Exclusive breastfeeding - does size matter?

[Kyliebump]

DS is nearly 16 weeks and I'd really like to try and carry on with exclusive breastfeeding (ie no solids) until as close to 6 months as possible. However, he is really big - was 9lb 7oz at birth and is now 16lb 6oz and I'm wondering if I'm being unrealistic? He has started waking in the night having previously slept through but this isn't too much of a problem as he only wakes once and goes straight back down when he's been fed. However, if he starts waking several times then I guess it might be time to think about solids. He also got his first two teeth at 13.5 weeks, so that is a challenge in itself to my breastfeeding plans!!

Nobody I know has exclusively breastfed past 4 months and I'd really love to hear some experiences. Thank you.

[Demented]

I do feel a little guitly about going against my HV as she is very nice and was a great source of help and advice when DS1 was a baby. I do however very much believe that not introducing solids until six months as recommended by WHO is good advice and have made this my aim also. I think I will try to avoid the HV between four and six months if possible to avoid any confrontation.

Kyliebump, I have just re-read your first posting, has your DS started to sleep through again or does he still wake in the night? My DS still wakes once during the night which is fine but I don't know if I could cope with him waking more often for more than a couple of nights.

[Kyliebump]

Demented, DS is still waking up once in the night - generally the pattern is that he goes to sleep at about 9.30/10pm has a 20/30 minute feed at about 3am and then goes straight back down until about 7-ish. I'm hoping that he will sleep through again at some point (soon!), but as long as he doesn't start to wake up more frequently I can cope. I know I'm lucky that DS wakes up only once, but that is enough!!!

Good idea to avoid the HV during the 4-6 month period - remember, they are just giving advice, they don't set the rules - it just feels like that sometimes!!

[Kyliebump]

Jasper - just re-read your message and was curious to know how you are getting on as your DS must be nearly 6 months now?

Hope all's going well.

[Jasper]

kyliebump, yes 6m next week, really kind of you to ask.
I have a real mental fixation with reaching a whole 6 m exclusively bf so he will get his first solids next Monday on his official 6m "birthday".....maybe
I can't tell you how proud of myself I am that we have come this far.It hs been hard and tiring at times but i never once thought of stopping - totally sympathise with those who do as bf was not a great success with my first two babies.
I am sittting here at the computer expressing milk for my overnight away from ds tomorrow - took the advice of whoever soggested surf and pump, and Mears who suggested a few glasses of wine

[mears]

Hence 3 t's in sittting
Good luck for tomorrow - will be thinking about you.

[Jasper]

well spottted

[angelmouse]

To anyone worried about exclusive b/feeding past six months. I have a friend whose son wouldn't take any solids until 20 (twenty) months. He flatly refused anything but breastmilk, even though his mum left food lying around hoping he'd eat.

This late weaner is now 18 years old, 6'5" tall and a rugby player. He did okay!

AM

[Rhosyn]

Hi Kyliebump - I've just skimmed the messages and most of what I would have said has been said The WHO information is always good to re-read when you are feeling uncertain. And as someone said pulling baby into the breast when s/he is biting works.

I have exclusively b/f two of my children until they were 6mths old and they weighed 9lb8oz and 10lb10oz at birth so definitely no light-weights :-)

Go for it !!

[Kyliebump]

Jasper - wasn't your DS 6 months this week - did he have a three course meal to celebrate??!!

Demented and Eulalia - how are you doing?

Did anyone see on GMTV yesterday the debate about long term breastfeeding (I guess it might have been already discussed on another thread). It was terrible - the TV Doctor was saying that there are no nutritional benifits for the baby past 4-6 months and that the WHO guidance relates only to Developing Countries. The female presenter took some stick for bf her baby to 18mths (I think). Terrible!!!

[mears]

A midwife friend of mine sent a vitriolic essay to Dr. Hilary at GMTV from work yesterday for his ill informed comments (didn't see it myself).
I think the fact that his children were not breastfed for long, if at all, has something to do with his ignorance. Typical bl**dy doctor. Aaargh....

[Kyliebump]

Mears - Please congratulate your colleague for me - much more effective than my response of just shouting at the TV!!!

I actually thought of you yesterday and wished that you were sat on the sofa putting them straight - have you thought of a career move....?

[pupuce]

A BF counsellor friend of mine is also writing to GMTV.... it was quite appalling I was told !
Also CBBies this week showed "what a baby ate".... a bottle !!!!
It is in fact inaccurate as 66% of newborns are breastfed! They also wrote to that programme.

