is it ok to only offer my 9 month old breastmilk?

Sheena - posted on 04/06/2012

My daughter is 6m an she will not eat any cereal or jar food nor will she take a bottle that I pump she only wants the breast.she only wants to eat what I eat which is not exactly good for her at the moment(etc. rice an beans).She's perfect in her development so I'm not worried about that, this is all new to me cause I have 2 other kids that I barely nursed, even though I know she's healthy I can't help but to feel like I'm doing something wrong by giving into her instead of doing what social best for her.

April - posted on 05/20/2010

"food for fun until they're one" if you heard otherwise, it's probably because gerber wants you to buy their products!! lol. :)

Nicole - posted on 05/20/2010

None of my breastfed babies were interested in solids until they were at least 9 months and didn't get solids quite regularly until they were 12+ months. If they are under 12 months, I only give solids when they show interest. Which was not regularly. But, then again, I am not a huge fan of pureed foods for babies, I feel they are more ready when they can handle soft, textured food. (Which sounds like what you are doing.)



My little man is about to be 8 months old and I give him solids when he wants. Otherwise, I don't offer. (So, maybe one solid food 3-4 times a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less.) And he was just weighed and he is considered "overweight". I think he is just fine!

Kathy - posted on 05/19/2010

None of my kids had solids before 12 months - just not interested. They all healthy young women now who will eat anything. They all turned into foodies, in fact!

Kimberly - posted on 05/19/2010

my daughter is just about 9 months and she eats just like your baby. some days she will eat and others not so much mostly breastfeeding on demand. She is happy. I try to feed her but she is not interested.

Anna - posted on 08/31/2009

I'm sure they let you know if they are hungry. My boy is 9 months and some days he only wants milk. I think it's fine. Breast milk has more nutrition than any food you can give them.

Caroline - posted on 08/30/2009

I think that putting a certain expectations on certain ages is useless. Your son is happy, growing and only a little interested in solid food. Sounds just fine. It's not like magically on their 6 month/9 month/1 year birthday they suddenly will perish without solid foods. Your natural attentive mothering will tell you what baby needs :)

Allison - posted on 08/30/2009

My dr told me babies get all the nutrition they need from their milk. He said babies don't even need any baby food until they are a year old. So don't worry about it. If your baby was losing weight or something than you may want to worry about it. Babies are fine on just mommys milk though until they are one. Goodluck

Julie - posted on 08/30/2009

I agree with those who say it's ok to do limited to no solids at this point. i had so much pressure from family and friends to "feed my baby something". (am i not already feeding her- breastFEEDING?) but i had done my research and I believe the theory that a baby gets everything needed from breastmilk. i eat a balanced diet myself and i take a multi vitamin and drink plenty of water, so i feel my milk is nutritious. my baby is almost 9 months also, and at this point i have introduced some foods to her, but it's not even an everyday thing. i believe that nature points us in the right direction, so yes, maybe iron decreases a bit after 6 months, but maybe that's what nature intends. who knows. but as long as your child is growing physically and developmentally-- good job!!

Brenda - posted on 08/28/2009

Quoting Devin:

Most of what I have to say has been said already, but I'll go ahead anyway. My mother raised me exclusively BM until I was 1 1/2 years old. Now that may be pushing it, but I have absolutely no health issues. Taking my mother's advice and my pediatrician's with my first, I started her on solids at 8 months and my youngest is 6 months and I don't plan on starting anything until around 8.
I recently had this conversation with my youngest's ped. and she gave me a disappointed look and told me that the baby's no longer take vitamins from your breastmilk after 6 months and if you aren't going to start solids, then you need to do a vitamin supplement. (Which contains iron and usually causes constipation). I don't agree and I will do my own thing.
So, no need to worry. It seems like there are plenty of us out here that completely agree with you and we all seem to have healthy children.

A baby doesn't get vitamins after six months?  My God what medical school did she go to?  This is one of the biggest misconceptions out there about breastfeeding past six months!  Why are so many pediatricians breastfeeding stupid?  Oh yeah, those incentives from formula makers might have something to do with it...  Btw, Enfamil also makes the infant vitamins, which I've yet to see a generic of given by doctors.

Devin - posted on 08/28/2009

Most of what I have to say has been said already, but I'll go ahead anyway. My mother raised me exclusively BM until I was 1 1/2 years old. Now that may be pushing it, but I have absolutely no health issues. Taking my mother's advice and my pediatrician's with my first, I started her on solids at 8 months and my youngest is 6 months and I don't plan on starting anything until around 8.

