotten a lot of flack from family and friends about our choice, but I'm happy with the way things have gone so far. Anyone else out there in a similar situation?

jani7 · December 2013

I am still breastfeeding but with solids. We introduced solids right around 6 months and I actually thought that was pretty late. I'm not telling you it's right or wrong just what we did!

bawags · December 2013

Thanks for responding! I was feeling a little sad that no one else had even acknowledged my post!

MomIn2013 · December 2013

DS is 10 months and "barely" eats solids. We started with purees at 6 months, and he ate them fine for a couple of months. Then he started refusing to be spoon fed, so I've been trying finger foods ever since, and he mostly just plays with, doesn't really eat much. He's also growing perfectly fine, etc., but I wish I could get him to eat his food rather than just play with it! His pedi said it's o.k. For breast milk to be his main source of nutrition until 1 year, but I'm getting a bit worried whether he'll just suddenly start eating enough table food at 1 year or not. She said to just keep offering the table food, that he'll pick up on it when he's ready.

bawags · December 2013

We are planning on introducing a mixture of purees and finger foods in a month or so- around her 1st birthday. I hope she's ready for something different- shes' quite fond of nursing!

kmc84 · December 2013

We are still nursing but started BLW at 6 months. Our LO loves food and her boobs

kmc84 · December 2013

Just curious, is there a reason you have not offered solids yet?

minervacullen · December 2013

There is a mom on my bmb that delays until about 9m, I think. I say do what works bm has everything anyway.

bawags · December 2013

Well, we didn't make a specific plan on how long to delay solids-but we knew we would wait until at least 6 months. We knew that from a nutrition standpoint breast milk is sufficient for the 1st year of life. I also had read that babies get the most immune boosting benefits from exclusive breast feeding. I work in the early childhood education field and am exposed to TONS of different bacteria/viruses. I was hoping that exclusive breastfeeding would give her some protection from all of the yucky germs I bring home and help build up her immune system. So far it seems to have worked- she hasn't been sick yet! Plus she hasn't really been interested in anyone's food up to this point in her life.

taraleanne · December 2013

bawags said:

Well, we didn't make a specific plan on how long to delay solids-but we knew we would wait until at least 6 months. We knew that from a nutrition standpoint breast milk is sufficient for the 1st year of life. I also had read that babies get the most immune boosting benefits from exclusive breast feeding. I work in the early childhood education field and am exposed to TONS of different bacteria/viruses. I was hoping that exclusive breastfeeding would give her some protection from all of the yucky germs I bring home and help build up her immune system. So far it seems to have worked- she hasn't been sick yet! Plus she hasn't really been interested in anyone's food up to this point in her life.

Sounds like a good plan

I'd say if she's looking interested now, why not give it a shot? My LO is not even 6m yet but has been showing interest for over a month. He eyes me when I'm eating and reaches for whatever I'm putting in my mouth so we already tried a few purees. I wouldn't know from experience but I took an introducing solids class and they said that if you delay the introduction too long, they might not take to the transition very well as an older baby, and something about needing to give solids after 6m to boost the iron intake, apparently mom's iron stores start to diminish at this time. This is what they told us based on AAP recommendations. They also agree BF should be the primary source of food for baby's under 1 and to continue past 1 year. Of course every baby is different, so I wouldn't take any of this as gospel, just wanted to share with you what I was told. You know your LO best so you'll know when she's ready

you may also want to try BLW

spinsoffresonance · December 2013

We EBF but started BLW at 6 months. It took a couple months for DD to really eat anything. Once she started eating she started favoring food over nursing and dropped nursing sessions. She just turned 1 and were down to 2 nursings when she wakes up and bedtime.

jani7 · December 2013

I did read an interesting article about the benefits of starting solids while still breastfeeding. Also for what it's worth my DD hasn't wanted to nurse less since starting solids. She still loves nursing as much as she did before solids.

happy_un-bride · December 2013

jani7 said:

I did read an interesting article about the benefits of starting solids while still breastfeeding. Also for what it's worth my DD hasn't wanted to nurse less since starting solids. She still loves nursing as much as she did before solids.

I'm in this situation. DS has really taken to eating now, I can't believe how much! Except he still nurses just as much. I would like him to ween some, and get rid of his daytime nursing, but not sure how. Goes to dr next week, so we'll ask her.

Cellis · December 2013

I EBF until a little after 10 months. When he was about 8 months I started offering him solids, but he didn't show any interest and would push it away. Now he loves food and will choose it over nursing. I still try to nurse him in the morning, before and after nap and before bedtime, but he just isn't as interested.

hmontty · December 2013

I don't see anything wrong with your choice because the child is getting the proper nutrition. However, I don't understand why you made the choice. Solids certainly won't hurt the child, and she needs to learn how to feed herself eventually. This takes a while to learn. At some point you will want to wean her, and she won't know how to eat...

nanabanana06 · December 2013

I know I don't have much to contribute. However, one of the big reasons we did solids the way we did was because MIL refused to give SO solids as a baby. She EBFed him far longer than he should of (we're talking solids at 18-24 months and weaned by 3-4) and this resulted in him being extremely texture sensitive. Like, he gags and pukes if mashed potatoes are too lumpy, he can't do normal spaghetti sauce, ect. He has so many weird texture things and I really think him being delayed the opportunity to eat real food did that. Sure he's getting the proper nutrition, but solids is much more about learning tastes, textures, and how to properly eat/chew than nutrition for BFed babies.

