Teatopia

I nursed for just over 6 months and did breastmilk exclusively. The pediatrician said she didn't need anything else. It was wonderful! I then started with solids at 6 months. I would have nursed a little longer, but she got her first teeth around 5 months, and then she started biting...and I could not get her to stop no matter what I tried!! I pumped for a little while, but eventually my body just slowed down. I think it's best to play it by ear month by month as you see how you and your baby are doing!

I've been nursing for almost 18 months now. While I dont want Liam to be nursing throughout kindergarten, I just dont feel he is ready to stop and because of some health issues he has, I am not going to force it either. I know he desperately needs that extra nutrition. I started with cereal at about 8 months, and extremely slowly introduced other foods. Like one at 9 months, one at 10 months, one at 11, etc. He now at 17 months has really just started lots of regular table food. But again we had some health issues, problems with weight, some allergy/celiac issues and didnt know what was going on.
Babies can survive on breastmilk alone until at least age 1. In many countries thats all they get for 2-3 years.
Babyfood during the first year is more for training and experimentation.

Touchy subject you are brining up :) This is me:

I nursed Jason for 18 months. I will nurse Zander at least that long. From about 1 year, they mostly only nurse morning and night anyway.

Both my eldest started solids after 6 months. However Zander is already eating like a pro and started at 5 months. I truly depends on the baby. I would never start a child at 4 months though. Feel its just too young and their tummies aren't ready for it. I'm with you though..Olivia is thriving on your milk. You will know when it's time

I think that it's best just to feel your way along and see what works well for both of you. My goal was to nurse Lucas for at *least* a year, which I did. He stopped breastfeeding a few days after his birthday. I noticed that he was still interested in nursing but was only doing it for comfort and security, not really eating. Plus, with being newly pregnant, it HURT ~ and it was just the best time for both of us. My thought was to just let Lucas be my guide. We started him on rice cereal at around four months or so, just to get him used to eating more solid foods [our pediatrician recommended it]. He was *so* interested in our food and utensils ~ he was ready! We gave him solid foods around 5.5-6 months. Started with green veggies first.

MrMan is eight months now, and primarily breastfed, with some solids thrown in (and around), mostly for his entertainment. I anticipate nursing him until he's at least a year old; I don't have any set time for weaning - I figure I'll just know when it's time. I had planned to wait until six months to introduce solids, but he had different ideas and was lunging for food way before that. So I introduced solids at five months and it's gone fine. He's liked pretty much everything. I think it's important to base feeding decisions on your baby - whether they're interested, whether they have the ability to swallow, whether certain foods give them tummy aches....

Apparently waiting TOO long can cause a significant risk of food allergies. Starting too early significantly increases the risk of childhood diabetes and obesity... both are risks you have to decide if you want to take, or if you truly consider them risks, etc etc. Kristin on Life & Times of a SAHM on my sidebar did a lot of research on this (at least I think it was her).

Personally, I would like to wait until my pediatrician says go ahead (Which she says try around 4 months). I've also read that feeding before 6-8 months is more "practice" to the babies- they still have an expel-reflex and don't actually absorb too much of the food. Once they truly need the extra nutrients, they will actually be familiar with the process of eating and swallowing and be more proficient at it.

Breastfeeding! I used to think it was soooo creepy to breastfeed beyond 6 months, but I'm DEFINITELY doing it for at least a year now!!! :) Oh, how being a mom changes you!!

How are your boobies feeling from your surgery? Email me soon sweetie! xoxo

Of course you'll have to decide this based on what you feel is right for you and Olivia, but I'll give my two cents.

My hope is to nurse Lila until she's one year old. If we stop before that point then I'll have to feed her formula, and I just don't see any reason for that if I can feed her breastmilk. No one can dispute that breastmilk is the best and most natural thing for a baby. Past the one year point, I doubt I'll do it. It's going to be a struggle for me to get through this school year while nursing. You were a teacher; you know how hard it will be for me to find the time (and the place) to pump.

As for food, I think we'll try to wait until around six months, unless there's a lag in growth. If you start too early then there can be digestive issues, and if you wait too late then there can be allergy issues. It's all kind of a tough call. Remember that once you start with food then your milk supply will dwindle a little too.

MotherHen actually posted about what point breastfeeding becomes creepy...you should read that post...you can find her on my blog roll.

I introduced solids (really runny baby porridge) at 4 months. Although the paed said he was thriving on the formula, he was of the oppinion that they needed the variation in textures from this age. It worked great for us - since the bubby took to it straight away - he's not had issues with any kind of food yet thankfully and i'm keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't.

Well Lorelei gets 75% boob juice the rest is formula... so she is getting the best of both worlds... but since she is sooo long, we have been warned we will really have to watch her weight... but also, my mil only breastfeed till Jeremy and his 2 brothers were one years old... and all 3 of them have food allergies... and Lorelei is already grabbing our food... she tried to steal my ice cream tonight lol... so i think at 4 months we will start rice cereal...