Breastfeeding Six Months!!

We made it! William has been breastfed for six months, with a little formula in some bottles to get the ounces he needs. Getting to six months was my goal, but I told myself to be happy with any amount of time I was able to breastfeed. My plan from here on out is to breastfeed through the summer and reassess in late July/early August. Teeth may influence my plan as well! I have pumped breastmilk as well, so Will has some backup milk in the freezer. Sometimes I think how crazy it is that my body makes food for my baby! It's just crazy if you think about it. 

According to www.thealphaparent.com:

• You have greatly reduced your baby’s risk of developing allergies by waiting until at least now to introduce solids, this is particularly the case if you have a family history of allergies.
• By breastfeeding for this long you have protected your baby’s intestinal tract so that it can now begin to produce antibodies. These antibodies coat the intestines and protect him from foreign proteins and allergens.
• Continuing to breastfeed alongside the introduction of solid foods not only ensures good nutrition, it actually helps with the digestion of those other foods (Rapley and Murkett 2012).
• At around 6 months your baby will experience another growth spurt. Although you have solids to give, remember to offer the breast first as breastmilk is more nutritious. If your baby has been sleeping through the night you may find that he begins to wake for a midnight feeding during this growth spurt.
• If you have exclusively breastfed to this point, your baby is more likely to accept a range of solid foods. This is because breastmilk exposes babies to the flavors of their mothers’ diets and serves as a ‘‘flavor bridge’’ between a milk-based diet and a more adult-like diet (Mennella and Beauchamp, 1996; Taveras et al., 2004). Not only is food acceptance higher in breast-fed babies, they are particularly more likely to prefer vegetables (Sullivan and Birch, 1994). What’s more, food rejection or ‘pickiness’ is lower among pre-school children who were exclusively breastfed (Shim et al.,2011), so your child will reap the benefits for years to come!
• By breastfeeding for 6 months you have given your baby significant protection against eczema during their first 3 years (Chandra et al).
• You are now in the 1% of mothers who have breastfed for this long! Bravo! (BBC 2012).
• You have also given your baby a 19% decrease in risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia and a 15 percent decrease in the risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-Based Practice Center).