Anyone breastfeed exclusively for the 1st year?

[momaskew2]

My 2 cents: :-)

As a PP said, each child is an individual. They are little people after all!

DS didn't try cereal until 6 mos, and that's what I'm going for this time around with dd. He pretty much went from the "1st foods" real fine purees to real solids. Didn't like the kind of lumpy stuff at all. He was also bf until about 18 mos. Dr didn't seem to mind that plan at all last time, but this time is kind of pushing me starting cereal already at 4 mo. I'm going on instinct and waiting for a little while longer. She is content. When she lets me know, we'll try it. I also got for Christmas a really cool thing called the Babycook by beaba. Think steamer/food processor all in one! I'll be making dd her own from our food this time. (most of the time anyway!)

One thing I'll add is, as far as sleeping thru the night.... DS still at 2 1/2 yo wakes up at least once per night. A full night sleep is very strange here. Didn't make one difference what he ate. Now, my oldest slept thru the night almost from day one. So go figure on that one.

[cody82414]

I made it with DS1 until 8 1/2 months, and DS2 until 8 months, ebf.
I quit bf'ing at one year with DS1, because I did everything 'by the book'.

DS2 is 1 year, 6 months and 1 day at is latched on as I nak!

Good forr you Mommy, and great for your lo :O)

[jfolzman]

I did and was encouraged to do so by my dr. at the time. My baby was very healthy, after one year, I just started her on table foods, mashed up.

I think mom's milk is the best! What more do they need? (no offense to those who use bottles, obiviously, those babies are healthy too! )

[terrisue]

Every kid is different--at least IME. I breastfed DS for 14 months. At 6 months, we decided to try the cereal on the pediatrician's recommendation. He had been watching us eat very intently for a couple of weeks, so we sat him in his swing and DH went to feed him a spoonful and DS literally grabbed the spoon out of his hand and stuck it in his own mouth. While I still nursed him for the next 8 months, he was VERY interested in food, and very easy to feed. He decided he didn't want to nurse anymore all on his own. DD was pretty much the opposite. I nursed her for 2 1/2 years, and finally told her she had to stop because I couldn't get a good night's sleep! She was completely uninterested in food for at least a year. We offered it, but she didn't want it. She finally started solids around the time she turned 1. You will get a feeling for what is right for you and your baby. Both kids have great appetites now--DS is 16 and DD is 11--and they have both been very healthy kids with perfect attendance at school several years. Some great advice someone gave me was that the only perfect parents are the ones that have never had children--people have a lot of opinions about breastfeeding, and you will surely hear all of them--just do what your instincts tell you and you will be fine.

[tonyarn]

I didn't read all the responses, but I just wanted to add that I SORT OF did this. I started my son on cereal and even some baby foods, but after a few weeks, he refused to eat anything. I was still BFing him, and the mom's and lactation consultants at my moms group kept telling me not to worry, etc. Anyway, he didn't eat nything by his own refusal until about 13 months old. I always set him at the table with us, and one night we were eating pizza. He said, "I want pizza" and hasn't quit eating since.

[Michar]

I BF for the first year but added solids just before her 6 month birthday, and phased in cow's organic day milk starting at 11 months and then day weaned her so I didn't have to pump full time at work anymore. I think it depends on the child but also medically speaking most children are not biologically ready for solids pre 5 months.
Also as a side note many doctor's/pedi's are now recommending against ever doing the whole baby cereal bit and just skipping it and starting with bananas, avocados, and sweet potatoes ( peeled,cooked and mashed) about 6 months. Some studies have shown their is no nutritional value and it can lead to allergies later in life.

[BabyB]

I noticed that most did what I did too. But I was also noticing that you mentioned the Dr. looked at you like you had two heads when you disagreed. That is how I felt! They told me to start solids (stage 1 - as if everyone has the Gerber dictionary!) and definitely rice cereal at 4 months. I told him that we will wait and see. At the 6 month check up he asked how much the baby was eating, and I mentioned the breast-milk again. He said that the baby should be on "stage 2" foods and eating rice cereal at least twice a day. And that I should start them right away. I didn't take the advice, I still use the Dr., since they are the best around, but I pretend that I don't hear the feeding at 4 months part. You can still appreciate your Dr.'s input, but if your child is growing normally, and not having health problems, then you will know best! My Dr. didn't hold a grudge BTW, and my boy of 2.5 is eating great and trying new things everyday!

[lilymaid]

To be perfectly honest, I don't really have a plan...my baby girl will be 7 months old in two days & I am still BFing exclusively. Like a previous poster mentioned, she is soo interested when we're eating food - turned out it was the silver spoon she was coveting! =) I've heard that it's totally doable to BF exclusively for the first year, and I guess I might as well try it.

I've also heard that it helps with your infertility, though from the many pregnant/nursing women I've talked to, I've chalked it up to varying from one woman's body to the next. I personally don't have my cycle back yet, and that's always nice. :D

Jill
lilymaid

[tinabohio]

My youngest didn't want baby food. I don't blame her, even though I made her food (Gerber is just flat out nasty), she didn't like the baby mush garbage. She started to actually eat when she could have real food. She was pretty close to one. She eats almost anything now at 2; has a love of fruit and veggies and chicken; she adores food! It was just the mushy texture that was no good.
We skipped cereal as the doc said it's just junk food.

[christinamikayla]

Just wanted to update anyone that had replied to my post. DD is now 7 1/2 months. She has had rice cereal mixed with BM about 6 times. It messes up my milk supply when I do this because then she wants to go a long time befroe BF again and pumping is a PITA. So I am back to just BF and she is doing great. She really was not intrested in the rice ceral and half of it ended up on the bib. Just wanted to let everyone know that had followed this post. BTW she is in the 75% for weight.