BF ... how long time ?

My son is now 5 months old and BF is still his only source of nutrition.
I've been suggested to start giving 'real' food within the next couple of
weeks. I'm a little sceptic of this advice - what is your experience ? If I
have no problem BF - for how long should I contiue BF (as his only source of
energy) and when do you think it would be right to introduce 'real' baby
food ?

Thanks - Maria (Denmark)

mfs wrote:

My son is now 5 months old and BF is still his only source of nutrition.
I've been suggested to start giving 'real' food within the next couple of
weeks. I'm a little sceptic of this advice - what is your experience ? If I
have no problem BF - for how long should I contiue BF (as his only source of
energy) and when do you think it would be right to introduce 'real' baby
food ?

We waited with P until he was one before any real food (we realized when
he was younger that he had a problem with dairy, and I'm just lazy). No
issues there at all. He might have had iron problems, but no one told
us then that we should be looking for that. shrug he's fine, 25 mos
and still nurses 3x a day.

He eats fine, almost everything we put in front of him.
--
"In Finnegans Wake, he just made up words.
Now that's just not sporting!"
...A friend on James Joyce

My son is now 5 months old and BF is still his only source of nutrition.
I've been suggested to start giving 'real' food within the next couple of
weeks. I'm a little sceptic of this advice - what is your experience ? If I
have no problem BF - for how long should I contiue BF (as his only source of
energy) and when do you think it would be right to introduce 'real' baby
food ?

Thanks - Maria (Denmark)



You should continue to breastfeed as long as your son wants to nurse (and it's
not driving you crazy), usually between 1 and 4 years.

You should begin to introduce other foods to him whenever he appears to be
ready for and interested in them, usually around 6 months of age. (So, the
people telling you to start in the next few weeks aren't really far off.) The
signs that it's time a
-He has good control of his head and neck and some control of his arms and
hands, which will allow him to communicate eagerness or refusal to eat
something that's offered
-He has lost the tongue thrust reflex. You will only know this for sure once
you've offered some food and he manages to swallow most of it rather than
immediately spitting it all back out.
-He can sit up with minimal or no support.
-He shows avid interest in your food and may try to grab some for himself. He
is not satisfied to simply play with an empty bowl and spoon while you eat.
When you do offer solid food, he is eager to eat it.

Some babies are ready by 5 months, others not until much later, and you should
consider delaying solids if there is any family history of allergies.
Otherwise, if you like you can go ahead and try them at about 6 months and see
how he takes to it. He may need some additional iron beginning about then,
which he can get from iron-fortified cereal, high-iron vegetables, and/or meats
(all appropriately cooked and pureed, of course). If he turns out not to want
solid foods, have his blood tested for anaemia at 9 or 12 months and give a
liquid iron supplement if necessary.

Remember that for at least the first month or so, he is not really getting any
nutrition from the other foods so he should still be breastfeeding just as much
as before. Thereafter he may begin to very gradually consume more solids and
less breastmilk, and you may notice a significant decrease in how much he
nurses at 9-12 months.

Have fun!
Holly
Mom to Camden, almost 3
EDD #2 6/8/04

In article , "mfs"
wrote:

My son is now 5 months old and BF is still his only source of nutrition.
I've been suggested to start giving 'real' food within the next couple of
weeks. I'm a little sceptic of this advice - what is your experience ? If I
have no problem BF - for how long should I contiue BF (as his only source of
energy) and when do you think it would be right to introduce 'real' baby
food ?

Six months is recommended by the World Health Organisation. What does your
country's Health Department say?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

First of all thank you all for your advice.

In Danish Health Department just recently changed the recommendation on
breastfeeding from 4 to 6 months. However it seems as if nobody takes it
seriously. The home nurse that visits the new mothers in our neighborhood
have established a mother group - where we are six mothers that meet every
second week.

Every single one of the mothers in my group started on solids for their
babies at around age 4 months and they have all been very surpriced that I
stuck to the breestfeeding. I think they think it is a hazle - and don't
bother to lift the shirt as often as is recuired when our kids have reached
this age. Though the nurse does say that the generel recommendation is six
months - she is not strange to the thought of starting earlier....this does
not exactly help

I would like to give my boy the best start. But I need support to keep
breastfeeding and wait with P and other foods - b'cause no doubt it would be
much easier to get some peace aound the breast area.

I think though I will stick to BF untill he reaches six months. He is
already really interested when we eat - he follows every move the spoon og
fork makes. I think he will be quite ready when we reach 13. february (six
months birthday). Untill then my breasts will hold for. And the mothers in
my mother group must find me stange and stupporn if that is so !

Thank you all again ...
Maria




"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article , "mfs"

wrote:

My son is now 5 months old and BF is still his only source of nutrition.
I've been suggested to start giving 'real' food within the next couple
of
weeks. I'm a little sceptic of this advice - what is your experience ?
If I
have no problem BF - for how long should I contiue BF (as his only
source of
energy) and when do you think it would be right to introduce 'real' baby
food ?

Six months is recommended by the World Health Organisation. What does
your
country's Health Department say?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the
astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider
one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc