Solids or Milk first???

[pretti]

I just wanted to know if it makes a difference whether the baby eats solids first or gets their milk first.

My 8 1/2 months old eating schedule is as follows:

730  Bottle (6oz)
830  Cereal (2 tbsp)
Nap (1hr)
1130 Bottle (6oz)
1230 Veggie (2tbsp)
Nap (1 hr)
330 Bottle (6oz)
430 Solids (2 tbsp)
730 Bottle (6oz)
Bedtime

My Pediatrician said I should be giving solids first and then milk so I tried that yesterday and today and he is eating more solids BUT he is drinking a lot less milk.

So this is what his schedule is like:

730  Bottle (5oz)
Nap (1 hour)
1030  Cereal+veggie (4 oz)
1130 Bottle (4oz)
Nap (1 hr)
230 Veggie (4oz)
330 Bottle (3 oz)
nap
530 Solids (4 oz)
730 Bottle (4 oz)
Bedtime

So I have reversed what I was initially doing but his intake of formula has decreased. Should I go back to the old way or keep trying to make him eat more solids??? He just doesn't want to increase his intake of solids or milk and I don't know what to do.

[~inbalance~]

My understanding is that up until one year, formula or milk is still the most important part of your LOs diet, so you don't want to be encouraging more solids and less liquids.  I would still keep offering the forumla first and the solids second.  It's great that he loves his solids, but nutritionally the formula is still the best for him. 

Of course your baby's ped is an important resource too, so obviously you don't want to just dismiss their advice.  Is there any particular reason they have said to do solids first?? 

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I was just in the midst of posting exactly the same thing!  Milk is king for the first year and solids should be a bonus.  Strange that the pedi would recommend this....

[pretti]

Thanks so much for your input!

I am making him a bottle right now. I think I will stick to our old schedule and slowly work up the solids as much as possible. I just thought I was doing something wrong and he wasn't eating enough but your replies have made me feel better. Sometimes my Ped just says things and he just wants to move onto the next patient.

I am just so glad I asked after one day of this and it hasn't been too long!



Thanks!
Pretti

[~inbalance~]

I think it is all too common for doctors to recommend focusing more on solids.  It seems to be a bit of an old-fashioned mentality really.  My LO was slow to gain weight and the first thing the doctor said was to push solids.  At first I did, but he actually started eating less of them because it wasn't what he wanted or needed.  So I went back to focusing more on liquids (for me it was BFding) and DS has always been healthy, even if he is on the small side. 

Your doctor's advice is always valuable, that's what they're there for.  But you're instincts are just as important too. 

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Totally agree! 

Sounds like you're doing the best thing for your LO.  Keep it up! 

[my3girlsjde]

Agree here too I was advised that solids are a supplement after milk during the first year. Your paed may have his/her reasons for telling you solids first but it never hurts to get a second opinion.

[First Time Mom]

I agree on the formula or bm first, my ped recommended that for the first year solids are introduced to get used to texture/taste and that the majority or calories and nutrients are to be from formula or bm and that after 12 months it switches to the other way around.

[mmom]

At this age, our Ped said the same thing.  We actually did solids first anyway because of my LO's reflux and the solids keeping the liquids down.  It did not effect his milk intake at all though, so I didn't see it as a problem. 

[muddyfeet]

Same thing...My ped and all books I've read say milk is the best source until 12 months, then start changing the emphasis. Depends too on how long you want the weaning cycle to be, because you shouldn't go cold turkey on the kid (or your breasts...ouch!). Is your ped thinking you want to be dry by 12 months? Then changing the emphasis now would absolutely make sense.