Babies May Need More than Breastmilk?

Nicole - posted on 01/20/2011

Oh, good! I was skimming through the thread a post or two ago and thought one of my posts sounded rude and I was worried. I'm glad that I was wrong. (I tend to use exclamation points too much not realizing it and I tend to read previous posts and thinking "I wasn't yelling, why did I use an exclamation point?" LOL) =D

Toni - posted on 01/20/2011

Nicole, if you was rude it went straight over my head, I don't offend easily lol. This has actually been really helpful as I didn't realise that weaning can reduce bf as my son was unable to bf and as I have said he was weaned early but because I paid attention to his needs not because I was pushed into it by anyone. I'm going to wait and see what this next baby wants before I decide what to do with solids and when to introduce them (hopefully this baby will bf unlike it's brother) - I like baby led routines. :-)

Nicole - posted on 01/20/2011

You are totally welcome Toni! I feel that I will never get my braincells back from my children. LOL I hope I wasn't offensive with what I typed. I can sometimes type rudely, but not mean to BE rude. ;) I just wanted to get the info out there for all since this new study is so sensationalized and many may fall prey to it's sensation.

Nicole - posted on 01/20/2011

Here is some more info from Unicef: http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/unic...

And this one put out by The Best for Babes Foundation telling us how this is just a booby trap messing with breastfeeding outcomes: http://www.bestforbabes.org/2011/01/mess...

And yes, you are right, Lisa. The amount of solids given to a baby too early won't be enough to make any significance in that baby's nutrition, but it IS enough to negatively affect breastfeeding duration. And in the end, for me, that is enough of a risk to not introduce solids that early than what little (itty bitty) benefit that may come to introducing it earlier.

Yep, 3,000+ studies to come up with those current recommendations is enough to get me to follow them. =D

Minnie - posted on 01/20/2011

It's hard to make a decision when everyone's got an opinion, especially those who are supposed to be the experts, and they are all conflicting!

Toni - posted on 01/20/2011

Thanks guys, I understand now, I can see how it could benefit the formula companies - I think I was having a moment, Im sure the baby is stealing my brain cells again lol.



I completely agree one study isn't enough to be conclusive as to what is best for the health of our children, we should pay attention to our children and not individual studies that could well be biased.

Minnie - posted on 01/20/2011

I pointed out in another post that for solids to have any notable effect on a baby's nutrition they will have to be given in significant quantities. A 1/4 cup of applesauce a day is going to do diddly squat to improve upon a breastfed baby's nutrition.



And if they are being given in large amounts (I hear frequently of large meals being given three times a day with snacks in between after six months) that baby is at a greater risk of weaning by 12 months. It's common for a mother after six months to become concerned about milk production and how her child somehow doesn't have interest anymore- large quantities of solids are often the culprit. It's hard to meet the goal of the recommended two years this way.



So give them if you want to- but they aren't NEEDED prior to six months and they're not needed for some time after, either. They don't improve upon a breastfed baby's nutrition.



And if one waits until the child is ready to pick up food and feed himself- sometime after six months, usually, then we skip the whole jarred food thing completely. Something, I'm sure, that would be dissappointing to baby food companies.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/20/2011

Yep. I was just reading that the WHO's current guidelines were put into place after looking at 3,000+ studies on solids and breastfeeding. That's why I'm not buying this *one* opinion piece.

Nicole - posted on 01/20/2011

As Sara D said, many formula companies and baby food companies are usually one in the same. To be clear, Nestle and Gerber are the same company and that is just one example. And again, as Sara D said, (and I said in my post) weaning early to solids has been proven to risk shortening the duration of breastfeeding and for formula to come into the equation. Either way, the formula industry is likely to gain when early weaning from the breast takes place.

And, in the end, I was just trying to point out that any study results that are released by one who has an invested interest in the outcome, is a conflict of interest. And could easily conclude the study results to their benefit because they have an invested interest. I'm not saying that everyone with investments in a corporation is not likely to be honest, I just think that one should try to avoid the look of impropriety and get a third party expert with no interests to do the studies and release the results. Otherwise, I choose not to risk my child's health by listening to a release like this one. Especially, when they are only taking the results of earlier studies done by reputable health organizations and *suddenly* finding different results. Results that suit their interests, none the less. That's all.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/20/2011

Most formula companies also make cereal and jarred foods. Also introducing solids too early can interefere with the breastfeeding relationship causing early weaning (off the breast) and therefore weaning to formula.

Toni - posted on 01/20/2011

How exactly do formula companies benefit from mums weaning earlier? I don't know any bf mums who have started solids and stopped bf straight away, let alone any that started solids and gave their child formula. I can't see your logic there.

Nicole - posted on 01/19/2011

The formula companies are counting on it, actually. That's how they make their money. And studies have shown that the earlier solids are introduced and the more solids that are given, the more likely breastfeeding is to stop before intended. And yes, you are right, they DO want women to start buying food earlier. They are hoping that will mean more time that they will get that particular parent's money.

I was just pointing out that the new press release that is getting so much hype was released by "experts" who have their hands in the pockets of the formula and baby food industry. That means they have something to gain from this "news". I think that should make everyone skeptical of their supposed new-found "discovery" that goes against the guidelines of SO MANY health organizations.

This new analysis of these past studies is not for the health of babies and their mothers, it is to line more pockets and that is just sad.

Toni - posted on 01/18/2011

Nicole I don't think they want mums to stop BF, just that they think solids should be introduced earlier, if the baby is ready. When we weaned onto solids my son was still having 6 bottles of milk a day, so we didn't stop giving him milk with his solids we just added solids to his diet.

Oh and I only ever brought 4 jars of baby food for emergencies (like when I run out of home-made food) and everyone I know did the same because jarred food is crap so it didn't make me buy baby food, by weaning early!

Nicole - posted on 01/18/2011

3 out of the 4 experts who are now "exposing" this so-called new perspective from the past studies are funded by the formula and baby food industries. That sounds like they may have much invested if they were to go against the WHO's recommendations and get parents to start buying baby food earlier or to get moms to stop breastfeeding earlier. Hmmmm....

http://www.infactcanada.ca/whatsnew/who-...

Alison - posted on 01/17/2011

I really don't have the heart to read all of the posts and links in this thread. To me, this is just one more confirmation that we should not take any study or recommendation for the absolute and final truth. It's mostly theories and guessing and it is virtually impossible to provide a perfect environment for your child. The good news is that humans are relatively resilient and manage to recover from a lot of stuff.

If I am militant about anything, it is moderation and reasonability.

Laura - posted on 01/17/2011

I read this article from another source the other day. It just goes to show that even medical science doesn't have all of the answers. New understanding is gained while old information becomes "disproved" and outdated. And sometimes old information becomes new again.

I have always felt it was most important to be aware of the recomendations but do what your child actually needs. I started feeding my daughter a bit of rice cereal at 2 1/2 - 3 months old at night. Yes, it DID help her sleep through the night! No, it did not cause constipation with her. That same routine will not work for all babies, however. She was sampling homemade pureed veggies and fruits at about 3 1/2 - 4 months old. Broccoli was her favorite! Yes, she'd get gassy, but we did a lot of tummy massage as a routine after eating and that seemed to take care of the problems. My daughter was a ravenous eater whe she was a baby, so we let her set the pace and offered her "food" because she showed such interest in actually eating at such a young age. No, she never developed any food allergies from starting her early on solids, though she definitely developed "dislikes"! She was feeding herself pretty well by 9 month of age. It has not led to obesity in my child; quite the contrary, actually, as my daughter is in 10th percentile for her age. She is lean and athletic, a bit short, but very healthy! That has been my experience with my daughter; it will not be the same experience for anyone else.

