This week in books: Week 2
Baby's First Foods: A Mother's Guide to Whole Grains and Family Nourishment by Theresa Powers is an easy read and a helpful resource for young moms who are looking for some ideas for introducing healthful foods to their young child.The author covers when to start your baby on solid foods and the best foods to introduce first, how to prepare your own baby foods, a two-month full menu for food introduction, and recipes for the family which your baby can also eat.
There were also a number of healthful recipes for the whole family and in-depth information on making bread from whole grains. The last chapter included tidbits of wisdom from older women on journaling your baby's life stories, raising children in the Lord, using cloth diapers, and a few other helpful ideas.
Most of the book was made up of information I was already familiar with and I found some of it to be a bit disjointed (the last chapter especially). I also would tend to disagree with some of her thoughts on the introduction of solid foods (I know I'm in the minority, but so far, we've opted not to introduce solid foods until closer to a year with both of our girls. Call me a "crunchy" breast-feeding mama!). But overall, this book would be a good resource for a young mom who isn't familiar with making your own baby food from scratch or for a mother who wants to encourage her family towards more healthful eating.
Just for fun: What have you been reading this week? Any recommendations to send my way?
Also, for those of you who are moms: I love to hear when you introduce(d) solid foods to your babies. Early? Later? Am I in the minority here as far as waiting to introduce solid foods until closer to a year? (Just as a little reminder, this is just a light-hearted discussion about what worked for you and what you chose to do. As always, comments which are questioning or criticizing myself or other commentor's choices in parenting decisions will be deleted.)
Labels: Reviews
posted by Crystal Paine at 3:30 PM
37 Comments:
I agree about waiting until closer to a year to start solid foods, not just because of the great healthy aspects of breastfeeding, but b/c I have a huge fear of choking! My daughter, our second child, is stretching me on this one b/c she loves to eat and feed herself. So, we're starting solids a little earlier than we did with my son. But for both kids, I didn't start cereal until six months and baby food until seven. I feel like that is later than some moms...
Also, I'm reading "The Magic of Love and Logic" - its the Love and Logic book for birth through six years old. Oh, discipline. My three year old is giving my husband and me fits, but I think he's just being normal. However, we still need to train him up right. The book has helped give me some ideas about disciplining in a way that prevents me from becoming angry and frustrated, and will hopefully cause my son to think and learn from the consequences. Time will tell... :)
Transitions are always a bit overwhelming for me, so out of laziness (and a growing conviction), I start solids later and later. This time, with my 4th child, it has been at about 11 months.
By the way, another overwhelming transition is potty training. I just wait until they are VERY ready. My son that just turned three is almost training himself. MUCH easier than when I tried and tried for months and basically had only trained myself to bring them in every 2 hours. Off topic, I know. Hope that's OK.
Not at all about child rearing but this week, I've read an old Deborah Alcock book, "The Czar" about the 1812 invasion of Russia by Napoleon. I think but am not sure that this particular book by Deborah Alcock is out of print but several have been reprinted. We have recently brought and read a reprint of "By far Euphrates".
She wrote Christian historical fiction in the nineteenth century-a bit like a more Christian version of Henty. Worth reading but might lead to sleep deprivation! I find the very difficult to put down.
Annaelisabeth
We started both kids around 5 months with rice cereal mixed w/ breast milk. Then slowly added the fruit and veggie purees. Both were eating a lot of "solids" by a year. I still breastfed that entire time! I would nurse first then give them the purees. I did this primarily because I wanted to introduce different tastes and textures, not because I was concerend about nutrition. I agree completely that breastmilk is all that is needed for that. However, I may have been slightly persuaded by a friend who only breast fed for a year and her daughter was an EXTREMELY picky eater after that. Crystal, why have you chosen to exclusively breastfeed for a year? I would love to know. I am pregnant with number three and open to change!!
The first 2 I waited a while, but with the third I actually started earlier to satisfy the little tummy and encourage longer sleep. Basically everything that I was against doing for the 1st two I was willing to try with the 3rd just to get some sleep and make the baby more comfortable and not cry to be fed so much! And even though I was kind of hoping my theory of it won't work, cereal isn't going to fix it, I can tell you it did!!
I breast fed all our children between 10-12 months. Introducing solids was more of a way to help mom get more sleep, so around 7 months (later with my twins, maybe 9 months) I started giving rice cereal at night to fill their tummies. It worked for all my children. They are now 10 (the twins), 5 and 4. I truly believe in breastfeeding as long as possible!! Starting solids was never difficult and all my children love food and are very good eaters now. Thanks for sharing your views and letting us chime in with ours.
As always, blessings from Oregon
Pamela
We started a little earlier than I had planned, at five months, because my son was nursing every hour and a a half to two hours and seemingly never satisfied. Looking back on it, after further reading, I could have probably waited out this phase, but didn't know this at the time and we were in the midst of moving, were actually living at my family's cabin for several weeks in "between" moves and didn't have the books, internet access nor pediatrician's access that would have helped make the decision. He was showing the signs of wanting to eat real food though, so we went ahead with rice cereal mixed with pumped breast milk and began to add in mild vegetables (sweet potatoes, avocados, etc.). He only had one "meal" a day for several months, and for a while there was back to exclusively breastfeeding again, until about eight months when he really went for the food and we went up to two meals (breakfast and dinner) a day. We're now at three plus two snacks (plus nursing six times a day) so all is well - my son is almost ten months old.
I used Ruth Yaron's "Super Baby Food" as my primary guide for beginning foods and now also enjoy "The Baby Bistro" by Joohee Muromcew as he is getting older. I hope to have him eating primarily table food in the next few months (though less seasoned than ours) and have been transitioning him into eating a few items with mild onions, roasted garlic and sweet peppers to get him used to the flavors that I cook with. So far, he's had no problems with the additions (though I JUST started him on the spicier foods after he was 9 and a half months old to be on the safe side).
Lately he's really loved feeding himself, so snacks are ALWAYS a quick nurse after his naps, followed by finger food these days. Mango, kiwi and bananas are his favorites along with teething biscuits and organic "Cheerios". He also LOVES cheese and is drinking a lot more water.
Just last week I posted about making three kinds of meat-based organic baby dinners on my blog - if you're looking for some good recipes, check it out (Baby's Italian Chicken Stew and Baby's Chicken Vegetable Casserole were the two top winners!) and he has also been eating a lot of kale, avocado, orange-vegetable (either carrot or sweet potato) mixtures for lunches and loves them. My MIL can't believe what I'm feeding him but he gobbles it right on down!
The book that you read looks interesting . . . I'll have to check it out! Thank you for the recommendation!
My nurse-practitioner totally recommends waiting until a year before introducing any foods and breastfeeding until atleast two years. So far 16 months is the longest I have breastfed-plenty long for me. (-: I completely agree on holding off with the foods. Better for potential allergies too.
Great topic!
I'm not sure what the book in question recommends re whole grains, but there are definitely guidelines against introducing wheat before a certain age (two, I think) in order to decrease the chances of developing an intolerance to it. Our whole family is gluten-intolerant, so it's near and dear to my heart!
It wasn't a hard and fast rule -- we tended to play it by ear with each child -- but I think we started to introduce solids around the 9mo period.
Crystal,
I reviewed a book I just read on my blog. I am a great reader of fiction, and I'm not sure that this is where your interests are, but the series I've just finished it worthwhile. Check it out:
http://hopeistheword.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/book-review-the-key-to-zion-the-zion-chronicles-book-5-by-bodie-thoene/
I agree with you about waiting longer to introduce solids. I have waited until around 8-9 months to begin with all five of mine. I'm in the midst of solids with twins, and it is MESSY!!(they are 10 months old).
As far as what I am reading, Treasuring God in our Traditions by Noel Piper (excellent book!), and Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacey McDonald (another excellent read), and Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham. All three of these books are challenging me to think outside my "box" as I ponder how to raise a new generation of faithful servants for our Almighty God!
Blessings!!
I introduced solids around 6 months with my first son. I was planning on waiting longer with my second, but he has all the signs of being ready and is begging and grabbing at my plate at the table (despite the pile of colorful toys in front of him), so we're going to start this weekend since he will be 6 months on Monday. I do purees for only about a month, and then go on to soft finger foods when they seem ready (my oldest was ready at 7 months). I let them self feed from the get go, either by holding their own spoon and putting it in their mouths after I load it up with purees or with finger foods as they get older. I feel that if I put the food in their mouths I could err and force feed them when they aren't hungry anymore.
With solids, I always breastfeed first and see it as practice until close to a year. I also avoid grains until a year or a bit later since most kids cannot digest them until closer to 2 years. Plus rice cereal in a box is just filler since babies cannot absorb the synthetic nutrients sprayed onto the flakes in quantities enough to make a difference. Plus there are MUCH more healthier grains out there, like quinoa and millet if you make your own cereal. In fact, my first son never had baby food from a jar or box, it was always homemade and I plan on the same with this one. It's just easier, healthier, cheaper, and I know exactly what they are eating.
As for reading, not much here lately. I've been spending most all of my extra reading time (which is the time I spend reading other than my daily Bible reading and devlotional reading) studying First Corinthians since we are studying that book in depth in our Wednesday night adult Bible class. When I actually have time to read besides that, I'm still working on "Housewives Desperate for God" which I'm enjoying. In my queue also are "Familes Where Grace is in Place" and "Why Christian Kids Rebel". We'll see when I get time!
With the support of kellymom.com and their research based articles and forum support, I am planning to breastfeed until my dd is 1 year old (she is 5 1/2 months now). I am very interested in waiting for solids, but must be honest that it is mostly because I am overwhelmed with all I have on my plate and adding in a new way to feed her seems like too much.
I can't wait to see what other great resources your readers share!
I can't even remember when I first tried solids on my babies, sometime after 6 months, but when I did it was bits of whatever we were eating. I've never fed my 3 kids baby food or formula (mostly because I introduced bottles too late, they wouldn't have them). As a side note I breast fed on demand. My first child weaned at just over a year (I had to go back to work), my second child hated eating and gagged wretchedly and weaned at about 20 months, my third child liked to eat but still did not wean until about 18 months.
All three of my kids are healthy eaters now with no allergies. Their overall health is good with minimal illnesses.
Oh, and I should add, despite my earlier introduction of solids, my first son nursed until 2 1/2, so I'm crunchier than most in that area and solids had no effect on his breastfeeding! He actually weaned himself then (most likely because I was pregnant). I figured if the Biblical age of weaning was around 2 1/2 there are good benefits of doing it until at least then!
I breastfed both our girls for over a year (16 months with both of them) but introduced solids (homemade pureed veggies and fruit) around 5 or 6 months of age. I was content to wait longer, but the girls practically begged for food off our plates at dinner time, so I figured they were ready to try something new! They enjoyed their homemade baby food but still wanted to nurse full time, which was fine with me!
I just finished Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney (probably the best book I've read on the subject of Biblical Womanhood) and also just finished America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money (an excellent book for inspiring frugality!
I started solids at the "typical recommended age" of about 5.5 or 6 months. I think it is GREAT to wait as long as you can and would have waited a lot longer if I could have but my body doesn't produce enough milk to satisfy them so the solids were a Godsend because after they began eating solids they slept so much better, and this weary mama was grateful! I did continue breastfeeding until a year though but had to start supplementing with formula at 9 or 10 months.
Hi Crystal,
I also am in no hurry to introduce my babies to solid foods. Our first child had some severe allergies and I am glad we waited. With him it was about 1 year or so.
Right now...reading Supermarket Savings 101 ;o)
I'm ready! And my 10 year old son is pretty fired up too. He was so excited about the Safeway breakfast savings from last week. I know he is rearing to cut coupons and save money.
Thanks,
Debra
Hi there... For our family... we started solids at about 6 months... They were really ready, grabbing at our food etc. We started them out slow though. Rice cereal for a while til we felt ready. Made with formula (I couldn't breastfeed) rather than cow's milk. We waited to introduce milk until after a year. Then we'd wait for each addition. Like a week between each item if not longer. To me, it wasn't about the nutrition (cause I really doubt much made it into their tummies) it was more about them learning to get used to different textures, using their tongue effectively, etc. Other solids - such as biter biscuits were really helpful for teething as well, since they wouldn't use conventional teething soothers.
I introduced solids at 5 months with both my girls. I introduced rice cereal at 5 months, vegetables at 6 months and fruit at 7 months. I waited until a year to introduces meats and dairy to my oldest and I will do the same with my 8-month-old. I'm intrigued by your choice to wait until closer to a year to introduce solids. It sounds like a good idea.
I only nursed for 8 months with both girls, but I would have loved to do it longer. Because of our financial situation, I had to return to work when each girl was 7 months old.
I'm learning a lot from your website (and Money Saving Mom) and I want to thank you for sharing your wisdom with us!
I loved this book, but see I have never found a book that told me wait until 1 year to feed babies solid food! I am another weird mam who went against the flow, but with lots of study about it. From one study i did found that earlier feeding of food was for the freedom of the mother than for the good of the baby. Delaying food helps with not having allergies, stomach issues and other things. So, since we had lots of issues in our family like that, they just got breast milk until 1 year and then I started them on food. I just took the advice of just starting baby food and gave it to them at one year what you would give at 6 months. They did not like food all that much except my last baby, but all healthy strong boys.
Some people mention that they will lack in iron, but I had their iron tested and it was always very good.
Anyhow , I enjoyed this book because it talked about making more things whole grain....I posted a review about it awhile back! Anyhow, I am happy to find another mama like me!
I read a fiction book recently, whcih I know you do not usually ever read fiction, but it had very interesting history of wet nurses.....
I was pretty hyper with my first and started rice cereal at 4 mos or so, then moved on to baby food at 5 mos, I think. I was very careful to introduce things in the right order, one thing at a time, etc.
I have introduced solids much later with the other two and been much more laid back (or lazy/tired? :) ) With Bethany (8mos now), I have just mashed a bit of fruit/veggies/meat (usually whatever we're eating minus the seasoning) and put it on her tray for her to feed herself. She does not like babyfood at all and won't eat it. I think I started her on solids at 6 1/2 mos. This is the age that all of my kids seemed to get really interested in food and HUNGRY all the time.
Neither my husband nor I have any history of allergies at all, and I haven't had any problems with the kids being sensitive to anything. If allergies did run in our families, I think I would be more careful. I AM careful not to introduce certain things, though--namely honey, citrus, milk products, nuts--until much, much later.
phebe
With my second I nursed him until about a year because I was pregnant again and I have preterm labor so I had to stop but I think I started giving him foods about 10 months or so. Of course, with Daddy around, he has to have the fun of seeing what the little guy would do with certain foods at a MUCH younger age. Does anyone else have that "problem"?
~Jennifer K.
I wouldn't consider you crunchy! Maybe if you stopped washing your hair with commercial products or using commercial soaps and things. :)
Our daughter is 7 1/2 months and is exclusively breastfed. We are planning to continue until close to a year and then nurse until Isabel weans herself. I'm not a big believer in baby foods, especially the cereals and things (mostly sugar), so she'll most likely get mashed up table food when she does start eating solids. We try to eat as many whole foods as possible (though my husband and I do have pretty intense sweet tooths (teeth?) and give in to the occasional Frosty or candy bar...actually way more than we ought to! we're working on that...) so I'm confident in what Isabel is receiving through my milk and what she'll be eating with us.
Interesting discussion! It's neat to see what other mamas out there have tried and experienced.
As for reading...My husband and I are reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (I noticed it on your reading list, too...what do you think?) and we're finding it fascinating. I'm also reading through the Anne of Green Gables series, as I do almost annually. I have a few others on my list, too, but I can't remember what they are.
Oh, I read Infidel a few months ago and noticed that's on your list as well. I'm really curious what you think of that book, too.
I was planning to wait until 6 months to start solid foods, but my daughter started grabbing at our food around 5 months. After a couple weeks of that, I decided to start offering her a couple spoonfuls of purees a day - mashed banana, avocado, or sweet potato with a little breastmilk. She didn't eat much quantity of solid food until about 8 months. We're still breastfeeding several times a day now at almost 14 months, and she also eats most table foods just fine. Baby food was a very brief stage for us.
I started both my babies on cereal mixed with breast milk at 6 months-ish, because our pediatrician said their iron levels would get too low otherwise. I was tempted to disregard that, but wasn't sure about it. I only did purees with my daughter for a week or two when she was about 8-9 months old, because by that time she had 8 teeth and wanted to chew stuff from our plates, so at that point I mostly just gave her a little of what we were having for dinner, and other than that just breastfed. She weaned herself at 15 months but I think that's because I was 30 weeks pregnant at the time!
With my son who is now almost 8 months old I tried the same approach, but he is really not interested in cereal too much, he'll eat maybe a tablespoon full at breakfast mixed with no sugar added organic applesauce. He will try spinach puree, but no more than an ice cube amount at a time, if that. He's still nursing at least 7-8 times a day and is well over 20 lbs but he has only cut his first two teeth this week, so perhaps that is the difference.
The positive thing about my son nursing so much is the weight has just DROPPED off this past month! I had gotten back to my pre-pregnancy weight around 6 months post partum, but now I'm 10 pounds LIGHTER! Woo hoo! Now if only my stomach would stop looking like a raisin. :)
I follow the AAP's guidelines which has a list of things babies should be able to do before they try solid foods (sitting up unassisted, pincer grasp, loss of tongue-thrust, etc.) in conjunction with being at LEAST 6 months old. My oldest was ready around 6 months, my younger child wasn't ready til about 9 months and didn't take solids with any regularity until just after a year. :)
I've been on a big fiction kick lately. :) Haven't finished anything this week yet though!
Crystal,
I also waited until later with my children, but I was never quite brave enough to wait for a year. 10 months was the latest. Congrats for not worrying about how people judge you in the feeding of your children! I've started mine on millet. It's a great grain that alkalanizes your body. We all eat it for breakfast. You can check out my frugal friday posts for how to make it. One of my first posts was about pureeing your own baby food. Unfortunately, I'm still in that phase with my 16-month old. :-(
Ruth Yaron's Super Baby Food book is an excellent resource for all things baby. There is a huge section on "make your own _________". I think it would be a definite interest for you if you can find a copy at your library or paperback swap! :-)
As far as my reading goes, I'm almost through Blog (I have no idea how you endured that book. It's been a struggle for me!). I'm also almost through Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elisabeth Dodds. It's the story of Sarah and Jonathan Edwards. I have some friends who hated it, but I always persevere to the end on books, and I have been very blessed by it. I'm halfway through Don't Make Me Count to Three. Probably THE best child training book I've read (although there are others on my wish list!).
This week I'm reading your blog! Plus, I've begun reading Evidence Not Seen, by Darlene Rose, she was a missionary in the jungles of New Guinea during World War 2. I've read this book before, its an excellent read! I love missionary biographies.
If you haven't read it, you sould read "How to Save Money Every Day" by Ellie Kay.
I just found it at the library today and read it cover to cover and LOVED the ideas and the philosophies.
And my son would not TOUCH food of any kind until 10 months. And he abhorred baby food.
Our plan was to exclusively breastfeed for at least six months, longer if AJ would do it. But around 4.5 months, I just couldn't satisfy him any longer. Looking back, it was probably just a (long) growth spurt and things would have settled back down after a little while, but we tried solid foods then. He liked them so much that he screamed for more when the jar was empty.
He'd been gnawing on raw carrots for teethers for a while, so we tried carrots first. We didn't actually do any cereals for a long time, and have used them very little. Our peds (who's rather crunchy herself) said yellows, followed by greens, followed by cereals, so that's what we did.
We waited on meats and yogurt until 9 months, and wheat, corn, eggs, and cow's milk until a year (and not heavily on any of them even then). We've stopped all dairy though as his tummy's just not ready yet (well, at least he's not ready if either of us want any sleep). He does lots of un-mashed steamed and raw veggies now (just over 1-yr-ld), in addition to other table and finger foods.
He's still breastfeeding before naps and night time. I expect that we'll continue until he loses interest or I become heavily pregnant with a younger sibling.
I'd really be interested to know the Biblical reference for the 2.5 year weaning. I'd love to have that in my back pocket when people get grossed out about nursing after a year. Right now I tell them that AAP recommends at least 1 yr, WHO recommends at least 2, and that it's the healthiest thing for them.
Right now I'm reading "The Bourne Supremacy." The movies are only very little like the books, but I can (for once) enjoy both for what they are and see why the movies had to be so different. I'm alternating fiction/non-fiction right now, so next up is Dobson's "New Strong-Willed Child."
What I want to do and what my babies want to do has been different! My absolute minimum for solids is 6 months. But, I'd like to wait until closer to a year. However, all four of mine have been very ready for solids at 6 months. They desperately try to get food, and not just to chew like a toy, but to eat! And from the first feeding, they do very well in handling the food.
I don't know if there's any connection between number of teeth and interest/readiness for solids, but mine all have their first tooth by 5 or 6 months, and have 8 teeth before their first birthday.
