What were you fed as a baby? Another post got me thinking....... - Page 2

[JeDeeLenae]

Originally Posted by sharon71

Evaporated milk , karo and vitamin drops mixed in my bottle.

My mom gave me something similar to this too. She said, "In those days, you had to make your own formula." I'm only 24 for the record. I wonder which is worse.

[kathirynne]

My mum was an O-G (original granola!)

I was born in 1972. I was breastfed exclusively until I "asked" for the food my mum was eating. Then I was held at table, and fed "smushed" versions of whatever she was eating, and breastfed until I weaned myself at about 2 1/2.

I think my siblings were fed pretty much the same way. My mum was of the opinion that baby food was not only unnecessary, but evil.

[elanorh]

Mom bf'd all seven of us ('71-84) -- All but me for 15-18 months. I went on a nursing strike/weaned at 10 months when Mom was 4 months pregnant with my younger sister. While mom was traveling with me and my older sister, cross-country by herself on a train. Poor mom. My youngest sister was a 2 month preemie and Mom still bf'd her (pumped etc. during NICU time for breastmilk). Mom also hand-expressed when she had to return to work while any of us were still bf -- which she tried to avoid.

Mom didn't start solids with us 'til sometime around 5ish months (I think she was "supposed" to at 3ish months, but Mom read The Womanly Art and was a nurse and watched for readiness cues instead?). She did start cow's milk with us at meals by the time we were 8 months (she started at 6 months with one sister, ironically the one who had an infant cow's milk allergy that wasn't diagnosed 'til she was 2, Mom feels guilty about that). The docs were saying to start at 6 months. The foods mom fed us were mostly mashed table foods (Mom cooks pretty low-fat, low-salt, healthy meals).

Mom wanted to do CLW and didn't/doesn't realize that the early intro of solids and especially early intro of cow's milk is what most likely ended the nursing relationships with us .... By the time we were 12 months, she says most of us were just nursing morning and night, drinking cow's milk at meals and the rest of the time. She's not been pushy about the fact that Ina bf'd 'til 2 1/2 (curious and kept reassuring me that "she'll quit one day," as if I needed the reassurance ) -- and I don't want to rain on her parade. She did a great job bfing past a year, given when she was doing it!!

The local doctors would refer nursing women who were having problems to talk to Mom about them (very small rural community and no LLL). I don't think she had many problems with her doctors - but as a respected nurse, and a pretty well-informed and stubborn woman, I don't think she gave them much room for input either.

[minkajane]

I was born in 1983 and was nursed for 15 months, three months longer than my brother and sister (1982 and 1984, respectively) because I was a preemie and I was still tiny. According to my dad, I got a few bottles during growth spurts until my mom's milk "caught up" (though how they expected it to catch up without extra nursing is beyond me). I think they fed by the clock. I was started on solids at 4 months. As long as I can remember, we were fed junk. Chips, candy bars, ice cream, Hamburger Helper, plain hot dogs with canned sauce, frozen fish sticks, frozen dinners, instant mashed potatoes, etc. The few times we had veggies, they were canned, unseasoned, and cooked to mush. The only lettuce I knew was plain iceburg. Our fruits consisted of a bag of apples and oranges. It was a total shock to my system when I started eating healthy foods, and even more so when I went vegetarian. I have to take my own food when I visit my parents.

ETA: I was a preemie and in the hospital for I think three weeks. My mom would come to the hospital 2-3 times a day to nurse. I don't think she pumped, so I probably got formula in between.

DH, on the other hand, was nursed until he was almost 5. His mom didn't have much time to cook, so most of the time they got basic junk stuff like mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, canned veggies, etc.

DS has a completely different start to life. He's 20 months and still nursing (no formula since he left the hospital, when the nurses gave it without my permission), eats mainly all-natural food, LOVES fresh fruit, eats veggies well, inhales plain oatmeal like it's coated in chocolate, and gets a lot of exercise. I started him on solids at 5.5 months because he was showing all the signs of being ready, and boy did he love that banana! Hopefully, I'll be able to avoid not only the blood-sugar disorders prevalent in my family, but the weight problems in both my family and DH's.

