Need help...introduced solids...not sure if i am doing it right???

[Jann]

Hello,

I just started introducing solids last week.  My ds is 1 week shy of 6 months.  For 3 days i offered cereal, brown rice once a day, then twice a day and now I am feeding him 3 meals a day. 

Here is our routine.

7.00 wake & feed ebf
8.00 cereal or fruit
9.15 nap.
10.30 -10.45 breastfeed
11.30 cereal or fruit
12.30 nap
2.30 -2.45 breastfeed
4.30 catnap
5.30 fruit or cereal
6.30 breastfeed
7.00 bath and in bed by 7.30

The first couple of days he woke at 11.00 to feed and then again at 5.30 with a big poop. Last night he woke at 11.00 then 1.40am then at 3.30  i fed him and then up at 7 am. 

He never slept through the night and now it has gotten worst.  Is it the solids? He does wake on his tummy and when i turn him on his back he falls asleep.  I don't know what i am doing wrong.  I am not sure if the way i introduced solids is ok and what the ultimate goal is.

Please help I need to help my baby sleep better.

J

[emmas]

Hello,

Cereal can cause lots of problems with digestion - I'd maybe stop the cereal and concentrate of fruit and veg.  Three meals is an awful lot - my lo didn't go to 3 meals until about 3 months after I started weaning.  Maybe just do one meal as you don't want his milk consumption go down.

Just a thought about his sleep, can he roll back from his tummy, lift his heasd etc - maybe you turning from his tummy disturbs him?  I'd say its probably the cereal/3 meals its alot to cope with when they've only had milk.

HTH
Emma

[Jann]

thanks,  which meal should i keep? Yes, he can roll back on his tummy and lift his head. 

Keep you posted.  I will cut down to one meal.
J

[emmas]

I started with breakfast, then introduced dinner at about 5pm after a month or so then finally lunch.  I was following annabel karmel's baby and toddler meal planner which has a weaning guide in it.

[tylersmommy]

I agree, I'd back off and slow things down just a bit. It's hard for babies to start digesting solids at first, especially when they've been ebf. Hang onto breakfast for now and give his tummy at least a couple of weeks to get used to it before adding another meal.

[carly-g]

I agree with pp, too.  Just start with breakfast.  That way he has all day to work out what he eats.  I also mixed some pureed pears or peaches with the oatmeal. 

[Freya'sMum]

Introducing solid foods quite commonly increases NW, especially if foods are introduced too quickly - I reckon that this could be the issue...

...for the immature gut, solid food comes as a massive shock and can cause discomfort during digestion, which can increase night disturbances or even pain also, milk is the food that babies actually need, solid food supplements the nutrients they get from the milk, but shouldn't replace milk until at least 10-12 months - the consequence of introducing too much solid food too soon is that babies feel full up on the solid foods so don't drink their milk, but the solid foods have so few fats and calories that it doesn't sustain their hunger, or aid their healthy growth and development...

...you want ds to continue to have his pre-solids quantity of milk until he's 9-10 months old, if you've noticed that by introducing solid foods his milk intake has dropped already, I would reduce it until his milk intake returns to its original quantity again - it should help with the NW and is healthier for him

You'll be fine

Ax

[Jann]

thanks for the advice.  I have cut back to one meal a day, breakfast.  today, i will do lunch because we didn't have a great night last night and his routine is way way off.

J

[Jann]

BTW can i give him mum mum rusk crackers?  He loves them.

J

[Freya'sMum]

Provided that they are a baby-food, in that they do not have any additives, finger foods can be offered from around 6 months and I would encourage it good practice for the future!

Ax

[_James_]

Hi,

Just cruising the posts looking for an answer to our situation. I think we are in the same boat. We started solids 3weeks ago and are giving 3 meals a day + breast. Its caused all sorts of weird problems. DD movements are really hard to pass, and she has significantly reduced her milk intake. She loves her solids a bit too much it seems. I think we will tone it down a bit to get the milk going. Thanks for all your suggestions. -J