Breastfeeding Mothers. My 9 month old son is still exclusively breastfeeding...?

Question

he has not shown much of an interest in solids at all. He is healthy and thriving (35 lbs!! and off the charts in both length and weight). But I was just curious how many mothers out there have experienced this as well? Any long-term exclusively breastfeeding Moms out there whose babies took a while to show interest in food?

Answer 1

My son showed some interests in solids around 7 months but it really was not until he realized that he could feed himself that he really started to cut back on nursings. He started to finger feed closer to 9 months. I just worked with him. I noticed if I nursed him first, he had no interest in solids.

I always nurse him first thing in the morning and then an hour later I feed him breakfast. He usually goes down for a nap and then I nurse him again. When he wakes, I feed him lunch and then later we nurse again close to his second nap. When he wakes from his second nap I give him a snack and then dinner. Before he goes to bed we do a final nursing.

If your son is picking up objects with his hands, give him soft fruits and veggies, pasta etc...and let him try to eat it by himself. Also eat with him. If he sees you eating, he may have more of an interest in solids.

I do commend you for your efforts!!! You are doing a great job!!! Keep up the good work and just keep offering solids. He will eventually show an interest, it may just take a little longer.

Answer 2

My daughter was pretty much exclusively breastfed till she was 8 months old and finally gained an interest in solid foods. She didn't really eat a lot of solids until she was about 13 months which was when I got pregnant and my milk supply dipped dramatically.

My mother-in-law exclusively breastfed her youngest for a full year before he started eating solids. He is a very healthy adult today with no problems eating food.

Don't worry, he will eat eventually! It's totally normal. It's the perfect food for him and many babies have thrived on breastmilk alone for 12 months or longer!

Answer 3

My son just turned three last week and he WISHES he were exclusively breastfed... except for chocolate, he's a huge chocolate fan. ;) I introduced him to solids at 6 months but he realy didn't like them much and still has textural issues. I think this is more related to a sensory integration disorder (he's been diagnosed) than related to breastfeeding though. My son, at 3, is 40 inches tall and 35 pounds--I don't envy you carrying around a 35 pound nine month old! My god! :P

My son really likes pasta of all sorts, especially with cheese. Have you tried giving your son pasta? Or Arrowroot cookies? My son's speech therapist tells me that chewing exercises early on are important to learning to talk. (That isn't the reason he has a speech therapist, he has an oral-motor dysfunction that he's had since birth).

Good luck with introducing food and remember that the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatricians both recommend extended breastfeeding for as long as mutually agreeable to both mom and baby! You're doing great things for your son by continuing to breastfeed him, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Answer 4

My daughter was reluctant to start solids, but she got there before 9 months. I tried her at around 4 months, not interested. Again at 5 months, still no interest. I gave her a vanilla wafer to gnaw on, and she loved it! That's when she started solids.

As long as your baby is healthy, thriving, gaining weight normally, sleeping the night, etc, I wouldn't worry so much about it. What does the pediatrician say?

Answer 5

I breastfed my daughter for eight months. I stopped because her top and bottom teeth were all in, and she liked to chew *ouch*. She still only took formula for two more months before she really began to want solids, so I'm sure your baby is fine. Exclusive breastfeeding is supposed to be fine for your baby for the first year. And your little one seems very healthy. Continue to offer solids periodically, but I wouldn't stress over it.

Answer 6

My middle child was about 9 months when he started solids, but I know a lot of moms who had babies who went longer.

Remember, the recommendation is that your milk should be the primary source for nutrition for the entire first year. La Leche League states that solids are more for fun and learning than nutrition in the beginning.

One friend of mine had a doctor freak out over iron, but when they checked her baby's levels they were FINE.

Answer 7

I have breastfed some of my children till they were 2 1/2 years or more. As soon as your baby can use the "pincher" hold(index finger and thumb grab) They are ready for some food. You might have to add breast milk to baby cereal to get started. If he has teeth already, try those really hard Gerber teething biskits as a hand held "gumming" experince. He'll soon get the taste for other things.

Answer 8

It is fine to let him nurse exclusively, just try to offer him solids occasionally, some babies like more flavored foods, and he may find some foods too bland for his liking. Some babies nurse till age three, it's in the Book.

Answer 9

I introduced solids to my son at 7 months however they only keep his intrest for a week or so. So until about 1 year he breastfeed exclusivly. I talked to his ped. about it but she said that breast milk should be the majority of what he gets anway so as long as he was not losing weight & seemed healthy he was fine. I still offerd the solid but he rarely took them. Your son is fine

Answer 10

Unfortunately, I was not able to breast feed, but my son's pediatrician told me that the first year should mainly be breast milk/formula and his kids were exclusively breast fed until they were 10.5 months old, with no problems adjusting to solids when they were introduced. If it is good enough for a doctor's kids, it sounds like pretty good advice to me.