[cam&kat's_mom]

I was fed
cereal at 2 weeks, formula since birth (not sure brand or kind) and was given whole milk at 6 months. (and she stopped the formula) She did teh same for all 3 of us. She had no desire to breastfeed, never even thought about it and when i asked her why not she said she was way too uncomfortable with her own body and too shy to ask questions. Also she had no support form her friends or family. She tried to convince me that my kids needed cereal at 4 weeks cause they had to be starving cause they weren't sleeping through the night. (: ) and that they weer gonna reject food if i waited too long. She also used all jarred baby food (which 30 years ago was loaded with sugars and thickeners etc). Despite all that I have taught her and that she has learned form watching me raise my kids she still says she wouldnt' do anythgin differently! :

[mama_b]

Formula fed from day one. My parents went away for a day when I was 7 weeks old and when they came to get me, my grandpa was feeding me mashed up pizza! : I was given cereal sometime between 2 and 4 months (my mom can't remember exactly). I was started on baby food somewhere between 4 and 6 months. I was given pop before 1 year. :

[KrystalC]

My mom tried to nurse my older brother, but gave up after a couple of weeks due to sore nipples. When I was born in 1980, she was determined to breastfeed, so she contacted LLL and used a nipple conditioner before I was born.

I was breastfed for 18 months. In fact, my mom continued to nurse me when she got pregnant and even AFTER she gave birth to my younger brother, who is ONLY 14 months younger. I think she breastfed him to around18 months as well.

[mamabohl]

My mother breastfed all my brothers (26yo, 13yo and 12yo)...the oldest for 6 months, the middle for 6 months, and the youngest for 8 months. She breastfed me (I'm 23) for 2 weeks, then after that I was fed raw goat's milk. I started solids at 8 months (whereas my brothers started at 2-4 months). I am lactose intolerant, it was very bad as a baby and she didn't have all the info that's out there now. I doubt she could've afforded to completely cut out dairy anyways, she was a single mom of 2 working a part time job in a department store.

[JessasMilkMama]

My mother nursed me for 10 months until I "self weaned" onto a bottle of soy formula. She did say that I slept through the night very early on, so there wasnt much night nursing, so I guess it was easy for me to give it up during the day.

She was never a fan of extended nursing but I guess I educated her hehe

Incidentally, she is the only one who has ever said anything to me about NIP. "No one wants to see that" she thought she was funny @@

[deditus]

My mommy swears I weaned myself when I tease her about me only getting to bf for less than 2 years! Solids were started occasionally after 6 months and were homemade, usually homegrown organic veggies. My parents (and their peers/brothers/sisters) were big time hippies, real back to the land people.
1980: Me, until 21 months
1982: Brother until 3 years
1990: Brother until 3 years
1993: Sister until 3 years

[Cate]

my two older brother's were bf until about 3 months, then Mom found LLL, and my younger brother and I were both bf past the age of 4. None of us got solids before 6 months, and never store bought or bottled, always home-made, usually grown in our own garden. My mom can out-crunchy me in almost everyway .

[BCFD]

I was born in June 1967 at 1pm on a Monday and my mom wrote in my baby book (which has pre-printed - BABY's FIRST BOTTLE) Tuesday 10pm. So, I was 33 hours old before I even had my first meal!! Jesus. It also says:

Formula used (again, pre-printed in the book!): Similac and water (whatever that means, mom! LOL!)
Baby was weaned - Dec 11, 1968 (almost 18 months)
Baby is given fruit juice: Wed., July 26, 1967 (I was 6 weeks old!)
Baby is given veggies: Wed., July 26, 1967 (again, at 6 weeks!)
Baby is given cereal: Monday, July 14, 1967 (I wasn't even a month old yet)
Baby is given solid food: 6 months (I guess that's not so bad)

It's a wonder I'm alive, too! LOL!! Mom said that BF was totally discouraged and she never had the desire. Luckily, I have no health issues at almost 40 with no allergies.

[Mama Poot]

just for a moment. OP, do you have digestive issues or other health problems now as an adult? Acid reflux? Asthma? Just curious. I firmly believe many of our "modern" health problems are caused by people not breastfeeding at all/long enough/giving their babies who-knows-what for the past 60 years and now these people are grown up and are sickly.