[Clarinet60]

I didn't see the programme, but I am appalled. I'm determined not to intro solids til 6 months and wouldlike to continue b/f for as long as poss. Level of ignorance on tv astounding.

[Willow2]

Maybe the fact that his wife didn't b/f the kids for long was down to her being devastated by her husband's affair?

[Demented]

Grrr, didn't see either programme, but sounds like neither helps the cause so to speak.

My DS is 15 weeks now, still officially not old enough for solids, I think he has had a bit of a growth spurt over the last few days and I was starting to panic a bit about the solids, thinking perhaps my HV is right, but now my boobs are bursting with milk, so much so when I came out of the shower this morning there was a continuous jet of milk coming out of one of them and landing on the floor and DS2 is much more settled today. I am trying to take it bit by bit, I have set myself a goal of no solids until after we move house, when he will be 19 weeks, figured this would make things easier while we try to get sorted out in the new place and we will see how things go from there.

How is everyone else managing? Has your DS had his first solids now Jasper? If so, how did it go?

[jasper]

Kylie bump you are really on the ball. How come you don't have post partum moosh brain like the rest of us?
Ds was indeed 6m on Monday and got his first solids 2 days later...are you still persevering with ds towardsthe 6m mark? Any more teeth?

I am appalled that the blessed Doc Hilary was so ill informed ( did not see it myself) Good point about hs affair Willow2.

[Clarinet60]

I'm panicking about solids too. DS2 is 18 weeks and crying constantly between feeds. Everyone keeps saying put him on solids . don't know what to do. My supply doesn't seem to be keeping pace with his demand and his weight gain has slowed down.

[Kyliebump]

Droile - you poor thing having DS so upset. I haven't any advice I'm afraid as DS hasn't been upset between feeds, but he has started waking up twice in the night - usually at 12.30 and 4.30am, so I'm also wondering if my supply is ever going to adjust.

I'm also having a problem that DS is getting too big to position well if we're feeding out and about, and if he's positioned badly he's more likely to bite, so I'm faffing around with expressing and giving him a bottle if we're out and then expressing again when I get home to stop my breasts exploding - it's all getting a bit stressful!!

I'm still hoping to make it to 6 months but am taking it a day at a time. If I don't make it to 6 months does anyone know if it's better to introduce solids, or introduce formula and wait to 6 months before introducing solids. Does that make any sense?

I think I'm tying myself up in knots - maybe DS will let me sleep tonight...

[bundle]

kyliebump, it very much depends on what you want to do. my dd was totally bfed till 5 mths, then I introduced solids gradually. she didn't have formula till she was 1. if you do start formula I'd imagine it'll affect your supply - but you may want to start to cut down bfeeding anyway, I don't know. As well as enjoying extended bfeeding (I carried on to 23 mths, never meant to!) it also meant I could feed her when she had a tummy bug. the whole bottle thing is a bit of a faff, but means you can share it round a bit

[Clarinet60]

Thanks Kyliebump, hope you sleep tonight. I bought some babyrice today, but I'm still not sure whether to take the plunge or not.

[mears]

Kyliebump - have faith, your milk supply will adjust. However, if you think that ds does need more food then start solids rather than formula. There is absolutely need to start formula feeds as that will definately disrupt your milk supply. Solids are an addition, formula is instead of breast milk.
You are doing so well. My first baby started solids at 23 weeks. The earliest I started was 20 weeks with no.2. It took me to no. 4 to get the confidence to last till 6 months. Try to sort out feeding comfortably when you are out - I would certainly have found expressing to go out a right faff. You'll find that is a phase as well. Good luck

[mears]

Droile - should have added you to the last thread post as well. You two are doing fantastically well.

[Clarinet60]

Thanks mears. It helps to know someone agrees.

[Kyliebump]

Thanks Mears - if I do make it to 6 months DS will owe you a big thank you!!

Goodness knows what happened to DS last night - he went to bed early for him at 8.30pm, then was up at 12.30am for a feed and then again at 5.45, thinking it was morning - it's like his whole pattern shifted back a few hours. I couldn't cope with the idea of a 5.45am start to the day so I fed him and put him back in his cot, much to his surprise!! He managed to lie there chattering away for 45mins before getting grumpy, so it was a 6.30 start for me this morning!! If DS goes to bed again at 8.30 tonight I absolutely must make myself go to bed too although I do feel like I haven't got a life when I go to bed at the same time as DS!!

Hope your day goes better today Droile.

[mears]

Kyliebump - you will probably feel so much better after a few early nights. This stage does not last long - honestly. Now I am at the stage of pleading with older children to go to bed so that I can get to mine