BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Feeding Solid Food => Topic started by: *Natasha* on May 26, 2006, 01:23:39 am
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Please share your feeding routine here so others can compare ideas.
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Dd2 has just turned 8mo and I'm in the process of swopping over to solids before milk.
7am bf
7.45am cereal with ebm and fruit (amount varies greatly!)
11am bf
11.45-12pm lunch - toast with butter and marmite and water - starting to intro dairy (eg. today incl. some grated cheese)
3-3.30pm bf (when she wakes from her nap)
5pm dinner - veges and meat and water
6.45pm ish bf
I will drop one of the bf (probably 3pm one) soon and replace with snack. Will also move lunch and breakfast to solids first (breakfast will be last to do).
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Zander is 9 months old next week;
7am BF
8am Breakfast - either Weetabix or Ready Break or Porridge with fruit (mashed or chopped banana, grated apple or pear, chopped peach etc.) and toast and butter with sugar-free jam.
10am Snack - fruit or organic bar made purely from fruit or rice cakes
11.45am Lunch - 8tbsp chicken casserole / lamb hotpot / veg shepherd's pie or similar. Fromage Frais or yogurt. Fruit (finger food).
3pm BF
4.45pm Dinner - 8 tbsp thick home-made soup with toast and butter or oat cakes with philladelphia. Chunks of cheese and/or an organic desert (usually some sort of rice pudding) if still hungry.
6.30pm BF
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Sydney is 7.5 months old:
6:00 am 6 oz formula
7:30 2 tbsp oatmeal with 2 tbsp fruit
10:00 am 6 oz formula
11:30 am 1 tbsp fruit, 1 tbsp veggie
2:00 pm 6 oz formula
3:30 pm 2 tbsp fruit, 1 tbsp veggie
6:00 pm 6 oz formula
7:00 pm bed
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Madelaine is 8 mos 3 wks-
7:00am Breakfast is cereal and fruit
bottle
12:00 Lunch is Veggie cut up for finger foods (carrots, cubed sweet potato, pieces pasta, avocado, potato pieces )
Yogurt or Fruit cut up (apples cooked and rolled in crushed Cheerios, pears, avocado etc)
Cheese pieces
bottle
3:30 1 Baby Mum Mum cookie OR Nutrios (like Cheerios) / sippy cup with water
5:30 Dinner is Veggie or Pasta. We are just starting with Chicken but had trots last week ? not sure if it was chicken so holding for a bit) Dessert is fruit pieces or pureed fruit/yogurt (Whichever we didn't have for lunch)
7:00 Bottle and bed
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Ella is 8 months old in a few days, here is our routine.
7:30am wake and bottle 5-7 ounces
9:00 4 ounces formula mixed in cereal and sippy, 1/2 cup oatmeal/rice cereal, 1 tbsp yoghurt, 5 tsp fruits
10-11;45 nap
12:00 2-3 ounces formula (snack)
1:00 1/2 jar meat and veggies, another 1/4 separate veggies, 1 tbsp yoghurt, 4 tsp fruit
2:00 teething bisquit
2:30-4:00nap
4:00 5-7 ounces formula
5:15 1/2 cup oatmeal/rice cereal, 1/4 jar veggies and meat, 5 tsp fruit for dessert+4 ounces formula (sippy and in cereal)
6:30 bath, massage
6:50 bottle 5-7 ounces
7:00 bed.
Works great at the moment, but changes weekly ;D Sarah
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Dd2 is now 8.5mo and we've made some changes recently:
7am BF
8am breakfast - couple of tablespoons of baby cereal mixed with water and pureed fruit (sometimes less)
10.30am cracker with water
11.30am lunch - sandwiches, fruit pieces and dairy (eg. cheese)
12.30pm BF
3.30pm rest of sandwiches from lunch plus water
5pm dinner - meat and veges mixture
6.45pm BF
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My daughter is 6-1/2 months and is in the process of making her way though the cereal types - routine to date looks like this... feedback welcome
6:30am - 3 tbsp cereal
7am - 180 ml formula
10:30/11am - 3 tbsp cereal
11:15 - 120 ml formula
3pm - 180 ml formula
5:30 - 3 tbsp cereal
6:30 - 180 ml formula
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Harrison is 8days away from 6moths and this is our daily routine.
7am awake 210ml
8am cereal
8.30/45-9.30/10 sleep
11am 210ml
12noon lunch
12.30/1-2pm sleep
3pm 210ml
3.30-4/4.30pm sleep
5.30pm 210ml
7.30pm 210ml and bed
He sleeps the whole night on this routine.He has been on this routine with the feeding/sleeping for 2months,the cereal for one month and lunch for one week,but all seems to be going well.
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Hi there,
Nathan's feeding schedule:
I think he eats a lot of food - but he is 25 lbs (10 lb 11 oz when born).
730 - 800 bf
900 breakfast - 8-10 tbsp heinz cereal with homo milk; sometimes an egg yolk; or handful nutrios
1100 handful of cereal - nutrios
1215 lunch - chicken and veggies (5 oz); fruit (3 oz); sip of water or milk
300 snack - mum mum cracker or fruit
330 bf
500 supper - protein and veggies (5 oz); fruit 3 oz; sip of water or milk
700 bf before bedtime
He refuses sippy cup and is not drinking liquids from any cup. He will sometimes 'sip' from a straw. I put water or milk in a cup with straw, but he isn't interested.
The only liquid he is getting is bf at morning, afternoon and bedtime. I assume this is enough for him.
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My ds is 61/2 months and our routine looks something like this:
wake 6:30 BF
7 to 7:30 breakfast (usually rusk with formula or baby rice and banana)
8:30 nap for 2 hours
10.30 BF
12ish lunch (just short of 1 jar - home cooked food but use jars to freeze food in)
12:30 or 1 nap 11/2 to 2 hours
2.30 play
3:00 bottle (usually 5oz)
5 to 5:30 tea (usually eats the most at this meal 1 jar plus a bit of fruit or yogurt)
6:30 bath
7:00 BF & wind down
7:15 into bed
7:30 sound asleep
10pm BF
He used to sleep until 6:30 but with these darn light mornings he wakes at 5:30. I will not get him out of his cot before 6:30. So I either put the dummy back in and he catnaps or he plays with his toys. Often he wakes in the night and needs his dummy (very annoying) and other times he self settles. He never wakes for food though.
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Lisi will be 8 MO in a week.
7am bf
8.30 3 or 4tbs millet or rice cereal made up with formula + 1tbs apple or pear
11 bf
12.30 5 or 6 tbs made up of 2 or 3 tbs carbs, maybe 1tbs protien (only done turkey so far)and 2 or 3 tbs veggies (usually 2 different kinds) and some chunks of fruit and a rice cake
3 bf
5.30 4 tbs fruit or veggies (two different kinds) and a rice cake or so
7 bf
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Thanks for starting this thread, Natasha - I was just about to post a question asking how bfs should fit into a solids routine with 6-9 month olds and I'm glad to see I'm on the right track!
Brenden is 1.5 weeks away from 6 months. He's a big boy, almost 20lbs and has been on cereal since 4.5 months but we upped it VERY slowly based on his demand for it. Started at only a tbsp at 5:30pm (tried mornings first but he wasn't hungry for his 11am feed) and after about 4 weeks added 1 tbsp in the AM and just this past week 1 tbsp at noon.
Here is his current routine:
7am Wake and bf
8am Solids 1 tbsp homemade pear and 1 tbsp barley cereal, bit of water from sippy cup
9am-1030am (approx) nap
11am bf
12pm 1 tbsp barley cereal, bit of water from sippy cup
1pm -2:30pm (again, approx.) nap
3pm bf
5:00-5:30 catnap (been fighting the ALOT the past week or two, may start to drop it and head to bed an hour earlier...especially since he also started fighting bedtime around the same time this started!)
5:30 solids 3tbsp oatmeal, bit of water from sippy cup
6:30 bath
7:00 bf
7:30 sleep
10:30 df (4oz ebm and 4 oz formula, takes at least 6 oz, often the whole 8 oz)
** Is "sleeping through" without demanding a feed but often still wakes somewhere between 3-5am for an hour play. Has demanded a feed at 6am yesterday AM and 5:30am this morning but I think he's hit his 6 month growth spurt as he has hit all of them a week or two early.....isn't taking an extra feed during the day but has been taking twice as much at these early morning feeds than he usually does at 7am so I guess he's getting the extra calories that way, also taking a longer feed at 7pm and draining the df bottle. I figure, sleeping until 5-6am during this and then going back down for an hour after is good enough!
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My son is a little less than two weeks shy of 6 months. We have already started solids as he has reflux and we introduced rice cereal a little before 5 months to see if it would help. He has never been a good eater. He was breastfed for the first 4 months but due to weight gain issues have transitioned him to bottle so that we can monitor intake better( I pump and he mainly gets bm with a little formula to make up the difference when I don't have enough). He continues to not take in a lot of liquids. At 5 months he only wieghed 12 lbs 13 oz. we are always trying to get him to gain weight but it is such a struggle to get him to take liquids. ( he likes his solids) This is his current schedule. I would like him to take more fluids - any suggestions?
7:30 Wake up/bottle(3-4)
8:15 3 tbsp cereal and 1-1.5 oz fruit ( 1-2 oz bm in cereal)
9-10:30/11:00- nap
11:00 bottle(3-4 oz)
12:30/1:00-2:00 nap
2:00 bottle(3-4 oz)
4:00-5:00 cat nap( 30-45 mint)
5:00 bottle(3-4)and cereal(2-3 tablspoons with 1-2 oz bm) 1-2 oz veggies
7/7:30 bottle and bed(4-5 oz)
We use to do dream feed at 10:30 and he use to take 4-6 oz. - he never woke for it and would sleep through the night without it but it allowed us to get more ounces in him. Over the past week or two he has gotten really upset when we get him up for it and will usualy only take 1-2 oz if that. So we dropped it this week - he is sleeping fine but is not making up for the oz. during the day. The milk intake has not really decreased with the introduction of solids so solids do serve as a way to get more wieght on. I also am toying with combining that 11:00 and 2:00 feed somewhere in the middle as he gets a little older - not really sure how to do that. Introduce a snack , I guess? Any input?
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Please don't think I am being rude jumping in on a completely irrelative note..but if that is your last name, you may want to consider taking it out and just being kerrie :) ...it is the www after all ;D
(not that I am paranoid or anything lol)
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Well, I don't know what it's supposed to be like, and I came here to see if I could find a similar schedule, but this is what my 6 month old daughter is eating.. we are just starting solids, other than rice cereal and oats cereal and so this is what it looks like (she was 7lbs 9oz when born and now 14.5 lbx)
7:30-8am - 6oz formula
12:00noon - 7 (formula scoups) oats cereal and sip of water
4:30- 5pm - 7 (formula scoups) rice cereal and sip of water
6:30pm - 6 oz formula
I have replaced some of the 12 noon and 4:30 scoups with trials of carrots and sweet potatoes.. now does she seem to be eating too much? I see "tablespoons" but that's not happening here it's the scoup that comes with the formula that I thought I measured as a tablespoon, but I wonder.. She has been on this schedule for the last month and 1/2 and last month she only gained 2 lbs..
Help! I am not sure if I am overfeeding or not
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Hannah's Mum,
Is there another time in there that you're giving your daughter formula? Formula should still be her main source of nutrition even though you've now started solids. My son is 8 1/2 mos., but since we started him on formula 6 weeks ago, he's supposed to have at least 24 oz. of formula. I always make sure I can get that much in him and fill in solids where I can. He doesn't eat more than 12 tablespoons of solids a day. He is growing well and is almost 19 pounds (7 lbs. 2 oz. at birth). Our routine is by no means perfect, but I actually just talked to the doctor myself about this. You asked for help and I hope I was able to offer some.
Best of luck!
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Stacy,
I'm so jealous of your baby and his wonderful eating habits. I'm about going crazy trying to get my LO to drink a normal amount of formula. My LO has a mind of her own in that she will only drink her formula if the time, temp, and atmospher are just right and of course the moon has to be perfectly alighned. I really feel like a lousy mom because my LO's cues are so vague. I keep thinking I' not reading her right because she can go 5+ hours between feeds and still only take in 2-4 oz. I can't get her to eat in the am either so I'm just lost.
Here is the plus side: She loves her solids! She gets 2 meals a day (after minimal formula) and she can pack it away. I know I should reduce her solids so she'll drink more but I've tried that and it doesn't seem to work. She went 3 days without solids but it didn't affect her formula intake.
She has always been a light drinker. Getting her to feed has always been a challenge. I'm either misreading her cues or she's an inefficient sucker. Have you ever heard of that? Do you know where I can get more information on hunger cues? My LO is 6 months and I still haven't figured that out. How sad is that?
Margie
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See, I can't even answer that question right. I oretty much went to feed on demand. I'm trying to read her cues and feel like I'm failing miserably. This is how it usually goes:
7:30 wake
8:00 bottle 2-3 oz
9:00 solids (2T oatmeal-made with formula, 1Tfruit)
12:30 bottle 2-3 oz
1:30 solids (2T Rice made with formula, 1T veggie)
5:00 bottle (this can be anywhete from 2-8 oz)
7:30 bottle (ditto)
Dream feed She used to take 8oz but in the last weeks shes taken 0-6oz
At mealtime I also use some formula to teach her how to drink from a cup. More gets spit out but she opens up big for the cup. I'm not sure I'll even use the zillion different sippy cups I bought. I know she's been going through a lot of developmental changes but I just can't stop worrying about her formula intake. I may follow your lead and skip the oats and rice. She loves her veggies. I've also introduced arrowroot cookies as a treat. She can self feed those with supervision and she never finishes them since they get mooshy and fall apart.
About her sleeping. She has been sleeping through 'til 6am or so but the last few weeks she's been waking up between 3 and 4 am. At first I fed her then later she didn't want the bottle. It takes a while but we get her back to sleep and she'll stay asleep until 7-7:30. I also try to get her 2 good naps (1-2 hr) and a cat nap in the day. We're still fighting the 45 min. monster but I'm seeing progress there.
I just feel like I can't get her on a routine because I can't read her hunger cues and try to feed her too soon. Even with these feeding issues she's a happy, bright, active baby and a delight to be with. I just hate stressing so much about her intake. It's been a stuggle since day one when she had to undergo the light treatment for Jaundice. She was so upset she wouldn't nurse. That was the begining of the feeding drama.
Anyway, thanks so much for listening. I really appreciate all of your help and suggestions.
Margie
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hi elizabethsmom my ds is 2 weeks younger than your dd and he too wont drink much formula, i tried solid food during the week but he drank less so i stopped.he's tongue-tied and i'm not sure if that may have something to do with this?
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Call me crazy but what is it to be tongue tied (other than not getting the owrds out)? I've tried cutting out and reducing the solids and she still is light on formula. So I opt for the solids to use formula to mix the oats or rice. I figure it adds to fluids and I'll take all I can get.
Could being tongue tied be the cause of inefficent drinkers? Mine has no problems eating solids!!
Stacy, I almost cried when I saw your new picture. Your baby boy is really growing up and is gorgeous! What a wonderful picture of the two of you! Like I said above, I like to give the oats and rice since I can mix with formula but I will try just veggies at lunchtime. We'll see how this goes.
You know what I don't get? How can my babe wake up and not be ravenous? I would think that she'd wake up and devour and entire bottle. I just don't get it!
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Just a thought, but in addition to cutting back on the cereal and doing fruits/veggies instead, what about offering the solids a half hour after a bottle instead of an hour....for example, maybe if you gave the bottle at 8 and the solids at 8:30 then at 12:30 she'll take a few more oz from the bottle? I don't know if I can be much more help than that since my ds is a little piggy and eats whatever we give him! I have yet to give him solids at a meal until he tells us to stop because he would eat so much and I don't want him to not get enough milk. We are up to about 3 tbsp at breakfast, 2 at lunch and 3 at dinner plus 4 feeds and a df.
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hi it means the thin piece of skin that joins the tongue to the bottom of his mouth is all the way to the front of his mouth,so his tongue is stuck, he cant stick it out or lift it up. we have to wait till he is 2 to see if he has speech problems and may have to get it snipped. i think he cant suck efficiently he rarely takes more than 5ozs he's thriving though he's 18lbs 11 no solids was 8ibs3 born.
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Well today she's thrown me for a loop. While she only drank 2oz this morning, she had her 3 T of oats w/formula and bananas. I thought it was a lot of food but it was the same amount as other moms where feeding their LO's so I went with it. She scarfed it up! So based on all of your recommendations I was worried that she wouldn't drink her next bottle. Well she took a long nap and I fed her at 1:15 and she drained a 6oz bottle. Wouldn't you know it! The day I don't offer 8oz she would have taken it. Then I fixed oats w/formula and peas. I made fewer oats but more peas so it was about 3T again. Well she ate all of that. During her solid feeds I'm also trying to teach her how to drink from a cup. I'm using a Tupperware Pooh sippy but I take the top off. The top of the cup has a little lip on it that is perfect fer her little mouth. I think she's really starting to get it eventhough I think she wears more formula than she sips! LOL. I'm bound and determined to get her to take more formula.
Msrsleeves: I can see where that would make it difficult for your lo to suck properly. He does seem to be doing really well in spite of his poor tongue. Good for him!!! Hang in there!
Margie
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Has she always been a smaller drinker when it comes to her milk or is it a recent development? Is it very hot where you are right now? If it is, maybe she isn't in as much of an eating mood as usual (I know I don't feel as hungry when it is really hot out). Just throwing another thought out there! Sounds like today went well for you!
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It really has been an ongoing thing. But it really concerns me now that we live in AZ. We live on an Army Post in Sourthern AZ. It doesn't get extremely hot but it is very very dry and we are a higher altitiude similar to Denver (The Mile High City). It was quite an adjustment when we first got here in May. My poor Elizabeth Grace had nose bleeds. We went straight to the Post Exchange for a humidifier. That was scary. Anyway, I really worry about dehydration in addition to her nutrition.
Today went much better even though we had our feeding moments. Including what went into cereal she had about 21.5oz. This is a good day. I love my wee babe to death but I wish she'd have 8 more oz today. I'm so jealous of all of you moms lucky enough to have a great eater.
I'm going to try a dreamfeed tonight. We'll see. She hasn't been taking them like she used to.
Can you great moms share with me some of your baby's hunger cues. I am having such a hard time reading my LO. When I don't think I see any cues and feed her because it's been 5 hours she sees the bottle and whines until it's in her mouth. That's her cue. I would have fed her earlier if I could read her better.
We have her 6 mo check up next week. I'm hoping she will have gained at least 1 pound since last month. That would put her at 16. The bad news is that she also has more shots coming. It will be a tough week. Please bare with me!
Thanks guys for all of your help and listening to me.
Margie
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You crack me up!!! I wish Elizabeth's cues were that obvious! LOL
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Brenden starts to smack his lips together when he is hungry coupled with a really annoying whine!
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Here's Aidan's routine. I end each solid meal with bf because I have low supply and try to make sure he gets enough milk. He's 7 1/2 months.
7:30 am bf
8:30 cereal
11:00 bf
12:30 cereal and 1/3-1/2 jar fruit
4:00 bf
5:30 1/3 jar fruit and 1/3 jar veggies
7:30 bf
9:00 bf and bed (I know, late bedtime...we're working on it)
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Charlie is 6 1/2 mths, started solids at 20 weeks on HV`S advise;
7 am- half a weetabix with milk out ofan 8 oz bottle
7.30 am- offer rest of milk
11 am- 6 oz milk
12.30pm- 3 tablespons pureed veg, fromage frais
3pm- 5-6 oz milk
5.30 pm- pureed veg, pureed fruit
7pm- 6-8 oz milk
Also offer a cup with diluted juice throughout day, especially on hot days.
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My DL is just at 6 1/2 months and has alway been a good eater. I'm beginning to wonder if she may be eating to much but on her last doctor's visit (7/31/06) she was 15lb 13oz and was 26 1/4 tall so it seems to even itself out.