Babies ARE individuals that develop in their own way. Categorically stating that feeding should be done one way or another only removes that individuality from the child. Only by paying attention to the baby and using the variety of options that are available regarding feeding, can parents come to a solution that fits their child. Some will find that the recommendations DO work very well for them! Others will need to move beyond those recommendations to find a solution to their individual feeding problem. Medical science has done wonders in explaining HOW body functions work in people, but these explainations only indicate AVERAGES which means some bodies function below the average and others function above the average. Too far one way or the other can indicate illness/disease, but generally speaking individuality needs to be considered within the realm of averages...

Chatty - posted on 01/17/2011

That was my experience with the allergist too, Caitlin. For those of you that don't know, Roxanne is allergic to peanuts, soy and egg whites. She was exclusively breastfed until about 5 months when I slowly started to introduce cereal, purees and eventually softer foods.

I think allergies are more to do with environment, family history and possibly exposure to certain foods while in utero.

Caitlin - posted on 01/17/2011

The allergy thing is sketchy territory IMO.. After my first daughter developped allergies to dairy, egg, beef and peanut, I looked at it, and I began introducing foods at 4 months old because she was a hungry baby. I folowed those food introduction charts to the word too, and never introduced anything "early" and she was allergic. My second daughter was EBF until 6 months old (her choice) and then we kind of varied the introduction of foods, not really following the chart - just my intuition, and she's got no allergies. I spoke to my allergist and she said as far as she's concerned, a kid is BORN with allergies, and the only benefit of holding off on introductions of certain foods is it may have given them the time to outgrow those allergies, but whether you introduce it sooner or later, it doesn't really matter. We still have our fingers crossed that out 25 month old outgrows her allergies but it's not looking good.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/17/2011

I agree, Mary. The article does at least state that starting before 4 months is not recommended, but I'm still going to stick by my "look at the baby" philosophy.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/17/2011

Just saw this via the Leaky B@@b from The Lactivist:
"This is a tweet from the British Medical Journal to Breastfeeding advocates The Leaky Boob. It admits that the article recently published that suggests that exclusive breastfeeding may not be enough for babies was ‘interpreted differently in press’ and that it is an ‘opinion piece’.

Sadly, I do not think this fact will be newsworthy."
http://www.lactivist.net/?p=2437

A lot of people are really confused about this too because they don't realize that in the U.K. weaning means weaning onto solids (at least that's what they're talking about). Some people think it means to wean from breast milk completely and it doesn't.

Mary Renee - posted on 01/16/2011

I was taught in my breastfeeding class that starting solids prior to 4-6 months INCREASED their chances of developing allergies and if your family has a history of allergies then you should definitely hold off! I mean, that makes more since to me since their digestive systems are still maturing. Also I've heard about something called "open gut" where there digestive systems simply aren't ready yet.

That said I started my daughter when she was 5 and a half months. I was under SO much pressure from her fathers and in-laws because she nurses every two hours (and still does, as a 8-month-old, in addition to eating three meals and a snack!) Like others here have said, she was so ready she grabbed the spoon from me and fed herself the very first time she ate! She'll eat all day but she's only in the 55 percentile for weight so I trust her to know what she wants.

I wouldn't encourage mothers to start before 6 months. I feel like if you tell people 6 months they're going to be like me and think "Oh, 5.5 months is ok if they say 6 months" or "5 months is close enough" or "I'll just start rice cereal at 4 months..."

If you start telling people to start at 4 months they're going to be taking it too far and thinking "it won't hurt" to give their 2 month olds solids to help them sleep through the night! Naturally Formula companies and Gerber are going to want them to start earlier so they can get the money!

Minnie - posted on 01/16/2011

:(



I wonder if it was a matter of the hospital having outdated brochures with her contact number and when you called her she was no longer an active Leader? Did she actually say she was helping you through LLL? What a mix up.



LLL is a charity- it offers free mother to mother support and the most current information to mothers who want to breastfeed.

