Has anyone exclusively b/f for more than 6 months?

[beansprout]

Was just wondering. Am nearly at the 6 month mark but ds is not showing any signs of wanting food yet, he is still perfectly happy on milk. I know his iron stores will be running low soon but do I need to start him on purees etc right on the mark or can I just see how he goes for maybe 2-3 weeks more?

TIA

I tried offering food just before 6 months, and DS2 wasn't interested, although he'd been sitting well, and grabbing for food. Well, he was interested, but didn't understand how to swallow etc. After about a month of trying, he finally understands.

I don't think you have to start at six months, you can wait a few weeks, sure. If you're starting this late, you can reduce your use of purees, or even skip them - DS2 is certainly more interested in finger foods than in purees, which makes getting iron into him a bit tricky. Thankfully, the only purees he'll tolerate are ones with meat in.

People did used to go to 9 months, so I don't think there's that big a rush to get them going at 6.

If he was term then there is no problem for a bit longer, you can always get his iron levels tested if you are worried.

Iron from breastmilk is extremely bio-available.

I b/f dd1 exclusively for 7 months as she just had no interest in food. I got continually hassled by hv that she needed food(from 4 months as was recommended then) and we eventually compromised and I gave her multivitamin at 6.5 months, 2 weeks later, she started solids. dd2 was more than ready for food at 4 months, she'd grab at dd1's food and I started weaning her at 4.5 months. I think you should follow the babies lead. As for them not developing the ability to chew properly if weaning is delayed, dd1 eats just fine and she's coming up for 6.
I'm no professional, but I think the baby will make the right signals when they are good and ready.

I ended up b/feeding dd2 near enough exclusively for 12 months - she always refused point blank to be fed with a spoon. I did offer finger foods, but she wasn't impressed at all. It's only now that she really eats substantial amounts (20 months). She seems perfectly fine though.
On attachment parenting board I'm on there are lots of people who have b/fed exclusively for more than six months.

Started ds2 on solids at 6 months or perhaps a little later, but then stopped again as he was ill and really not interested. Had loads of pressure from various sources to give him solids earlier, though.

I've recommended the kellymom.site several times but I really find it useful when I'm under pressure regarding things like this. Especially as it has links to relevant research papers, so it's not just someone's opinion (as so many other parenting sites can be). here is the main page about introducing solids.

I remember when ds1 was coming up to 4 months asking my aunt when I should start giving him solids and she said, 'when he grabs the food off your plate'. She has 5 children who all weaned at completely different times. Her eldest didn't have any solids until about 8 months old and she's a perfectly healthy woman now.

I sort of did; I started ds on solids at 6 months but he got poorly with a virus and was more like 7 1/2 before we started again and he got his appetite back.

He's 19 months now and fine, I notice no differences between him and his sister, who was weaned at 6 months.

Thanks for your posts. As always the Kellymom site has been really useful as well. Have decided to just carry on for a bit and look out for the signs that ds is ready. Thanks everyone.

Hi there,
as an aside, I breastfed exclusively until 24 weeks, and my ds showed no signs of interest in food at all. However in the 23rd week he seemed to be teething badly and was restless, had his hands shoved in his mouth and had chapped cheeks from dribbling.
When I fed him he was very keen and made lots of noises and outstretched his arms to the bowl. He has eaten everything offered - and the teething symptoms have disappeared, his cheeks are no longer chapped and his hands are no longer stuffed in his mouth all day. Despite his lack of interest in food, I think he was getting a bit hungry (he's a very stocky boy).
You can only try your baby with a bit of banana mashed up or whatever and see. I really didn't think my ds would be keen on food, wrong! you may find the same - or not. Good luck with it, so far it's been very amusing and messy and the bf poo seems to have bitten the dust. Uck!

DD wasn't interested in solids until she was over a year - I breastfed all this time although the HV kept saying she needed second-stage formula (or whatever the one with iron in is). They prescribed me vitamins for DD for iron but when I read the 'ingredients' they didn't have iron in! So I wouldn't worry too much.

I didn't bottle fed exclusively til around 8/9 months depending on the child

DID (doh!)

ISTR going about 7 months before starting solids. Basically waited until the baby was interested in food - offered it from 6 months as she sat in the high chair while the rest of us ate.

my dd took to solids well at 6 mths but ds was not keen at all, he was a large baby but only wanted the boob until 8 mths, he had the odd nibble of what we had, but suddenly at 8 mths he was ready for everything and has not stopped since
He's now 11