[hanachan]

hullo to all; thanks for reading my post. i've learned a lot from everyone here already, but i haven't been able to find any discussion about my question - please share your experiences/advice with me!

my beautiful, extremely healthy almost-10-month old has recently 'started' solids; meaning, he has now tasted several fruits and vegetables, over the last few weeks. however, he is still not eating 'meals'; i mean, we occasionally feed him that fortified baby rice cereal & add blueberries or bananas or something, or we will sit down together and he'll eat half an avocado. and he's very interested, *loves* food and trying new things. i mostly began to feed him due to external pressure that i couldn't provide enough nourishment to such a big kid (being 10mo and 25lb and all).. and the fact that he loves it and makes such sweet faces

. but we are not on anything remotely resembling a schedule; i feed him when we have something that seems to appeal to him, and he feels like slowing down enough to eat. he's always interested; but he seems as if he's getting enough, so i just haven't been diligent about a complete transition, like 'now we eat food every day'.

one day he might eat several foods, and the next, nothing but mama's milk. could this be harmful to his digestion/metabolism? he is an avid nurser, mostly all night as he is busy busybee during the day. this doesn't bother me as we still remain half asleep while we nurse & dream & ec anyway..

but what are your experiences with milk being the sole/primary nutrition for an older baby? we've received a lot of criticism for not sticking to the standard western cereal at 5 months schedule. how old were your babies when you began feeding them regular food (even if you didn't wean them right away)? did it work for you? please offer any advice you may have..

thanks and blessings to all
hana

 

[alegna]

No worries. Many babies here are exclusively breastfed for a year or more. My dd wasn't eating as much as you list until well after a year. FWIW it's really best to let baby self feed and not spoon feed so that they can regulate their own intake.

My dd didn't really eat solids until 11 months. Then it was small bits (think the size of the end of your finger) It wasn't until about 13 months that she'd eat more than a tablespoon (in a day)

Still now at 2 there are days that she just has a few bites here and there other than nursing.

-Angela

 

[Tonia80]

My son ddi not have an interest in solids fro almost a year. I mean, he was willing to try foods but would never have more than a few bites. Now at 15 months odl he has his favorites and will gobble those up as real meals but also will have "just" mothers milk as a meal at least once every couple days. He is very healthy and growing fine so i do not worry. Its a far more balanced diet than some of the solid meals my friends toddlers eat!

 

[Momtwice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanachan we've received a lot of criticism for not sticking to the standard western cereal at 5 months schedule.

Well right there you know that their information is out of date. The Australian National Health and Research Council, Health Canada, American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization all say to wait at least six months. Babies who start solids before six months are at increased risk of becoming ill from infections, and other health issues. (see kellymom.com)

I feel strongly that the parent's job is to offer food and then back off. I did not feed my children, (solid food) I offered them food and let them feed themselves. I did not push because I did not want them to be overweight like their mom and dad. I did not want them to get in the habit of eating to please others.

The child's large size has nothing to do with whether or not their digestive system is ready for solid food.

Our feeding style was very much like yours, let the child eat what appeals to them, be flexible from day to day. I think this is the best thing you can do! I don't think it's harmful at all to listen to your child's cues. I wonder what dire predictions you've heard.

It can indeed be hard to stand up to criticism and be patient! Here's a quote that comforted me where a pediatrician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant says not to worry about it.

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/faqs/faq038.asp

 

[hanachan]

thanks for all your wonderful encouragement! it's wonderful to hear that other mamas have successfully held the world at bay while doing what is best for their child and family..

one thing i neglected to mention (it was really late when i made the original post) is that there's also some outside concern that my body isn't able to meet the nutritional demands of an 'older' baby. because he eats all the time, others take that as a sign that he's still hungry or not getting enough.