I was breastfed for 3 months, then my mom quit because it was "tying her down". After that I was given soy formula because I couldn't tolerate cow's milk based formula. Gee I wonder why! I'M NOT A COW! She gave me cereal at 4 months too, and started asking me when I was going to give my older one cereal. We didn't give Paddy cereal until he was 7-8 months and it was oatmeal, not that rice cereal crap. :

[krisw]

both my brother (25) and I (29) were nursed until, I believe, at least age 2, and I am fairly certain that we CLW'd. My mom is fond of saying that she thought she'd have to go to kindergarten at snack time and nurse me!
We were also cloth diapered and co-slept. Yay Mom =) (but I am bad and haven't been CD'ing my son lately : ) She says she tried to feed me cereal on doctor's advice at 4 months and I didn't like it, so she quit trying, and I didn't eat solids until later.

[milk_maker]

I was breastfed, but I know my mom supplimented with formula when her mother was around. I also had solids at a VERY early age...I don't know for sure, but if she followed her mom's advice, probably around two weeks if that.

My sister was bottle-fed breastmilk because she was a preemie.

Honestly, my mom would have bottle fed us full time had my father not been a boob nazi...actually he was just really cheap and didn't want to pay for formula.

[hipumpkins]

My sisiter was breatfed for about 6 mos when my mom gave in to pressure to switch her to formula. I was breastfed a little over a year. I wouldn't eat anything else. My breastded b/c she thought it was better and knew it was free

[muppet729]

1975 and 1977 my brother and I were both given colostrum and then promptly put on formula. I think my mom is kind of sad about it now but I believe her when she says that they were just told that formula was better. It was very matter of fact- if you wanted what was "best" for your baby, you gave them this wonderful, human designed dehydrated formula. I don't think she was encouraged to bf at all and who would go against what everyone tells you is "best". Of couse when my brother was born, dad wasn't even allowed in the laboring room so things were different even only 31 years ago.

[bandgeek]

Mama's milk

I was breastfed for almost 2 1/2 years. My mom went through some trial and error with my older brothers and sisters. She didn't nurse my brother at all. She was 19 and they just handed her a bottle and said that how you feed a baby, so she did.

Second baby she was determined to breastfeed, but that baby was fussy, colicky, couldn't keep her milk down. The doctor told her she was allergic to breastmilk and told her to switch to formula. : They tried everything and finally (after like 2 1/2 months-from 6 weeks to 4 months) they found a formula she could keep down. By that time, though, she was almost completely on table food (yes, actual table food and she fed herself at 4 months too) because it was the only thing they could feed her that she didn't puke back up! So the formula.....ugh....skim milk (!), corn syrup, barley water and some other stuff. My mom now knows about elimination diets though. It's too bad doctors are so ignorant to that stuff.

Third baby...still not sure what happened. She nursed until 7 months and just quit. Most people would say nursing strike, but I'm not so sure. My mom was really struggling to keep her weight up (she was really, really underweight) and she thinks she was almost dry by that point. And my sister didn't even wean to a bottle. She wanted a cup. She didn't take a binky or suck her thumb or anything. It seems so odd to me. I think my mom also fed her homemade formula, probably not with skim milk though, out of a cup.

Then I was the baby where nothing went wrong. My mom went to LLL meetings. She didn't even start solids with me until closer to 6 months. I was a fatttttyyyy! Good ol' mama milk!

My little sister also nursed for about 2 years.

[sciencemama]

Exclusively formula fed... my mom said breastfeeding was just "not for her".

Interestingly she herself was a preemie and put on special formula right away... as someone else said, it was unheard of for docs to recommend breastfeeding for very premature infants then. She was about 33 weeks... And in the first few weeks, the doctors had given my grandma the wrong recipe for mixing the formula (there were a couple components and one of the instructions had "teaspoon" instead of "tablespoon"). So my grandma was PANICKED that her baby wasn't gaining. My mom does has had major gastrointestinal issues all her adult life but of course, I've no idea if there's a link.

[mommy2evan05]

I was fed some kind of formula and got cereal at 1 month because I was just "always hungry". DH was breastfed for 11 months until he "self-weaned". But my MIL was raised Christian Scientist and so just knew that was the right thing to do. My mom had pressure from both of my grandmas to formula feed because breastfeeding was "disgusting." And now, she's a huge lactivist!