ObLaDi · December 2013

We are breastfeeding but DS has also been getting solids since 6 months.

Like @Nana_Osaki06 said, my concern with delaying too long would be to miss an important window for exposure to different flavors and textures.

That being said, we all make our own decisions with the best information we have, and only you can decide what you feel is best for your LO.

st.augbride · December 2013

I am still BFing dd but she is doing quite well with solids now. We started at around 6.5 months with purees and she didn't want them really until closer to 9 months. At around 10 months she stopped wanting the spoon and only self-feeds with finger foods. She is definitely nursing less these days and I can tell my supply is dropping, but she is doing well and growing so obviously nature is taking its course. FWIW, my older LO is a terrible eater, so I think it's especially great to watch dd enjoy all these foods, textures, and flavors that my almost 3 year old won't go near.

AimeeL85 · December 2013

ObLaDi said:

We are breastfeeding but DS has also been getting solids since 6 months.

Like @Nana_Osaki06 said, my concern with delaying too long would be to miss an important window for exposure to different flavors and textures.

That being said, we all make our own decisions with the best information we have, and only you can decide what you feel is best for your LO.

Agreed. I'm sure she's not malnourished by any means, breastmilk is awesome, but I guess I don't really understand not offering even purees by this point.

this decaf life · December 2013

DD loves loves loves food. She's still BFing 4-6 times a day and doesn't get much more than 5-6 ounces of solids a day. I plan to keep BFing for, hopefully at least 6 more months. I think your baby will be fine but I would definitely start offering sooner than later.

nlp1990 · December 2013

My little guys is 10 months and we just started solids a couple of weeks ago. I give him something on his tray when we eat dinner. He doesn't eat much at all though. I totally get where you're coming from OP my family thinks I am starving him.

a13049 · December 2013

We started BLW at 6 months, and DD didn't eat anything until 8 months. At almost 10 months old, she eats very little. Like at dinner last night we had spagetti sqash and she gummed up one noodle and fed the rest to the dogs. We did green beans and chicken the night before and she only put two pieces of green beans in her mouth and then was done. We offer her food at 5 times a day and let her decide. I think she gets 2-3 ounces total amount of food from that. she is drinking about 30 ounces of BM. Pediatrician is okay with that and she if healthy and definatelty hitting her milestones, most ahead. My mom has been giving me trouble about it since she was 3 moths old. She swears DD would STTN more often if we put cereal in her bottles. Thankfully my MIL just goes with whatever i want to do, because they watch her while we are at work.

babywisher · December 2013

We started BLW when dd was just over 7 months. She only gets one meal a day still. She ebf 5-6 times a day. I'm not in any huge rush to give her any more. Sometimes she will eat a little breakfast with us. I don't see any reason for you to be in any rush .

Smiley-1980 · December 2013

We started purées at 6 mths and DD still nurses 5 times a day, she loves food and nursing. I also don't understand delaying solids and have also heard from my doctor and elsewhere that they need the extra iron. To each their own.

MamaMuslima01 · December 2013

My son is 9 months and we still exclusively bf. I am shocked to see others do it beacuse like you "bawags" I get alot of crap from my family and friends. I agree when you say your baby is growing and content. My only problem is.. I want to get pregnant soon and im not sure how to break.him or wean him.. any advice?

bawags · January 2014

bawags is an abbreviation of my 1st and last name!

bawags · January 2014

Update: Offered some food on New Year's day (DD is 11 months now) and she was totally uninterested. Over the past few days she has squished things in her hands and tried to feed my husband and I with her fingers and/or her spoon. I had hope when she licked her finger w/avocado on it, but then she made the most terrible gagging/puke face. We'll keep offering, but I don't intend to push the issue. She's still quite content with nursing around the clock! Good luck to anyone out there in the same situation. At least now my DH's family will leave me alone because I can tell them that I at least offer her food now :-)

MamaMuslima01: Maybe you don't need to wean in order to get pregnant. I know some people who breastfeed throughout pregnancy and then tandem nurse. You might post a question on the breastfeeding board. Good luck!

pinottoparenthood · January 2014

I would say just keep offering solids and let your daughter take the lead. Avocado was actually our son's first food and he didn't like it the first time, but now he loves it. Letting baby lead is actually the biggest component of BLW and is a great way to start.

rm2013 · January 2014

OP, never heard of this approach but hey whatever works for you. It will take a while for your LO to get used to food, so it's good you're starting now. We did no cereal in milk ever, no purées, just started BLW at 6 months. For the first few months more food ended up on the floor than her mouth but it was good practice and fun, now she's a pro and enjoys eating with us.

One note - my LOs milk consumption actually went UP since introducing food, not down. So i feel confident that shes getting the nutrition I want from milk, and food is just like icing on the cake. At 10 months she eats 3 meals a day and drinks 38-40 oz of bm a day.

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