7:00 - Wake and BF
8:30 - 5 tbsp of rice cereal & 2.5 oz of fruit or vegetable
11:00 - BF
3:00 - BF
5:30 - 7 tbsp of rice cereal & 2.5 oz of fruit or vegetable
6:45 - BF
7:00 - Bedtime
By the end of the month I'll be adding a lunch to her routine and giving her some finger foods for snacks(ie...Cheerios, teething biscuits)
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Milan is 6.5 months old and we started solids last week. Before we began solids, he wanted (breast)feeding every 3 hours, with a 6 hr interval at night. This was exhausting so i'm glad its time for solids, but now reading all your posts has me worried that he's eating too much (and sleeping too little) and i'd appreciate your opinions.
His schedule is approx:
7.15am bf
8-10am sleep (or sometimes not)
11am 1 whole mashed banana
12-12.30pm sleep, if lucky
1pm bf
3pm half a small pot baby veggies (about 60 gram). He would eat a whole pot if i let him
5-6pm sleep
6pm bf (plus 1-3 baby rice crackers if he still looks hungry whihc is almost always)
9pm 180ml formula with 3 scoops rice cereal
9-12midnight sleep (really -refuses- to sleep before 9pm)
midnight bf
sleeps till 7.15am
When not eating or sleeping Milan is really active, refuses the playpen, wants to explore on the floor and smile and "chat" all day. As long as he gets his way he's pretty angelic, but can scream mightily with big tears if forced to stay in bed.
So, is he eating too much (considering we began a week ago) and sleeping too little?
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hynoki, i was looking at your routine and it looks a bit wonky. you breastfeed at 7am and not again until 1pm? try the morning Bf followed by cereal at about 8am, then for lunch you can either give him lunch then Bf at 11am or Bf and lunch (upto you, many different methods here). do a hot dinner like you are with maybe a little fruit as desert at 3pm plus a BF either before or after. you could also just Bf at 3pm and give him some dinner or cereal at 5ish. this is all up to you but it seem that he isn't getting enough food. you have to take it slow with the solids things and seems that you have drastically cut down his milk intake, you do this all very gradually. are you having more problems with him being unsettled with this routine? i know it all seems rather confusing at times and there is so much different information out there. in the BWSAYP it states that when solids are established (3x day) you should offer milk after eating, you could also offer milk/water in a sippy cup at meal times. i all post in the jan/feb birth club thread (found under EASY forum), you could try going on there, it is very helpful to see what the other mum's are up to with their LO's. i live in norway and they reccomend 4Xmeals a day, i will write out christian routine for you and also i have done PU/PD with him and he sleeps a lot better now- just a thought :)
christians routine
7am a little BF followed by 3/4 tbsp cereal followed by more Bfding
11am 3 ice cubes of veg and 2 of fruit followed by BF
3pm 3 ice cubes fruit and 2fruit or banana etc followed by BF
6.45pm 3/4 tbsp cereal followed by BF
i have just started BFding after meals and including the 4th meal, i am not sure i will stay with this routine, just experementing at the mo. he did sleep through last night so maybe?????
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stacey, i got the advice from my Hv here in norway, i wasn't quite sure what to do about, before i had been giving solids 3x a day after Bfding. i also check in the BWSAYP and in the solids chapter it states to give solids first once you have established them. i also write in the jan/feb birth club thread and it seems everybody is also giving the milk first. what's going on??? i understand advice differs from country to country but if we are supposed to be baby whisperer's then why aren't we all following tracy's advice. also it stated that solids become a lot more important after 6 mths and they only b\get app.50% of their nutrition from milk. help me clarify thing's, please ;D ;D
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thanks stacey, i think i will continue Bfding after solids for a few more day's and see how it goes. i must admit i didn't like the thought of him getting full up on solids but maybe that's the way it's suppsed to be?? he did sleep through last night, which he has only done a few times before. i suppose i can go weigh him next week and see if he has gained. if he hasn't then i will switch back to our old routine.
thanks again, nicola
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I feel like such a grown up mommy being able to post our feeding schedule WITH solids! Woohoo!
Owen is 7.5 months. We started solids at 6 months (he can't tolerate cereals, so ped OK'd no cereal in his diet)
7 wake
7:30 Bottle - 8 oz.
8:30 solids : 2-3 Tbs veggie, 1 Tbs fruit, 1 tsp of new food for the week; offer sippy of water (hasn't figured out how to drink from it yet, tho!)
10-11:30 nap
12:00 bottle (the last few days this has only been 4 oz.)
1:00 solids : 2-3 Tbs veggie, 1.5 Tbs fruit, offer sippy
2:30-4:00 nap
4:15 bottle (8 oz)
5:00 solids: 2-3 Tbs veggie 1.5 Tbs fruit, offer sippy
6:00 bath
6:30 bottle (6-8 oz)
bedtime routine
7:30 bed
...and no more dream feed! We've now had 1 week of successful dream feed elimination
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Here is Brenden's current feeding routine at 7.5 months. As many of you seem to be wondering, I am also always worried as to whether I am giving him too much or too little solids!
7am bf
8am solids - 2-3 tbsp cereal, 2 cubes (equal to 1 tbsp per cube) of fruit
11am bf (sometimes a tad later based on naps)
12pm solids - 2-3 cubes veggies, 2 cubes fruit
3:30pm (sometimes as late as 4 based on naps now that A times are longer) bf
5:15pm - solids - 1-2 cubes veggies, 2-3 tbsp cereal, 1 cube fruit
7pm bf
10:15 df - 7 oz (we are currently on day 2 of dropping the df, so I should mention I am adding 1 oz ebm to his 8am cereal right now) His df bottle was 8 oz that were 1/2 ebm and 1/2 formula. At 7 oz, it is 3 oz ebm and 4 oz formula.
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For comparison, here is a solids, bfing seperate routine. Your baby is napping far too late in the daytimie to be expected to go bed earllier. The later bedtime is also likely having some restless nights.
Stacy and Nicolanorway, THANKYOU for your insights!
I've been adapting his schedule to match Stacy's suggestions and Milan is sleeping more predictably during the day, as well as sleeping more reliably during the night. We still have some early waking issues though and
I'm still trying ot fig out over how to get him to accept dinner and bedtime by 7.00 instead of 8.30...
He currently does the following:
7.00 BF (he often wakes between 5-6.30 but i dont feed him until 7)
8.30 breakfast (solids)
10-11.30 sleep (sometimes less)
11.30 or 12.00 bottle (i'm switching from bf to bottle)
1pm lunch solids
2.30-4 sleep
4pm BF
6pm dinner solids (refuses to eat any earlier)
8.30pm bottle with porridge (and asleep shortly after)
11pm dreamfeed porridge-bottle (he does not wake to ask for this so we havnt been giving it to him, but last weekend the babysitter decided to wake him and he finished 200ml and slept through till 8 am, instead of his usual 6.30am, so wondering if we should reintroduce it!)
On the plus side, we never have to do pu/pd with this routine. He falls asleep himself within a few mins of being put into bed. ;D
But how to get him to bed earlier? (and does he need to?) Is it ok to continue the dreamfeed? I did so love the 8am start!
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He may need to go to bed a little earlier, this may be why he is waking up so early in the morning. My ds used to go to bed around 8:30. We changed it very slowly by putting him to bed 5-10 min earlier for 3 days in a row until we got to the bedtime that seemed to work best for him and got him sleeping until 7am. this just happened to be 7:30 for us. As for the df, I can't remember how old you said Milan was in earlier posts. My ds is 7.5 months and we just started to wean the df this past week (about 5 days in). He too, takes a lot - 8 oz - but now we are down to 6 oz and we have added the 2 oz we have taken away to his cereal at 8am (1 oz) and his veggies and fruit at lunchtime (the second oz). So, if he isn't closer to 8 mos or so, I don't think it's bad to still have the df going but I think between 7-8 months in the book, Tracy says that the df can start to interfere with the amounts of solids they should be eating through the day.
HTH! :)
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this is today for my 9 and half month old. i am implementing a new routine today this is it.
5am BF
6am got up breakfast a banana and a lemon curd sandwitch and some tiger bread
7.30 small cup of juice
8am BF
9am nap
10.30 snack probably fruit a banana and some mango and some water/juice
12noon BF and lunch not sure what to have for lunch
1pm nap
2.30 snack with water/juice
4pm BF
5PM Tea
6PM Bath
6.30 in bed and hopefully asleep by 7
he is used to a bf at 9-10pm and overnight sometimes but i wotn be giving theses from today
Kiz
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Palmer is 9 mos. He is also milk/soy protein intolerant so he can't do must cereal (has a hard time digesting it).
4am - BF
8am - BF
9am - 1T cereal made with juice, 4oz pears/peaches/applesauce (I am introducing Oatios as a finger food but he can't quite get them in his mouth yet) rice milk in sippy (maybe 1-2oz)
10-11:30 Nap
12 - BF
1 (sometimes 1:30) - 4oz fruit/ 1/4 avocado or other veggie rice milk or water in sippy
2:30-4:30 Nap
4:30 BF (very short)
5:30-6 - 4oz fruit/2oz veggie water in sippy
8 - BF (very short)
to sleep by 8:30
Any suggestions on cutting out the night feeding?? This is actually the best feeding of the day. He empties both breast. I feel like my supply is really low the last 2 feedings of the day, so I am wondering if that is why he is waking up at night. If I could give him formula I would try supplementing at night, but since he is soy and milk protein intolerant there really isn't a formula I can give him. I can't pump anything it seems so EBM isn't really an option either. I am considering dropping the 4:30 feeding and just giving him rice milk and some Oatios so that I might have more milk at the 8pm feeding.
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Wow. I've decided my baby doesn't eat a thing compared to every one else's kids, yet she's over 18lb and not even 7 mo. yet! How does that work out? Is my milk totally cream? My babe's way off her routine right now due to the craziness of life, but this is kinda what she is doing now--or at least probably would do if I wasn't dragging her all over town all this past week!
4:30 - bf (*Will this disappear if I attempt to get more solids in her, say by adding a lunchtime?*)
sleeps
6:15/6:45/7 - bf
8/9 - breakfast - a tsp of cereal mixed w/ whatever I'm trying to introduce her to, 3 tsp if I'm lucky
10/11ish - 12/1ish nap
12/1ish nurse
2-4 nap
4 - bf
5-5:45ish catnap
6:30/7/7:30 - dinner - 1 to maybe 3 Tbsp rice mixed w/ whatever
8/8:30 - "bedtime" (or could be called her pre-bedtime nap!)
Then, anywhere between 9:15 and 11 - wakes and stays up until I put her back down for the night with a feed around 11/12.
(If she's not tired I let her stay up, if she is I put her right back to bed.)
she also wakes at 1:30am but usually goes back down with her paci.
I'd prefer it now if she stayed asleep from 8pm-7am, but she's done this get-up-and-hang-out-with-the-parents thing since she was probably at least 3 months. I haven't minded it too much in the past since it gives her time to play with her daddy. However, I'm now anxious to get some real sleep for us both! (These past few weeks have been so crazy we've both been going back to sleep until 8 or 9 after that breakfast nursing.) When is it time to wean her from the dream feed? How can I get her out of the wake-up habits? This coming week is the perfect time to get her back on track, and I'm very eager to do so!!!
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7am - 250ml bottle 2 fruit cubes
9:30am - nap
11am - 250ml bottle
1pm - 2 fruit cubes + water (most down front of clothes)
1:30pm - nap
3pm - 250ml bottle
5pm - 2 fruit cubes + water (most shaken up into a rain shower from cup)
5:30pm - catnap
7pm - 250ml bottle
7:30pm - bed
LO is just 6 months (8.5kgs) and has only been on solids for a week but has taken to this routine really well and is naturally a very predictable, textbook baby.
I have a few questions...
Does milk intake generally drop off quite soon?
What does anyone suggest other than fruit as a good first food? I don't want to give baby rice because what is available here (Thailand) seems to be full of sugar.
How often do you brush teeth?
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Hi there
My DS is 1 wk shy of 6mths and weighs 6.9kg. We offer 240ml formula which at times he finishes but have noticed it's dropping back as we move into the start of wk 3 of solids this weekend. Could you please check our routine?
Here's a typical day (the waking and talking before E happens more often than not :P) )
wakes b/w 6am & 7am talking
7am E bottle 170-200ml; nappy change, then A. Tired cues b/w 8.15/8.30am wind-down for 5-10mins. Lay down to S.
Wakes usually 10/10.30am babbles till 11am
11am E bottle b/w 180-220, nappy change, then A
11.50am E solids lunch: pumpkin, then more A
12.15/12.30 winddown as above. S till 2/2.30pm babbles till 3pm
3pm E bottle b/w 180-200ml, nappy change and A as above.
4.15/4.30pm start winddown as above. Offer nap. However, has been dropping this nap on and off for 2 weeks e.g. napped till 5.10pm today, but dropped it previous 4 days. I always offer the nap in any case. If he doesn't nap I get him up when his mantra cry or babbling changes to crying out for me which has still been approx. 5pm.
5.10pm E Solids: dinner rice cereal (5 tsps of rice cereal powder)
5.20pm A - watches baby Einstein while Mum gets bath ready
5.30pm bath
6pm E bottle b/w 200-240 ml
6.30pm S bed - on the days he has dropped the cat nap he is virtually falling asleep drinking the bottle.
DF bottle 180-200ml b/w 9.30pm & 10.30pm. Last 3 nights has woken b/w 8.30/9pm crying hard so have given DF earlier.
Will be introducing a new vegetable tomorrow at lunch, so I guess we'll move cereal to the morning e.g. 7.50am and he will have them 3 times a day.
I also suspect that Connor's teeth are moving - no swollen gums but grizzling a bit during A times, sometimes waking from nap and evening sleep crying hard, and had a runny poo today. These same things occurred about a month ago and CHN said it was probably teeth related but no teeth as yet.
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hey there mum to connor,
your routine look's pretty good, although i have to ask why are you giving him a bottle at 6pm? does he sleep through regardless? sounds as though his milk intake is pretty good but ofcourse it will decrease when you offer more solids. have read the ingredients on the cereal packet? if you make it up with water then it normally contains formula in it.
those pesky teeth can take ages and effect them for month's before they come, so just go with the flow.
i wish you luck and happiness with your LO.
nicola
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Nicolanorway, he is hungry for his 6pm bottle, it is a cluster feed as we can't leave it any later or his bedtime and sleeping through would be messed up I feel.
Did you mean to ask why we are giving the Dream Feed bottle @ b/w 9.30-10.30pm? He usually wakes for this DF feed, last night we gave it to him at 10pm (i.e. 4 hrs after the 6pm). From Tracy's book I gather we continue the DF until solids are really well established.
The cereal I make up mixed with formula not water, and he eats all of it.
Yes the teeth are a trying time :P The child health nurse asked me when myself and my husband got our first teeth, which is something I need to ask our parents. She felt that the age of teething is hereditary??? I hadn't heard of this.
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yep, i also heard that if you or your DH were early teether's then your off-spring might well be too. it sound's like you know what to do with your DS, obviously you know him better then anyone. i think you get rid of the DF between 7-8 mth's, it seems the norm. you should definitley not be worried about his milk intake if you are making up his cereal with formula and he is eating it all!!! good luck, nicola
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sorry further question, which comes back to the question of the 6pm bottle. (As per my 1st post he has solid dinner around 5/5.15pm, then bath and 6pm bottle.)
The last 3 nights (including just now) Connor only drank 100-120ml at the 6pm feed ??? I'm confused - although I do think he has teeth pain on and off, but he's managing good amount of millilitres during the day. He is almost always showing tired signs during or just after the 6pm bottle. Would it be better to put him down without the bottle? And do a DF when he wakes? About a month ago his DF would be b/w 10-10.30pm but I notice the last few weeks he's waking earlier for it which has been b/w 9-9.45pm. Tonight he woke at 8.30pm hungry so we did DF then, still sleeping through till 7am.
Sorry I'm pretty confused. :-\ He's now having solids 3 times p/day.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Sonja
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I've tried something new tonight - well just now and I hope it works. Please advise your thoughts on the following:
3pm feed as usual
4.15pm tired cues; offered nap. Babbled in cot -no nap - got up when getting fussy @ 5pm.
5pm Solids dinner
5.30pm bath
5.50pm tired cues, wind-down to S
So I've omitted the 6pm bottle. He babbled, well more like bordering on fussing, really for nearly 40mins and then asleep. I'm assuming that we give a bottle when he wakes hungry? Not sure if this will be @7pm, or whether he may wake around 8/8.30pm? And should this feed be like a DF with no A.
Many thanks
Sonja
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Hi Stacy
Thank you. I really appreciate your insights, as I was skeptical about moving the 6pm bottle ???.
Could you also please read my post under naps "missing the window" this explains Connor's routine, where I asked further questions, I've included it below as well. He doesn't have long A times after E b/c of his babbling in his cot before E. He wouldn't take much of the 6pm bottle the previous 3 nights ie. 100 ml, I think he's too tired(?) :-\ . Last night he woke at 7.30pm and we did DF and he drank 210ml, so no A after. He slept till 6.15am babbled till 7am and up and started the day.
I was worried about changing the 6pm bottle but his fussing at 6pm and not drinking is also difficult. We did try 3 nights of giving the 6pm bottle in his room, v.low light and straight in bed. But he still only took 100ml. Then he would wake earlier for the DF (understandly).
Here is his routine:
wakes b/w 6am & 7am talking
7am E bottle 170-200ml; nappy change, then A.
7.50/8am E solids breakfast (Rice Cereal made with formula 4-5 tsp - nearly finishing), then more A
8.15/8.30am wind-down for 5-10mins. Lay down to S.
Mantra briefly at this time then S. Wakes usually 10am babbles till 11am
11am E bottle b/w 180-220, nappy change, then A
11.50am E solids lunch (Rice Cereal again, as intro'd carrots on Sunday but gave him runny poo so switched back to cereal on Tues - temporary till intro new food on weekend), then more A
12.15/12.30 wind-down as above. Lay down to S
Mantra till 1pm usually, then S. Wakes usually 2pm babbles till 3pm
3pm E bottle b/w 180-200ml, nappy change and A as above.
4.15/4.30pm start wind-down as above. Lay down to S
Offer nap.
However, has been dropping this nap on and off for 3 weeks. I always offer the nap in any case. He is naps tills 5pm or babbles till then therefore up again at 5pm.
5pmish E Solids - pumpkin approx 2 tsp
A - watches baby Einstein while Mum gets bath ready – this keeps him calm as he’s usually grizzly by this time of day.
5.30pmish bath
6pm E bottle b/w 100-120 ml – was taking around 200ml but has dropped the last 3 nights – I’ve posted Q under feeding solids about this
6.30pm S bed.
DF bottle 180-200ml Last 3 nights has woken b/w 8.30/9pm hungry cry for DF. Previously it was not till b/w 9.30pm & 10.30pm.
My questions:
How do we handle 6pm bottle? Is the amount of rice cereal earlier in the day the problem?
With short A times where do I move the solids dinner?
Many thanks :)
Sonja
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sorry Stacy I should add that yesterday he didn't eat his cereal at lunch, just refused it.
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formula at 11am wasn't really much higher, no.
So what do I do? Do I continue to offer the 6pm, see what he drinks and then bed? If he drinks small amnt then the DF is earlier, is that ok? Does that become like a cluster feed then?
Sonja
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Here's Gabrielle's routine, she's 7 months
6.30 wake, play (sing!) in cot
7.00 7oz bottle & weetabix (about a half) or porridge made with milk from her bottle, & fruit to taste
9-9.45 sleep
11.30 lunch - veg (about 60g) & 1 ice cube of fish, chicken or beef, half a yogurt pot or fruit & water to drink
12.15-1.45 sleep
2.30 7oz bottle
4.45 dinner - veg & dessert, rest of the yogurt or fruit or similar, water to drink
5.15 bath & ready for bed
6.15 7oz bottle
6.30-6.45 bed
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HI Stacy - thank you. Yesterday and last night were better. He ate all of his pumpkin (1 cube) @ 5pm, drank 190ml a@ 5.50pm, was down to bed at 6.10pm, asleep by 6.40pm. Woke for DF @ 9.35pm and drank 170ml!
Thanks for all your help
Sonja
(ps we are going to try apples :))
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Offer the dinner at 4:30/ 5 and if he doesnt want it, no big deal. I didnt even have a dinner until the dream feed was dropped and my son did the 11-12 hours without any df or night feeds. Offer the dinner earlier, if he doesnt want it, dont worry about it. Offer the feed before bed and put him to bed earlier
Again thank you for this! I am happy to report that Milan's bedtime has moved to a more manageable 7.30 pm.
