How long did you "exclusively" breastfeed?

[princesspumpkin]

Since it has been advised to nurse "exclusively" for at least six months (I think), I was wondering how long people actually exclusively breastfeed before introducing solids. I nursed for 7 months before giving DD rice cereal and stuff. No formula, just breastmilk. DH's family thought I was off my rocker! His sister sneaked her (at 11 weeks) some stuffing because she thought that DD looked hungry while i went to the bathroom.
As much as we try to convince our patients to do this, most want to give their baby formula right from the beginning to get them used to it, or because they don't think that the baby is getting enough. So, how long did you nurse before introducing other food?

 

[mom2boys]

WIth my oldest, I think it was around 4 months. My youngest could not get enough to eat so I had to supplement with formula almost immediately - per the pediatrician.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

7-8 months. Technically 10 months since pediatrician allowed her a few months to learn to eat food.

Unless a child has actually been diagnosed with failure to thrive--there is no "need" to supplement as long as everything is okay (mom still want to nurse, baby wants to nurse even if it is a lot). As long as baby is gaining---baby is getting enough.

 

[cabmom]

I think it was around 6 months for all 3 boys for introducing solids. I nursed the first for 4 months, he wasn't getting enough. The 2nd one, I nursed for 13 months, and the 3rd I nursed for 19 months.

This one we'll have to see, at least be nursed a year.

Marilynn

 

[SueM in MN]

6 months with both my children.
I was a Public Health Nurse at the time and also worked at WIC clinics (Women, Infant, Children).
We encouraged waiting to at least 4 months, but preferably 6. I'm not up on what the current research is, but there was some research at that time looking at develpmental signs of readiness (that don't appear until 4-6 months) and there was also some research that waiting too long after those signs of readiness appeared made it more likely that kids would have trouble accepting textures.
One of the other good reasons for starting iron enriched ceral at that age (and I assume this is still true) is that the baby's iron stores from birth are starting to get low. A lot of breastfeeding moms gave iron drops, but my own experience with them was not good.
One of the problems I had as an nurse encouraging breastfeeding was that many of the grandmas (and other relatives) and doctors were encouraging starting rice cereal at 6 weeks. (Sometimes the doctor didn't, but his "nurse" - who was often not a real nurse - did). Just when the baby would get a growth spurt and the mom needed to nurse more to make more milk, they would encourage cereal!!

 

[lil mermaid]

I introduced rice cereal to Madeline at six months.

I did give her a couple of ounces of formula when she was about four days old, because I couldn't get her latched on because of engorgement. She was tiny at birth and had lost weight, and I was afraid they were going to put her in he hospital or something if she continued to lose.

 

[mtemm]

my eldest was about a week shy of 6 months when we tried a little rice cereal. we weren't consistant with it until he was around 6.5 months. Prior to that, just breastmilk.

with the twins we had to supplement from the beginning so they got both breastmilk and formula. we didn't introduce rice cereal or other solids until they were around 7 or 7.5 months.

I have to say I would have been pissed if someone had given my baby stuffing.

 

[PaulaSue]

I EN all 3 of my DD's and didn't use a bottle (expressed Breastmilk only) at all but a handful of times total for the 3 of them.

I introduced cereal at about 5 1/2 to 6 months with each DD and then went from there with other foods.

 

[VSL]

DH's family thought I was off my rocker! His sister sneaked her (at 11 weeks) some stuffing because she thought that DD looked hungry while i went to the bathroom.

I would have gone mad!

 

[TerryKitten]

DS only had breastmilk till he was 6 months old. Hes still nursing when he gets up in the AM and in the eveings at 19 months. Like some people and coffee. He can't get up w/ out his mom milk. :eyeroll:

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

3 weeks...until my daughter who was suffering from reflux lost as much weight as I could possibly stand. My SIL convinced me that I was starving my daughter and gave me formula. She gained all her weight back nearly immediately and I felt a whole lot better about her health.

My milk production would have probably been fine had my daughter been able to keep the milk in her little tummy, but I just couldn't keep up.

If you're thinking about quitting, don't beat yourself up. There are milions of people who bottlefeed, and the kids end up okay.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

If you're thinking about quitting, don't beat yourself up. There are milions of people who bottlefeed, and the kids end up okay.

I actually read an article in Parenting magazine that gave the statistics of women who breastfeed vs. those who bottle feed and was quite surprised. The stats said that approx. 40% of the women polled never even attempted breastfeeding and went straight to bottle feeding. Of the 60% of the women who began breast feeding, only 22% of those women continued to breastfeed until the 6th month. As they say breast is best, but the large majority of women in America end up bottle feeding before most people think. In the end, it's all up to personal opinion.

