PARANOID!

So according to a new study it may not be best to breastfeed for 6 months. Experts, led by a paediatrician from University College London’s Institute of Child Health, say babies may benefit from being given solid food earlier. They also say “exclusively breastfeeding for six months is a good recommendation for developing countries, which have higher death rates from infection. But in the UK, it could lead to some adverse health outcomes and may “reduce the window for introducing new tastes”.

Now, this new research has made me a little paranoid. Will my son not want to eat particular foods when he gets older? Will he be a fussy eater? Has he not been getting enough nutrients?

I may be a little paranoid, but I look at my gorgeous son and he is a very healthy and happy 20 month old. I introduced solid foods very slowly from 5 and a-half months because he was just too hungry! I felt guilty for not following the rule and advice of ‘wean your baby from 6 months’ – the day I introduced solids he slept through the night for the first time! Now every baby is different, so this doesn’t mean when you start weaning your baby, s/he will sleep through too, unfortunately. But it did make me think, maybe I should have introduced solids even earlier – I may have had lots more rest!

A lot of people who are not mums my say ‘mothers know what feels right and know the best thing to do’, but when everyone is telling you to only breastfeed for 6 months and you are a first-time mum, everything becomes overwhelming and you don’t know what feels right anymore. All you want to do is follow advice from the professionals.

I even felt guilty about introducing formula milk and didn’t tell me midwife until a month or so after. I was too tired from feeding him every 2 hours day & night (my son was 4 weeks early so needed feeding more often for a while) I must have had an hour’s sleep every night for a few months, makes me tired just thinking about it!  My son was breastfeed exclusively for 4 months, I then very slowly introduced formula. I did a mixture of both feeds until he was 6 months.

Still confused by this new study? Please don’t be. Get as much advice as you can from as many different midwives / health visitors / friends and then make your own decision. The way I see it, my son is very healthy and happy and was weaned at 5 and a half months. My parents weaned me when I was 4 months and I’m healthy and happy (most of the time J ) I have friends who didn’t breastfeed and their children are absolutely fine! Every baby is different, just enjoy your new baby and go get some rest!