Weaning - How much and how long????

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Hi everyone!

I've just started weaning my four month old on baby rice and praise God all is going well. I'm just at the stage where the rice looks pretty much like milk and I'm still nursing her.

I'm lost on where to go from here though and how long must the food be 'watery'. I've just done a search on the baby sites and what I can't find is an approximate time scale on when to introduce thicker rice cereal, pureed vegetables, fruits and finally meats. For example 'after -- days slightly thicken the rice cereal to resemble ...... By -- weeks you can introduce x-y-z' etc.

My baby books only address the order and consistancy of the foods I need to introduce but nothing relating to how much and for how long for.

Can anyone help me out here?

God bless and thanks

 

[panterapat]

My wife and I have seven children.
The first she nursed 6mo.
The second 9mo.
The third 1yr
The forth 18mo.
Five, six and seven 2yr.

In Christ, Patrick

 

[panterapat]

If your baby seems hungry with nursing alone, solid food may not be the best solution. By allowing the baby to nurse on demand, you milk supply will increase to meet demand. Once you start on solids, your milk will start to decline. Have you contacted a La Lache League in your area? Here you will find a great resource and friendship.

ps: Do not start cows milk before 1 year. Allergies are common if cows milk is introduced before a year.

 

[jesusis4me]

I Agree, I didn't start my babies on solid until 5 or 6 months, and I took my time, The babies primary food should be either breast milk or formula, until at least 1 year old, either contact a la lache league in your area, or check with your pediatrician.
God Bless you

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Thanks you guys,

It's amazing how the Lord works! All 3 of you answered another question which I forgot to ask yesterday (I was typing the message after my bedtime). My gut feeling was to wait and I've only just started as at today and yesterday against my better judgement as I was feeling dizzy and weak last week and thought it may have been related to my diet and her feeding demands. Your posts confirmed my gut feeling.

We have a history of allergies on both sides of the family and I'd read that it was best to just nurse with breast milk until at least six months. So I was happy to continue with just milk until my health visitor came and said "No no no start weaning" To get a second opinion, I'd just come off the phone last night with my friend who's a pedriatric nurse and she advised me against delaying solids, warning me that late introduction affects a child ability for developing speech. Both of them said to continue with breast feeding but also give a tablespoon rice cereal to 4 tbsp breast milk once a day and to gradually increase this. Noone though has said for how long this process takes.

I feel that for now I'm going to stick with nursing. I'm a stay at home mom with no pressure to return to work.

Thanks for your posts though and God bless

 

[panterapat]

Nursing also help you by releasing hormones to help you relax. God made babies to drink mothers milk. Don't hurry the solid foods. My wife and I have been through it all. Nursing is the best!

 

[lucypevensie]

I agree with all of the above. Baby can live off mommy's milk for quite a long time really. All the "experts" out there all see to have differing opinions anyway--better to go with your gut instincts on this topic.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

I've been reading more into this and these secular 'experts' are doing my head in!

I've just got a couple more questions:

In the UK (and my friend who's a paedriatric nurse) they say that a baby's iron levels deplete from 6 months and that breastfeeding alone won't sustain them. My friend was really emphasising it the other day saying that as my baby gets more mobile, she'll burn more energy and breastmilk alone won't sustain her. The US medics say the opposite and that you can nurse exclusively for at least 12 months. Does anyone know who's right? I'm a little worried with the info I have access to here that she may not be getting enough nutirents from me if I just breastfeed.

Does anyone have any links to pro-nursing sites online where I can get some more information? 

Thanks and God bless

 

[HesMyAll]

Today at 08:46 AM Lotuspetal_uk said this in Post #8

I've been reading more into this and these secular 'experts' are doing my head in!

I've just got a couple more questions:

In the UK (and my friend who's a paedriatric nurse) they say that a baby's iron levels deplete from 6 months and that breastfeeding alone won't sustain them. My friend was really emphasising it the other day saying that as my baby gets more mobile, she'll burn more energy and breastmilk alone won't sustain her. The US medics say the opposite and that you can nurse exclusively for at least 12 months. Does anyone know who's right? I'm a little worried with the info I have access to here that she may not be getting enough nutirents from me if I just breastfeed.

Does anyone have any links to pro-nursing sites online where I can get some more information? 

Thanks and God bless

I don't know which doctors you have consulted in the U.S.; I have raised all of my children here and the doctors always started breast fed babies on solids by the time they were six months old.  It is true that there is very little iron in breast mild but the iron that is in it is much more easily digested and used by the baby's system than iron from other sources so I don't think that iron is a major worry.  Usually by six months old they are starting babies on cereals, then fruits, then vegetables, then meats.  But the common practice is to feed a new food for at least a week before introducing a new one so that if there is an allergic reaction you will know which food caused it.  Until the age on one year, cow's milk is a definite no-no as are wheat cereals and breads.  Eggs are another food that may cause allergic reactions so should only be introduced into baby's diet after about nine months of age.

Oh by the way, congratulations on being a mom!  What an adventure awaits you.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Oh by the way, congratulations on being a mom! What an adventure awaits you.

Thank you And thanks also for the information.

My health visitor had given me a copy of a guide for breastfeeding which said that it was the best way to feed a baby for the whole first year. It was a photocopy taken from a book but she'd not put the book's source on there.

Based on what you said, (and this may sound like a stupid question) would it still be okay if I chose to just nurse my baby with no solid suppliments or do I nurse (as a thirst quencher, i.e. no juice or water) plus introduce foods?

I'm still a little confused and where I am have no help groups. I definately want to delay the introduction of any other liquids other than breastmilk but am still unclear about solids + breastmilk.

God bless

 

[HesMyAll]

Today at 05:18 PM Lotuspetal_uk said this in Post #10



Thank you And thanks also for the information.

My health visitor had given me a copy of a guide for breastfeeding which said that it was the best way to feed a baby for the whole first year. It was a photocopy taken from a book but she'd not put the book's source on there.

Based on what you said, (and this may sound like a stupid question) would it still be okay if I chose to just nurse my baby with no solid suppliments or do I nurse (as a thirst quencher, i.e. no juice or water) plus introduce foods?

I'm still a little confused and where I am have no help groups. I definately want to delay the introduction of any other liquids other than breastmilk but am still unclear about solids + breastmilk.

God bless

Definitely continue breast feeding even when introducing solids.  I breast fed for the entire first year but also introduced solids starting at 6 months.  Also if it gets very hot its okay to give the baby water to prevent dehydration, you may be able to meet the babies nutritional needs with breast milk and added solids but may not be able to meet the baby's need for fluids in the event of very hot and/or humid weather.  Hope this helps.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Thanks, Mary

Yes, that does help a lot - I hadn't even thought about what to do during hot/humid weather. I really appreciate your post.

God bless you

 

[pandora]

6 mos breast milk... then 6 mos formula then after that cereals and da cows mooo - ilk depends tho what ur situation is tho...

 

[HesMyAll]

Today at 03:33 AM Lotuspetal_uk said this in Post #12

Thanks, Mary

Yes, that does help a lot - I hadn't even thought about what to do during hot/humid weather. I really appreciate your post.

God bless you

Glad to have been able to help!

 

[jesusis4me]

Also, the online website for the la leche league is http://www.lalecheleague.org/, they have all kind of articles, online chat rooms, they will help find support in your area, Check it out, it will help you

God Bless

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Thank you jesusis4me 

I'll check that site out.

In Him