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I go to a weekly b___stfeeding support group. The lady who runs it is a Lactation Consultant and she has an a__sistant who is also a lactation consultant for WIC. They are both amazing! Ony many occasions I have heard her tell nursing mothers that the reason it is recommended for solids to be started at around 6 months is because this is the age that babies begin to need additional iron. She aslo says that it is not necessary to start solids then but that you can wait up to a year but your baby still needs additional iron. Neither Blake nor I have ever had a problem with our iron levels personally.

The truth of the matter is this: Just adding something to formula, even if it is in the same amounts as in b___stmilk, does not mean that the baby will get the amount or the best sort he needs of this particular something. The example of iron helps us understand this. Breastmilk contains enough iron (with the stores the baby has during pregnancy), to keep the baby iron sufficient for at least 6 months. To maintain iron sufficiency in formula fed babies, formula needs to contain at least 6 times more iron than b___stmilk, just because iron does not get absorbed from the baby’s gut as well from formula as it does from b___stmilk. There are still hundreds of components of b___stmilk that are still not added to formulas. Breastmilk varies in what it contains, from morning to evening, from day to day, from beginning of the feeding to the end, from day 1 to day 4 to day 10 to day 100, so there is no way we can know what b___stmilk really contains. This means that there is no way to duplicate b___stmilk because there is no such thing as a standard b___stmilk. In fact, since every woman produces somewhat different b___stmilk, the notion of a standard b___stmilk becomes an absurdity. Breastmilk is a living, dynamic fluid. Formula is a chemical soup. FROM KELLYMOM

I am not saying that your baby cannot go a full year without iron supplementation. It is just that if you decide to exclusively BF for a year you should at least have your baby tested before avoiding the additional iron. It is just an extra precaution, because it is very common for babies to need more iron than can be provided with b___stmilk alone starting from about 6-9 months.

Healthy, full-term babies have enough iron stores in their bodies to last for at least the first six months. The current research indicates that a baby's iron stores should last between six and twelve months, depending upon the baby. The iron in b___stmilk is better absorbed than that from other sources. The vitamin C and high lactose levels in b___stmilk aid in iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are b___stfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one of these studies, done by Pisacane in 1995, the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively b___stfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than b___stfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies b___stfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that b___stfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. The original recommendations for iron-fortified foods were based on a formula-fed baby's need for them and the fact that b___stmilk contains less iron than formula (doctors didn't know then that the iron in b___stmilk is absorbed much better). Also, a few babies do have lower iron stores and will need extra iron at some point in addition to what they are getting from solids (though this can often be remedied by making sure that solids are high in iron and vitamin C - see below). My interpretation of this information is that there is no problem with (and lots of advantages to) continuing with exclusive b___stfeeding until your baby is truly ready for solids. At some point toward the end of the first year, your baby will gradually begin to need more iron than that provided by b___stmilk alone, so offer your baby foods naturally rich in iron and vitamin C as he begins to eat solids. If there is any question of anemia, get a blood test - if baby's hemoglobin levels are OK then there is no reason for additional iron in the diet. From Kellymom.com

actually, Jenn, from kellymom also it says that exclusively b___stfed babies tend to have naturally high iron stores even up to two years of age. we don't supplement with anything. baby gets it in the b___stmilk and then after weaning, she gets it in healthy iron-rich foods. the iron in b___stmilk is almost 50% absorbed by the baby's body whereas the iron in formulas and supplements is only 4% absorbed. that's why formulas and supplements have so darn much iron in them! and as soon as you introduce that kind of iron then you're opening baby up to a whole host of other issues in the gut. also from kellymom.com

I copied and pasted from KELLYMOM. All I am saying is that if you decided to exclusively BF you should at least have asimple blood test done on your baby to make sure that his/her iron levels are sufficient. When your baby is in your womb it begins to store up the iron it needs that combined with what it would get from your b___stmilk will last for 6-9 months. At that point a b___stfed baby needs additional iron. Formula fed babies, of course, need iron much sooner.

