Is breast best? I was just speaking with my good friend Megan yesterday about how long she plans on breast-feeding before she starts her twins on solid foods. She wasn’t sure, but knew she was surely going to start weaning in the next few months now that they are a little over 4 months old. New mothers are often faced with a dilemma about how long they should breastfeed their babies and when they can start their little ones on solid foods.
According to World Health Organization recommendations, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. In addition, the current US guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies should be fed solid foods after six months of age. But some argue that delaying the introduction of solid foods might actually promote unhealthful eating habits by preventing babies from developing tastes for such things as bitter foods (including leafy greens).
It was announced yesterday that the “AAP’s journal, Pediatrics has published the results of a research carried out by the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard University scientists who found that babies who were fed solids before they turned four months old, are six times as likely to become obese, by the time they are 3 years old. This was seen in babies who were never breastfed or were weaned away before they completed four months. However, in children who were breastfed, the timing of introduction of solid foods had no effect on the obesity risk, at age three.”
In the study, researchers tracked 847 babies, 33% were on formula feeds while 67% were breastfed. Researchers collected and analyzed data about the timing of introduction of solid foods, height and weight for the three-year period, and measured fat on skin folds, to arrive at the results.
Why is this all so important? The study explains:
The researchers point out, “Our data suggest that increased adherence to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines has the potential to reduce the risk of obesity in children in the United States, given the relatively high prevalence of infants who are formula- fed or breastfed for less than 4 months. Approximately one-quarter of infants in the United States are never breastfed, and approximately half are breastfed for less than 4 months.”
What do you think about this study and do you think this study rings true with your children? Please share your experiences!
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I have breastfed all of my children, some longer than others. My first born was starving at 5 months and I introduced rice cereal/baby food, but he was on formula then. The other ones could have cared less about babyfood period. I did a little here and there, but they started on solids and went to table food (what we were eating) right around 9 months. I think starting them on table foods makes a much less picky eater. I also found with the kids I breastfed longer that they were more satisfied with just breastmilk, not needing supplementation before 6 months of age. I think the most important thing is to listen to your baby and not force them to finish a bottle or a jar of baby food, if they are done let them be done!
bugnbelle, thanks for sharing.
I was unable to exclusively breastfeed my twins and at 3.5 months they were both drinking 8-ounce formula bottles every 2-2.5 hours. Our pediatrician recommended starting them on baby food at 3.5 months. It was the best decision for us. They started sleeping through the night and were much happier throughout the day because they were not hungry all the time. They just turned 2 years old this past week and are nowhere near obese. They are in the 15th percentile for weight for their age. I agree with bugnbelle, listen to your baby, they will let you know what they need.
Lisa, I was the same as you. Not enough milk for breastfeeding alone. When I tried breastfeeding ONLY she gained no weight. She stopped breastfeeding completely by 6 months. Though my little one is in the 90th percentile for weight at 4-years-old it’s due to her muscle mass not fat.