Sapphire - posted on 01/16/2011

Well I guess you live & learn! I was under the impression that you pay for a service provided and wouldn't even think twice about having a free consultation. It's nice to know that there are still many positive support groups out there. I guess I found out the hard way.

Nicole - posted on 01/16/2011

Meh, I practice baby-led weaning with 3 of my children and they weren't ready for solids until they were older (9+ months). My youngest has gotten the most breast milk and the least amount of solid food in his lifetime, so far. Actually, at 15 months, he's never even had cow's milk and only had some fruits and vegetables. He has had some almond milk (since that is what we drink-we are vegetarian, almost vegan), but never cow's milk and he is the most healthy of all my children and growing well. Actually, the only of my children that has had allergies (so severe that he needed to see a nutritionist and we had to revise his diet) was the one child I gave other food than breast milk prior to 6 months. Go figure...



Oh, and only one of my children is very picky about food, but that is also part of his personality. His tastes change almost daily, but so does his other interests. I don't feel I missed a window with new foods with my children at all. They are always willing to at least try new things and everyone is always surprised when they see the foods that my kids get excited about eating.

Minnie - posted on 01/16/2011

Sharon, that's very unfortunate that you got charged for what should have been a free charity. I'm sorry that she wasn't truthful with you. You should not have had to pay anything for a LLL helping visit if you contacted her number asking for La Leche League.

There are very strict guidelines that Leaders who are also practicing IBCLCs must follow. They can't let their business become conflicted with their commitment as a La Leche League Leader.

I'm also sorry that you felt judged when you contacted her. That's not her place and I imagine that it must have added a lot of stress on top of an already stressful situation- you having difficulties producing sufficient milk. It is very sad that this situation happened and that it has resulted in tainting your perception of LLL. Leaders have to be so careful to not let their biases get in the way of supporting a mother.

April - posted on 01/16/2011

My son showed no interest in solids until he was 18 months old!!! I worried that he wasn't getting enough but he kept his weight up with all of his formula feeding peers. Our pediatrician said it was perfectly fine to EBF up to about 2 years old and prescribed him iron supplements. He is now 2 and eats 3 meals a day, plus nurses all night long. It works for us. I can't say anything about LLL in our area because I haven't yet been to a meeting. I hope to one day become a leader and to spread non-judgmental information :)

Kate CP - posted on 01/16/2011

Probably why she had to remove her LLL affiliation was because she was charging for consultations. I've never heard of LLL charging for a consultation. :/

Sapphire - posted on 01/16/2011

Lisa, I went back to the website, and this is the information I extracted. If I am reading this correctly, it seems she is no longer affiliated with LLL and now a private businesswoman. I assure you that the breastfeeding pamphlet given to me at the hospital listed her as a first source, identifying her as the LLL contact person for the local area AND becasue she was a newly retired RN from that hospital. I also remember her former website had her identified as an LLL (leader/member?)
I deleted her name since I don't want to slander anyone. I'm not even sure if she is still running her mom's groups anymore. This was in 2005.

"(Her Name) RN, IBCLC, RLC"

Lactation Services
_______ provides the following services:

Lactation Consultation – $50.00

Travel Fee – $10-$20 depending on distance.

Return Consultation – $25.00

*Travel fee is only if _____ comes to you. If you wish to see her at her home office, no travel fee will apply.

Minnie - posted on 01/16/2011

Sharon- a LLL Leader charged you money? That is completely and utterly against LLLI regulations. Even if the Leader is an IBCLC as well and a mother calls her she is OBLIGATED to help her as a free volunteer if the mother contacts her as a LLL call.



That includes free home visits if it is determined that it may help the situation more.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/15/2011

The guidelines haven't changed. But yes, I do believe that it's hard to figure out recommendations and things when you don't know who to trust for information. Just like others have said it's way more important to watch the baby not a number.