However we're still dealing with the 5 am or 6am starts! Any insights on this?
Current routine Milan, 7.5 months:
5am or 6am wake
(we change nappy, try pupd - more on this below)
7am - BF (i am weaning, so BM is almost gone- he prob gets just enough to last till breakfast)
8.30 big bowl wheat porride made with 180ml milk
10 - 11am sleep when at home (does a micro nap if we're out)
11.30am 150ml bottle or cup of fruit - is starting to want this later, to combine with lunch
12.30 or 1pm lunch: one slice brown bread w/jam, water from cup. He eats this totally on his own from a plate -his older bro couldnt feed himself till age 1.5!
3 - 4pm sleep (lately has begun to fight this nap)
4pm - 180ml milk - often refuses it or drinks only 60ml
5.15pm - dinner solids -eats 200g jar if smooth, 1/2 jar if food has pieces
7pm - 180ml bottle with 6 scoops porridge
7.30pm sleep
9.30 often wakes crying for DF, which is 100 - 150ml milk plus 3 scp porridge
if he dosnt wake at 9.30pm, i give the DF between 10pm and 10.30pm
Then its 5am or 6am next morning!
If its 5am wake i am often able to get him asleep again with fresh nappy plus 30 mins (!) of shush/hold-in-bed after which he sleeps till 8am. If its a 6am wake, then he's invariably done a big poop and after cleaning will not settle back to sleep. Either way, he starts out awake+ happy, then goes to crying with a coughing sound that's sounds to me like hunger - but i refuse to feed him till 7am as i think his daytime intake is large enough and dont want to encourage 5am feedings.
Are the early wakes a food problem a sleep problem or a habit? I can't figure it out. All help much appreciated!
:-\ :-[
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Have you offered a feed to see what he takes and then you would know if its hunger? When you say milk, are we talking formula? What is your total formula intake in a day, you dont want lower then I would say 900-1000 formula in 24 hours.
Yes, milk = formula for 6+ month old babies
I think his intake does average above the 900ml - somedays less because when its hot he wants water, and some days more when the solids are challenging and he's eaten less as a result. Besides the BW book i have says you want to reduce formula intake proportionally to the solid intake, so while i always offer a 180ml bottle, i havnt re-offered it if he only finishes 100 to 150 ml of it, as he often does.
And yes, DH has offered formula at 6am, and he does finish a bottle. I just don't do this because i dont want to reinforce the waking habit, and because if i compare Milan's total intake to other babies intake posted here, he's seems to be eating far more than average - so how could it be hunger to the extent thats unbridgeable till 7am?
(he's growing perfectly well and is at the 70th percentile for weight/ height etc)
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Can anyone please give me some feedback on my little ones feedings????? She is a few days shy of 10 months old and weighs almost 16lbs......she has always been tiny and had a slow weight gain, but the Dr. has never been worried she has followed her little 3rd percentile curve! She really does not ever give any hunger cues...she just is too busy to be bothered with eating. I just feed her because I know she needs to eat! :) She never refuses it, but if we are ever late or off schedule she is totally unaffected!
6 or 6:30am -BF
8:30am - 4 tbsp oatmeal cereal with 4 or 5 cubes of fruit
10:30 or 11am -BF
12:30pm - 5 cubes of veggies
2:30 -4:00pm (depends on when we wake from nap) BF
4:30pm - 4 tbsp rice cereal, 1 cube fruit, 1 cube meat, 3 cubes of veggies
6:30pm- BF or EBM (5oz) (I work 4 nights a week)
I have NOOOOOOOOO idea how much she gobbles down when she is bfing...she always was a 30-45 min eater (mostly only on one side), but about 8 weeks ago she became a 5 minutes MAX on each side girl! So, I have no idea.......I only cut out a 3am feeding about 2 weeks ago....she used to REALLY need that extra feed, but she was able to make it through the night on her own for a few weeks, then teething hit, so I figured she is okay without it.....are 4 bfs a day enough for her????
Is she eating enough???
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I am not sure if he is having enough,but this is what my Ds is doing and he is 9months old last week...
7am 210ml
7.30 weet-bix(only new at this did have full one today but only half the other day)
11.30am lunch we are on jar food as we are travelling soon and he has a full jar 250g
12noon 210ml
3.30pm snak,normally a yougart
5.30pm tea,jar food too same size as lunch
7pm 270ml and to bed...
He sleeps the whole night on this,some days he has less when his teeth are hurting,but in general he has this every day...he weighs 10kilos,and hasnt put on not even a full kilo in 3 months,but cause of his weight nothing to worry about...
Hope this is some help,and someone else can help out too...
Andrea...
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Hmmmmm thanks Andrea! A jar of baby food is about 4 ounces, correct? She eats maybe a jar and a little more three times a day.....that is the equivalent of her cubes of food.
Anyone else have any advice to offer????? :-*
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Im not sure but I dont ever remember anywhere in Tracys books her saying you reduce formula to add solids. Under 6 months old even 40 ounces if acceptable. Over 6 months in the neighnorhood of 32 is normal or so.
I have the "BW solves all problems" in Dutch translation. In this book under chapter 3 (fluids) there's a table with recommended intakes per age grouping, and here under 6-12 months it says "5 feeds per day including solids. per day in total 950ml to 1420ml. When introducing solids, reduce the liquids with the same amount. etc"
But the same table later shows 7 (not 5) feeds per day in an "Example routine", not counting the DF! So this is a bit confusing...
The same table also says under 1-2 yr old: "3 meals a day with a bottle in the morning and evening"
So, if the baby's taking 8 (split) feedings at 6 months, and working towards 5 feedings at 12 months, I thought it was ok for Milan ( 7.5 months) to combine a few feeds e.g. the 11am bottle and 1pm lunch, and replace some formula with solids. Solids and formula he is having are both approx 70 kcal per 100 g or ml, so the issue isnt fewer calories due to solids.
Anyway, I am going to do as you suggest- step up the formula, keep the feeds split, and also offer it at 5 or 6am or whenever he wakes, and see what happens.
I also think you're right about just having to accept the early wakings... i was lucky with DS1 who never woke before 8.30am, so DS2 is just evening the score!
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Hey Stacy! Thanks for the advice!!! You seem to be my personal savior on here!! HA! :)
Thanks...Kati :)
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My little one is just about 7 months old. Here is his schedule:
7am Awake
7:30am Bottle
8am Solids
9-11am Nap
11:30am Bottle
12pm Solids
1-3pm Nap
4pm Bottle
4:30pm Solids
7pm Bottle
7:30pm Bed
9:30pm DF, but i am going to start eliminating that very soon!
I would post his amounts but right now they are all crazy because he was on a food strike. He averages about 25oz of formula and about 5-10oz of solids.
Kimberly
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lindsday will be seven months old in a couple of days. here's how our routine is shaping up:
6:30 - 6:45 am WAKE
7:00 a.m. BF (E)
8:00 a.m. SOLIDS (E)
8:15 - 9:00 am A
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. NAP (S)
10:30 - noon A
noon BF (E)
12:30 p.m. SOLIDS (E)
12:45 - 1:45 pm A
1:45 - 2:30 pm NAP (S)
2:30 - 4:00 pm A
4:00 pm BF (E)
5:00 pm SOLIDS (A)
5:30 - 6:00 pm NAP (S)
6:00 pm A, BATH, READ, BF
7:30 pm BED
11:00 pm DF
i know that it's a bit unconventional, but it's working well for us and she sleeps well at night. i will be continuing for the DF for a couple more months as my DD is a little girl (not yet 14 lbs) with a little tummy. that being said, if i try to BF earlier than the times above, she is not hungry!
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Brenden will be 9 months on October 2. Here is our routine as of now:
7am wake, bf
8am solids - 3tbsp cereal/2 oz formula, 2 cubes fruit, 1 1/2 tbsp yogurt and finger food (cheerios and fruit)
9:30 nap
10:30ish wake (I am waking him up no later than an hour and ten min now as it throws his day off too much to sleep more than that in the morning)
11:30bf
12:30 solids - 3 cubes veggie or 1/3 jar veggie and 1/3 jar meat, 2 cubes fruit, finger food (gerber puffs, veggies, sometimes fruit, a baby mum mum)
2:00 nap (or after about 3.5 hours A time, depends on when he is up from am nap)
3:30 wake and bf
5:00 solids - 2 cubes veggie and tbsp meat or 1/2 jar veggie, 1 cube fruit, 1 tbsp cereal/1 oz formula (weaning this away - used this extra cereal to mix in formula when we finished dropping the df about 3 weeks ago), finger foods (similar to lunch)
6:30 bath
7:00 bf
7:30 at the latest asleep
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below is DD routine's at 6 1/2 months. We take one step forward and then two steps backwords as DD was either constipated or became "a poop machine"..;-) So here it is:
W: 6:30 (sometimes 5-5:30)
E: 7:00 BF (usually.., depending on actual wu time)
E: 8:00 3 spoons oatmeal
S: 9/9:30 (30 minutes to 1.5 hours)
E: 11:00 6oz bottle
E: 12:00 3 spoons rice cereal
S: ~13:30 (1-2.5 hours depending on first nap)
E: ~15:30 6-7 oz
E: 18:30 BF
S: 19:00
I would like to add a third meal, but I'm afraid of ruining her night sleep with the previous problems. We'll soon try to add veggies again. Probably go with potatos.
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So when should you drop a feed and add snack?
My LO a few days shy of 8 months.
7 bottle 6 oz
8 breakfast oatmeal and fruit
11 bottle 5-8 oz
12 veggies
3 bottle 5-8 oz
5 veggies and fruit
6:30 bottle 9 oz
BED til am
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I am hoping someone can give me some advice. My daughter is 6 1/2 months. Her schedule is something like this:
6:30 - wake and bf
7:30 - baby cereal
9 - 10 ish - nap
10:30 - 180 mL formula
11:45 - veggies (but usually not hungry)
1:00 - bf followed by nap
4:00 - 120 mL
cat nap (sometimes)
5:30 - veggies or fruit
6:30 - bf and sleep
She really doesn't have a keen interest in solids except for 4-5 things she really really likes (cereal, papaya, banana, sw potato, squash). I think it tends to be because she drinks so much milk and then isn't hungry enough. The doc said at my 6mth check that I have to cut back on the milk to give her interest, but how do you cut back a milk lover. She wants milk 5 times a day. Should I offer solids before milk instead. LIke at 10:30 and 4 before the bottles? She is 8.5 kg and very healthy, but I have one terribly picky eater (2 yrs) and am hoping I don't get another one!!! Also, how do you peak their interest for other drinks. She is very disinterested in water in any container.
Please help. I thought eating would be easier the second time round, but it's definately NOT!
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Mmmmmmm, noni, did your doc really say that. i have been ther and done almost everything re.eating. IMO, i would not give milk b/4 solids. my LO is a little over 8 mths and he drinks more milk than your LO, so i really wouldn't be concerned about cutting back on the milk. have you tried mixing different veggies/fruits in with baby rice? avocado and banana mixed is always a hit as well. do you have a fed to sleep association? is that why she gets a BF at 1pm? if you could cut out the 1pm BF, then offer her either bottle or breat at 3ish then a dinner at 5ish she might be a little bit more hungry? these are just some ideas for you to play with.
HTH, nicola
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just wanted to share C's routine-first time, yippee.
we have just weaned from breast to bottle (but he gets a sneaky Bf in there now and agasin)
7am 230mls
7.45 handeful of cherrios and fruit or a small portion of cereal.
11.30am 230mls
12.15 small slice of brown bread with various filling and a small yogurt.
4pm 230mls
5pm 5 cubes orf dinner and a small portion of cereal mixed with 50% fruit
7pm 230mls
he is 23lbs and doing nicely ;D ;D ;D
thanks for all your help with the eating/drinking (you know who you are :-* :-*)
nicola
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Noni - I agree with Nicola that you may want to try and move the 1pm feed later in the day. When my ds was about 6.5 months and we were getting into solids, I found that in the beginning, offering solids in the morning was interfering with him taking his next bf. I ended up moving his first meal of solids to dinnertime and then waited to add breakfast until he started to fuss early for his second bf and the waited until the same thing happened at the third bf before introducing lunch. In case this sounds confusing, here is what it looked like:
First, when he was getting solids only in the morning, one hour after his first bf of the day, he wasn't wanting to bf at 11 so this is what I did:
7am bf
11am bf
3pm bf
5pm solids
7pm bf
(also had df at 10:30)
Within a few weeks, he was starting to want his 11am bf earlier and earlier so I decided to add solids to the morning so this is how we tweaked:
7am bf
8am solids
11am bf
3pm bf
5pm solids
7pm bf
1030pm df
Several weeks later, he started to want his 3pm feed earlier and earlier so I decided to add solids for lunch:
7am bf
8am solids
11am bf
12pm solids
3pm bf
5pm solids
7pm bf
1030pm df
At 7.5 months we dropped the df (took about 20 days to do this so it was fully gone by 8 months). Around the same time we started to drop the df, he was starting to not be as hungry at his 11am bf so I moved it up to 1130am and that helped. For a while, he kept the next bf at 330 (4 hours later) but now over the past week or two (just 9 months yesterday) he has started napping from 230-400 in the afternoon as his A time has extended and he is quite content bfing at 4pm when he wakes up and I have noticed this feed is starting to drop off a bit and is more of a snack than a full feed.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks so much for the replies ladies,
First of all, I was kind of surprised at doc's response too, because I believe the milk is the most important thing right now and solids secondary. Anyway, as for cutting out the 1 pm bf, I have tried this every day for the last week and she still wants that feed even if she gets solids at 12 - 12:30. She never had an eat to sleep association and I certainly hope she isn't developping one, but she has just always had a bf b/w 1-1:30 and now it's just that her nap time follows directly after. She is definately changing her schedule on me too lately and I never know when she wants to nap.
Yes, if I mix the veggies with rice cereal she eats them, but is this a good idea to always do that? I read they should learn the 'real' taste, but at least she eats it this way.
Anyway, she obviously is getting what she needs because she sleeps through the night without a df. And the main meal we have trouble with is lunch and maybe she just isn't ready for 3 meals a day. As long as the pm bottle is 3:30 or so she will be hungry at 5:30. Also, she isn't taking in any huge amt of formula at one time so maybe she just prefers 2 - 120-150mL bottles instead of a larger 240 ml one. For now, it just seems that she can't go b/w 11 and 2 or 3 without extra milk.
AND THE GOOD NEWS... she finally just started to drink water from a sippy cup, so hopefully that helps with the transition too.
thanks again ladies. I appreciate the help.
Stephanie
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Glad to be of help and that some things are clearing up!
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Hey! Since the rest of my BC gals are on here - I wanna play too! I just did this, we are on day two and it seems to be helping Mr Fussy-Solid-Food-Butt eat better - even in the dreaded high chair - who knows?
730am 8oz
9am Breakfast 2cubes of fruit, mixed with 3T yogurt, water - some cherrios or puffy thingys.
12pm Lunch - 3cubes veg, 2cubes fruit - some cheese pieces/banana, 4oz formula in sippy.
145pm 4oz bottle
430 Dinner - 2cubes fruit, mixed with 2T yogurt/oatmeal, 2cubes veg, water - piece of my rice cake with cream cheese *sigh*
645/7 8oz
Here's to hoping it continues to work!
Zoey
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Zoey - Owen is doing fabulous on the solids intake so fast - way to go!
Does anyone have some protein food ideas beyond egg yolk ( not going to give to 1 year)? Ds is boycotting all spoon offerings except fruit, yogurt, cereal and broccoli but will eat veggies cooked and chopped with his fingers, same with pasta with melted cheese, cottage cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches cut into bits (I know the yogurt and the last three are proteins)...it is pretty tricky for him to eat meat with his fingers though I made some turkey meatballs a few days ago that went over ok.
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Palmer refuses to eat finger foods. He will eat cereal, but no veges/fruit or meat with his fingers.
Any ideas? My first son LOVED finger foods so I am at a loss.
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Cassie, how bout any of these:
* apple moons (thinly sliced)
* avocado boats (a quarter of an avocado)
* banana wheels
* broccoli trees (steamed broccoli florets)
* carrot swords (cooked and thinly sliced)
* cheese building blocks
* egg canoes (hard- boiled egg wedges)
* little O's (o-shaped cereal)
Zoey
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On wholesomebabyfood.com I found a really good idea where you crush some cheerios (bet you could use gerber puffs, as well) into dust and then shake pieces of ripe fruit and soft cooked veggies in the dust a la shake n' bake. This makes it easier for your los to pick up the pieces, making it less frustrating for them and so they are more excited about eating them. I did this with my lo for the first week or so of offering these foods and it really helped. Now he doesn't need it at all. I suggested this to a few friends and it worked for their babies as well. Bigger chunks of cottage cheese works well as well as bits of very well cooked pasta (I do whole wheat rotini cut into about 3 pieces) and grilled cheese sandwiches (I give a quarter of a sandwich with the crusts cut off and cut into thing strips or small squares - if he is being a bum about eating meat, I will sprinkle some minced chicken into the sandwich before grilling or spread the inside of both slices of bread with chicken or turkey baby food from the jar.
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I have tried rolling the fruit/veggie in baby rice cereal which didnt go over well, but I will try the crushed cereal.
He loves eating Oatios (I haven't given him wheat yet due to some other intolerances), so maybe this will help. Thanks!!
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I have JUST started to increase Sophia-Isabella's solid intake per her pediatrician's recommendation after her 9 month check this past weekend. Since she is my first we have no point of reference and don't quite know if this is adequate, too much food or too little at this stage. I appreciate any input.
Anyway...here goes:
7:30 am - BF
8:30 - 2 oz. baby food (chicken stew); 1 whole banana; 4 tsp. of plain whole milk yogurt with apple sauce mixed to sweeten
11:45 - BF
12:30 - 6 ounces of baby food (usually 2 different kinds)
3:30pm - BF
6:30 pm - BF
7:00 - 5 tbs. oatmeal cereal with 3 tbs. EBM
- 3 dinner tbs. plain whole milk yogurt with pear sauce mixed to sweeten
7:30 - bed
When she drops the 3:30 BF I plan start to introduce an afternoon snack then.
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my daughter is 4 mths and has been drinking rice cereal with her formula (she has reflux). The problem is that she's been drinking less milk ( 2 oz, some times on a good day 4 oz every 4 hrs) I've tried giving her cereal with a spoon and she swallows fine. Of course the advise I am given by other moms are that she's bored with the formula and that I should start her on solids or add a little bit of solids (fruit from a jar ) in the formula. I'm worried that she's not taking in enough milk, but her dr says that he's not worried. (She was born 8 lbs 2 oz and now weighs 16 1/2 lbs)
Anyone having similar issues or concerns? Reflux is so fustrating...2 mths to go HOPEFULLY!
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My LO is 7.5 months old but I find that she's pretty uninterested in breakfast. Somedays she'll eat it, somedays not. I'm wondering if I should cut back her morning bottle a few oz to see if I can get her interested to have breakfast. Here is our routine. Any suggestions?
7:15 bottle 8 oz
8:45 breakfast 2tbsp cereal 2 tbsp fruit (this is what I offer, she usually only eats a few spoons)
11:15 bottle 7 oz
12:30 lunch (1.5 tbsp meat, 1.5 tbsp fruit, 1.5 tbsp veggie)
3:30 bottle 7 oz
5 dinner (1.5 tbsp meat, 1.5 tbsp veggie, 2 tbsp cereal)
7:15 bottle 8 oz
BED til am
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Hello I am looking for some advice my Lo is 7.5 months
7am bottle 8oz
8am 1 cube of fruit or veggie+ 1 tbsp. infant cereal mixed together whatever new food I am introducing (usually eats 2tbsp.)
11am bottle 7oz
12pm 1/2 cube of fruit or veggie mixed with infant cereal
3pm bottle 7oz
4:30 same as breakfast without the infant cereal
7:30pm bottle 8oz
is the amounts ok or should she be eating more?? Should I give her solids first to encourage her to eat more?
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My LO is going on 6 months old. He started solids at 4 months, with cereal and then we quickly started veggies. He loves pretty much everything, and now we're on dinners soon to start meats. He's a second shift baby for sure so my times are VERY different than anyone elses. Sometimes on here I feel a bit out of the loop due to his different wakes, and eats. He's always choosen to be a late shift baby, and I tried a schedule with him to start with..........that was a NIGHTMARE!!!! So here's how it goes for us....
