eliminating 4th bf?

[Kriegs mom]

When do most babies go from 3 to 4 bf's a day? My son is currently 7.5 months and is bf 4x a day, but doesn't seem to be that hungry. I'm wondering if I should space out his feedings even more and drop his last one right before bed. Any thoughts?

[Jocasta]

I take it he's not getting any milk during the night?  If that's the case then I'd recommend sticking to four feedings until he's at least ten months.  Milk really should be the primary source of nutrition until after their first birthday - before this time, solid food is really for practice purposes and not a lot else.

hth

[Kriegs mom]

He is usually waking up once during the night to eat. I think my concern was that he hasn't seemed that hungry when he is nursing as he used to. Should I try to space out the first 3 and just have the last one before bed be more like a top up, or just keep that at around 4 hours apart?

[Jocasta]

I'd recommend still doing them 4hrs apart - if he's not that hungry perhaps you could offer him less solids?

[15milner]

Ditto to everything Jo has said.

When I asked this very same question to my LC when Matthew was little she said to around the 10month mark.  there is no 'set' rulings as to when to drop.

andrew is 18months and still has a feed in the morning, evening and usually at least once, if not twice during the day.

alex