I recently had this conversation with my youngest's ped. and she gave me a disappointed look and told me that the baby's no longer take vitamins from your breastmilk after 6 months and if you aren't going to start solids, then you need to do a vitamin supplement. (Which contains iron and usually causes constipation). I don't agree and I will do my own thing.

So, no need to worry. It seems like there are plenty of us out here that completely agree with you and we all seem to have healthy children.

Anniken Beate - posted on 08/28/2009

^^^^^^ I ditto that!

If you force him to eat, he won't enjoy it, he will get stressed and it will be a PITA for both of you.

With my LO i let her play a lot with her food, now she eats great 10 months later.
so don't stress it
as long as he nurses and gains weight (even just a little bit is fine)

Brenda - posted on 08/28/2009

Breastmilk changes as your baby ages, so at different stages, there is a different milk being produced. BM is always the perfect food for baby, especially until one year of age. All babies are different, so some are ready for solids sooner and some much later, but with the hype that babyfood companies have put out in recent years, and the Pediatricians supporting it just makes it worse. Also, since I have a formula fed baby and a breastfed baby, there is a HUGE difference between the two. My first was on solids by two months, but there is just something different about breastmilk, and my nearly four month old is perfectly happy. The problem is these days that all these recommendations are based on formula fed babies and don't take into consideration the huge diffference in breastfed babies. Your baby has a much better chance of continuing to breastfeed with less solids, because the more solids they eat, the sooner they wean. This of course is why moms are pushed to start solids as well, because it is not socially acceptable to practice extended breastfeeding, so the faster you can wean, the better. This is so unfortunate, because breastmilk has such amazing benefits well after a year. You are doing just the right ting for your child, so don't fear, let the baby tell you what he needs, and if he wants milk, that's exactly what he needs!

Minnie - posted on 08/28/2009

It's absolutely fine. That a baby NEEDS food at six months is hype from baby food companies. Baby is very good at knowing what he needs. He'll begin to want your table food, and be able to pick it up, chew it, and swallow it when he's ready for solids. My own ten month old didn't begin to try solids until a month ago.



Purees are uneccessary, and often involve baby being given solids before he's truly ready.



Don't worry about your milk's ability to give your baby all he needs.

Shawna - posted on 08/28/2009

I too am getting worried. My son doesn't eat much solids. I started when he was 6 months and then i cut back because i felt he wasn't nursing much. Now at 9 months i offer him 3 meals a day and its a big fight to get him to eat most times. He will have at least one good meal a day. I think its the baby jar food that he hates, he really likes to eat what i make. But i don't always eat well balanced diet so thats why i offer jar food. When i do make something balanced i do offer him it and he loves it but i worry about him choking too. I make it so small people tell me he can't even taste it lol. Better safe than sorry. You are offering some solids so i think thats fine.

Jessica - posted on 08/28/2009

As long as you are OFFERING solids, you are doing just fine! My 10 mo old has days where she doesn't want a bite of any solids, just breastmilk. My doc said it could be a temporary slow in metabolism (the end of a growth spurt and such) or maybe it's hot and baby just doesn't have much appetite for anything but mom. Either way, as long as it's not day after day of refusing solids, I think you will both be fine.

Kristi - posted on 08/28/2009

I don't think there is anything wrong with it! Breastmilk is the best nutrition for our little ones! I have an 7 1/2 month old and some days he will eat and some days not. He does eat his am cereal very well. I mix it with breast milk and fruit and he laps it up. As far as iron goes...1/4 cup of cereal has 50% of daily iron needed. But if he won't take cereal, just give him poly-vi-sol. I still give my son poly-vi-sol also. Most studies I have read and my pediatrician says food is not necessary during the first year. She tells me always offer breastmilk before offering food. I think you are doing fine! I would keep trying to get him to take a little every now and then just to get used to eating with a spoon. I think it is great to have one that will take 3 meals a day, but if they won't, THEY WON'T. You can't force them. When mine decides he is done, whether after the entire jar or after 2 bites, you AIN'T puttin NOTHIN in his mouth. He clamps his lips so tight. lol. As long as he is gaining weight and staying on HIS growth curve he is fine!

Rachel - posted on 08/28/2009

I think you will get mixed replies to your question. All of the advice I've gathered over the past year is a bit conflicting - some say that food should only be fun until their one, which basically means that food is for experimenting with flavours and textures, and that milk is the main source of nutrition. I've also heard that after six months a baby's iron stores become depleted and that they need iron-enriched food. Protein also helps with sleeping through the night. I think personally at 9 months its important to offer your baby three meals a day, but that if he doesn't eat much, its not a big deal, especially if he is drinking his milk, sleeping through the night and is happy and content.