Alexis - posted on 01/15/2011

I would like to point out that this goes to prove the 'best way' to do anything with your child per the 'experts' is always changing and can be very outdated. I personally was starting my son on some pureed foods at 3 months when breastfeeding and formula was not keeping him satisfied. I didnt completely take away breast or formula but did introduce a lot of foods and by 6 months he was eating soft solids like peas and greenbeans.

Kathy - posted on 01/15/2011

Sorry you had to go through that, Sharon. Unfortunately, there a few women who feel the idea of supplementing/complementing with formula is anathema, when it can be a useful tool in supply issues.

I was lucky in that all the group meetings i ever went to usually had a mix of mums - breastfeeding, formula feeding, and mixed. The emphasis was (and I am sure still is) on breastfeeding, but everyone was welcome and anyone could participate. Mums rule!

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/15/2011

Here's another great response to all the claims made:
http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/201...

Sapphire - posted on 01/15/2011

Kathy, I agree with you about miscommunication and how people perceive messages. In all fairness to the LLL support person who came to my home, she did offer some helpful advice. She wanted me to start creating a log of nursing-how long on each breast. She wanted me to nurse every 90 minutes. She did talk to me about my own diet and water intake and fenugreek. But if her job through the LLL was to support and guide, then I'm afraid that's the part that didn't happen. I simply had supply problems and everything I tried just did not help. Her LLL group bashed formula so bad, that I was scared to return since it was clea rthat my son was actually doing well on formula. Oh well, I guess I should be grateful that baby days are long, long behind me and if I should ever have an "ooops" baby, I know my body's limitations.

Kathy - posted on 01/15/2011

Having advice coming from all sides is certainly overwhelming - been there, done that! My children are grown now (no allergies or fussiness at all!) and I decided to let them show me the way. So I gave them plenty of opportunities to eat (from around 6 months) but none of them really showed much interest until they were around 12 months old. I'm sure it's different for other babies - as it should be. There's no "one size fits all" in bringing up baby! I breastfed them all long term.

Just a comment about breastfeeding support organisations. For a long time I was a counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association, then known as the Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia. Our code of Ethics prevents us from telling people what to do and shoving our opinions down people's throats. Unfortunately, there's always a militant few who forget this, and can give the whole organisation a bad name. I never came across it myself, but I've heard others talk about it. I do believe, however, (and this I HAVE come across) that some mothers will take a suggestion as an order - on one occasion, I was helping a mum sort through some breastfeeding problems, and I suggested that she might want to delay supplementing with artificial milk and try to increase the frequency of breastfeeds - it was a supply problem. The next thing I knew, she had told some other people that I had told her not to think about supplementing, just keep breastfeeding. So there can be an issue of perception here. It's a fraught time, this early babyhood time, so we have to be extremely careful in what we say and how we say it. In any scenario of human interaction there's the possibility of miscommunication.

Sapphire - posted on 01/15/2011

"Personally, I consider the LLL to be extremely biased when it comes to breastfeeding and don't consider them to be a neutral source either."

I'll also chime in with another negative experience about LLL. I called the local LLL for help when my son was 5 weeks and was made to feel like such a horrible shitty mother because I was asking about supplementing with formula. I will never forget that horrible conversation. But I still was not going to give up breastfeeding so I took the woman up on her offer for a private consultation ($45) and met her in person. The in-person meeting was more frustrating and I just bawled. I was lectured becasue I just KNEW I did not produce a lot of milk and this woman dismissed my concern, but don't you dare supplement formula. I started to go to a nursing mom's group and felt like such an inferior mother, and their holier-than-thou attitudes against supplementing w/formula did nothing to comfort me as a new mother. It just made me feel like such an outcast in front of "milk machine mother". I started to give formula then and it was the best decision ever for my son, who was still only hovering around 6 pounds. When I found another more supportive nursing mom group, who had no problem at all supplementing with formula, I finally felt more at ease. Finally, someone really beleived me when I said I produced very little milk. It was validation. I will never think of LLL as a group that actually comforts and SUPPORTS mothers. Their agenda is clearly one-way.

