To not want to wean?

[roiya]

My little one is 23 weeks old. I have been researching up on weaning lots and I find myself reading so much conflicting information!

I have really enjoyed breastfeeding her and I want to keep doing it. I know that I will have to for many months to come, to an extent, as she won't eat much in the near future.

I suppose my question is... has anyone had experiences of exclusively breastfeeding past 6 months? Does she need any other nutrients? I'm so confused if it's the right thing for her health and development!

You have to introduce past 6 months as their iron supplies deplete by this point and they need to get it from food.

I’m not really sure why you’d want to deprive your child of nutrients just because you’re enjoying breastfeeding? You can still breastfeed, but children have to eat. Even if it’s not huge amounts they need to get used to it. I think you’re being a bit ridiculous in all honesty.

I really don’t understand why you don’t want to feed your child??

I bf to 13m first time and ongoing with number 2. Started introducing solids at 6m both times though (DD now 3, DS just 6m) Nutrition is still mainly from bf at this age but need to start trying tastes and textures. DD never had formula. All babies now recommended to have vit D drops unless in formula.

You do need to start introducing solid foods to complement her diet. Her iron needs will now start to be more than can be fulfilled by breastmilk alone, for starters.

Also, exploring food is fun for babies. It's one thing if they aren't interested for a while, but why would you prevent them from having the opportunity? Eventually they will simply start grabbing food from other people's plates given half a chance anyway.

You don't have to make a big production out of weaning. You can just literally sit your baby on your lap while you eat (unless your meal is very salty), or plopping a bit of your food on her high chair tray. Weaning can be fun. It was for us.

Firstly I’ll say, from a medical standpoint, I have no idea! But... (and I remember mentioning this before in a thread) my DCs were born in the days when you weaned at around 3 months. Both started even earlier than that, because milk just wasn’t satisfying them anymore. They’d be fed but still be crying etc and as soon as I tried them with solids they wolfed it down! So the mother side of me, would say go with what your baby wants. If she’s happy with just breast milk then great but if she shows signs of wanting more it would be wrong not to provide it.

Well eventually baby will actively choose to wean. Weaning is a process, not a one off change. For us it started when DD was 5.5months and she stole a piece of toast off my plate. She's now 2.5yo and eats like a horse abd breastfeed several times per day.

@TeddyIsaHe I've read and heard experiences of mum's who have carried on exclusively breastfeeding for 12 months plus and wondered what the benefits were.

That was the point in posting, as I don't know the health benefits for my baby for this. I have read advocates of both sides. Hence the last two questions! This is not about me.

Remember ‘food before 1 is just for fun.’ Absolutely carry on breastfeeding. All my kids were natural term breastfed, but were offered food from 6 months. Most weren’t that interested in solid food actually until well beyond a year, but they were offered it. I’d suggest giving abidec drops for vitamin d, but otherwise wouldn’t worry. All mine were fine and are fine.

And while I was writing that post, I see that i’m wrong! Haha. It is interesting though how advice changes over the years. Given that the human race has somehow managed up to this point without it!

Oh and of course you can keep bf. There are plenty of people out there who continue to bf alongside solids into the preschool years. My DS1 didn't drink anything but water and my milk until he was well over 2.

I suppose my question is... has anyone had experiences of exclusively breastfeeding past 6 months? Does she need any other nutrients? I'm so confused if it's the right thing for her health and development!

I don't think I've ever read anything anywhere that has said this is a good idea.

Have you, and if so where?

Google weaning and speech development.

Eating solid food helps strengthen muscles which are important for speech. Chewing, use of tongue and throat muscles are all engaged.

I think when people say exclusively breastfeeding to 12 months, they just mean no formula rather than no solids.

If your DC is anything like mine then you'll have a job keeping them away from solid food. Both were actively swiping food from me by 6 months. Both breastfed well past a year.

@JohnLapsleyParlabane
Did you mean your 2.5 year old still breastfeeds or when you were weaning her?

@YouCantGetHereFromThere I've read quite a few blogs where women were recommending exclusively breastfeeding past 6 months, a colleague of mine did it with her baby, too. Would tell me no end of the health benefits. It's been very confusing.

You shouldn't delay the introduction of solids past approx six months because:

a) they start to need more iron and zinc than they can get from breastmilk (which is a poor source of these things) and their internal stores are usually running low
b) delaying the introduction of allergens does not reduce the risk of allergies and may actually increase them
c) you risk missing the window for getting your child used to textures and swallowing solid foods.

Delayed weaning is linked with all types of issues; obesity, diabetes, fussy eating, anaemia and other problems.

DD2 is a similar age to your lo and just isn't interested in food. However, she gets offered some everyday and I'll keep persevering!

OP can you actually clarify what you mean by "weaning" and "exclusive bf"? Because at least some of us are talking at cross purposes here. Do you mean weaning from the breast completely, or the introduction of solids? Does EBF til 12mo mean no solids to you, or just no formula?

I don't mind breastfeeding past 12 months etc., but it seems that it might be beneficial to her development to start weaning at 6 months, then.

@QueenAravisOfArchenland I am planning to wean my baby onto solid foods. Well, purées. But, I have read/been given advice that there were benefits to delaying the weaning process.

Are you perhaps misinterpreting whatbthe mean by exclusively breast feeding? I think most people use it to mean that a baby is never given formula, not that solids weren't introduced. I say I'm EBF my twins but they're nearly 9 months and have 3 meals a day of "solids"

Mayim Bialik (nutty crunchy mum of "Blossom" fame) apparently gave no solids till her son was 12mo (and for a couple of years afterwards, he ate so little solids that he was having several bottles of pumped breastmilk each day until he was 3). Then again, he seems to have had developmental delays. Perhaps that is why she delayed so long---but the poor kid probably ended up anemic, which I suspect did not help his inherent delays.

Do you mean no solid foods at all until 12 months? As far as I'm aware they need more nutrients from 6 months and they need to chew to develop their muscles for speech. What are the supposed benefits of no solids past 6 months?

I've never heard of anyone not giving their child food until 1 year. Are there people who say that's a good thing to do? You could do baby led weaning where you just present your child with food and be led by them rather than spoon feed them? We did this with our ds but I panicked a bit as he just wasn't interested and just wanted breast milk until 7 months. I tried both types of weaning but he just ate when he was ready. He is a good eater now.

Iron. Coordination. Taste and texture exposure. Independence. Jaw growth (chewing food helps facilitate proper bone growth and structure important for dental health). Learning how to swallow and not breath in and choke to death is quite an important one too.

Don't be a lazy fucking parent basically and do what is physically best for your child. You dont have to wean. You just need to introduxe solids too. You can still whap em out whenever you want too. Milk should still be the primary source until 12m.