How important is it to switch to solids first?

[carlicost]

My 10 month old has been eating solids for a few months now and is a very good eater.  I still currently start him with his milk and then feed him solids an hour or so later.  I know I need to transition to giving him solids first, but I was just wondering how important is it? 

I have cut down on the amount of milk I give him and he then eats more solids after.  It's just that the timing of him eating solids works well with our schedule as well in that it makes it easy for us to sit down for meals together and then I'm not constantly preparing food.  When I have tried to give him milk as a snack he is usually distracted and hardly drinks any so I prefer to give it to him when he first wakes up and is still relatively calm.

[lilisuze]

hi carli, is that just at breakfast time? or throughout the day that he has milk then solids after an hour?

How many milk feeds is he having now? if he is almost 10 months i would expect he is having 3 or 4. Are you still doing one about 11am and then 1 at about 3? or just one daytime milk feed about 2?

actually now i think of it, can you post his routine?

Lili xx

[carlicost]

Here is his average eating routine:

7 am: 6 oz milk
8 am: solids (cereal, fruit, yogurt)

11:15 am: 5 oz milk
12:45 pm: solids (pasta/beans, cottage cheese, avocado, etc.)

4 pm: 5 oz milk
5:30 pm: solids (lentils, sweet potato, veggies, chicken, etc.)

7 pm: 5 oz milk
bed

He does eat roughly 4-5 oz of solids at each meal and the odd snack in between.

[Bryony]

I am sure we did something similar until Katie lost interest in the milk feeds when she was about 1.5 years....  I also think that eating together is really important so I am not sure that I would change anything!

But then I am no expert on solids...

[lilisuze]

i think what you are doing looks fine but just as bryony says i am no expert. my lo has days where he hardly eats a scrap! and today he has eaten fine, but sick in the car.....all over the car seat and back of the fabric seats in the car!!!

[carlicost]

Thanks, I wasn't too worried but it's nice to know that it isn't that big of a deal either.  I guess whatever works for you right?  I guess he'll likely just start weaning himself off the milk a bit himself and I'll just follow his lead.

thanks ladies

[Shiv52]

Just wanted to say we still do the same (my LO is 16 months) and it works fine.  Its whatever works for you.  It would only be a concern if he was filling up on milk and not taking any solids but he's doing great!  I also think the eating together is more important so i'd stick with what you're doing.