6 mos too early for solids?

[magda1461]

i would also offer my dd solids an hour before her bottle! she was much hungrier so took more, and it never put her off her milk!

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

yeah...i should really try to switch him from the 3 to 4 hour routine...it's just that with the way he naps sometimes he could want to be fed right before he goes for his next nap - and using his bottle to get him to go to sleep is a nasty habit that we've finally gotten rid of...but I think I'll give it a try tomorrow...hopefully that'll fix it, thanks! 

[Kimberly®]

I agree try the 4 hour EASY and see if he eats more

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

I'll try that tomorrow...it could be part of the reason why he's not eating well.  With the short naps though I'm afraid of feeding him too close to his next nap - he used to eat to sleep and I really don't want to fall into that trap again.  Thanks ! 

[TashaM]

Its interesting because my dd was on 4 hour EASY from 4 months (and interestingly that's when she started to sleep through the night).  However, in the last month or so her appetite seems to have increased because she seems to be hungrier at each feed (although she can get bored and lose interest) and also seems to want to feed every 3 - 3.5 hours.  I still try to stick to the 4 hour feeding but when she is so obviously hungry its hard to say 'no'! And because she is taking to solids really slowly I can't rely on that to ease her hunger. Increasing the amount in her bottles also isn't an easy option because she loses interest after too long!

However what I am trying to introduce is larger bottles in the morning (she also seems to want to pack in her calories at night, which is when she drinks bigger bottles more easily) and start to reduce the DF. We'll just have to see if we can overcome the boredom issue!

DD's routine at the mo is:
5.30 wake
5.45am 240ml bottle
6.30am single fruit pureed (tried veg first but less interested)
7.00am Sleep
8.30am wake
9.45 240ml bottle
10.30am sleep
11.00am wake (as an aside, unfortunately we are sleep training with PU/PD so naps are still too short)
(this is where the sleeps and feeds start getting too close together..)
1pm Attempt another nap (usually 1/2 hour)
1.45pm 240ml bottle
3.30pm Attempt another nap (usually 1/2 hour)
5pm bath
5.30pm bottle 270ml
6pm bed
9.30pm DF 150ml

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

Ashton usually get's up at about 6:30...he has his bottle (6oz) at about 7 and then an hour later his breakfast (not very much yet).  He just went down for a nap at 9 but he's awake already and it's only 9:30!  He seems happy enough - he didn't wake up crying he's just talking away in the crib...  If I wait until 11 to give him his next bottle when do I give him his lunch?  He's going to want to sleep at about 11:30.  Should I give him lunch first around 10 and then his bottle at 11? 

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

Almost forgot...last night he slept from 7:30 to 5:45!!!  First time ever    I gave him his pacifier and he slept 'till almost 7!  I could get used to this!   

[Kimberly®]

YAY!! great news!!!

but try to avoid the paci  so you don't end up with that as a prop. 

[magda1461]

great news on him sleeping through..i agree if he doesnt want the paci dont offer it.
on the lunch time i would give him some fruit/yoghurt  when he woke at 10 then a bottle at 11.

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

Today I started the 4 hour EASY...well it was more like the 3 1/2 hour EASY     He took his bottles really well and I think eventually I'll be able to get him to 4 hrs.  I guess there would be no harm in moving his afternoon lunch/bottle times to adjust to his erratic napping - sometimes it's 45 mins sometimes 1.5 hrs...if he naps longer I could do the bottle then lunch - or vice versa if it's a short nap.

Magda - Do I have to introduce yoghurt on its own or can I just start giving it to him straight away? 

Thanks for the all the advice!  You know sometimes you get stuck just doing the same thing even if its not working...hopefully he'll adjust well to the new schedule and continue sleeping thru the night - I'm so glad my friend told me about this website!!! 

[magda1461]

yoghurt is fine so you can give him a couple of tablespoons a day straight away.....also be careful which brand you buy due to the sigar levels, i find in australia that vaalia yoghurt to be the lowest in sugar content.

[TashaM]

Ashton's mum - actually, you are doing the right thing by first extending to 3.5 hours then on to 4 hours.  In her book Tracy actually recommends increasing the time over about a week long period, first by an xtra 15 mins for about 3 days (ie 3h15 between feeds), then .5 hour (ie 3h30 between feeds) for 3 days, then the full 1 hour (4h between feeds) after that.  So easing into it is the best and kindest way.