10am 6 oz bottle and 2 tbsp. of cereal w/fruit
2pm 6oz bottle 2 tbsp. veggie, 2 tbsp dessert
6pm 6oz bottle 2 tbsp. veggie/dinner, 2 tbsp dessert
10pm 8oz bottle and off to sleep for the night
(right before his last veggies and dinner we throw in 4oz of juice normally, but not everyday)
I know it's alot different then most of you, but it works for us, and it FOR SURE works for the LO. And he's the Boss.....for now ;)
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H is 6 1/2 mo. Here is his schedule. It is totally different from everyone which concerns me. In the book it talks about getting your child on a four hour routine for formula, so here it is:
7: 8oz
9: nap 2hr
11:1-2 T cereal 7-8oz
1pm: nap 2hrs
3pm: 1-2 cubes(2-4T),7-8 oz
5pm:cat nap 30-45min
7pm:1-2 cubes & 7-8oz
7:30-8pm: bath and bed
11pm: dream feed 6-8oz
So that is his deal. He's 6 1/2 mon and about 20lbs
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Looking through the history of the board, it looks like the solids are added meals instead of replacement meals alot of the time. My LO is 6 months old
5:30 AM BF plays for half an hour and back to sleep
8:15 wake
10 AM Cereal and remaining 2 oz BM
11-12 sleep
2 PM 5.5 oz bottle (increasing to 6 oz today)
6 pm dinner - cereal and vegetable
8 PM bF and sleep
10 PM dreamfeed
She had been doing well with solids but since we started giving her new stuff, she doesn't seem to trust us anymore, I guess she was only expecting cereal and doesn't like the new solids. She leaves more adn more on her 'plate' and the last few nights has woken up very hungry around 11:30. She was 18 lbs at her 5 month visit and 29 inches long and I'm concerned that she's growing so fast and I can't give her all the nutrition she needs so I am eager to supplement her diet with solids. It looks like we should start giving some solids between the bottle feedings, yes (she has a nanny while I"m at work so I miss the feedings between 8 and 5:30)
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Your babies all eat so much. My daughter now 9 months has no interest in food and if I did not force it I think woud never eat!! She also is a bad sleeper - I think because she must be hungry?
Feeding routine:
She wakes at about 4am sometimes 5am Feed 80mls
6.30 100mls
7am 2 tsp cereal and 2 tsp fruit (apple) with reflux medication
10am 180ml bottle
12 lunch offer 1/2 jar vege (s/pot or squash); 2tsp fruit (will not eat has about 1 spoon only)
2pm 180ml bottle
5pm 1/2 jar vege; 2tsp fruit(apple) with reflux medication (usually refuses point blank!!)
6pm 180ml bottle
10/11pm 100-120mls
She also has about125-150mls juice throughout day (dilute to 1/4strength) and have introduced water in a sippy cup, more endsup on her than in her. She just chews the spout!!
One average we get in 700-800mls bottle and a very small amout of food. Tried finger foods but she jsut plays and does not eat. Also not feeding in a chair as she just cries.
She is not gaining weight and as of yet has not even doubed her birth weight - but how do I get her more interested in food??? I cannot forrce it because then it is just a fight. Paed says she has a food aversion??
HELP!!! ???
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Whitleyd- One suggestion I have is to ditch the juice alltogether and offer less water throughout the day. It is possible that your lo is filling up on that. Also have you tried offering her finger foods. I know at about 9 months my lo started wanting to feed himself.
Kimberly
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Hello All,
I am new to this website. My son is now 5 months old and we are just introducing him to solids, which led me to this topic. We are giving him 1 tbsp rice cereal mixed with 3 tbsp formula twice a day, after his second bottle of the day and at suppertime (around 4-6 pm). I am a little unsure of what to feed him and when which is why I came looking here, but discovered I am amazed by some of your posts, how in the world have you all gotten your LO' s on these schedules? My son wakes anywhere from 4:30-6:30 am everyday, sometimes he wants a bottle right away, sometimes not for an hour or so. He will eat 5-8 oz at a time every 3 to 4 to 5 hours during the day. He never naps at the same time, for the same amount of time. He will nap anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 1/2 hours. I have managed to keep his bedtime roughly the same nightly, he has a bath at 7 to 7:30, then we read and have a bottle (usually takes all 8 oz). He used to sleep through from 7-8 until 5 or 6 am but now, most nights he wakes at least once to eat. We have tried the waking him before we go to bed, but he still wakes up at least once.
So my question is how in the world have you all done the schedule thing????????????
I have more questions about how much food and when but more important right now is the setting the routine.
Input?????Suggestions????
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Hi Tink
Cannot cut back on liquid as she gets very constipated, which then decreases app. altogether. The last 2 days have basically cut back 1 bottle, replaced with diluted juice and her solid appetite has increased!! Not hugely but much better than before. Have also tried finger foods: dried mango, biscuits and toast with butter - they seem to be helping at least keep her amused while feeding her. Next is to get her back into the high chair and not eating sitting on the floor... any suggestions? Have tried toys etc but she throws them overboard and then watches them so cannot get anywhere near her mouth!!
To Lianne 72
My little E was the same - no routine whatsoever, took each day as it came. I then became strict as to awake times (2-3hrs) and a routine fell in place give or take a few hrs each way but at least we had an idea of what was to follow. E has never slept through except for 3 nights but we are back to 2 feeds in the night and also tried sleepy feed before going to bed but this did not help either. I was told to just let them wake on their own and feed them then. This seems better as she then sleeps longer aftre her feed but getting her back to sleep at 12 or 1am is not easy!!!
I suggest persisting with awake times and fit feeding into that; I am also strict about 4hrs between bottles give as much as they will take and then wait 4 hours offering juice or water between feeds. Good luck hope this helps :-)
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Whitleyd- I am glad that you found something that works. My lo has constipation issues too. We try to get him to eat a lot of fiber/whole wheat and that helps a lot. Also if you are doing formula you can always substitute some of the water for juice (like prune juice) and that can help.
Kimberly
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Hi. I am new (both to the website and motherhood!) and need advise. My 6 1/2 mo. schedule is as follows:
7:30 cereal 2 tbsp and small jar fruit.
9:00 7 oz. formula
9:30-11:00 nap
11:30 bottle (7oz) followed by large jar veg
2:30-3:00/4:00 nap
3:30 bottle (7oz) followed by large veg or fruit OR fresh fruit in mesh bag
6:00 large veg 1/2 large fruit
7:00 bottle (7oz)
7:30 bath/bed
I know milk is most important, but I don't want to overfeed him with solids. I give him 7 oz. bottles, but he does not always finish. Should I continue with bottles first then fill w/ solid? Am I giving too much solid? Should I start meat? When can I start on biscuit or snacks?
Thank you!
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Hi
My LO is 7 months and started solids at 6 months. We have done baby-led weaning with her so no purees, just finger food and she loves it! Remember at this age their main source of nutrition/ calories should be milk, so quantities of solids really don't matter. What our LO loves is tast and texture - she will try anything and so far is doing really well. It is a fab (and v easy) way to wean your baby and no extra cooking/ pureeing as she just eats whatever we are having
Alison x
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At 6.5 months I would continue to give milk first because it is more important.
Meat...I started with veggies, then fruits, and then meats. I think some books say to wait until 9 months, for us it was earlier because we started on solids earlier.
Snacks...At this point your lo does not need any snacks. However, you can offer some snack like foods during the solids meal to get him used to finger foods.
HTH,
Kimberly
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Hi,
Daniel is 9 months tomorrow and here is his routine at the moment. We need to move onto the next stage, but we have been slow due to silent reflux.
He isn't taking as much solids as most, but he has never taken as much milk either.
We are struggling a little with solids and given his history little hesitant to cut any milk feeds. I am a little worried, but I just get 'keep trying' as advice from the Dr.
He is on 5 feeds a day 20-23 oz a day (I still dream feed him, to keep the calories up). 6.30, 10.30, 2.30, 6.00 & 9.30
He is on 3 meals day (on a good day) B- 2-3T, L- 3-4T, D- 6-8T. Still purees at this stage.
WAKE 5.30/6.00
BOTTLE 6.30
SOLIDS 7.30
NAP 8.30/9.00 (1-1 1/2 hours)
BOTTLE 10.30
SOLIDS 11.30/12.00
NAP 1.00/1.30 (1-1 1/2 hours)
BOTTLE 2.30
SOLIDS 5.00
BATH 5.30
BOTTLE 6.00
BED 6.15
DREAMFEED 9.15
His naps are getting shorter so we may need to tweak his routine. He eats the most at dinner time.
I would appreciate any feedback on getting him more established on soilds. Even after a small milk feed he won't eat more solids, so I am little hesitant to cut any milk feeds?
Thankyou
Sharron
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Hi everyone - I would like some help. Nathan is 5 months old and has been having solids for a while (he has reflux) His schedule is:
Wake - 7am
Eat - 6 oz formula, followed by 2 to 3 tbsp oatmeal
Sleep - 9am to 10:30 or 11:00
Eat - 7 oz formula, 1tbsp oatmeal, mixed with a couple of tbsp of fruit, followed by 1oz formula
Sleep - 1pm to 2:30
Eat - 3pm - 8 oz formula
Sleep - this is the tricky one - around 4:30 to 5 I tend to wake him after 30mins
Eat - 6pm - 6 oz formula, 1 stage 1 jar of fruit or veg
7 - bath
7:30 4 to 5 oz before bed
I have a couple of questions - how much formula should be eating? Should he have his formula before his solids or after?
His last nap is a challenge - if he doesnt have it he is a very grumpy little man by bed time. If we let him sleep too long - he doesn't want to go to bed. When do they loose this nap?
Thanks for your help
Penny
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Based on reading various people's stories and constipation issues we've changed our feeding routine. I'm not really ready to get rid of the 5:30 feed as it is my last chance to feed her before I go to work.
Looking through the history of the board, it looks like the solids are added meals instead of replacement meals alot of the time. My LO is 6 months old
5:30 AM BF and back to sleep
8:15 wake
9 AM 2 TSP cereal and prunes/bananas (we've been having fruit tolerance issues)
10 AM 180 ML
11-1 sleep
2 PM 1 TSP cereal and 2 TSP veggie 180 ML bottle
6 pm dinner - cereal and vegetable
8 PM bF and sleep
We are weaning off a 10 PM dreamfeed, about 50% success rate.
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This is my first time here so i am not sure if i am posting in the right place. my son is 5.5 months. i started the "every 4 hour feeds (BF)" + nap and sleep routine approx. 3 weeks ago and things went really well except that he was hungry all the time (i still kept one feed at night at 3am). so i decided to start him on solids a little under a week ago and he took to it really well, actually loved it and wanted more. my problem is that i am following the routine as i should with BF, an hour later solid, then nap, BF etc. and now that we are doing this he wakes every 1.5 to 2 hours from the time i put him to bed at night around 7:30am until the morning. i sing him back to bed or pu/pd except for once a night i do still feed him because i havent worked on removing that one yet. how can i get him to stop waking every 1.5 to 2 hours expecting to eat because thats pretty close to what happens during the day with BF and solids? will he learn to not do that if i consistently do the same thing as i am doing now or do i need to do something different?
thank you in advance, Kali
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DS is 6 months old and his routine goes like this:
7:30am Wake
8:00am BF
10:00am Sleep
12:00 BF
12:45 Solids
2:00pm Sleep
4:00pm BF
7:00pm BF
7:30pm Sleep for the night... won't wake again until the morning!
Thanks to the EASY plan, he has slept completely through the night since he was 7 weeks old!!!!
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Help! My son is 9 months old and 100% breastfed. I am having difficulty switching him over to solids. I started introducing them at 6 months, but he doesn't like anything and is completely uninterested in eating.
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Help! My son is 9 months old and 100% breastfed. I am having difficulty switching him over to solids. I started introducing them at 6 months, but he doesn't like anything and is completely uninterested in eating.
That sounds like my dd who is 8.5mths old. Nothing i do help her eat any solids. I tried puree, finger foods and in the mesh self feeder. Nothing. i keep trying.
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Im sure Im overlooking something but could use some help. My daughter is 8.5 months and refusing bottles at daycare. Ive had to switch her schedule around but Im concerned she is not getting enough BM. Here is her schedule. Appreciate your thoughts!
700
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Im sure Im overlooking something but could use some help. My daughter is 8.5 months and refusing bottles at daycare. Ive had to switch her schedule around but Im concerned she is not getting enough BM and too much solids. Here is her schedule. Appreciate your thoughts!
7am BF (5-8oz)
11am 3 Tbs Cereal mixed with 2oz formula and stage 2 container of fruit, sippy cup with water
3pm 3 Tbs Cereal mixes with 2 oz formula, stage 2 container of vegetable and 1/2 fruit, sippy cup with water
7pm BF (5-8 oz)
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hello i am wondering if i have my 6 month old son on a good feeding plan. he still cant go more then 3 hours between feeds though. he has been on several solids already and loved them all. so this is what my routine looks like. i was only giving him 4oz of formula but he would cry everytime i took the bottle away when he was done so i upped it to 6oz and now he does not cry when the formula is all done. he also has to have rice cereal in his bottle cause he has acid reflux. but this is what my routine looks like so far.
5:30am wake up 6oz bottle (with rice cereal in it)
8:30am 2 formula scoops of rice cereal and half a banana mashed up real good and 4oz bottle with no rice cereal in it cause he can hold it down cause of the solids.
11:30am 2 formula scoops of oatmeal and 2 to 3 cubs of veggies and 4oz bottle with no rice cereal in it cause he can hold it down cause of the solids.
2:30pm 6oz bottle (with rice cereal in it)
5:30pm 2 formula scoops of oatmeal and 2 to 3 cubs of veggies and 4oz bottle with no rice cereal in it cause he can hold it down cause of the solids.
7:30pm 6oz bottle (with rice cereal in it) (if he makes it to this time which he usually does not he goes to bed at 7:30pm and stays asleep until 5:30am with no wakings)
also i will be adding fruits to it vary soon. and yes i do know to Waite 4 days before starting a new food. so what do you think about the routine is there any changes i need to make to it. thank you so much for your help.
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My son is almost 7 months old and here is his routine...please let me know if I am on track:
6:00AM wake
7:00AM - 4 teaspoons of veggie
7:30AM - 8 oz formula
8-10AM - nap
11:30AM - 4 teaspoons of fruit
Noon - 8 oz formula
12:30/1:00PM-2:00PM - nap
3:30 - 4 teaspoons oatmeal
4:00PM - 4 oz or so of formula
4:00 or so a little cat nap on his swing
7:00 - 8 oz formula then bed
12:00AM - 8 oz formula
Next week I will be increasing his solids to 2.5 ounces and decreasing his amount of formula as well as adding cheerios as a snack. Please let me know what you think
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Hello,
My ds is 6 1/2 months. We're starting the solids slowly. I have only been giving him some solids around lunchtime. Should I be starting with some cereal in the morning also? What about evening? I am at a loss and just started reading Tracy's books. He is a bog boy, 18 lbs and 24 in long. He was even born 3 weeks early! This is what our schedule is looking like:
6:30 - 7 wake and bf
here is where I think I should offer some cereal
7 - 8:30 or 9 play
9 nap (usually needs to nurse down)
11 wake
11:15 - 11:30 lunch-- usually a cube of fruit and a cube of veggies
1 ish bf
2 - 4 nap
somewhere around 5 another bf
sometimes he catnaps, sometimes not
otherwise play and errands with mommy 5 - 7
7 bath
7:30 book and bf
8 bed
df around 11 or 12
I have no idea if this is an acceptable schedule. Should he have cereal in the morning? Maintaining a schedule has been relativly difficult as I work full time from home and take care of Mason full time, and my work schedule is different every day. Anyway, any guidence would be helpful. I love this site, it makes me feel so warm..... I just want to thank everybody who writes in!!!!!
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Thanks for all your postings - My bub (what does DD stand for??) was like clockwork 3hrs feeds and sleeping through the night from 3months, then at 3.5months he started to wake in the night,cry when he finished 7oz and one 24hr period had 52oz of formula (Aptimal 1) so we weaned him, within a week he was on 3 meals a day of veg and baby rice and fruit, HV said too soon as he was dropping milk feeds so went to brek and lunch only and tried Aptimal extra (hungry baby milk) BTW he is 18lb7 now at 5months, he loved the milk and so we have stuck to 2 meals and feeds however he went a bit random and so I am trying to reinstate a routie, checked with doc and now ok to add in dinner - just put him to bed and he had 7oz and another 5oz of a second bottle - cried for it was inconsolible - think he's ready for dinner. The good thing is he is now going through the night again - since hungry baby milk at 4months. Also going to introduce Chicken and Turkey from Sat.
This is a mix of what he's been doing (thankfully he self settles to sleep at 7.15-7.30pm after lots of baby whispering techniques since 3 wks old). I was tearing my hair out not knowing when I can get out of the house and do things as we were blessed by him being like clockwork from 2 to 3.5 months, I shouldnt moan!!
Here is the plan
6.00 8oz formula (drains the bottle most mornings)
6.30 Breakfast (usually happy to eat more, fruit/2tsp baby rice)
7.00-8.00 Activity (play, toys, nursery rhymes generally play alone at this time some stimulation)
8.00 Nap for 40 mins to an 1 hr (will be in car on way to Nana’s when I go back to work in 4wks)
9.20 5-7oz formula
9.40-10.30 Activity (needs more stimulation/or Fridays has swimming lesson)
10.40 Nap for 1 to 2 hrs (usually sleeps after swimming)
11.30/12.30 Lunch (formula and food)
12.30-1.30 Activity (lots of stimulation)
1.30/2.00 Nap for 40 mins to 2 hours
2.30/3.30 5-7oz formula/play
5.00 to 5.30 dinner (from 21wks)
5.30 30 min power nap – may or may not need/Activity
6.15 stories (wake if still asleep)
6.30 bath, gentle games, dry, massage, into night clothes
6.50 7oz formula
7.30 sound asleep
Wish me luck!!
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Bevers - I had to start my bf DS on solids at about 4.5 months because he needed more, too. After talking to the DR and seeing that he wasn't gaining much weight all of a sudden (and was a big boy), started to need to feed more, etc. we decided to try it. Although we didn't start anything other than rice cereal and oatmeal until almost 6 months, it made all the difference with him.
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Hi,
My LO Eva is 7.5 months, this is what she is up to
Bottle 6:30am (220ml)
A
S 9am
E 10:30 Breakfat 3tsp mixed cereal + apple or pear or mashed banana
A
Bottle 11:30 (150-200ml)
A
S 1pm
E 2:30 Lunch Pureed sweet potato/potato/maybe some chicken and a swirl of pear or apple (she likes it sweet!)
A
Bottle 3:30 (150-200ml)
Cn 5pm
E 6pm Dinner/Supper Banana custard mixed with rice cereal, or another jar of something
A Bath/Bedtime routine
Bottle before & after bath (150-200ml)
S 6:30 - 7:00pm
I do the food before the bottle as this worked out well moving to 4 hourly feeds. I am just starting to think about finger food, but I gave Eva some bread & butter the other day and she just squished it in her hand and wiped it all over herself - very cute! :)
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Hi all,
Mason is 9mths 1 week. This is his day-
6-6.30am wake, bottle 180mls
7.30-8am bfast weetbix, stewed apple
9-11am nap
11am bottle 180mls
12-12.30 lunch- veggies and finger foods (apple, cheese. melon etc)
2-4pm nap
4pm bottle 180mls
5-5.30pm dinner this is sometimes what we are having or fruit and yoghurt
6.50pm bottle 240mls
7pm bedtime
We are not set in this pattern of eating though. Sometimes he will have cereal for dinner and mashed banana and yoghurt (or something similar) for breakfast. It all depends on where we are and what he has already had. He is a really good eater though so I just go with the flow.
Take care, ness xx
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Feed back appreciated... Not sure if I'm overfeeding and at what point his feeding schedule should change or when reduction of milk should begin. I've read some moms dropping formula feedings slowly at one point or giving solids before milk??? The only feeding Gavin has dropped was his 4 AM feeding once he started sleeping through the night. He is a big baby at 90th percentile. 29" long and 20 lbs. at 7 months. I never try to force feed him. If I think he has had enough I will stop.
