I am so delighted to hear from you! I am so so happy that your efforts to breastfeed have been well rewarded, that you and Baby G have had such a wonderful bonding experience, and that he is receiving the best start to a healthy life he could possible have! Yay!! You are right to want to keep that bond between you, and the great news is that breastfeeding has been so well established that giving him little bits of solids will not take away from your experience.
It is perfectly normal to not give solids until 6 months, and is in fact the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, and CDC recommendation to only give breastmilk until 6 months. I've included more detailed info from those sources on some of the details for beginning solids below.
This is a big step for your baby, but starting solids is not synonymous with weaning. You can continue to offer him breastmilk everyday, before giving him solids, as breastmilk should continue to be his main source of food. Starting solids at 6 months initially has more to do with developmental milestones than actual nutritional needs. Breastmilk will continue to be important for nutrition and bonding through 2 years of age.
I've got loads of info about what we call "extended breastfeeding", which simply means a lot of moms get poor advice from physicians and negative peer pressure from friends and family to stop breastfeeding by 1 year or less. But again the WHO and AAP recommend breastfeeding (along with solids after 6 months) your baby to 2 years and beyond!
There is a lot of great newer research that supports giving breastfed babies mashed up meat as their first food instead of fortified rice cereal. Here is an awesome article with information:
http://kellymom.com/nutrition/
And this is a blurb from CDC:
When should a baby start eating solid foods such as cereals, vegetables, and fruits?
Breast milk alone is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months after birth. For these very young infants, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that water, juice, and other foods are generally unnecessary. Even when babies enjoy discovering new tastes and textures, solid foods should not replace breastfeeding, but merely complement breast milk as the infant’s main source of nutrients throughout the first year. Beyond one year, as the variety and volume of solid foods gradually increase, breast milk remains an ideal addition to the child’s diet.
How long should a mother breastfeed? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mother and baby desire. The World Health Organization recommends continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.
and even more info at:
http://www.who.int/features/
So this should help you get started.
I am so glad she asked and am happy, delighted, thrilled to hunt for answers to questions anyone might have!
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