Like Zozee I had 3 kids in 4 years, and I breastfed all of them for between 1-2 years. The antibodies were terrific. My kids rarely ever got sick, and even as adults today are not sick often. Breastfeeding is so much easier... no formula, bottles, making sure the formula is just the right temp... none of that. And it's a special bonding time with each baby.
My kids went right to sippee cups and cow's milk after breast feeding. When mine were little (the 80's) they had dried baby food flakes for veggies and such, you just add water and mix it up. My kids liked the taste of that stuff way more than the ready-to-eat baby foods. But most baby foods were blended up from fresh food I had prepared for the rest of the family. To this day, my favorite new baby gift is a blender or mini food processor.