also, i've been to the e.r. 3 times this year due to dehydration; but because of a health concern, this likely would have happened anyway; and amazingly enough, i never once lost my milk and continued nursing regularly through these times - he has never had a formula or mamamilk substitute, which i am extremely grateful for. but because of my restricted diet, i do worry sometimes also (that scary little what-if fear) that i can't provide him the correct nutrition his growing body needs (& that we won't see the effects until it's too late to help him)- i'm surrounded by doubters and i think i may have internalized some of it. even my 'new vegetarian baby' book says that if babies aren't eating iron-fortified cereal regularly by 7-8 months, they are at risk for anemia.. aren't i a scaredy-kitty? i have had bloodwork done & i am invariably healthy (balanced electrolytes, proteins, no anemia, etc) despite the dehydration. so that's a blessing.

thanks again for your loving support; it really encourages us to keep at it.

 

[mother culture]

I tell every mom the same thing. You don't have to teach babies to eat. Start feeding from your plate when baby can swallow and you can't go wrong. Brainfood is great , like egg yolk ( 1 per day) avocado, creamed spinach, rice, potatoes, and soft meat. No need to follow a calender just keep it simple and little bits at a time.

 

[Momtwice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanachan one thing i neglected to mention (it was really late when i made the original post) is that there's also some outside concern that my body isn't able to meet the nutritional demands of an 'older' baby.

I doubt it.

Quote:

because he eats all the time, others take that as a sign that he's still hungry or not getting enough.

I take that as a sign that he is a lucky baby with a mother who is in tune to his need for frequent nursing. Very Frequent Nursing (in the absence of other problems) Is Normal. Yes, even if the baby is a year or older. Yes, even if the baby is big. Yes, even if the baby nurses more often than other babies.

Quote:

but because of my restricted diet, i do worry sometimes also (that scary little what-if fear) that i can't provide him the correct nutrition his growing body needs (& that we won't see the effects until it's too late to help him)- i'm surrounded by doubters and i think i may have internalized some of it.

We have so much in common! My dd long ago was a large baby who wasn't that into solids...i had a limited diet from food allergies.

Quote:

even my 'new vegetarian baby' book says that if babies aren't eating iron-fortified cereal regularly by 7-8 months, they are at risk for anemia..

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html
" It's "common knowledge" that iron supplements are necessary after a baby reaches the magic age of six months. But is this an accurate statement? Let's look at some of the current research. "

 

[KrystalC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanachan one thing i neglected to mention (it was really late when i made the original post) is that there's also some outside concern that my body isn't able to meet the nutritional demands of an 'older' baby. because he eats all the time, others take that as a sign that he's still hungry or not getting enough.

Take this as a comment from the peanut gallery as I'm not breastfeeding yet because my little boy hasn't made his way into the world. However, as an expectant mom, I have been reading TONS of info on breastfeeding in general and many people have refuted that sort of statement. Breastmilk tends to change in content along with baby's developmental needs. More fat as a newborn tends to lessen over time, etc., although the nutritional content is still there regardless of age. Breastmilk naturally changes to suit your baby's needs for optimal growth and development and will continue to provide the necessary antibodies for boosting his immune system.

That said, the milk he's getting from you is just fine. He eats all the time because he's growing and breastfed babies tend to digest faster, which is largely due to the lack of anything artificial to slow down his digestion. I personally feel that you're doing the right thing by allowing your baby to dictate when and how he eats solids. By using a combination of your instincts and his cues, you're allowing him to use his individual developmental pattern!

Babies don't come with an instruction manual and have been perfectly fine through the ages with mother doing what she feels is appropriate to suit her baby's needs. Societal pressure for baby to reach perceived milestones at a certain time is always going to be there, but only you know YOUR baby.

Kudos to you for using your instincts to guide you rather than some schedule that's based on jumping over baby's natural tendencies toward developmental milestones!

 

[kitchenwitch]

My son did the same thing... He is two now and eats fine.
Scary when they are inconsistant though!!!!

 

[Benji'sMom]

My 1st son was eating babyfood before 10 months but honestly it wasn't till right at 10 months that he was really enjoying it or eating any measurable amount, so I don't think it's any problem at all.