In a message dated 1/30/98 5:16:28 AM, you wrote:

<<I've known many LLL families throughout the past 20 years who have delayed
solids till 9 or 10 months >>

I guess my involvement with LLL for the last 10 years has shown me so many
"delayed solids babies"  I never thought of pushing solids at my 6 month old
son since he didn't seem particulalry interested.  He was growing and nursing
well, so we just continued what was working.
Our breastfeeding relationship has always taken a kind of natural course, so
we just did what felt right - following his cues and such.  He nibbled a few
Cheerios or something around 7 - 8 months, but didn't really eat solids until
about 9 months.
He is now a still nursing, almost 4 year old who is very verbally skilled and
way past where he needs to be developmentally.  Why are we so tied to this "6
month" time schedule.  Shouldn't the issue be more individually based?  How
about looking at whether the baby is sitting unaided - using the correct
tongue motion for swallowing solids - using the fingers to reach for food -
using feeding cues after feeding at the breast.
It is best after all to offer the breast first at all feeds throughout the
first year, so aren't a number of babies probably almost exclusively breastfed
for 9 - 12 months?  Are we getting so carried away with all the "technical
issues" that we sometimes forget that breastfeeding left to a healthy mother
and baby usually follows a positive, natural course.
Our LLL groups work hard trying to make mothers feel secure enough to follow
their own instincts about such issues.  They get such bad advice from their
peds, that many feel they have to start solids at 4 months or their babies
will A) starve    B)not ever eat from a spoon    C) never learn to swallow
real food         D) I'm sure you can fill in the blank.  Just to get them to
feel comfortable watching their own baby for clues is a major hurdle.
Just my opinion,

Lisa Updike, BA, ICCE, IBCLC, LLLL