 

[staci]

DS breastfed exclusively until almost 6 months, when I introduced rice cereal (mixed with breastmilk). I nursed until 15 months, we did a real gradual weaning and it went so smoothly. After that first month or two of seemingly CONSTANT feedings it was so easy and I really regret not doing it longer. I felt alot of pressure from family/friends to quit as he had been walking at 10 1/2 months and he was 'not a baby anymore'. My next child, I will nurse as long as it works for ME and not worry so much about other people.

 

[Twinkles6892]

I don't have any kids, but if anyone tries to feed my kid stuffing at 11 weeks, uh oh for them! There's a lot of nerve there!

 

[crz4mm2]

7 months or so. Remember going to the WIC clinic when she was 6 months old and they had an absolute FIT because I was not giving her cereal. THey said that babies iron runs out at 6 months and she should be started iron fortified cereal and MEAT..... I said 'no thank you'.
She didn't care much for solid foods until she was closer to 8 months old. she nursed until 12 months and I only weaned her then as I went to school full time.

 

[katerkat]

Five months, one week, uh, how many days? Check the counter.

We're actually debating this - I go to Disneyland with Russ four days after he turns 6 months, then I have visitors, then we're going to DC. I'm lazy and it would just be easier to not start him on cereal until we get back, but he'll be almost seven months old then.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Five months, one week, uh, how many days? Check the counter.

We're actually debating this - I go to Disneyland with Russ four days after he turns 6 months, then I have visitors, then we're going to DC. I'm lazy and it would just be easier to not start him on cereal until we get back, but he'll be almost seven months old then.

This should be no problem if he's nursing comfortably still.

Our doctor even said it was okay to introduce at 8 months.....so month seven was more taste/allergin check---8-9 months learn to actually eat it and by 10 months...you could replace a snack or a meal with "table food" (we didn't actually use baby food).

Both children done this way and no texture problems as described.

Check with your doctor--if they are open minded and not strict on the food calendar--they shouldn't see any harm in waiting until after your trips to start it.

As far as iron---now this I am not sure on...but is there any iron in breast milk? My girls didn't eat meat for a while (and hardly do now---gotta find substitutes!). But never once was their an issue of iron deficiency. We even made homemade baby cereal and it we didn't fortify it.

 

[Kermit]

Jacob started to have small nibbles of food (not regular meals each day--just food about once or twice a week) at about 8 or 9 months. Nick started at 10 months. Nick has a lot of allergies and bad eczema, so at 12 months, I still don't feed him regular meals. I just let him play with food to get used to it. About 95-98% of his calories come from my milk.

We don't do iron fortified cereals, for a variety of reasons. We don't do processed foods, which includes white rice. Babies aren't ready for whole grain rice until about 18 months. We also don't do "fortified" foods, since nutrients that are naturally-occuring in food have much higher bioavailability. Exclusively breastfed babies who don't get any formula or foods enriched with iron generally have fine iron levels. The iron in formula and rice cereals is actually so hard for them to absorb that it makes them absorb less iron from breastmilk.

 

[Kermit]

As far as iron---now this I am not sure on...but is there any iron in breast milk? My girls didn't eat meat for a while (and hardly do now---gotta find substitutes!). But never once was their an issue of iron deficiency. We even made homemade baby cereal and it we didn't fortify it.

Yes, there is iron in breastmilk. The iron content is low compared to formula, but that's obviously a pretty silly thing to compare it to, since formula is supposed to be a copy of breastmilk. The iron content of formula has to be higher because it's a form of iron that babies can't absorb as easily, so they need a lot more iron to be available to get the needed amount.

The whole paranoia over iron and breastfed babies is needless for most babies. It started back when doctors thought that formula was more "scientific" and therefore better for babies. Because breastmilk had less iron, they considered it inferior. Also, there is the fact that babies are born with enough iron to last them about 6 months if they don't get any other iron. If there weren't iron or much iron in babies' milk, it would be a problem, but that isn't the case.

That's probably more than you wanted to know, but I'm very interested in the history of formula and how it has shaped our current thinking about breastfeeding and formula.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Mine were all about 6 months when I started the cereal. I had people tell me I should start them sooner as well. I just answered that we were doing what our doctor and we discussed.

I did use bottles (breast milk) for the sitter, since I had to go back to work, but that was all they seemed to need!