Jenn, I have to respectfully disagree. SOME b___stfed babies MIGHT need more iron. But, not all. I think the need for supplementation comes when the mother doesn't eat properly, and fails to give herself the extra nutrition needed to pa__s on to the baby. My daughter has had her iron levels tested 3 times, because I have low iron, and refuse to take the iron pills that make me sick. Her iron levels are absolutely normal and fine. She is exclusively b___stfed. Admittedly, she's 5 months, but don't you think that if b___stfed babies need iron supplements anyway, a b___stfed baby who's mother's iron is low should need the supplements sooner? As someone else said - the supplements are a way for someone to make money. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it's not common to supplement in Europe, is it? Only in the U.S...gee, wonder why that is!

I think you need to re-read kellymom. You're only splicing out the info that favors your view. The site actually says that "Healthy, full-term babies have enough iron stores in their bodies to last for AT LEAST the first six months. The current research indicates that a baby's iron stores SHOULD last between six and twelve months, depending upon the baby." WHile every baby is different, most exclusively bf babies have no problem with iron at even 12 months of age. You're saying that the iron is gone in 6-9 months. That's not on the site. Furthermore, "Healthy, full-term infants who are b___stfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one of these studies, done by Pisacane in 1995, the researchers concluded that babies who were EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFED for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at ONE YEAR than b___stfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. THE RESEARCHERS FOUND NO CASES OF ANEMIA WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR IN BABIES BREASTFED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SEVEN MONTHS and concluded that b___stfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. And lastly, "...infants who were not exclusively b___stfed for at least seven months did develop anemia by 12 months of age without the addition of iron-rich foods or supplemental vitamins. It was also concluded that infants who were b___stfed exclusively for seven or more months had good iron status when checked at 12 and (even at) 24 months of age.

hmmm. how can you get your babys not to be interested in eating food? especially for 1 year that sounds extreme. My dd is 4 months and I have eat in another room cause she goes balistic and stairs at me and makes chewing motions with her mouth when I eat if she is close enough she tries to take what im eating. Im gonna be starting on 1 meal rice cerael soon the dr says she is advanced and is more than ready. She can use a spoon by herself and can use a nubby cup by herself also. I couldnt imagine not starting till 1 year.

it's not so much an issue of forcing baby to wait till a year, unless you have some serious allergies in your family that waiting a year would be more beneficial, but for me my daughter refused to eat till she was almost a year - 11 months, to be precise. she wouldn't eat anything.

I wouldn'y base all your knowledge and education on KELLYMOM. That is just one person ( or a collaberation ) of people all with the same opinions. I myself am a nutritionist advocate. If it were up to me we wouldn't consume dairy products, be gone with any food that is made in a factory, consume more natural herbs. Basically our bodies were designed to consume what the earth naturally provides. We dont need all this other stuff. Many " health pract_tioners " promote their own opinions. Educate yourself in many areas from different people. I know we dont live back in " the old days " but for thousands of years people just let nature take it's course. They didn't have doctors saying you need this, your that is low, take this pill, you dont want to b___stfeed..here, give your baby this unnatural concoction called formula, that way when they get allergies you can give them this, and buy that! It's ridiculous. Now what was I saying..? haha ( i get worked up about this stuff ! ) Anyways...eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, when b___stfeeding dont smoke and drink alcohol. Consume mostly veggies, fruits, nuts ( which provide lots of iron by the way !!! ) Stay away from stuff you know isn't natural...if you can't grow it or kill it then it's fake food! Eat healthy and you wont need supllements. Jamie is right about europe. Americans are the most unhealthiest in the world. I hear americans are just about the only country who has issues with b___stfeeding. We stop the earliest, feed our children formula, and have the highest dependency on doctors. We are the most sick! hmm....i wonder why. So the longer you b___stfeed the healthier your baby. Okay im done fuming and rambling! haha

I would say each baby is different. I planned to wait until 6 months to start cereal, but my daughter really wanted it. Plus, she won't take a bottle and had to have something to eat when she started day care at 5 months!