Gavin is 7 months and 2 wks old. Our schedule usually goes something like this:
7AM- 6-7 oz formula
9:30AM- breakfast (banana oatmeal w/ 1/2 jar of baby food fruit flavor)
10 AM- NAP for about 40 min.-1 hour
11:30AM- 6-7 oz. formula
play time (toys, tummy time, videos, stroller walk)
1 or 1:30PM- lunch (1/2 jar to full jar baby food, yogurt)
2-3pm- Nap (sometimes a little longer)
3:30pm- 6 oz. formula
5:30pm- Dinner 1/2 jar - full jar of veggies (likes peas, carrots, squash, sweet potatos) and a little yogurt for dessert
may take a cat nap if he seems tired but no more than 25-30 min. it depends on how well he naped during the day
7:15- bath
7:30- 6-7 oz formula and then bedtime
During the day he also gets some water or juice in between feedings and some natural fruit or cheerios as snacks.
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crissy64,
Your schedule looks fine!
I think at 7.5 months los still need more milk less solid foods, and as Gavin is having between 24 and 27floz milk per day, about central in the recommended range for babies this age, I wouldn't drop a milk feed unless he seems disinterested in his solid foods.
The milk-solid foods balance begins to even out at around 9-10 months, and then solid foods overtake milk between 10 and 12 months, so this is when most babies start to either reduce their milk intake or drop a specific feed, or solids are offered before milk - but as Gavin is having milk and solid foods at 2-hourly intervals anyway, that doesn't really apply!
If his milk intake reduces at all, then you might be overfeeding on solid foods, otherwise, trust his instincts as you have been so far - you both seem to be doing a great job working it out!
Ax
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Ax thansk for your reply..greatly appreciate it!
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My little pumpkin Conner is 6 months and 1 week old. Our feeding routine looks like this:
Wakes at 6am it used to be 5:30. I go in at 6:30 now where before I used to wait till seven but I found that he was to tired to eat solids when I was doing this. Change nappy than
E:@ 6:40 bottle around 180ml sometimes 150ml
A:7am-7:30
E:7:30 (3 cubes of solids which equates to 25grams=1 ounce=30ml)
S: 8:30am down for nap falls asleep around 8:45 sometimes sleeps 1hr1/2 other times 45min
if he wakes at 10am
A: we have activity time until 10:30-10:45
E: 10:45 bottle 140ml-170ml
A: 11am-11:30
E: 11:35 (3 cubes)
A: 11:45-12:25
S: Down for nap around 12:30 sleeps 1hr1/2
A:2pm-2:30
E:@ 2:45-3pm bottle 150ml-170ml
A: 3:10-3:30
E: 3:45 (will only have 2 cubes sometimes 3 on this feed)
A: 4pm-415
S: down for nap @ 4:25 falls asleep around 4:45 sleeps solid until 7pm
E:7pm bottle 210-180
A: 7:10 bath
S: 7:30
DF 11am sleeps till 6am
His milk consumption has dropped heaps have others experienced this?
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3 solid food meals per day is quite a lot for a lo of only 6 months, altho I see that the quantity at each meal is not huge. Generally babies need to maintain their pre-solid foods milk intake and use solid foods to top-up if they remain hungry, so if your lo was having 30oz per day before you introduced solids foods, he should still be having 30oz now with solid foods on top. If his milk intake has reduced significantly, he could be having too big a quantity of solid foods. Otherwise, I'm impressed by the routine you have going - well done!
Ax
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hello...am hoping for some advise from all you wonderful mums & dads out there...I have looked but cannot seem to find a schedule to match the amount of food my little one is currently consuming.
A bit of background...was on 3 meals of solids plus milk a day ( 4weeks ago)..just cereal...sleeping thru. Just flew him from Oz to Uk....was a little disturbed at night and started waking at 1am & 5am for a feed. I was taken into hospital quite suddenly ( flashing lights n everything so no time to express, he has been bf ..never had formula)...he was without me most of the day and had 5 meals of solids...rice cereal..fruit ..pumpkin etc...and water ( he has been drinking water well)....that night he slept straight thru.
I continued with that for 3 days ( to see if it was a fluke or not)..he slept soundly every night. However as i was a little concerned that he was eating too much I cut him back to 3 ..and bang...1 & 5am wakings last night!!
Should I continue with 5.....
Jake is 7.5 months
routine...more or less as we do fluctuate
7am bf
8am porridge
10am bf
1100am pumpkin/sweet pots...with rice cereal or s fruit mixed with cereal
1300 bf (sometimes no bf here)
1400 pumpkin/sweet pots/carrots etc..plus rice cereal
1600 bf
1700 fruit with cereal
1900 bf and bed.........now this is where he has started to ask for another solid...AND I am reluctant to give as am thinking its too much.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated...he is a big baby ...nearly 10 kilos...and is exceptionaly active...NEVER sits still.
Thank you
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Fitzyp,
At 7.5 months Jake should still be taking as much milk as he did before you introduced solids, so one way to assess whether he's eating too many solid foods is to see if his milk intake has decreased, as you are bf this wouldn't be an accurate measurement but he might feed for less time, or refuse to latch on.
If he's maintaining his milk intake and has room for all the solids you're offering, then I think you can trust his instincts that he wants it, but perhaps you could increase the portions at regular mealtimes rather than offer 5 separate smaller solid feeds, that way he doesn't get into the habit of snacking (although that's about personal choice, I'm not saying that snacking is wrong/bad, just that it seems you have a lot of feeding to do!).
If his milk intake has decreased, then you don't want to fill him up with more solids, but offer him more milk, which is what he needs more of at this tender age!
HTH a bit, and that you are fully recovered from your hospital adventure?
Ax
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Hi all, have read with interest.....
Right now Baz (long story..!) is 6.5 months old. He's a big baby (was 4.5 kgs at birth and now is almost 9kgs) and has always had a mix of bf and formula well. I introduced solids about 3 weeks ago and he's now just got to 3 meals a day. Routine is very similar to many I have read:
7am 5 - 7 oz formula
8am breakfast 2 - 3 teaspoons cereal and fruit
9 - 10 nap
11am 5oz
12 baby rice/potato and veggies
12.30 - 1.30/2 nap
2.30 5 oz
4.30 - 5 nap (most days but sometimes skips this sleep)
5pm baby rice and veggies
6 bath
6.30 7 oz formula
My problem is that he used to wake in the night at around 3am for a feed of between 5 - 7 oz. Now, since introducing solids, he actually wakes twice or sometimes three times. I give a bottle the first time he wakes but then try to settle him without the other times. This does not always work as often he'll take another bottle of 5 oz at the second night feed...
So he's now effectively having more formula than he was before solids and less sleep... am I over feeding? Or could it be because I dropped last bf a week ago that he is waking for sukling time now?? And he's on SMA white for hungry babie!!
My sister has a babe the same age and only gives 4 bottle feeds a day...
help - i go back to work in a month and I really want to get the nights back to normal (since 6 weeks he's always slept most of night). Why is he eating so much and now sleeping less??
Thanks
xx
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Marlabarla (great name!),
Your routine looks good, altho I'd say there is no rush for your lo to be on 3 meals per day, milk still needs to be his main diet, with solid foods topping up his large appetite, but as long as he's taking his pre-solids quantity of milk follow his cues.
The increased night-wakings might be for food, I understand that many babies have an enormous growth spurt around 6 months, in which case, if he's hungry, offer him the extra milk until it all calms down again! If, however, you notice that he's not taking the milk but just wanting the suckles/cuddles, you'll have to wean him off the prop like normal!
I understand the dread of going back to work without a good night's sleep, but honestly, being back at work is no more/less tiring than spending the day at home with a lo, so I'm sure you'll manage even if he's still waking a couple of times per night for a bit!
Good luck with it all, post again if you need to,
Ax
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My lo will be 8 months at the end of this week. She is not that interested in solids. She eats much better away from the highchair i.e bathtub :-\ Any suggestions on how to interest her?
Thanks,
Hollie
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Some ideas would be to include her in mealtimes, make it a social/fun thing to do, rather than a chore (which eating can seem to be for babies). As solid food is not essential for nutrition still, babymilk still meeting the primary nutritional needs, try thinking of offering solid foods, perhaps as finger foods rather than purees, as an Activity rather than as part of Eat. Sit her in her highchair when you have breakfast, lunch and tea and offer her a variety of interesting nibbles (see link below for young baby finger food ideas) and let her experiment with them, not worrying too much how much is actually swallowed, and ignore her eating really (not neglecting her, but not fussing about it) letting her watch what you do and copy you. And lots of praise when she does eat some, which should encourage her to do it a bit more!
Others may have more ideas...
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95978.0
HTH?
Ax
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Thanks so much for your reply. was wondering if it could be a growth spurt. Shouldn't all babes by on 3 meals by 7 months at the latest, or can it be later than that?
x
PS Marlabarla is my daughter's nick name!
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There's not really any 'shoulds' when it comes to babywhispering, including introducing solid foods - I'm a fan of baby-led weaning, where babies self-feed from about 6 months - it can take them ages to get the hang of it, some don't even start until gone 7 months.
Babymilk is the primary nutrition for babies until at least 9-10 months, and until then solid foods are supplementary, providing a top up to help hunger and nutrition, after this the balance begins to change, and gradually solid foods provide the main nutrition, with milk as a supplementary drink (20oz until 24 months).
You have all the time in the world, relax and enjoy!
Ax
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Hello Freyas Mum,
Thanks so much for the advice...sorry it took so long for me to thank you..I lost where I had posted my message haha. Still a bit new to this.
His milk feeds are more or less the same..and I have now dropped backto 4 meals a day..a little larger as you suggested..I think he just likes his grub like his mum :-)
I have recovered thanks...they think a grumblin appendix ..hoorraahhh!! By the way ..what does HTH mean?
Thanks
Kirsten
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Kirsten,
HTH? means Hope This Helps? And if you ever lose your posts again, if you click on the 'show new replies to your posts' link right at the top of the page, just above the length of time you've been logged on, it highlights any threads you've posted on that have had any new replies!
Ax
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hi could someone offer me any advice please
my little girl is six months old and her feeding is like this at the mooment does it seem ok to you
7am wake 7oz bottle
9am porridge
10 nap
12pm lunch usally diner of meat and veggies pureed a sip of juice and a yoghurt
2pm nap
3pm 5oz bottle
4pm nap
5pm dinner usally rice pudding
7 bed and 7oz bottle
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Well, a routine is a very personal thing for you and your lo, so if it's working for you all, great!
My only concern is that dd seems to be having less than 20oz babymilk in 24 hours... current advice is for babies to have between 20 and 30oz formula/breastmilk when solids are established (the range gives room for individual babies' needs), it suggests that at 6 months los should be having their pre-solids quantity of milk still (so if they had 25oz before solid foods were introduced, then at 6 months they should still be having 25oz plus solid foods).
I guess from the other dairy-based solid foods in your routine, that she is getting more 'milk' than the 19oz of formula, I'd just make sure that it doesn't reduce any further until at least 9-10 months! Babymilk remains the primary source of nutrition until this age, other common babyfoods just don't have the same fat/calorie content!
Ax
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thanyou for your help its alwsy nice to have others opionion i think i will up her milk a little
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My baby is almost 7 months, and our schedule includes 4 bottles of formula, 7-8 oz, and two solid food meals, one of rice cereal, usually about an ounce of formula mixed with cereal, before her 6 or 10 am bottle, and in the evening a couple of tablespoons of veg and a couple tablespoons of fruit before her 6pm bottle.
Does this seem normal? My husband thinks we need to be giving her more solids but she seems ok with what she has.
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trekkiesara,
sounds good to me! There can be a tendency to over-feed babies at this early age, her milk intake should remain at it's pre-solid foods quantity with a gradual increase in solid foods until about 9-10 months when the 2 quantities even out, and then the continual increase in solid foods means that they become the main diet with milk as a drink!
Take her lead, babies are pretty good at regulating their solid food intake!
Ax
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I know this quetion has been probably been answered on other posts but here goes anyway...
DS is 5mos 1 wk old. We started cereal at 4mos for a couple of days but gave up because I started thinking that was really too early and he hated it anyway. We started back again at 5mos and are just doing a few small baby spoonfuls in the evening. We started with rice cereal for a week and have moved on to sweet potatoes for three days and now green beans. I am not combining any of this, just giving him tastes of the food and texture. Over a three day period, he only ate abou 2/3 of the smallest jar of babyfood, so not very much.
I have a couple of questions...when do I add in a breakfast routine? He is taking in 30-32oz per formula per day and does not seem hungry for more. He will not eat more than 6oz per bottle (it's tough to get him to take that much) and he is on a 4hr EASY. He still wakes once at night because he will only take 3 or 4 oz at the DF and that puts him at a deficit of about 3 or 4 oz, which he takes at about 4am.
He can sit unsupported and is very interested in the food I am eating. He seems ready for solids other than the fact he is not hungry all the time.
Should I just keep trying small amts of new foods every several days and wait until 6mos to start breakfast, since I know he doesn't need the extra calories? Or should I go ahead and start a routine for breakfast as well?
Also, is it true that starting on fruits oo soon will give LOs a sweet tooth? DD (who is 16yrs old now) HATES veggies and I am hoping DS will like them better. How long should I wai to start fruits?
Thanks!!!!! ;D ;D
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shanlbc,
Ds is still at the very beginning of the wonderful adventure that is eating! It really doesn't matter how little he eats, like you said he's getting the nutrition from his milk, and isn't really hungry for more, so trust his appetite, offer him tastes (either as purees or, as he's interested in your food, as finger foods - plenty of young baby suggestions in the recipes section :)), and let him enjoy the whole thing - there really is no rush at all! One 'meal' a day is plenty for now!
There's an ongoing debate about the sweet-tooth risks of starting a baby on fruits - it didn't happen with either of mine, they like fruits and veggies (and icecream and plain rice cakes ::)) equally and started with carrots and pears, yams, parsnips and apples - I think the trick is to offer a wide variety of flavours and textures from the outset, and focus on the social aspect of mealtimes rather than trying to get them to eat - takes the pressure off baby and parents!
Just my thoughts,
Ax
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Hi, I was hoping someone could look over dd's schedule and see what you think. This schedule tends to flucuate a lot depending on dd. So it's not always at these times, but close enough! Do you think it needs anything? I'm debating whether or not to add a morning cereal feed, along with the evening one. (btw...I just started cereal on her one week ago and she LOVES it!). She gobbles the 1.5 tblsp meal in the evening. Sometimes I think she's just hungry, especially if I skip the 4/4:30 ff and only bf. Bfdng does not tie her over after the inital one in the morning, which is why I ff after nursing if she still seems hungry. She doesn't throw it up or spit up, so I'm assuming she's hungry and really does want it.
Thank you!
7am - bf
8:30-9:15 - nap (she's the queen of 45 minute naps!)
9:30/10 - bf (and sometimes additional ff 3-4 ounces)
12-12:45 - nap
1/1:30 - bf and ff if necessary (3-4 ounces)
3:30-4:15 - nap
4:30- bf and ff if necessary (3-4 ounces)
5:30/6 - 1.5 tablespoons of rice cereal
6:45ish- 5 oz ff for bed
7:30- bed
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Hello!
Tbh, a schedule is so personal to you that it is difficult to comment objectively - my most sensible response is to say that if it works for you and your lo, then brilliant!
Regarding her solid foods, it is unusual for babies to be introduced to them at the evening meal - when it happens, it's usually because mum and dad want their lo to sleep thru the night ;) however it can actually have the opposite effect, especially for babies as young as your lo, because solid food can be an irritant to immature digestive systems. The recommendations are currently to delay weaning until 6 months, however if you have chosen to do so earlier, I would caution against rushing to introduce solid foods more frequently or of a wider variety until 6 months, to minimise development of allergies and digestive discomfort.
If dd is still hungry, I would advise to offer more milk rather than more solid foods. At this age solid foods simply supplement the nutritional content of babymilks, and have few of the essential fats and calories that babies need to grow and develop - if babies seem to need more food, milk is the food to offer as it is the best food for the job!
HTH a bit?
Ax
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Ax, thanks for the advice! Actually, she did start sttn before adding the cereal. However, I am wondering if she stopped sttn due to the evening feeding. I decided that I'm only going to feed her the cereal in the am for a week or so and see if that helps out night situation. I only changed the feeding to the afternoon cause I thought that was when she was the most hungry. I totally agree with you on giving more milk. That's what I've been doing as well. :)
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In that case, keep right on doing what you're doing, you seem to be doing it just right - trust your instincts, I find that on the whole, they turn out to be right!
Ax
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Hello,
My 8.5mo DS is on four milk feeds and three solid feeds per day. I'm beginning to think that it might be time to phase out one of the milk feeds and change our routine around a bit because it seems like I'm trying to cram too much in at the end of the day (this is because his pm nap is fairly late). I also think that the milk feeds might be hindering him taking more solids, but it's so hard to really know how much solids he should be taking. Anyway, here's more or less our routine at the moment:
7:00 Milk (last BF was this morning, and now will go to formula, so don't know how much he takes yet, although I'd guess around 6-7oz)
8:00 Breakfast
11:00 Milk 4oz
1:00 Lunch
4:30 Milk 4oz
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Milk 4oz
I thought of eliminating the 11am milk feed and pulling lunch up to 12:00, then giving a slightly bigger bottle before he goes down for his afternoon nap at around 2pm. Then dinner could be a little earlier, and he could take a little more milk in before bedtime.
Could you let me know if I'm in the ballpark here, or if I should stick to the current routine? I don't know if my thinking is correct or not.
Thanks for your help,
Alison
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Alison - I think that when I dropped from 4 to 3 milk feeds with DS, it was the late afternoon one that I dropped first. I believe that I kept the 11am feed where it was for a while with his lunch of solids about and hour after that. Later, I switched things up so he was having lunch a bit earlier and milk shortly before his PM nap. Someone mentioned a few posts earlier that schedules/feeding routines vary a lot from lo to lo so keep in mind this is just what worked for us.
newmama12 - I agree with Ax that usually los are introduced to solids in the morning. I ran into a problem with DS, though, when he started refusing his milk several hours later after having cereal in the morning. I moved his cereal to lunch and the same thing started happening with his afternoon milk. I then moved it to dinner time and he would take his cereal and still accept his milk before bed so this is what worked best for us in the end. I did make sure that any new foods that were introduced were done so in the AM, though, so that I could watch for allergic reactions. I just didn't give him too much in the morning so as not to interfere with his milk consumption which is still the most important thing that early on (he was bf, too, btw.)
HTH
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Fellow Alison :D at 8.5 months, if your lo's eat schedule seems too full, you still want to prioritise milk over solid foods - until at least 12 months babies must have a minimum of 20oz babymilk in 24 hours, and until 9, even 10 months, they should really still be having their pre-solids quantity of babymilk because it is this that provides them with most of their nutrition. After 9/10 months, the quantities of solid foods and milk even out, and then the quantity of solid foods overtake that of milk until milk becomes a snack/drink rather than a main food. Babies still require between 12 and 20oz of milk until 24 months.
So, I wouldn't advise you to drop a milk feed just yet, because ds is currently only getting 18 or 19oz babymilk daily (unless he has a significant amount of dairy solids?) which is under the minimum recommended amount for his age - to me your schedule looks ok, and if it works for you that's great! As long as ds is getting all the milk he should be having, and is gaining weight steadily at each check up, don't worry about the amount of solid foods he eats. At this young age, solid foods are for practice still, to learn what food is and what to do with it in preparation for when he does need them as an older baby!
HTH a bit?
Ax
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Or, you can see if your lo will take more milk at those three feeds. DS was taking about 7-8oz at each of the three feeds which was over the 20oz mark. If your lo won't take that much at a time then you will probably have to keep at 4 smaller feeds or add lots of other dairy like cheese, cottage cheese (unsalted) and yogurt. Sorry, should have looked more closely at the amount of milk you listed at each of those feeds!
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Thanks for the advice ladies. I kind of got a bit ahead of myself and tried the three bottle thing yesterday and, in fact, it seemed to work out pretty well. I realised that I was actually limiting his milk intake on his 11am and 4pm feeds in order to get him to be more interested in solids (naughty mama!! >:() So I stopped doing that and he ended up taking 8.5oz upon waking, 6.5oz at 2pm before his nap, and another 6.5oz before bedtime. Plus he gets 1-2oz with his cereal in the morning, and at least one lot of dairy during the day (yoghurt, cheese, etc.) This means he's getting his milk quota, and I can tell you that he was a lot more interested in his solids too. So it looks like we should be okay.
