14 lbs 2 oz, 25 1/2 inches today. Also her physical exam was perfect.
The Doc said that he recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, but he hasn't seen anyone do that in years. What? It's only 2 more months. I can do it.
Also, he said not to give her milk until she is a year - that some people switch from formula to regular milk around 9 or 10 months to save money. I told him she gets her milk for free and I'd be happy to keep breastfeeding for a year. He said that never happens but to go for it if I want to. Well, it's going to happen in this house, let me tell ya!
I asked if she would outgrow her milk allergy. He said there's a 50-50 chance, but that allergies to dairy are not nearly as bad as a peanut allergy. He said we could do some bloodwork to see how allergic she is to some different things. He recommended that I stay away from all dairy and all peanut products, just to be safe.
He said that he predicts she'll be 16 lbs, 10 oz at her 6 month appointment, and I should bet Ken and make some money :) We'll see if he is right.
8 comments:
He hasn't seen anyone do that in years? Well. I didn't introduce my kids to solids early - I think they were at least 5 1/2 months old and announced that they wanted solids by such subtle tactics as grabbing a handful of food off my plate and ramming it in their mouth.
My latest niece was exclusively breast-fed for her first six months - she had her first bit of solid food on the day she was six months old.
At her six month weigh-in, she had dropped down the chart a little, because the charts (at least here in the UK) are designed to follow the growth of bottle-fed babies, and of babies that are fed solids earlier. But my niece has reached all her milestones so far and is certainly nicely rounded. She's taken to solids really well, has a varied diet and still drinks nothing but breast milk and a little bit of water (she's now 8.5 months).
You can breastfeed as long as you want to, so don't let that doctor discourage you. I'm surprised to hear a pediatrician with such a defeatist attitude. My pedi always encouraged breastfeeding without being critical if I bottlefed. I was able to breastfeed Monster for 13 months. I tried to give him formula once in a while but he didn't like it. Once you introduce solids, you'll likely see that she is nursing less too and it will get easier on all of you. Keep up the good work!
You can totally do it Beth! I nurse exclusively for 8 months before giving any solids, and even then it's only bits here and there. Breastmilk is the *only* food needed for the entire first year. The longest I have nursed is 20 months and it was a great experience.
I am kinda surprised too! Almost all of the breastfeeding mothers I know do it for 1 year. But I don't know when they started solids and if they take in other fluids at that time along with continuing to breastfeed. Check with Maria? SHe has done it a number of times so she probably has some good tips. You will do great whatever you do!
I nursed my 4th for 16 months and he was a little chunk, he didn't eat many solids at all until almost a year. We really skipped the whole baby food stage and went straight to tiny bits of table food. I say that as long as you and Madeleine are happy then why change anything!!
Kathryn
I breastfeed exclusively for usually 7 months or so... by then all of mine are showing GREAT interest in nibbling away at what the rest of the family is eating.
I know you can do it! Go for it!
Oh My! My son is 4 and *still* after me for the breast! Think of Gussie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn! And they have the same name!
He got solids at six months though. He was very content to totally nurse till then.
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