Cat - posted on 01/15/2011

I'm so glad I'm passed this stage with my kids... I remember it was completely nerve-wracking and I had info coming from all sides... When my son was young I listened to my mom, and he started having rice cereal at 4mths but I bf'd him to 16mths... With my twin girls, at the advice of my doula I held off till the 6mth mark, and bf'd them till 18mths... Only one of my 3 kids has any allergies, and those she's actually pretty much grown out of now (she's 3) I'm glad they're doing more research, but at the same time, its so overwhelming for mothers, especially new mothers, and I think they really need to go with their gut, and the readiness of the child as outline above...

Daniela - posted on 01/15/2011

LLL is a brilliant resource when it comes to breastfeeding. I've seen health professionals here in Ireland use their handbook, as it provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information. I would trust them because their ONLY agenda is to provide the latest and most reliable information. I also think you have to distinguish between the organisation as a whole and a handful of bad leaders. I've been to a few meetings in my area and have never witnessed any negative behaviour towards a mother. All leaders were great listeners and certainly didn't judge anyone. Large organisations relying on volunteers will always have some amongst them who've been there too long and have kind of lost their purpose. Continuous training can prevent that, but training like that is very expensive. It's unfortunate that there are women who are having such bad experiences with some local groups, but it certainly doesn't take away from the credibility of the organisation as a whole when it comes to infant feeding. On a side note: my daughter wasn't ready for solids until she was ten months old. I think the hype around a biased article like this is more harmful than anything because very few parents actually watch out for their baby's readiness for solids (me included, stressed out for four whole months, so needless...), but are rather eager to start them on proper meals, so will probably just glance over the headline.

Minnie - posted on 01/15/2011

I imagine that must make you feel horrible to be judged by people who are supposed to be giving breastfeeding information and mother to mother support. In my neck of the woods training is quite extensive and Groups expect Leaders to complete communications seminars prior to signing their statement of commitment.

It's unfortunate that many have grown away from the purpose of LLL. Perhaps your negative experience is with LLL members and mothers attending meetings who are not members rather than actual Leaders? If your negative experience is with actual Leaders that is disappointing, indeed.

I am very thankful for the empathetic and compassionate attitude of the Leaders in our Area.

Rosie - posted on 01/15/2011

i've always suspected that holding off on introducing solids until later COULD potentially cause allergies, not prevent them. however i believe it has EVERTHING to do with the individual child and how and if they are ready ie. showing all the signs mentioned.



i also have to comment that the LLL IN MY EXPERIENCE, and from what i've heard from others- is full of a bunch of trolls who do nothing for their cause but harm it, and make people feel like shit. its running rampant through their organization, and honestly it makes me not want to listen to anything they have to say.

Minnie - posted on 01/15/2011

LLLI indeed has developed a philosophy regarding breastfeeding, mothering and nutrition, but these are ideals- LLL understands that each mother is on a different part of her journey and that each mother has a different outlook on life. Everyone interprets the philosophy different.



LLL Leaders are never to give advice, only information. A LLL Leader's main purpose is to empathize with a mother's' feelings and to help her make her decisions to succeed. Your experience with LLL is frustrating, Rebecca. It appears that you unfortunately had a run in with a Leader who didn't remember what her purpose is. It helps to understand that Leaders are humans too, and sometimes it can be hard to not let one's bias trickle in while helping a mother.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/15/2011

I'm a new member of LLL and that is NOT how they are supposed to be. The group I go to has breastfeeding moms of all types. There are moms who started solids earlier, some later, some who weaned at a year or sooner, some who are still nursing toddlers, some who supplement with formula by necessity or by choice. And they are all welcome. Just because one group is bad doesn't mean the whole organization is. I'm sure there is someone higher up you could talk to about the issues in your area. As far as comparing it to abortion: people in right to life believe they are saving the lives of infants. That's something to gain in their eyes. I stand firm in my belief that LLL as a whole is neutral in breastfeeding information and advice. Definitely more neutral than someone who will profit from babies starting solids early. Just like Similac created Similac Mom (a drink). They market it to breastfeeding mothers claiming that it's healthy and needed for those who are breastfeeding. If they can't get the babies they'll try to get the moms.