Once they start solids, I keep nursing. At a year, they're usually nursing about twice a day. They wean themselves between 15 and 17 months. Again, I'd love to nurse to more like 20 or 21 months (my babies have been 23 months apart and I don't want to tandem nurse), but they haven't been willing!
I make my own baby food. I start with banana, oatmeal, potato, sweet potato, applesauce, etc. Dairy and egg don't get introduced until 10-12 months or so. Honey and peanut butter wait until after a year.
Heather (mom to 4 children from 6 years down to 7 months)
With my first child I didn't have enough good information and started a little early (around 5 months), although she didn't really like it so we ended up not really feeding her much until around 9-10 months when she got interested.
With my current baby, I waited until after 6 months to start watching for signs of readiness. He's only just seeming ready now at 8 months, and even now, he's really just having a taste and getting use to the texture. It's not particularly for nutrition.
I firmly believe that breastmilk should be a baby's primary form of nutrition for the first year. However, calorically speaking (not sure if that's a real term!) it can become difficult to satisfy a hungry baby on milk alone. At least, in my experience it has been. Around 8-10 months seems to be when they get quite hungry and start to need a little something more. However, if you can get by with only breastfeeding, more power to you!
Also, I make sure that breastfeeding always come first, before solids. I want my baby to fill up as much as possible on breastmilk, and then if they're still hungry, they can have a go at something else.
And personally, I avoid grains until after a year, because they are so much harder to digest. Under a year, I would only serve veggies, fruits and meats, pureed with water or breastmilk. Grains should wait, to avoid risk of allergies and digestive issues, and even after a year should preferably be soaked or sprouted. Good grains to start with are millet, rice, quinoa, barley, and kamut or spelt, saving wheat for last (and watch carefully for a reaction).
I'm writing about this on my blog right now (one post last week, one more coming up this Tuesday). Come visit!
Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home
I started at 4 months with my firstborn and regret it greatly! He has horrible food intolerances, and reflux. We started baby # 2 around 9 months and went way slower. Though this child was supposed to be more at risk of allergies (preemature and possibly asthmatic) it was proven to have been a better choice. No food allergies are noticed to date! Our pediatrician recommended that some food be introduced by mouth by 9 months to avoid oral aversions, but I know others who waited until 1 year with no trouble. I say wait as long as you can up to a year. Why rush?
Is there anyone out there who fed formula? I am a Christian mom who planned on only breastfeeding for the first year. I hadn't even registered for a bottle or researched formula. I took breastfeeding classes offered at our hospital and was honestly excited about the event. I even had dreams of breastfeeding before my son was born. Many women in my family had struggled with breastfeeding due to low milk supply and inverted nipples (which I know can often be corrected...but also can be a huge problem). I was sure I wouldn't be among those women in my family. I breastfed for the first week of my son's life; however, he quickly began losing weight and becoming dehydrated...to the point of near hospitalization. He was lethargic and often barely responsive. We would even pour cold water on him to wake him to eat...sometimes to no avail. He NEVER cried for food or appeared alert. My pediatrician said we had to do something to give him fluids and suggested that I switch to pumping every two hours and nurse in between to increase my flow and keep feeding him breastmilk. After three weeks, I nearly went dry with milk, and he hadn't gained much weight. He was sleeping all but one-two hours a day and seemed so lethargic. Amid tears and prayers and absolute devastation and desperation, I began feeding him formula. My husband encouraged me to do so. Within two days, he gained the weight necessary and was suddenly alert and hungry. It was a totally different baby. I am praying that I have no milk supply issues with another baby and trust that God will fill in the gaps wherever I am deficient in the future, as this has truly been the single most devastating heartache of my life. I have since encouraged many women not to judge all formula moms, as many of us did not stop breastfeeding by choice. Anyone else in my situation?
I just read a book called Pushed by Jennifer Block. I think every woman should read it! Of course, it was by a secular author so I did not agree with some of her own ideas, but I have never seen a book that was so informative and well backed up just on having babies.
The bible reference about nursing longer, there is not really a direct reference, but Hannah did not bring Samuel to the temple until he was weaned and he was old enough to do things in the temple. I have heard it was 3-5 years old. I think he could have been as young as 2, but he could talk. But then in her prayer there she mentions she bore seven children so I don't know!
With my first child, I started right at 4 months when my dr told me to. My second child I waited until about 6 months because he had allergies, and my third child started solids at around 8 months when he started wanting to taste what was on my plate!
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