Exclusively BF - but what happens after 1 year?

[MLC]

Hi, I have a 5mo LO - because of her reflux, she has been mostly breastfed through direct latch on.  I seldom pump, and LO doesnt really know how to drink from a bottle.  I do plan to continue this until she's 1 year old, but am now extremely confused about what happens after that, and hope someone can shed some light.

1. I understand that toddlers still need milk - but if i don't introduce bottles/formula now, won't it be even tougher when she's older?
2. Can i skip formula totally and proceed straight to solids?

Basically, what are the options when i wean her after a year? And should I introduce those options now, rather than later? Thanks..

[RachelC]

Hi there 

Somewhere around or after 6 months, you will likely introduce solids, very slowly.  (see the solid food forum for lots of advice).  From 6-12 months, breastmilk (or formula) is the most important source of calories with solids as experimental and supplemental.  After one year, the solids take more of a forefront and the breastmilk/formula is more supplemental (and you can keep on bfing as long as you and your lo like).

Neither of my girls ever had formula, although they both had expressed milk in a bottle, but not so much after 7 months.  We introduced solids (and a sippy cup of water) at 6 months and slowly increased the amounts of solids so they were eating 3 full meals a day at 12 months.  My first was weaned off the breast just after 12 months (and fully on cow's milk) and my second continued to 22 months, while attempting to drink cow's milk, but she didn't truly take to it until after she was 2.

Hope that helps... I have to kids waiting to be excused from the table 

[IndiaJenn]

Hi!

I never used formula, and bottles only when I had really bad thrush and couldn't handle the pain of bf-ing. I bf'd exclusively until 6 months and then slowly started introducing solids, and started dropping feeds around 1 year (and kept with the bedtime feed until he was 20 months -- I stopped more because I'm expecting again and it was getting really uncomfortable and stuff). I never used bottles for milk - just either small glasses (glass, plastic or metal) or I gave my ds dairy in other forms (he loves cheese and yogurt) - they don't have to *drink* the milk - and especially if the reflux problem persists it may be easiest to limit liquids (my ds basically only drinks water and gets everything else as solids - fruit rather than juice, cheese/yogurt rather than dairy, etc).

So, my $0.02 is that you don't need to worry about introducing bottles now, and unless you have a specific reason to introduce formula, I wouldn't bother doing that either -- it's hardly necessary if you plan on introducing your child to a well-balanced diet once you wean.

Good luck!

Jenn

[woopster]

You don't need to introduce a bottle at all. You can (if you want) continue to breast feed after a year. DS1 never had a bottle. I bf him for 17 months. He rarely drinks milk but he does eat a good amoung of cheese, yogurt. For a drink he has water or very dilute juice.

[Samuel's mum]

You certainly don't have to introduce a bottle. You can go straight to a sippy. You also don't have to use formula. You can go straight to cow's milk or continue with the milk you are making i.e. human milk! You might feel differently about stopping when the time comes.
The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 years - that advice is for people from developed countries as well as people in developing countries. You can read more about the benefits of breastmilk beyond 12 months in our extending nursing thread at the top of the board. Deciding to breastfeed beyond 12 months has been one of my happiest decisions ever ever ever.
If you really don't want to bf beyond 12 months you can certainly manage with cups and cow's milk. Depending on when your child weans you may find that drinking milk is less of a priority and nutritional needs can be met through solids.
My daughter is 7 months and has never had a bottle. I'll introduce a sippy cup soon and I'll bf as long as she wants. At some point she might drink cow's milk or she may just eat dairy and drink other things. It'll work out.