Rebecca - posted on 01/15/2011

The lack of a profit motive doesn't make someone neutral, IMHO. Many advocacy groups don't profit from people following their advice -- a great example would be Right to Life, who doesn't profit from women not having abortions. That doesn't mean their advice and recommendations about abortion is fair, balanced or neutral. My personal experience with the LLL in my area is that they are practically militant in their pro-breastfeeding stance, even when BF is clearly not working for mom and baby. I know many women whose dealings with our local LLL left them in tears because they were made to feel like idiots, poor mothers, or failures because they were having issues with nursing.
I can also personally tell you that, even though both of my twins were holding spoons and bringing them to their mouths at 4 months and were happily eating solids, I was instructed by the local LLL leader NOT to feed them solids because it would interfere with breastfeeding.

Kathy - posted on 01/15/2011

I've never been a great believer in the old "if baby is putting food in his mouth he's ready for it" school of thought - babies will put ANYTHING in their mouths, given half a chance!

Minnie - posted on 01/14/2011

Yeah, I'm curious as to exactly what LLLI stands to gain by mothers breastfeeding....the satisfaction of mothers and babies enjoying their relationships? LLLI isn't exactly rolling in the dough. Its funds stretch extremely thin. It's run by volunteers who pay dues themselves.

LLL IS neutral. They don't say 6 months. They say "some time in the middle of the first year." And this is because MOST babies will be ready for solids by then. Some a bit sooner, some a bit later- but the key point they emphasize is paying attention to what your baby is doing.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 01/14/2011

"Personally, I consider the LLL to be extremely biased when it comes to breastfeeding and don't consider them to be a neutral source either."

I see them as a neutral source because they don't *profit* from this. They get nothing if a mom breastfeeds exclusively for 6 months or not. Companies that make baby food and cereal profit from this. I love baby-led weaning. I pureed a few things, but for the most part my daughter ate (even at the beginning) by picking food up, chewing and swallowing. Oh, she loved avocados and still does. So easy to eat when she was young.

Jennifer - posted on 01/14/2011

Just go with the flow of what your baby needs and wants rather than the demands of society. As long as your baby is gaining weight and growing nicely, then you are good to go!

Minnie - posted on 01/14/2011

LLL recomends waiting until a baby can pick up and chew food because they're very much in favor of baby-led solids.They don't dictate an arbitrary age though.



So, if one is following this method, the first solids -are- solid. Not spoon-fed puree.

Rebecca - posted on 01/14/2011

I was actually referring to the whole chain of events referenced above -- picking up the food, bringing it to their mouth, putting it in their mouth, chewing it, and swallowing most of it, not just the bringing food to their mouths. A baby that is showing interest in foods and bringing food towards their mouth is probably ready for starting solids even though they may not be able to handle the whole chain of events just yet. They are just learning, after all. ;-)

Toni - posted on 01/14/2011

We started to wean Ethan at 3 1/2 months after speaking with our health visitor and doctor because he was drinking 8x9oz bottles a day, showing interest in food, he could sit unaided (he was sitting by 3 months unaided) and was able to pick food to his mouth, the only food he ever spat out was carrots - he hated them, I just kept offering him them (he had eaten other foods before so I knew he just didn't like them) and he eats them lovely now. If he hadn't been ready I wouldn't have carried on and would have waited a few weeks and trid again. I think it comes down to the individual child's needs.

Rebecca, I actually think the holding the food and bringing it to their mouth is a great indication, my son was able to hold his bottle himself at about 3 1/2 months when we began weaning him, he was spoon feeding himself at 4 1/2 months, with us giving him a spoon of food, babies know where their mouths are when they are ready :-)