Winona County Community Health Department
Winona, Minnesota

I think this comes under the general alarmist things that medical
providers sometimes tell their clients.  My first child, now 25 was
fully breastfed until six months, and everytime I went to the doctor
they told me that he would be retarded if I didn't give him solids.  He
nursed until 14 months, self weaned because he didn't have time to
nurse, he ate on the run for years.  He weighed 18 pounds at one year
and 25 at the start of kindergarden and they gave me fits about this. He
is now over 6 foot and normal but thin weight.
His sister was only breastfed until 3 months, she went on a nursing
strike when I returned to work, would drink pumped milk but since I had
never heard the words nursing strike, I didn't have any idea what to do
and no help from the doctor, who told me that ABM was just as good.  I
have never stopped regretting this.  However, she weighed 18 pounds at
one year and 25 pounds at the start of kindergarden.  She is only 5'5"
though and on the normally thin size.  Both these kids were very short
until puberty too so I got lots of grief.
So you get into trouble if your kids are too big or too small with
breastfeeding in my experience.  I wish I had had a support group like
this when I was nursing, but knowing my own two kids never hit a growth
chart until adulthood has made me a better WIC and public health nurse.
>Pat Thomas PHN
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