In a message dated 98-01-28 13:35:29 EST, Cindy writes:

<< have just had a mom ask me how long can a baby thrive on just
 breastmilk?? She said that her friend s baby had only breastmilk for 18
 months and NO solids at all? Is this healthy? >>


In the Jelliffe's wonderful booklet "The Uniqueness of Human Milk"  they
indicated that research in the 1920's indicated that children who had been fed
only breastmilk ffor 9 months or more scored lower on IQ tests later.  Yes, I
know, these families may not have offered food because they may not have had
any, indicating a whole bunch of causal factors for lowered IQ.

Speaking personally, we have a very well-informed mother of twins (also a
leader, as well as the wife of a pro-bf ob/gyn--she has actually done the
"Grand Rounds" here at our med school to lecture on breastfeeding to med
students) who are were both totally b-fed for 18 months, and one (who has
fairly severe asthma, which often indicates other allergies and problems) who
is 22 months old is STILL completely breastfed.  She offers, he refuses--so
she offers again, later.  I must say they both look great (nurse about 5-6
times per night each, and throughout the day *often* by which I mean 10 times
or thereabouts --each).  So who really knows?  Without good research on the
subject it is really hard to tell.

Joy Berry-Parks