Where is the proof that milk is all they need till they are one?

[meandmine]

I keep reading this on MN, that milk is all babies need till they are one so don't worry about what they are eating.

But where is the proof for this?
I have tried to Google it but can't find anything.

I have read Gill Rapley's BLW book and she talks about it in there but she doesn't say why she thinks that - she is not a nutrionist or paediatrition is she?

Docs/HVs/paeds/nutritionist all sa that babies need a range of foods after the age of six months cos the store of vitamins and iron they are born with depletes from then. So where has this 'milk is all they need' come from?

Thanks

Gill Rapley is a HV.

Isn't it that milk is more or less all they need? That bits and bobs of something else would be good, if you can get the little blighters to open up and accept it, but not to get hysterical if they don't? (like mine lol)
I do have a v good friend who was brought up in Sth America and didn't start being weaned until 9mths.

We've been weaning for two months and lots of it comes out looking the same as when it went in, so it can't be that important, or it would get digested!

milk is the main source, not sole source
also breast milk and formula contains iron and vitamins. the stores start to deplete at 6 months, they don;t definitely run out at 6 months.

But HV's are not experts on nutrition are they? I don't listen to anything my HV says. Where does she get it from that milk is all they need when so many other sources say they need more than just milk after six months?

I am just asking for a link or something like that...?

but when you start weaning, you are not cutting out milk , you are adding tastes of food, small amounts, and the baby drops milk feeds when they are taking more food.

lots of countries don;t wean until later than 6 months..

i think if you search the archives on here, there will be good info from terramum, welliemum and victoriansqualor re weaning

personally, i feel that milk is the safest and most nutritious and filling thing you can feed a baby for at least 6 months.

To be honest, I've also wondered a bit about this, and would love to read some research about it... the reason I'd love to see some research is that it's talked about so often here on MN that it sounds as if it's a proven fact. And Lulumama- I think you're right, milk could well be the MAIN source (not the sole source). However, very often here on MN people say 'milk is ALL they need until 1'. In my book there's a big difference between MAIN source and ALL they need.

there won;t be one link that will answer your questions

if you allow the baby to eat at their own pace, they will drop milk feeds as tehy are ready. but mikl is still important for toddlers, from one year they should still have a pint a day in the form of milk/ yoghurt etc..

This research shows that iron stores in exclusively breastfed babies at 6 months are fine, and that they do replenish their stores over time too (you can see this in the full paper as some babies ferritin levels drop and then recover).

My understanding is that babies need a variety of food by one year old, and that introducing this variety should start at around 6 months, ideally while continuing to breastfeed.