BTW, Alison the moderator, I don't know if you remember me posting quite a few weeks ago about my LO not eating his veggies and me having to cheat and mix them heavily with fruit to get him to eat them?... Well, we both got horrendous headcolds about two weeks ago and, lo and behold, when Finlay recovered, he'd turned a new leaf and is now into all sorts of savoury delights!! Thanks for all your help and support.
Alison
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Way to go, Alison! I hope that this continues to work well for you!!!!
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Agill, I do remember :) - Eryn has yet another cold and is off her solid foods again too :( but she always makes up for it later! Glad that you have resolved both issues with relatively little effort!
Ax
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questions on feeding schedule:
my girl is on a pretty strict wake up and sleep schedule, since she goes to day care and we have to get up at a certain time every day. We generally do this:
6:00am wake up and 8oz of formula
8-9 or 9:30 nap
10- 2 oz of formula in oatmeal with 3 tbsp fruit then 4 oz bottle
12-2ish nap
2ish: 2 oz of formula in oatmeal or other cereal with 3 tbsp veggie then 4 oz bottle
5:30ish jar of baby meat or meat and pasta, 3 tbsp of fruit or veggie and baby cereals she can pick up and eat herself
6-6:30ish 8 oz bottle
7-7:30 bedtime
My question is should I start to transition her more to eating right after her bottle in the morning and get her closer to our schedule of breakfast and lunch supplement with snacks? She sometimes drinks out of a sippy cup, but we dont want to give her too much juice or water so she doesnt want her bottles. I'm nervous when it comes to anything that will disrupt her schedule, although her day care lady is very awesome and does a great job of keeping her on a good one.
Any help would be appreciated!
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trekkiesara,
how old is your lo? nearer 6 or 9 months?
Ax
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I suppose you dont just automatically know because I do. :-) She's a little over 9 months.
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Well, I always post by saying that a schedule is very individual and meets the needs of your family, so it's difficult to comment whether something is right or wrong...
Transition times are always a bit tricky, whether it's a timing change for naps or feeds, lengthening activity time or whatever, it takes a little while for you all to adapt to it, but as long as you're consistent, and prepared for a few rocky days/weeks, the new routine becomes 'normal' quite quickly, just avoid introducing too many new things at once!
I guess what you are aiming for is for your lo to eat with you as a family, at as many mealtimes as possible - this becomes easier as your lo eats fewer purees and more finger foods because it means you can eat your meals simultaneously, rather than yours going cold whilst you spoonfeed dd ;D. From about 10.5 months dd2's eating schedule looked like this:
6.30 bf
7.30 solid breakfast
10.30 EBM
nap
12.30 solid lunch
2.30 EBM
nap
4.30 solid tea
6.30 bf
and it hasn't changed much now. We all eat breakfast together at 7.30, and whoever is childminding has lunch with the girls at 12.30, and we try to have tea together at 4.30 too (although I don't always get home from work in time :'(). Perhaps the first thing to do would be to work out what you ultimately want her routine to look like and then make one change at a time? Just make sure that whatever you do doesn't significantly affect her milk intake, because it's still really, really important for her to have at least 20oz until 12 months!
Sorry this is a bit vague?
Ax
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That makes sense. Her doctor said as long as she gets 16-18 oz at least of formula she's good. Of course, she weighs 23 1/2 pounds, so she's a big girl. Although she's tall, so she doesnt look chunky, she's just healthy. :-)
We were going to try transitioning her over the weekend but we have a guest staying with us so I'm afraid that might be too much change for her. We'll have to see how it goes.
Thanks for the advise!
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Hi! DD is 7 months now and I have some questions about solids and her schedule. I'll give you a sch first!
7am: bf & ff 3 oz
8:30: 2-3 Tbsp cereal (oatmeal or barley) and one container of Stage 1 fruit
9-10: nap
11: bf & ff 4-5 oz
12:30: Stage 1 veggie (if I give her lunch, most days I do not)
1-2: nap
3:00: bf & ff 4-5 oz
4-4:45: nap
5:00: Dinner Stage 2 veggie and one container of Stage 1 fruit
6:30: 5 oz bottle
7:00: bed
First of all, is she eating the right amount of solids or is it too much/not enough? I have been limiting her intake, but she could definetly eat more if I let her. Do I? I've noticed a few things since adding solids. She takes her milk very very slowly now and sometimes won't finish the whole bottle. I bf and ff since my supply is low. Should she be eating something different at any of the meals? I notice that some people don't do fruit with dinner. I have no idea!
She is still waking at night (3am) and will bf and take 4 oz of formula. I did an experiment the other night and fed her a LOT during the day and she made it all night long! She got 3 full solid meals and plenty of milk.
BTW: she's not a big baby. Weighted just over 14lbs at her 6 month checkup. I'm guessing she's close to 15 by now. Our pedi wanted me to up her calories during the day with more milk and 3 solid feedings. I don't do 3 all the time cause I feel it's too much some days.
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Newmama12,
I think your query has been answered by myself and tylersmommy on your other thread here so won't repeat what it says :)
Ax
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Hello -
My twin boys just made the 3 to 2 nap switch and now I'm having problems fitting in all their bottles. I used to do a bottle upon waking plus a dreamfeed, which amounted to 5 bottles a day (approx. 34oz total). I also feed them solids in the morning and evening after their bottles. But now that we have lost a nap, I'm not sure if I should also drop a bottle? They seem to be taking in less milk and wanting more solids. Here is what we did today:
8am formula (8oz)
10am solids (approx. 1oz oatmeal and 2oz peaches)
12pm formula (8oz)
4pm formula (8oz but only drank about 5 each)
5:30pm solids (approx. 1oz rice cereal, 2oz sweet potatoes and 1oz applesauce)
6:15pm formula (8oz but only drank about 4 each)
10pm DF formula (4oz)
I'm trying to wean them off the dreamfeed by dropping an ounce every 5 days or so. We started at 7oz so we're making progress with no night wakings so far. They used to easily finish 4-8oz bottles when they were on 3 naps but they weren't taking in as much solids at that point. They are big boys. They're 6.5 mos old and at their 6 mos visit they were 19 and 20lbs. I'm wondering if I should drop the 4pm bottle, move the solids up to 4pm and then give them a full bottle before bedtime (6:30pm). I could also add in a third meal of solids at about 2pm. Can you give me some direction on this?
Thanks,
Lindsay
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I can not get my baby to eat for the life of me! ANyone have the problem of a baby just not wanting to drink very much? She is 7.5 mo, here is what our "routine" is, if you can call it that.
6:30am-nurses
8:00-cereal/fruit
9:00 nap--10:30
10:30--bottle offerred on waking, usually eats no more than 3oz if I'm lucky.
11:00--fruit
1:00 nap--2:00
2:00 bottle offerred, usuall yonly takes 3 oz. I have to fight her to get her to take that much!
sometimes cat naps between 4:30-5.
Offer bottle at 5, takes 2-3 oz
Dinner--veggies/fruit
offer bottle at bedtime 7:30, usually takes 3-4oz.
She wakes at least 2-3 times a night, has never slept through the night. We are SO tired. Help! We've recently stopped feeding her at night, still doesn't change her eating during the day. SHe is so stubborn. SHe doesn't complain or act hungry, either. I don't know if I should be concerned or not that she only takes maximum of 15-18 oz a day!
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Lindsay (& MoonMom),
Up to a year old, milk (breast or formula) is the most valuable source of nutrition for babies, however big they are, and however much they eat, so it is important that the milk/solid foods balance is weighted towards babymilk until at least 9-10 months old.
Curious babies might be more interested in the solid foods than the milk, perhaps they taste better than formula ;) but it is in their best interests for them to have more milk less solids. With a baby-led weaning (self-feeding) approach, a baby's natural developmental limitations paces how much solid food he actually swallows, however with spoon-feeding, we have the responsibility to do that for him.
This is why I suggest thinking of babymilk as the Eat in the EASY routine, and solid foods as an Activity, this takes the pressure off babies and parents for los to comsume any vast quantity of solid food, and ensures that the milk takes priority for nutrition.
So, in terms of routine (not sure where your naps fit in :-\):
8am formula
9am breakfast
nap
12noon formula
1pm (lunch) when you add it - no rush!
nap
4pm formula
5pm tea
6.30pm formula
Honestly, there is no rush to introduce larger or more frequent solid foods meals, nor to drop any milk feeds. Dd#2 still has 4 milk feeds a day and she's 18 months, it's the balance between milk and solid foods that has switched, milk is now a morning, snacktime and bedtime drink, solid foods are the meals. She was also still having a night feed until 13 months!
HTH a bit?
Ax
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Hello - Scarlett is 8 months old and here is her feeding (and sleeping) routine
7am - 8oz bottle
8am - breakfast. Alternate between weetabix and porridge, with banana or apple. Toast w/ butter.
10.00 - 3oz milk and nap (30-45 minutes)
12.30 - lunch - protein such as one-pot chicken, beef casserole, shepherds pie. Juice to drink.
2.00 - 4/6oz bottle of milk and nap (2 to 2.5 hours)
5.30 - tea (vegetarian) macaroni cheese or soup or lentils and veg, cheesy veggie bake, pasta bake etc. yoghurt for pudding.
7.15 bottle and bed at 7.30
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Im having trouble weaning my LO he is 6months 2weeks and he just wont open his mouth,he hated the baby rice, and is better with savoury but TBH he still wont open, I do aeroplanes etc and he lauh and giggles so im go stright in and his mouth is sealed shut again, i dont reemeber it being like this for my other two. any tips???
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Check out the FAQ on Spoon Refusal and Baby-led Weaning in the FAQ section of this forum - my dd2 did exactly the same thing, so I went with her 'whisperings' that she didn't wanna be spoon-fed, and it was bloomin' marvellous :) - if you do decide to go the BLW route (which I recommend, in my non-Mod capacity ;)), then there is a BLW Support thread (now in its 4th edition) and also a Finger Foods for Young Babies thread in the Recipes section to get you started - even if you are uncertain about the approach, read the last few pages of the support thread, and/or post your worries there, and folk will shower you with their success stories :) I'd certainly recommend it for a 2nd/3rd/4th child - is sooooooooo much easier when you've got your hands full with other things!
HTH?
Ax
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My lo just turned 9 months and here is our routine...
730am 5 oz bottle
830 breakfast - 3-4tbsp cereal mixted with formula and 2tbsp of fruit
1030 nap 1-1.5 hour
1130-12pm 4-5 oz bottle
1230-1pm lunch - usually yogurt,cheese,crackers,grapes(he loves grapes)with some bread and milk or juice in his sippy cup
330 4-5oz bottle then his nap...usually 1hour sometimes more but not often
430 supper - 2-3 tbsp veggies,a few bites of meat(hes not liking meat very well)pasta or casserole(whatever we are having) 2 tbsp of fruit and milk or juice from his sippy cup and sometimes a teething cookie
6pm bath and bedtime routine
630 bottle...this can be anywheres from 5-10 oz
bedtime by 7pm but occasionally he holds out until 730
He has never been a big milk drinker or eater.I struggle most days to get the recommended 20oz a day into him.Also hes not likeing meat so i am trying to find ways to get protien into him.
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DD2 is 6months tomorrow and she has been on solids for a month now and loves it:
7.30am - Wake Bottle 8ozs
8.15am - 3tbls cereal mixed with whole milk
9.30am - Sleep 1.5hrs
11.15am - Bottle 6ozs
12pm - 60g Tub of yoghurt
1.15pm - Sleep 2-2.5hrs
3.30pm - Bottle 6ozs
5.30pm - 1 ice cube vege and 1 of fruit
6.30pm - Bottle 8ozs and bed
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Vinayak is 8 months
7am - 8 oz bottle 5 tbls oatmeal
8:30am - 4 oz yogurt or breakfast babyfood
11am - 4 oz bottle
12:30pm - 4 oz fruit
3pm - 6 oz bottle
5:30pm - 4oz meat and veggie
7:30pm - 8 oz bottle 3 tbls cereal
I know it is early but we have been thinking about phasing out the 11am bottle.
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Just to advise that milk is the primary source of nutrition until 12 months old, solid food is just for the experience (learning what solid food is and what to do with it) until then, with the aim of introducing your lo to the kind of foods you will be expecting them to have in their diet as a toddler and beyond :) don't be in any rush to drop bottles, you really want your lo to continue to take their pre-solids quantity of milk until at least 9-10 months - you can find the rationale for this on the main board and in the FAQs :)
Ax
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After hours of scanning this site for answers, I hope I can finally help someone else. My DD turned 6 months yesterday. We began weaning at 5 months, starting with 1T of rice cereal at dinner. After about a week, she began taking 4T, so we added breakfast, and then a week later lunch. Solids happened to coincide with the end of night feedings (glorious) so she went from 5 bottles to 4. But we also went from 5 oz. to 6oz. Next week we are adding veggies at lunch! Here's the current schedule:
6:15 Bottle
8am Cereal
9-11am Nap
11am Bottle
12pm Cereal
1-3pm Nap
3pm Bottle
5pm Cereal
6:30 Bath
7pm Bottle & Bed
We have a 45 minute commute to and from daycare/work 4 days/week so the schedule is a bit forced in the early am and evening.
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We're keeping the 11am bottle. He goes through phases where he isn't as interested in that bottle and that is why we thought of dropping it.
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Hi all, DS (Zane) is now 7mths and at the mo are doing:
6am BF
10am BF
10.45 cereal
2pm BF
2.45 Veg & Fruit
4.30 BF (top up)
6.30 EBM 7oz
7.30 bed no DF
All is going well but the last 2 days at 7am he is getting upset, its on and off for an hr till he goes for a nap at 8am. Do you think i should be doing a breakfast also?
Kate x
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No reason you can't offer breakfast Kate, see what happens - if it affects milk intake, or doesn't solve the problem, then don't push it, but otherwise follow Zane's lead :)
Ax
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Ok here is ours at 8.5months:
7.30am - Bottle 8ozs
8.30am - Breakfast weetbix or oats mixed fruit and whole milk
11.45am/12pm - Lunch bread, cheese, fruit,tub of yoghurt
1/1.15pm - Bottle 6ozs
3.30pm - Snack plain biscuit/sultanas
5/5.30pm - Dinner 90% of the time she has what we have which includes 3 vege, almost always meat and either rice or pasta. Then custard or jelly for dessert. 3.5ozs milk in a straw cup.
6.30pm - Bottle 8ozs
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My lo is just shy of 9 months and we do the following:
6am - 7oz bottle
7am - Cereal/porridge breakfast
10am - water/juice from sippy and finger food snack (toast, cheese, veg batons, banana etc)
12.00am - 7oz bottle
12.15-12.30pm - Lunch, normally home made concoction followed by fruit pieces with yoghurt or fruit puree.
3pm - water/juice from sippy and finger food snack
5pm - Dinner, same kind of things as lunch was.
6-6.30pm - 7oz bottle
I was wondering if that looked ok? Just I sometimes find my lo is getting cranky as it gets towards 12 and I wondered if he was getting hungry faster than I normally feed him lunch? Or should his 12 bottle be earlier therefore further apart from his lunch? Now he's on this routine it seems we have to stop for food tons more times, a least before solids took hold it was just 4 bottles with bits of solids 4times a day now its 8!
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Hi Ladies
DD is 8.5 month old and getting her hands on solids. Please let me know your suggestions on her routine. She still wakes up at least once every night.
7:00 am Bottle – 3-4 oz.
8:30 am – Breakfast
10:00–11:30 – nap
12:00 – Lunch
2:00 Bottle before nap
2:00–3:30 nap
4:30 – Dinner
7:00 bottle and bed (She refuses bottle this time and than wakes up middle of night hungry)
When should I give Solid before bottle?
TIA
M
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Hello ConfusedMom,
I wonder if your lo isn't getting enough milk :-\ seems like she's only having 3 daytime milk feeds and refusing one of those, when really babymilk should be her primary source of nutrition until 12 months, with a minimum of 20oz per day. An alternative routine might look something like this:
7am bottle 6oz
7.30am breakfast
nap
11.30 bottle 6oz
12.30 lunch
nap
3.30 bottle 6oz
4.30 tea
7pm bottle 6oz
this would ensure that she gets sufficient milk in the day, may reduce nightwakings from hunger, and would preserve the EAS cycle! It might involve dd reducing her solid intake a bit, but this is positive if the solid foods have replaced milk and she's getting insufficient fats and calories from her milk in the day. I wouldn't put solid foods before milk for quite sometime yet to ensure that her milk intake remains high.
Ax
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I think that with dropping the bf, df, you could try a couple of routes. You could cut back on the time they feed for, in minutes every few nights (so long as they aren't the type to wake and get upset if you cut them off too soon), then they would probably make up for the extra calories in the feeds they take through the day or you may notice them taking more oz from the bottles. I weaned from a formula bottle for the df but all bfs through the day this way with my first son. He took an 8 oz df bottle (he was a big boy!) so for the first 4 oz, I took one away every 3 days and then added 1 oz of formula to his food for each of those 4 oz I took away - I mixed it into things like his cereal or took an oz and divided it between a whole meal of fruits/vegs so it didn't water things down much. Once I got to 4oz added through the day, I slowly started to take 1 oz away from his daytime food at a time and he slowly made up for it through his other feeds, I'm assuming, as it never did disrupt his sleep with hunger. I continued to reduce the df bottle by 1 oz until we got to 2 oz and that's where I stopped. I didn't do this until he was about 8.5 months and the whole process took about 2-3 weeks.
Nate is just over 6 months and a bigger boy, too - weighed in at 18lbs a week before he turned 6 months so we started him on cereal at about 5 months very slowly and he's had a 2 fruits and 2 veggies introduced since then, plus oatmeal.
8am wake - bf
845am - solids - 1tbsp rice/1 tbsp oatmeal mixed (can't get him to eat oatmeal straight yet!) and 1 tbsp fruit
10-12 nap
12 bf
1245 - solids - 1-2tbsp veggies, 1 tbsp fruit
230-430 or 500 - nap
500 bf
530 solids same as breakfast
700 bath and bed routine
730 bedtime
asleep by 8.
He goes in cycles of a week or so at a time waking up at 8am and then switches to 7am so we just bump his routine back an hour (ie. bed by 7:15ish) on those days and go with the flow as long as we stick to EASY through the day.
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We usually suggest that you maintain your lo's babymilk intake at it's pre-solids quantity until at least 9 months old, because milk is the superfood until 12 months, with solid foods just supplementing nutrients, not replacing them, so don't rush to drop any milkfeeds, or replace milk with solid food - it just doesn't satisfy them in terms of growth or hunger.
Ax
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So at 9.5months we have just successfully got DD2 having breakfast before bottle and we are slowly weining bottle and giving milk in a cup with breakfast and dinner:
7.30am – Get her up
7.30am – Breakfast Oats/Weetbix&Fruit&toast, 2-4ozs milk in a cup
9am - Bottle 6ozs
10am – 11am - Sleep
12.00pm –Sandwich, cheese and Yoghurt
1.15pm - Milk 6ozs
1.30 – 4pm – Sleep
4pm – Snack Biscuit/Saltanas/Fruit
5.30pm - Dinner generally what we have which consists of 3vege/meat and either pasta or rice & 2-4ozs milk in a cup
then Jelly/Custard for dessert
6pm – Bath
6.30pm – Bottle 6ozs
7-7.30pm –Brush teeth, Story then Bed
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Hi Natasha! and ladies:
Here is our sch. at 7months..from reading back a few pages i am wondering if i am i feeding her too much solids and not enough milk? She is soo not interested in BF but will take 1 NW BF and EW...but then not too much for 7am BF...or any other feeds during the day so i have switched those to FF.
7am BF if she will
8am Breakie - 1oz Rice cereal w/ h20, whole jar of 1st stage fruit, if she wants milk 1-2oz FF in sippy cup
9.30 nap 1.5hr
11am 4oz bottle (tried 5oz didn't finish last 1oz)
11.30/12 lunch - 1oz rice cereal, whole jar of 2nd stage veg
1.30 nap 1.5hr
3pm 5oz bottle
5.30-6.00 nap 30m
6pm Dinner - 1oz rice cereal, whole jar of 2nd stage veg followed by 5oz bottle which she finishes before BT.
