Anyone's 13.5 month old still EBF

[Jerlin]

Anyone's 13-month old or older still exclusively breast-fed? Or is my LO the only one? I didn't try to start him on solids until around 11-months. He doesn't want anything but breast-milk straight from the breast. I used to fret about it (that he's not eating solids), but I just figured that he will want to eat solids when he wants to start eating solids. I offer him foods, but all he does is to throw it on the floor or play with it. However, he does take a few licks of the organic pear puree when it's on the spoon and he holds it himself...sometimes. Most of the time, it just ends up on the floor, spoon and all. Should I be worried that my LO isn't into solids at his age?  He's 13-months, hitting all the milestones, weighs 23 pounds (birth weight 7 pounds). Thanks for any advice.

[D_McG]

My son was like that.  I had to cut back nursing significantly to get him to eat.  It was just too much.  The constant nursing and non-eating.  Once I cut back nursing he got on a more managable pattern and order was restored!

[Asiago]

He sounds normal to me, his body likely is not ready yet. When you look at the physiology of a baby's body there is so much that occurs toward two years of age that readies them for solids- or perhaps ingesting actual volume.

-grinding teeth (molars) erupt

-digestive enzyme production increases

-intestines go through a growth spurt

-stomach moves from horizontal to verticle position

- gut closure increases to reduce intact food molecules from getting to the bloodstream (up to 5 years to complete closure)

- immune function increases in the GI Tract lining to fight food borne pathogens

These are only some of the changes I am aware of, the list likely goes on.

The way I see it, biology often dictates when a baby is ready for solids. Some will be ready sooner than later and vice versa.

If a baby is not ready to begin solids, I feel that they will show it instinctively.  

[Jerlin]

Thank you so much for responding. I was beginning to doubt myself. One minute, I would feel good about not pressuring my DS to take solids. Another minute, I would be all stressed out that he's not eating solids. It's a viscious cycle. I'm a first time mom, and both my family and friends have told me that he needs to be on solids like now. That's why I came here and asked this question. My parenting style is more like that of the women on these boards than the way my mom or MIL or even some friends. Again, thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

[Amandamarie]

He sounds healthy to me.  My 14 month old ds is just starting to get interested in solids. He was EBF up until recently. He's 21 lbs and meeting all his milestones. My dd was the same way.

I steam carrots and potatoes and let him feed himself. He still mostly gets his calories from bm. 

[Tamera]

My 14 month old daughter has just recently started eating solids. My husbands family was always accusing me of starving her, but she just wasn't interested in eating solids and I figured her body knows best. I just kept offering it to her and letting her decide if she really wanted to eat or not, and she started eating more and more. Now she eats 4-5 "meals" a day and only nurses twice during the day and on/off at night. I think part of the reason she cut down on nursing is because I'm pregnant though. My milk supply has definitely been decreasing.

[appalachiamama]

It took 15 months for our daughter to be ready for food in any quantity.  Children know.