Ministry of Health - Breastfeeding/Solids

Just saw on the news that the Ministry of Health has now changed their guidelines ...

They recommend babies be exclusively breastfed UNTIL 6 Months

And not to introduce solids UNTIL 6 Months of Age as opposed to the original 4-6 month guidelines.

They change their minds more often than most of us change our underwear ...

But I do agree. Lucas didn't take solids properly until 9.5-10 months of age and he's thrived on breastmilk.

Well I remember after I had Lucas, Mum was perplexed as to why I was sleeping him on his back ...when she had me they were sleeping babies on their tummies, then 6 years later when she had my brother they were told to sleep them on their side.

That's just in line with the WHO's recommendations though, isn't it?

Oh no doubt most mothers will still go with their intuition regarding when baby is ready to start solids. I think it just means Plunket will have to go back to recommending 6 months up?

Here's the link Charly

I agree RachandJack ...but I do think it is good that they have these guidelines in place as I've known a couple YOUNG mothers who have started feeding their kids porridge/cereals from as early as 4-8 weeks.

One female in particular, I witnessed her feeding bub when he was just 4 months old, she would ply him with a huge bowl full of food, this particular night I was there ...the kid choked on every spoonful. It was darn obvious he wasn't ready but she insisted he was and came out with all this bullsh*t to try and justify feeding him from 4 weeks of age. Their digestive system is simply not ready that young.

It is only WHO "recommendations" so doesnt that mean it is recommended but ok if you cant do it! THere is no way I could have got Tom (the guts) to 6 months without solids. He thrived on them! As for BF, I got close!

I guess I was just unlucky with my boy, he was showing all the signs near 5 months of age, and first off he was going okay with solids ...but he would have 'on' weeks and 'off' weeks (moreso off weeks) until he was around 10 months old. It's always been hit and miss with his mealtimes, despite introducing him early enough.

But in saying that, he has always thrived on breastmilk and is still feeding around 4-5times daily (Which I know is a lot for a 14 month old, but this is ON TOP OF his 3 meals and snacks now) ...if he wants it i'll give it to him. I'm very pro-breastfeeding (extended). He was weighed today and is 14.02kg - so very very healthy (always has been a good weight for his age)

ETA: I feel that if it wasn't for us breastfeeding, we would have had a lot more problems due to him not eating & he wouldn't have been anywhere near as healthy.

Edited by Mum2Lucas

Do you know that WHO also reccomends breastfeeding your child to 2 years of age? Didn't see that on the news, though... I think they water it down for NZers kneejerk recations to being reccomended to BF in general.
The solids thing, if your baby is BF its not to much of a worry, as long as they are thriving and gaining weight as everythign baby needs is in BM, except they need more iron by 6 months.
Eating is good for the development of speech, so that and the iron thing is the main concern for solids.
I do agree though, (some) mums know best whats right for their baby, although I am not too sure about this 4 week rubbish.

Charlotte started about 5.5 months but didn't really like it and has only really been eating well for about 5 months, and a variety for about 2 months, lol I never pushed her, though, she is still BF and although little is still healthy, although the Paed did say he would reconsider that if she hadn't gained much weight by our check in June, but she has put on almost a kg,so I'm sure she will be fine.

Edited by fattartsrock

I saw them say till 2 years and thought WHAT????? That is not going to suit everyone as I know lots of people who start to feel self concious BFing a larger baby (which they shouldnt but hey, thats society). It would also get hard for women returning to the workforce to maintain that!.

I take my hat off to those of you that are still Bfing after 12 mnths! I really hoped I would get to 12months but that just wasnt going to be realistic. howver the irony is not lost on me that around the time I stopped as I was struggling to keep up with his demand, I would have only needed to keep going a little longer before we would have started dropping feeds.    But we are all happier for the transition