Is Breastmilk Ever Not Enough??
For Slide Show
Go Here: Beyond Breastmilk
To find discussion about these topics:
Delaying Solids: Is Exclusive Breastmilk Enough?
What Does Breastmilk Become Deficient In?
Cow’s Milk Instead of Human Milk?
Starting Solids
What to Feed First?
What About Home Made Formulas?
Goat’s Milk? Raw Milks?
Linda F. Palmer, Author of Baby Matters (also published as “The Baby Bond”) presents a lengthy but enlightening, well documented pdf file of a Power Point presentation, as presented to lactation professionals at 2007 conference lectures; adapted for website March 2008
Another Slide presentation of interest: In Search of the Natural Weaning Age of Humans
Hello,
First of all I’d like to thank u for an amazing slide show that makes my life so much clearer 🙂 but I’d just like to make sure that if my baby is healthy and doing fine till when is breastmilk alone the most optimal source of nutrition? Is it till two years of age without the introduction of any solids? Also my pediatrician has asked me to give my baby vitamin d and calcium supplements since she was born but I have stopped giving them because I feel there is no need..what do u think.
I too would like some info on just the thing you asked about! I am EBF my baby boy and want to know I am doing what I feel like is the right thing to do!
He is just over 10 mo now 🙂 The only other thing he has had is some banana for a few weeks because I caved and thought I wasn’t giving him enough with my breastmilk. But I stopped it because it constipated him and had an affect on his behavior as well with the sugars.
Cows require far more calcium than humans. The dairy industry convinces pediatricians that human babies should receive cow nutrition. NO, your breastfed baby does not need calcium supplements.
Vitamin D? We are intended to spend much time outside, as is baby, soaking up sun and creating vitamin D in our skin. Many studies show that many of us do not have optimal levels of vitamin D. You could have your blood levels measured, and then supplement yourself to bring them into range, if needed, and this would provide optimal levels to baby through your milk. In the mean time, if you and baby aren’t getting much sun, some vitamin D supps for baby can’t hurt. The most vulnerable mothers and babies would be those with darker skin and those living in Northern latitudes.
No, I don’t think you need to go for two years with exclusive breastmilk, although it wouldn’t hurt. Most parents would find this pretty difficult to accomplish. Studies do show that at least 6 months is a good goal. Some parents wait for longer. There is certainly no reason to “push” solids, if baby doesn’t seem eager. There is also a difference between baby’s desire for solid foods and baby’s teething adventures.