7/7.30 BT
10pm 5-6oz xbm
was STTN...past month NW - finally down to 1NW BF appx 3-5am.
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ok, so after reading and taking notes from EVERYONE who wrote here, i'm kind of starting to understand why my baby has sleeping problems and still feeds at night (though only once, but its still very annoying). he does sometimes eat nice portions of solids, but still probably not enough... tell me what you think.
he's 3 days shy of 5 months... wow, i can't believe it! :)
5-7am would usually cry and sleep on and off. he's addicted to his paci, but this is the time he would need it most
7am BF
8/8:30 nap between 30min to (finally today) 2hours, yey
10:30ish fruit
12ish nap between 30min to 1hour, 1.5hours if i'm really lucky
2ish BF
3:30/4:00 nap... same deal as before
5ish Veggies
6:30 bath, quiet time
7ish BF
7:30ish sleep
10:30/11:00 dream feed
between 2:30 and 4:00am wakes up for feed
am i not feeding my baby enough???
HELP. now i feel like a horrible mother!
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It is not uncommon for a baby to still have 1 night feed especially if Brestfeeding. From looking at your routine your LO is only having 4 BF INCLUDING a DF. You would be looking at having 5 feeds including a DF so:
7am - BF
9am - Nap
11am - BF
12pm - Lunch
1pm - Sleep
3pm - BF
4.30pm - Catnap
5.15pm - Dinner
6pm - Bath
6.30pm - BF
7pm - Bed
10.30pm - DF
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here is our routine at 8m 3 wks (now that she has dropped the catnap):
7am BF
8am Solids of cereal w/ whole milk and finger food fruit
10-11.15 nap1
11.30 6oz FF
12.30 solids of bread, yogurt or protien, finger food fruit/veg
2.00/2.15- nap 2 (usually 2hr sometimes 2.5hr)
4/4.30pm 6oz FF (or upon waking)
6pm solids of finger food fruit, veg and 2oz veg
7.00/7.30pm 6oz bottle and BT
just weaned her off the DF and doing well :-)
I am wondering if i should move her 5pm bottle to before nap since she take a nice long nap (i love this long nap) and this seems like a lot of food in a short period of time? But she doesn't seem to be complaining?
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DS's feeding routine at 8 months...
7 am wake and bf
8:30 breakfast: oatmeal (approx. 2-3 T) & fruit (2 cubes*)
11:30 bf
12:30 lunch: meat (1 cube), veg (1 cube) & bread/biscuit...
4 pm bf
5:15 dinner: rice (approx 2-3 T) & veggies (2 cubes)
7 pm bf and bed
(*1 cube= 2-3 T, I think- I make them in ice cube trays)
We dropped the dream feed less than a month ago and just bumped up to three meals a day.
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Hello
Well my DD is 7 months old and we started solids at 6 months (she wieghed just shy of 14 lbs) - she was exclusively BF but now gets EBM in bottles while I am out at work
Her routine now is
7 ish - up and BF
8is - down for a nap (either 45 min or 1.5 hours!)
930ish - solids - ~2 tbsp cereal 2-3tbsp fruit (maybe 1 oz ebm)
1100 - nap
1300 - EBM ~4-5 oz
1700 - solids - 2 tbsp ceral 2-3 tbsp veg
1800 - bf
1930 - bf
2000 - bath and bedtime routine and bf
since solids and starting other programs it seems like easy has gone out the window - plus it has been difficult transitioning to bottle during the day (even if I am home I have to resist BF so she will take her bottle) - the times above are just estimates - for the past week she has only been napping for the 45 minutes but wants to do this within an hour of getting up - and on days when we have programs (mon/thurs and sat) she usually takes a 2-3 hour nap when we get home but is too tire to eat (usually only takes 1-2 oz but then takes 5 oz after her nap ....AAAAH - so so hard as I have to have some sort of idea of what to tell our nanny to do while I am gone...
is she getting enough milk?
am I giving too much solids?
when should I start solids in the middle of the day?
any help/advice/thoughts etc is much appreciated
Thanks guys!
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My son is 8 mos old:
7 AM - 8 oz formula with 4 Tbsp rice cereal (fed by bottle with Y-cut nipple)
9-11 AM - nap
11 AM - (8 oz same formula mix) plus spoon feed 2nd stage fruit baby food
1-3 PM - nap
3 PM - (6 oz same formula mix) no baby food
5-7 PM - nap
7 PM - (8 oz same formula mix) plus spoon feed 2nd stage veggie baby food (just starting to work in meats)
8 PM - bed
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Hi Everyone...i'm new to this site and have enjoyed reading everyones feeding schedules. Some are similar to my Greyson's. The only major difference that i see is how late he is going to bed.
Greyson is one week shy of 6 months (19 lbs. 5 oz.) and this is his schedule.
8/830am - WAKE UP
9am - 2-3 tbsp. of cereal (rice/oatmeal) mixed with formula and 1-2 Tbsp. of fruit
930/10am - 6 oz. bottle
1030-1130/12 noon (approx.) - NAP
12 pm - 4-5 Tbsp. total of (2) Different Veggies and 1-2 Tbsp. of fruit. Water from sippy cup
1230/1 pm - 6 oz. bottle
130-230/3 (approx.) - NAP
4pm - 4-5 Tbsp. of (2) different veggies and 1-3 Tbsp. of fruit. Water from sippy cup
5pm - 6 oz. bottle
530 - 630/7pm - NAP
730pm - 2-3 Tbsp. cereal mixed with formula and 1-2 Tbsp. of fruit
8pm - Bath and Massage
830/9pm - 6-8 oz. bottle
9/930pm - BEDTIME :-*
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Hey all....mine is as follows...My lo is almost 6 months...He now loves his solids and maybe next week am going to start him on having tea but to be honest, teatime is not a great time with him, he's always been a real grump at this time and has been since day one (scary!!) :o
He can sometimes wake at the minute at 4.30-5.00am ish and I'm presuming it's hunger 9famous growth spurt I keep reading about??) as he'll drink 160/180lms and go straight back to sleep. I treat all feeds before 6am as a night feed. HTH!!
7amish bottle 210 mls
8am ish solid
8.30-9.00 sleep for 1-1.5 hours
11am bottle 210 mls
12pm solid
12.30ish sleep for 1-1.5 hours
3pm bottle 210 mls
4pmish nap for 45 mins-1 hour
6.30 bath
7.00pm bottle 230-260 mls
10.30 dream feed 90-150mls
Most days the DF drops to 110, maybe 90, but if he has not eaten well through the day he will take 150.
Anyone up to this point with their 6 month old???
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Hello Mums!
I've been cruising replies to see if I can find some ideas for my DS: He's almost 8 months, and here's his schedule:
7:00 - wakes up hungry, but will only BF for 5-10 mins
8:15 - solids: mixed cereal & fruit (about 5 tbsp total)
9:30 - now he's hungry, so I end up BF again (full 15-20 min feeding)
**last 5 days has dropped his morning nap!
12:00 - solids: meat or alternative protein & veg
1:00 - BF (full feeding) then struggle to wake him enough so I'm not feeding-to-sleep!
2:00 - nap anywhere from 1-2 1/2 hrs
4:00 - BF (usually only part feeding if he's just woken up)
5:30 - solids: cereal, fruit & sometimes veg (about 5 tbsp)
7:00 BF (full feeding)
7:30 bed & sleeps well all night
I can't seem to get a full BF into him unless he's a bit sleepy. When he first wakes up (morning or after a nap) he's so ready to go that after the first hunger pangs are gone he's off & running. The late 9:30 feeding pushes everything else off, and makes for a lot of inconsistencies in our routine.
I haven't tried giving him solids first thing in the morning instead of BF - wondering if this would be helpful at this stage?
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Hi all,
My ds is 9 months old and this is his routine. We've only just gone cold turkey and kicked the night feeds.
7.00 - BF
8.30 - Breakfast - Fruit with cereal and whole milk, water from cup.
9.00 / 9.30 - Sleep for 45mins to 1 hour.
11.00 - BF (small).
12.00 - Lunch - A few finger foods to start (fruit & vege), then some meat and / or vege puree / mash, water from cup. The whole process can take almost an hour (same at dinner).
12.30 / 13.00 - Sleep for 2 hours.
14.30 / 15.00 - BF (small).
17.00 - Dinner - Finger foods, then some meat and / or vege puree / mash, yoghurt for dessert, water from cup. As per lunch, this can take almost an hour.
18.00 - Bedtime routine
18.30 - BF
19.00 - Bed
I'm now considering dropping the 11.00 BF for a morning snack, however, ds likes his BF and as we've just dropped the night feeds I am going to wait a while before making further changes.
pb
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Hi
This is my routine for my 7 1/2 month LO. we have been onthis for about a month now and it is proving sucessful:
7.30 am - wake and 180ml formula
8.30 am - porridge and fruit
9.30 am - nap - 30 mins
11.00 am - 120 ml formula
12.00 - lunch - veggies followed by yogurt or fruit
12.20 pm - nap - 1 1/2 hours
3.00 pm - 150 ml formula
4.30 pm - nap - 30 mins (although some days he goes without this one now)
5.00 pm - tea - meat or fish with veggies, followed by fruit or rice cakes
7.15 pm - 240ml formula
7.30 pm - bed
He has been on this napping routine since 4 months and the solids have fitted into it really well.
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Hi everyone, we have 2 different routines. One for days at home and one for days at nursery (3 days per week). My son is 8mo today but has always been above average height and weight.
HOME ROUTINE
7.30am - 9oz Follow on Milk
8.30am - Baby Porridge
10am - Nap for 1 hour
12noon - Lunch, baby pasta with sauce and veg or 1 jar of organic baby food. Then a yogurt or fromage frais.
2pm - Snack, biscuit or fruit or croissant etc.
2.30pm - Nap for 1 hour.
4pm - Dinner, baby pasta with sauce and veg or 1 jar of organic baby food. Then a yogurt or fromage frais.
7pm - 9oz Night time milk then bed.
NURSERY ROUTINE
7.30am - 9oz Follow on Milk
9.15am - snack, toast or cereal or croissant plus fruit.
10.30am - nap for 45 mins
12noon - lunch, pasta with sauce or risotto with veg and then pudding, yoghurt or rice pudding.
2pm - nap for 45 mins
4pm - Dinner, baby pasta with sauce and veg or 1 jar of organic baby food. Then a yogurt or fromage frais.
6.30pm - 9oz night time milk then bed.
Both these routines are working really well for us and since he started nursery, we have adjusted his daily routine to suit his day at nursery.
kelly. xx
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6.5 month old
7:30am bf 6oz
1130 am cereal 2-3tbsp with 1/2 jar fruit and few sips of formula or water
3 pm snack real fruit, mum mum, or pickle in those net thingy's
430 pm 1/2-1 jar of meat/veggie and 1/2 jar fruit and few sips of formula or water
6 pm snack - same as above
730pm bf 6-8oz
I don't think he's getting enough formula?????? He has been sleeping throught he night from 7:30-8pm till 7:30-8am since he was 2.5 months old (no df) But since I started giving more solids in the last 2-3 weeks he has started waking up between 330 and 430 am and will drink a 6oz bottle - not every night thank goodness. I'm not sure if maybe its a grouth spurt or he's not getting enough during the day but I have tried giving him more and he doesn't want it.
Any suggestions??
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9 month old today!
7:00am 7oz formula
8:30am breakfast: 4 tbls cereal and fruit
11:30am 1/2 banana, few chunks bread, and 4oz yogurt
1:30pm 6oz formula
4:00pm snack: crackers and water
6:00pm dinner: chicken chunks, 4oz pureed vegetable
7:15pm 7oz formula
This is pretty solid except for a variety of solid foods at each meal but the amounts are pretty consistent.
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DD will be 8 months old in 2 weeks :) This is our newest schedual:
Somewhere between 7-7:30 Cereal with fruit
9: 8 ounce bottle
Somewhere between 12-12:30 Veggie and Fruit
1: 8ounce Bottle
4: Snack fruit/ cherrios/ puffs
5:30- Dinner (Veggie and Fruit) and desert (either puffs or a teething cookie so she sits while we eat
7 8 ounce Bottle
I have just started this routine today the only change really is that her after noon snack use to be a bottle (all her bottles use to be 6 ounce bottles instead of 8 ounces) Her pediatrician wants her only on 3 bottles (24 ounce) daily as she is a rather large little girl (20 pounds at her 6 month check up we go next week to see how big we are now.) She has been sleeping from 7:15 to 7:15 am usually resettling herself (occasionally I need to get up and help her) so we shall see how this works :)
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Hi there, Im just contemplating starting solids with my DD who is just over 5 months. She is a big girl....20lbs (at least) and is very very interested in food. Since she is on the bigger side....Im wondering if it is too young to start? anyone?
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Hi there! My son is 6 1/2 months old and this is his routine.....
7:30-8:00 1 tbsp of cereal and 6oz bottle
12:30-1:00 6 oz bottle
5:30-6:00 1 tbsp of cereal, 1 tbsp of veggies and 6 oz bottle
10:30-11:00 dream feed 6oz
After having read everyone's routine I think I may not give him the bottle and the solids at the same time....
At six months he weighed 18lbs and 10oz (birth weight 6lbs 8 oz) My doctor told me not to increase the amount of solids.....
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Hi all
I started weaning my DS when he was 5 months , he is now 6 months and 3 weeks old today. I need help to see how I can alter my routine b/c he doesn't seem to be taking enough milk. I am BFing, so I don't know what his daily intake is. He sleeps usually from 07.00/07.30 and wakes majority of the time at 05.00-05.30am, he can sometimes go til 06.00 (I've tried to get advice on his early waking on the EW forum). There have been occasions where he wakes between 1 and 2am
I have a DS already and I have to take him to school in the morning at 8am and I pick him up from school at 15.30. It is roughly a 1-1.5 hours round journey from leaving the house and getting back.
Routine is as follows:
05.15/06.00: Wake up and start the day by getting a wash and getting changed.
(E) 07.00/07.15-7.25/7.35: BF (can vary in time, from 3-5mins per side to 5-7 mins per side, totalling b/w 8-12 mins)
07:30 (depends when he finishes BF): 1.5oz of EBM with 4-6tsp of porridge + 20 mls water
(A) walker/door bouncer
(S) 08.10: b/w 30mins - 2hrs sleep (this depends on whether he slept in the car journey to drop DS1 off or if its school hols and can sleep in cot)
(A) 9.30/10.30: Awake and will play on his mat or go in his walker
(E) 11.00/11.15: 1 cube meat, 1 cube carb, 3 cube veg (tried fruit but is not keen) 20-30mls of water and give sippy cup so that he can hold it.
(A) walker/playmat/sing song
(S) 12.10/12.30-14.00/14.30: (if I'm lucky!)
(E) 15.00/15.10: BF (I introduced dinner four days ago after this BF but then decided to give solids later)
(A) as above
(S) Possibly no nap, depends if it's a school day, if so then he will nap in the car from 15.45-16.30. If at home he may nap 16.00-16.45
(E) 16.30: Solids - 1 cube of veg and 1 cube of carb with 20mls of water (but going to give veg only)
(A) 17.45/18.00: He has a bath and starts his wind down routine. He has eczema so I have to apply emolients and steroid creams so this takes almost an hour as I have to wait for creams to absorb before applying the next set of creams.
(E) 18.45/19.10: BF
(S) 19.25/19.40: depends if he's fallen asleep on the breast or if he's gone down awake.
I forgot to mention that I tried giving him extra veg at his lunch time feed but he just doesn't seem interested any more. He started off quite enjoying solids!
Any help/advice is much appreciated.
Mary
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Hi there, Im just contemplating starting solids with my DD who is just over 5 months. She is a big girl....20lbs (at least) and is very very interested in food. Since she is on the bigger side....Im wondering if it is too young to start? anyone?
It probably depends on a couple of things- I know there's a link on here somewhere but I don't know how to post them. Is she wanting to eat more frequently? Is she starting to wake up more during the night and it's a hungry wake up? Can she sit on her own? Does she push a spoon back out of her mouth with her tongue (a reflex that goes away around 5-6 months)? Has she started showing a lot of interest in people's food?
There are a lot of thoughts on this subject and it totally depends on who you talk to and where people are from. I know that here in Quebec it is strongly recommended that solids not be started until 6 months. That being said, I started 2 weeks early and your LO is way bigger than mine (6 months 1 week and just hit the 15 and half lb mark!) Can you talk to your ped about it? If not, I'd say it's your call. Good luck!
He started off quite enjoying solids!
My LO too! Then on Saturday I introduced lunch with a new veg and he got really upset so I dropped it but he's been 'off' the past two days at breakfast and dinner for pretty much everything!! Sits and whines but is happy with his sippy cup of water! Today I found a dirty bum and am wondering if he did it right before dinner and didn't want to sit in it... don't want to turn him off of food though!! Anyone have something similar and it turned out bad? Should I just take him out of the booster and call it a meal if he does this (has been from the moment I put him in the booster but he has been eating- just takes along time and I'm not sure what he wants!)?
6:30am- BF
7:30am- solids: cereal and fruit about 4 tbsp total
11am- BF
3pm- BF
4:30pm- solids: veggies (2 kinds), cereal and fruit about 4 tbsp total
We started 2.5 weeks ago. DS is 6 months 1 week old.
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Thanks Whatbit!
We've been on solids for about 2 weeks now- and she's doing great. It has helped with night wakings as well--she wakes a bit earlier than Id like, but I can't complain about 11-11.5 hours of sleep!
We feed 1 hour after her morning bottle and right after her cat nap ie. 4-5pm.
Also, no more issues with BM's!!!
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Glad to hear! Hope it continues!! Yay!- 11.5 hours is so good!
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Just wanted to know if anyone could offer some advice for me. Currently my 8 mo. son's schedule is this...
6:00- Wake
6:30- Bottle
7:30- Breakfast
9:30-11:30 NAP
11:30- Bottle
12:00- Lunch
2:30-4:00- NAP
4:00- Bottle
5:00- Dinner (this could be as late or as early as 4/6:30 for the reasons below)
7:15- Bottle (always refused)
7:30- BED
10:00 - DF
My little guy is a great eater, but the last few weeks, NO MATTER what I do he will not take a bottle before bed. He takes the other 3 great, but it has to be atleast 4 hours between when he last ate anything for him to take a bottle. As his awake time is 3.5 at the most, there is no way to get a bottle, dinner, and then another bottle in him before bed. I have tried just dropping it and giving him dinner later to see if he can make it until morning, but more often then not he is up hungry at 5/5:30. I have just restorted to reinstating the dream feed, which usually gives us a nice not hungry wake up in the morning. I am not sure how long I should be giving him a dreamfeed though. Any ideas?
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My son is 7 months tomorrow!! yaaayyy.....
Schedule is as follows:
6:30am 6 oz bottle
10:30 3 oz milk, oatmeal, and jar of fruit
1:00 8 oz bottle
4:30-ish 3 oz milk, cereal, and jar of vegetables
8:00 8 oz bottle and he's out for the night!!
Seems to be working just fine although it seems like more food than other babies' tend to be eating on the forum?
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I don't DF, but I know a number of people I've talked to have been starting to drop the DF around 7 months or so. Maybe you could check out the birth club for 7-9 month olds and see if the moms there have any advice for you, CharlieS? It's in the EASY section.
Raquelatx, if it's working... :)
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Hi everyone!
My lo is 7 months 1 week and here is our feeding schedule:
I would like some feedback to make sure I'm not feeding too much solid
7AM wake and bf
9AM - solids oatmeal with apple, and prune and or pear (6 tbsp)
9:30AM - Nap
12PM - bf
2PM - solids usually 5 TBSP mixed veggie sometimes some fruit and or yogurt as well
3PM - nap
4:30PM - bf
6PM dinner ( meat and veggie and either yogurt or fruit for dessert) 6TBPS total sometimes less depends/
7:30PM - bf and bed as;eep by 8pm
I usually always bf before solids once and a while I bf her before her afternoon nap and then give solids after nap and bf before bed but she still gets 4 bf sessions in the day. I usually feed her solids until she doesn't want anymore.
