Is my 6-month-old baby having too much solid?

[duoduo]

My boy is 6-month-old, we started solid when he was 5-month-old, for milk intake, we are doing mix feeding, most of the time, breast milk, one bottle per day to keep the bottle. he started dropping bottle a week ago, and the day before yesterday, he almost completely refused bottle, tried 2 times, every time 15~20ml formula. And started yesterday, he doesn’t want milk as much as he used to be either, not sure why , could it be having too much solid?
I don’t know how much he should have for solid, so just use the guideline from nestle, below is my boy’s EASY
we are doing 2h45mins A time, he still has 3 naps, I feed him breast milk every time after wake up (but yesterday & today, it doesn't work for him, I offer him breast when he wakes up, he just doesn't take it or only one side with probably 5mins), and one hour before nap time, feed him solid food, so 4 times a day.

1.   1/2Tbsp rice cereal + 1 Tbsp fruit (nestle product)
2.   1/2Tbsp beef with (nestle product)+ 1 Tbsp fruit (nestle product)
3.   1/2Tbsp rice cereal + 1 Tbsp fruit (nestle product)
4.   1/2Tbsp beef with + 1 Tbsp fruit (nestle product)

In total, 1Tbsp rice cereal + 1Tbsp beef + 4 Tbsp fruit or vegetable.

When feeding solid, I put him on rock chair, it’s hard to tell if he wants the food or not, most of the time he takes food pretty fast, sometimes he would just spit it out.
Can anyone please tell me what I should do to help him take enough milk as he is supposed to for him age? Thx.

[creations]

Hi there
That is quite a lot of solids.  Perhaps you can just cut back on the solids you are giving to increase his milk intake.
At this age most babies would be having just one solid meal per day, the amount in that meal would vary but could be just a couple of teaspoons of solids (rather than tablespoons). I can well imagine a LO who has started solids a little earlier and likes the food would take more at a solids feed and possibly even 2 feeds per day.

Often LOs do not move to 3 solids meals until around 8 months (some are older).
How about cutting back to 2 meals and see how things go?

You might also consider introducing finger foods, perhaps one meal of puree and one meal of finger food, you may get more of an idea how interested he is in the solids if he is able to have a go at self feeding. He may be happy to just explore the feel and texture of a piece of food (such as a steamed vegetable wedge, maybe something you are having) rather than eating lots and this experience teaches him a lot about food and joining in with family meals even if he doesn't eat much.

[duoduo]

Thank you for the prompt reply.

I cut his solid food more than half back, today, he has 3 meals, but every time only one food, so the total amount is 1/2tbsp rice cereal + 1/2 tbsp beef + 1tbsp fruit. He still doesn’t like milk, I am wondering how long this situation will last? I thought he has being having solid food for more than one month, and I introduced new food every week, he should be used to the amount, now all of a sudden we have to cut it back, if I try to add more solid food on a weekly basis, will he show less interest in milk again?

And I just don’t understand why Nestle’s guideline is so different, according to its recommendation, for 6~8 months, baby should take:
• Fruit: 2-3 tbsp 3x/day
• Veg: 2-3 tbsp 2x/day
• Meat & Alternatives: 1-3 tbsp/day
• Iron-Fortified Baby Cereal: 1-3 tsp once a day increasing to 2-4 tbsp twice daily

Compare to this, my baby’s solid food is even less than it. I know every baby is different, my concern is since I cut them back to 1/3 of original intake, does my baby still have enough solid intake? And when should I increase his intake of solid food?

Thx.

[creations]

I would imagine he could take a few days to increase his milk intake again.

His tummy is still very small, he can either fill up on solids or fill up on milk. At this age he gets more calories, nutrition, fat from milk which is why all trusted guides (including the world health organisation) advise that you don't let the milk intake drop too rapidly.

There is quite a difference between a 6 month old starting out with solids and an 8 month old who may be well established with solids (but still taking adequate milk), for instance the babycentre guide shows 1tsp of fruit increasing to a quarter to half a cup (3 tablespoons) over the two month period from 6 to 8 months. Equally for vegetables.

I can't speak for Nestle's guide but would imagine any company out to make a profit from selling their products would want you to use more rather than less. More served (whether eaten or refused) equals more income for them.

Many guides will refrain from giving absolute amounts that a LO 'should' eat because many parents will panic if their baby doesn't eat this amount.  I can tell you though that during our own weaning journey I found it comforting to have some sort of guide. The information I found for *toddlers* (much much older and more physically active than a 6 month old) included
- 2 servings of fruit (1 serving is a quarter of a fresh fruit that is a very small amount, much smaller than 2-3 tablespoons of pureed fruit which could contain a full fruit or more)
- 2 servings of vegetables (1 serving is 1-2 tablespoons which is less than half the guidance nestle are giving)
- 2 servings of protein (1 serving is 1-2 tablespoons)

Usually you wouldn't want to see milk drop for another couple of months, maybe a little at 8 - 10 months or so.  I was unable to BF so only have experience of formula fed baby but I have read that breast feeds can continue to 1yo and beyond even with decent interest in solids meals and a variety of family meals being eaten.

[jessmum46]

Hi there, just popping in to share what I did with my breastfed LOs.  I notice you say you are feeding after naps and then offering solids around 1h before nap.  I'm not sure exactly how that looks in your day but if you want to offer solids I would do them around an hour after milk so that then there is a decent gap before the next milk feed is due. 

Whilst I agree with Creations that perhaps a commercial company's advice is not the most reliable guide in terms of solid amounts, I actually don't think it is completely unreasonable the amount you were offering for a baby who started weaning a month previously.  DS would definitely have been eating a good tablespoon or more of solids per meal by 6-6.5 months.  But I don't think I introduced a third meal until 7 months with DS and perhaps 8 months with DD.   I think it's worth saying that I didn't notice a significant change in feeding habits with DD, but I did with DS who I weaned early because he was literally starving by 3h after a milk feed and waking more at night.  He needed the additional calories, and so solids brought his milk feeds back to a more 'normal' pattern.  We didn't have feed refusal with either of them though, and I would agree with the advice to cut back solids if milk intake appears to be dropping.

Just some other things to consider though - is LO teething?  They can go off milk or have odd feeding behaviour if their gums are sore.  Also if you still have three naps and feed after each one are you doing roughly 3hrly milk feeds?  Perhaps LO isn't that interested in milk by 3h?  Often LOs do stretch out the time between feeding as they get older so perhaps aiming for more like 3.5-4hrly milk feeds with solids an hour after may help?  You might have to be a bit creative as you are still having 3 naps but once you get to 3h A/2 naps your day could look like:

WU and milk 7
Breakfast 8
Nap 10-11.30
Milk 11.30
Lunch 12.30
Nap 2.30-4
Milk 4
Tea 5
Milk and BT 7

My only other thought was that a 5 mins breastfeed could well be a full feed at this age, but if that is a very recent change for you then you are probably right to look for other reasons. 

Hope that helps

[creations]

Thanks for stopping by Katherine.
I should add that I wouldn't be concerned about the amount of solids if milk wasn't dropping.  Mine took to solids in a big way and I followed his lead on quantity, he ate a lot, but his milk did not drop so all solids were additional calories rather than replacing milk.

[duoduo]

Thank you for all useful replies, looks like my boy is eating more milk, so I will just keep the current solid intake, but I also want to know when I should increase his solid intake, is there any cue or it bases on time, e.g.weekly basis or something like that?
Thx

[jessmum46]

Provided milk intake remains good and you are offering milk first, I would just feed to appetite. If he eats all you offer, next time offer a small amount more

[duoduo]

Thx again for your advice