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Hi Erica... your schedule is very silimar to mine and my DS is 7 months old as well. He eats about 6Tbsp a 'meal' or so and BF 4x/day. I was told that as long as they're still BFing a good amount (can't know quantity, but you know a good BF from a distracted or short one) then 4x/day is good until about 10 months old- someone correct me if I'm wrong- and at that point in time you can start going down to 3...
6am- BF
7:30am- solids (oatmeal mixed with fruit)
10am- BF
12- solids (meat, veggie(2 kinds) and fruit)
2pm- BF
4pm- solids (barley or rice, veggie (2 kinds) and fruit)
6pm- BF and bed
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MY DD is 6 months 2 weeks..and a few days--currently I do this:
7am 6oz bottle
8am fruit and cereal
11 5oz bottle
3 6oz bottle
4/430 fruit/veggie
630 6 oz bottle and bed.
Im wondering when to start a midday feed??? Any signs I should be looking for? sometimes she has a hard time making it to the 4 hour mark for her afternoon bottle..
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I started the mid-day meal when DS couldn't do the 4 hours anymore (aroudn the same age as your LO). I started with more of a snack (just fruit for ex.) and then moved onto fruit and veg and then added meat after a few days.
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Alright, I'll add some fruit midday and see if that helps--thank you!
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My son is 6 1/2 months old. I too have been wondering if I give him too much solid food but here we go:
6:30-7 am wake and BF
8:30-9- stage 1 veggie mixed with oatmeal
11 am - wake from nap and bf
12:30 - lunch - 6 tbsp of oatmeal
2:30-3 - wake from nap and bf
5 pm - dinner - 6 tbsp of oatmeal
6:30 - bf and bed
10:30 - DF
I am still introducing veggies but will start giving them during the day instead of just in the morning. I will also stop the DF soon. I just don't know if that's too much solid food but he downs it all so fast... so then I wonder if I am giving him enough! I will probably go up to Stage 2 food and see how he does. This boy is just love to eat!
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Hi Lyssabz. A couple of posts back EricaM31 asked pretty much the same question... here's my reply:
H
6pm- BF and bedHi Erica... your schedule is very silimar to mine and my DS is 7 months old as well. He eats about 6Tbsp a 'meal' or so and BF 4x/day. I was told that as long as they're still BFing a good amount (can't know quantity, but you know a good BF from a distracted or short one) then 4x/day is good until about 10 months old- someone correct me if I'm wrong- and at that point in time you can start going down to 3...
6am- BF
7:30am- solids (oatmeal mixed with fruit)
10am- BF
12- solids (meat, veggie(2 kinds) and fruit)
2pm- BF
4pm- solids (barley or rice, veggie (2 kinds) and fruit)
6pm- BF and bed
You can also check with your Dr, of course :) Is your DS eating the whole jar of food? Hungry little guy! Just make sure that he's still taking full BFs. You're right about working on dropping the DF... doesn't really need it anymore because he's getting so many calories during the day. I make my own food but have bought a few jars to have on hand and the stage 2 are the same size at the stage 1, right (no sure where you are located and how they might be different aroudn the world)? It's the thickness of the puree that's the difference. If it's the size, I would stick with the stage 1 for now.
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My son is 6 1/2 months old. I have also been wondering if I give him too much solid food but here we go.
Here is his routine:
Wake: 7:00
BF 7:10 x 10 min
8:10 2 tbsp cereal in 1.25 oz BM, Stage 1 jar of fruit
BF: 11:30 x 12 min
12:30: 2 tbsp cereal in 1.25 oz BM, Stage 1 jar of fruit, Stage 1 jar of veggie
BF: 3:30 x 10 min
5:30: 2 tbsp cereal in 1.25 oz BM, Stage 1 jar of fruit, Stage 1 jar of veggie, plain yogurt mixed w/fruit
BF 6:45 x 12
Bed: 7
BF: 2:00
He finishes everything! But hasn't gone up in his weight percentile...Pedi. says he has a good metabolism...wish I did!
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Wow! That is a lot of food! He might be getting longer rather than heavier right now... mine seems to do that :) I've read that a lot of kids have a really big appetite while they're going through growth spurts (obviously) and developmental growth stages but it can taper off, so keep watching your LOs signs for fullness. At some point in time the appetite will go down and it's not a problem or a bad thing... just means that a developmental or growth plateau has been reached.
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OMG! I only wish my son ate that much ever! I'm curious too whether he is getting taller/longer.
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He is taller than heavy, but my guess is that this LO is in CONSTANT motion!! We had a super long day and when I picked him up out of his carseat he actually stayed asleep. My husband and I both had to take a long look at him sleeping on my shoulder because this is something we only get to see in other peoples babies!
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My husband and I both had to take a long look at him sleeping on my shoulder because this is something we only get to see in other peoples babies!
LOL!
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I'm wondering if anyone can give me feedback on introducing solids. My DS just turned 5 months old and weighs 16.5 pounds. He's a big boy who is progressing very strongly (flipped tummy to back at 5.5 weeks; flipped back to tummy at 4.5 months; is almost sitting up on his own, very strong little boy). So, the pediatrician told me to start feeding him solids -- 4 Tb rice cereal for 2 weeks (2 T during 2 different feedings during the day). Then for the next 2 weeks, barley. Then 2 weeks after that, oat. Right now we're on barley. Here's what I've been doing for the past 2.5 weeks:
7am BF
11am 2T barley & BF
3pm BF
6pm 2T barley & BF
10:30pm BF
I have a couple of questions:
1) Should I be feeding him solids at 7 and 3, instead of 11 and 6? Are there pros/cons/repercussions I should know about, or is it really no big deal?
2) Do you think it's a problem that he's eating at 6 when he wakes up from his catnap? I found that I have to get him to bed by 7/7:15 at the latest or he wakes up earlier than 7am, which causes us problems. So our routine is wake at 6pm from catnap, eat dinner, small activity (sometimes it's a bath), then wind down for bed at 7. He has no problem going until 10:30pm for his DF. Thoughts?
3) When I started introducing barley, I gave DS 1T rice and 1T barley. But I keep the two separate. Is it OK to mix them? Better to keep them separate?
Any thoughts/opinions are greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!!
Heather
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When my DS was that age we did lunch only. Followed by lunch and dinner a month later. Then added breakfast to it. Not sure it really matters. Is he eating alright? Still taking adequate amount of milk {you know nursing as long and as often}. At this age milk is still very important.
Also, don't see why giving cereal before bed would be a problem. Unless you find him more fussy after or closer to bed. Like I said I did lunch and dinner and he was just fine. But thats just my experience.
Since he has had both and no reaction I think it should be alright to mix them.
You are soooo lucky to have a baby that eats. DS was such a hard baby to get to eat much of anything except fruit.
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I agree with MeandVee- watch out that the milk intake isn't being affected since you're BF and feeding solids at the same time. Do you BF first and then do the solids? That would be my suggestion or BF and then give the solids 30+ minutes later or so. Our routine looks something like this, for example (DS is 7.5 months):
6:00am- BF
7:00am- solids (cereal and fruit)
10:30-BF
12:00- solids (meat or fish, fruit and veggies)
2:30- BF
4:30- solids (cereal, fruit and veggies)
6:00- BF
Also, don't see why giving cereal before bed would be a problem. Unless you find him more fussy after or closer to bed.
I agree. Once you add other foods, it might be a good idea to split it up so that his tummy isn't so full before bed because that's harder on the digestive system. I also found that DS would throw up if during his bath if it was too close to dinner, but every LO is so different!! It's really your call as long as the milk is still the main food, you can do what works for you.
I didn't mix cereals at the beginning but I would give oatmeal one meal and then rice another and then barley another, just to mix things up for him. Now I buy a mixed cereal as well. Ther's no reason why you can't mix them once they've been introduced and your LO is fine with them. Sometimes the consistency can get a bit strange when I've done it- I think the rice congeals funny sometimes.
Good luck with everything!!
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Thanks for your input ladies!
When we started out, I BF first then did solids. That was at the 6pm feeding (in hindsight, not smart because had he had a reaction, I wouldn't have known, so I since know better to introduce the new food in the morning). But when I did that, DS was awake every hour until is DF. So I thought by BF first, I was not giving him enough opportunity to eat how much he wanted? The next day, I switched to solids first then BF and he didn't have any wakings. So, I've been doing solids then BF. I fear, too, that if I break it up to much, I might create a snacker. Should I be worried about that?
He hasn't been any more fussy before bedtime than he normally is. We've been doing PU/PD to get him off his pacifier for the last week and have been very successful (he was becoming so dependent on it during his naps, that he would wake every 20/30 min, crying for it), but now whenever I put him to bed (nap or bedtime) we get 5 minutes into the routine and he's pushing me away, fussing, like "OK. I get it. Bed. Put me in it and leave me alone." So I do and he's fine. But it's the same fussiness regardless of whether or not he had just been fed the solids.
The last couple of days I've been having trouble with my milk. Or at least I think DS thinks so. I've been feeding him the cereal then nursing right after. At every nursing opportunity he gets very upset and I'm trying to figure out why. It used to be that he would pull off with this sweet content little smile like "ahh, thanks Mommy." But now not so much and I can't figure out what's going on. I wonder if it's related to the solids -- We BF lying down. He pulls off and rolls from his side onto his back, flailing his arms, kicking his legs and "grrrrrr...rrrrr'ing" like he's VERY frustrated and upset. He rolls back, relatches himself, then does it all over again. Over and over. I finally switch sides and he seems ok for literally two minutes, then he starts up on that side too. I try to express some to see if there's any in there -- sometimes I get a squirt, sometimes I get a leak, sometimes I get nothing. So I'm having trouble figuring out what's going on there. When I literally have nothing coming out when I express, or he keeps pulling off over and over, I'll give up and he's lying there kicking and flailing and crying. I just don't know what is going on with that at all. Any ideas?
Also interesting, and I don't know if it's related, but in the last two days, for all four feedings, he starts fussing and getting upset when I put him in his highchair, crying when I strap him in. I gave him a spoon to play with tonight and he was ok, but if I take a minute to put his bib on, he gets upset all over again. What's going on? He used to be totally fine. I don't get it.
Any ideas or insight would be so greatly appreciated! I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong and inadvertently messing up my milk supply (which would absolutely devastate me...) or what.
Thanks ladies!!!
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Hi ladies! I've been reading this board for months and it is so helpful, but this is my first post. My little boy Ben is just over 5 months old, over 17lb, big boy! He was starting to wake up again at night to eat, so we decided to start him on some solids. He loves them!! You would never guess he's only been eating them for less than a week. But he's still waking up at night, sometimes twice. I'll tell you our typical day, and if there's any advice you can give me, I would really appreciate it! This is how our day went yesterday...
7am nurse
8:30am 2 tbsp rice cereal w/1 oz formula
9-11 nap
11 nurse
12:30 2 tbsp rice cereal w/1 oz formula
1-2:30pm nap
3pm nurse (not too enthusiastic, going to offer cereal today at 12 instead of 12:30)
5-5:30pm catnap
5:30pm 3 oz sweet potatoes w/1 tbsp rice cereal and 1 oz formula
bath
7:15pm nurse (not too enthusiastic, going to offer solids before the catnap today)
8pm bed (tried to get him down earlier than this but he always fusses and cries - not mantra - until 8ish)
With that day, he still woke up at 1:30am; I tried all my tricks to get him back to sleep but he seemed legitimately hungry and nursed fully on both sides. He woke up again at 4am but only nursed on one side, then slept until 6:45am. I wouldn't mind still having a night-feeding if it were more predictable, but sometimes he wakes up as early as midnight, and sometimes he won't go back to sleep after waking up to eat at 4:30am. Last night I did try a dream feed which we've never really done, and he wouldn't latch on, too soundly asleep.
Any advice?? Should I try to feed him more? Am I feeding him too much? Should I pump and offer a bottle so I can tell how many ounces he's drinking?
Just thought you might have some ideas! I'm going back to work in a few weeks and would really like to get his nighttime a little more predictable. :-)
Thanks ladies!!
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Hi Heather!
It sounds like it might be a bit of a supply issue (but I'm not an expert so feel free to take what I have to say with a grain of salt :) ). If you've been solid feeding first and then BF, he would be taking less BM and therefore your body thinks that he needs less and produces less. To increase your supply again you have some options:
1) put him on the breast first, then give solids and then put him back ont he breast. Even if he's not getting as much the second time, it's stimulating your ducts to produce more. The more you do that, the better.
2) put him on the breast first, then give solids and then pump. It's not as effective as puttin ghim on, but if he's frustrated and not sucking, it won't do any good. Even if you're not getting much out, the more you pump the more your body will respond by increasing the supply
3) talk to your dr. or a nurse to see if fengreek or another supplemetn is something they would recommend you take to increase supply.
I has something similar happen around 4 months with a groth spurt and had to start offering two breast instead of 1 each feed and sometimes even give 3 (left, right, left for ex). DS would get so frustrated and cry and cry... so I understand!! Hugs! It will get better. Try not to get overly freaked out because stress can make it worse :(
If he fusses in the highchair, offer him the food but don't force it. If he's clamped shut and starts to cry, take him out and skip that "meal". He'll drink more at the next BF feed (good for increasing your supply) and will proabbly eat more solids the next meal as well. If he starts to think meal time is stressful, it will become a battle. He won't starve himself. Give it a few days and see how it goes. If he's really getting upset at meals, you might also consider not giving him cereal at all for a few days and BF extra and then try again (like hitting a reset switch on something). It could also be something not related to the food at all... can your DS sit on his own for 10+ minutes? If not, it could be that he's spending a lot of energy trying to stay upright and that he's getting frustrated by that. Try feeding him in a Bumbo or baby seat or on your lap to see if that makes a difference. If it does, you know it's the seat and not the food.
Feeding with a break in between like the routine I posted won't turn him into a snacker as long as he's getting enough BM. In fact, it's the framework for establishing regular mealtimes for the future. The BF will eventaully be replaced by snacks as your baby becomes a toddler and then the morning and evening BF might be a small snack or cows milk. NWs to eat are still common at this age (DF plus one other feed) and will go away as soilds are more firmly established, around 7-9 months (at which time you can also work on eliminating the DF).
Hope that helps! Let me know if you want further clarification on anything!
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Smikk, welcome!!
I think a lot of what I just posted for Heather might be helpful for you as well. You're giving a lot of soilds and want to be careful not to replace the BM or formula with them too quickly, especially at 5 months (though letting him BF first and then offering the solids later is really good since he's going to drink more BM that way).
The NWs could be because he has too much in his tummy and it's making him feel heavy for the night... or he could be coming up to the big 6 month growth spurt. It's really a myth that solids help LOs sleep throught he night- and being unpredicatble in his wakings means he's actually hungry rather than habitually waking :) If you haven't established DF by now, I wouldn't bother with it. I was never able to DF my DS and around 5 months he would wake once anywhere between 1 and 4am to eat. That started to gradually move into the early morning hours near 6.5 months and then pretty much disappeared on it's own as solids were consistently established.
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Hi, Whatbit!
Thanks so much for so graciously offering me your time and insight. I really appreciate it!!
At the 11am feeding, I BF first, then did solids about 1/2 hour later. He fussed a little bit when I put him in his high chair, but I preoccupied him by letting him "choose" which bib he wanted -- blue or green. :) Then he ate just fine. I think he loves the cereal, so definitely don't think it's a food issue. In fact, I seem to not be able to feed him it fast enough. LOL. However, he is NOT able to sit on his own yet. Let alone for 10 minutes. So, I think you're onto something there. I'm going to try feeding him in his bouncer seat for the 6pm feeding and see if that helps. I think you're right. Thanks for that! I'll let you know how it goes.
As for the 3pm feeding, I literally had to bounce back and forth between breasts -- left, right, left, right, left. In the end, I just couldn't get him enough. He was crying and rooting when I picked him up off the bed. I just didn't have anything left! I had pumped 1 1/2 ounces this morning when he didn't take his usual full feeding at 7am (he usually drains both breasts, but was happy draining just one this morning for some reason. So, thinking it was a supply problem, I pumped so as to make the breast think it needed to produce more milk. Hopefully that was the right thing to do?). So, I put it in a bottle and thought I'd give it a try, offering it to him. He hadn't had a bottle in maybe a month or so, so I wasn't sure he'd take it. But he must've been famished because he downed it...and I hadn't even warmed it up. It was straight from the fridge. Poor little guy.
So, I'm going to try three things -- 1) BF first, then solids. 2) Feed the solids with him in his bouncer seat. 3) Put him back on the breast after the solids. I think he'll suck, but maybe not for long. (Does it still stimulate to produce if he's suckling, not necessarily trying to eat?)
Thanks so much! I'll let you know how it goes!!
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You're welcome, Heather! Sounds like you have a good plan. Let me know how the next few days go. And yes, it still stimulates production even if he's suckling, The more suckling and skin to skin contact, the better :)
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6am- BF
7:30am- solids (oatmeal mixed with fruit)
10am- BF
12- solids (meat, veggie(2 kinds) and fruit)
2pm- BF
4pm- solids (barley or rice, veggie (2 kinds) and fruit)
6pm- BF and bed
Hi Whatbit
I'm just thinking about my feeding routine so have been reading this thread. Have been trying to get my head round people's routines and I know you're LO is older than mine but I'm wondering when your DS naps. The problem I have is DD has 3 hours of A time in the morning and then will sleep for 1hr 30 or 2 hours, so I've been giving pre-nap BF snacks otherwise she could go 5 hours without a milk feed. She doesn't fall asleep feeding, so it's not a prop. It looks something like this if I am staying in. If I go out for the afternoon, she struggles to get to sleep and might only sleep for 40 mins in the afternoon.
Wake: 7.30
BF: 7.35
Solids: 8.30
A: 7.30 to 10.30
(BF snack 5 to 10 mins before sleep)
S: 10.30 to 12.00/12/30
E (BF): 12.00/12.30
Solids: 1.00/1.30
A: 12.00/12.30 to 3.00/3.30
BF snack 5 mins before sleep sometimes
S: 3.00/3.30 to 4.10/4.40
E (BF): 4.10/4.40
Solids: 5.10/5.40
A: 4.10/4.40 to 7.00/7.30
BT: 7.00/7.30
I've been doing solids (BLW) since 5.5 months. I sometimes find it a struggle to get the solids in, if I'm going out and I feel like it's a struggle to BF her often enough, which is why I'm doing the pre-nap snacks. Do you think this is okay. Maybe I should ask on the BF forum but just wondered how it looks as a feeding schedule generally? Thanks if you can help.
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Hi Lola's mom- love your new picture! She's sooo cute :)
According to your routine here it looks like you're doing 3 full BFs a day? Is that right? It's recommended that you do at least 4 full BFs until around 10+ months, so that is something you might want to consider. The extra calories could help her out, especially before bed (or are you doing a DF or a night feed? I don't think you are but I can't remember). The top ups before naps could possibly become a prop- her needing that little nip in order to get to sleep because it has the possibility of becoming part of her wind down routine, iykwim? And later when you want to potty train, it will be hard because she'll have a harder time holding it until she wakes up because there's liquid in her system. Just something to think about. Your routine looks good though in terms of leaving a space between her BFs and solids. I know you do BLW and that she's starting to take in more, so maybe that will also naturally help her not need the little snack before her naps...
My DS is older than Lola by about a month. He is napping from about 8:30-10/10:30 in the morning and then from about 1-2/2:30 in the afternoon. He has an early bedtime because of this, around 6:30.
I understand about the solids when going out. I do spoon feed him his cereal (and let him take the spoon and do it himself) and some mashed foods so when I go out I try to do this and give him finger foods that aren't as messy... but it's still messy :) Or I try and plan to be out between solid feeds and do the BF on the go. Pros and cons for both and soemtimes I don't have a choice.
Hope that helps. Have a good day!
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Hi ladies :), just jumping in to lock this thread off. It's getting too long at 16 pages and I'm finding too many are posting to answer a post with a new question themselves. When this happens we get other BW members that do not read the new questions. Please post new questions as individual new threads when possible, to get as many eyes and as much feedback from other members as possible.
This post, back in the day, was originally intended to be examples of routines for 6-9 months. For anyone that does need an example, there is one posted in the FAQ's.
Lola's mom, I've split your last post into a new one so that your question can be carried forward for answers :).
Whatbit, just wanted to say thank you for all your feedback and help for the wonderful BW moms posting questions here, you've been terrific at helping and it's greatly appreciated :-* :)!