Is he hungry - should I feed more?

[Tobysmum]

I know milk is supposed to be the main source of calories for the first year and that babies don't actually need solid food BUT, I think my baby could be hungry and that's why he's still waking 1-2 times per night.  I totally accept that he may well continue to wake once per night but twice I think is because he's hungry.

I haven't really changed the quantity of what I feed him since he was about 8 months.

He has BF roughly at 6/7, 10.30/11.30, 3.00 and 6.30/6.45.  He wakes twice in the night usually - erratic times and at least 4hrs after his last feed.

Solids wise, he has solids at approx 8.00/8.15/ 11.30/12.00 and 5.00/5.30.

Breakfast he has 2 cubes of fruit with some baby rice mixed in.
Lunch he has 1 cube protein, 1 cubes veg and 1 cube fruit.
Dinner same as lunch.

Just to explain, my pediatrician has strict guidelines on the introduction of solids - no grains other than rice for first year, no dairy etc, so that's slightly limiting (I followed his advice with Ds#1 and he eats everything fine).

Anyway, do you think I could perhaps increase his solids at all?

He's 10 months and weighs 19pounds.

[jana224]

How many tablespoons or ounces are in a cube?

[binxyboo]

I think what I would do, is probably stick with that amount of spoon feeding, but add in more fingerfoods. Is he doing any finger foods yet? So, maybe spoon feed the usual amount, and then let him dabble with fingerfoods for the rest of the meal or whatever...This worked well for us with my first son, also gave us the opportunity to eat in peace as he would munch on little bits of whatever we were having.

[Tobysmum]

OK.  To be honest I haven't really started any finger foods.  I sometimes put a few little bits down but he just knocks them onto the floor without anything going into his mouth at all, so I figured he wasn't ready.  I will try more though and see what happens.  I am so terrified of the choking thing (was with DS#1 too!)

[Peek-a-boo]

IT does seem like he could use some more protein/fat.  Perhaps add avacado to his life.   It's very high in calories.

[Tobysmum]

OK - will try avocado again - he's not very keen on it!  They are also very expensive where I live.
Tonight I gave him an extra fruit cube (mango).  Will try more with the finger foods tomorrow.  Although, as I've said before, nothing seems to actually go in his mouth (except a rice cake which has about 0 calories!) 

[Peek-a-boo]

My DS also LOVED turkey meatballs at this age.

[EllenS]

I don't know if these are on your list of what's ok, but introducing banana and egg yolk at dinnertime (usual guidelines say yolk is ok before 1 year, it's the white that's allergenic) helped get more calories into my dd.

Is your lo working on mobility issues?  That does increase calorie needs, but it's temporary.  You could also add back a cluster feed in the late evening, to get more milk calories in.

[Tobysmum]

No, he doesn't recommend egg before 1 year.  I know all of these guidelines probably sound ridiculous to most of you - but that's just what he recommends to his patients and I guess as I've chosen him for my pediatrician, I am going to follow his recommendations as I did with DS#1.
I've been giving him a bit more food today so we'll see what happens.  I also gave him some yoghurt which he hasn't had before and put a few lumps of chicken in his food for some texture which he had no problem with.
As far as mobility is concerned, he's not even crawling yet and I suspect he's still a few weeks off from that. 
Last night was brutal - he was up at about 10.00, 10.45, 12.00, 2.30 4.45 and up for the day at 6.15 (roughly anyway, it's all a bit of a blur to be honest).  I fed him at 10.45 and 4.45 I think (hard to recall I was am so unbelievably tired).

I am really at a loss as to what to do - I need help from NWs board again too I think.

Having a very bad day - I just can't stay awake and am very grumpy!

[Peek-a-boo]

{{Hugs}} I was really tired like that a few weeks ago and it's awful! 

[Tobysmum]

When people hear that I haven't had a full night's sleep since he was born (and some really rough nights) - and my own NWs during pregnancy, they say "oh, you must be exhausted" - and to be honest, for the most part I have been OK and am just used to it.  BUT, these past couple of weeks have really taken a toll on me and I am definitely exhausted (not to mention frustrated!) now.  Every month, I'm thinking, I can't believe he's STILL not sleeping.  He's just the polar opposite of my first, Toby, who sleeps generally 7-6.30/7.00/7.15 EVERY day and naps for 2-2.5 hrs EVERY day!!  And he's 2years 10 months!   

Toby was a bigger baby and I was definitely feeding him a lot more solids than I do Gus. 

I spoke to a friend today who has a baby 1 month older than Gus and he eats probably double the solids that Gus eats, but much less milk.  I know milk needs to be the main food for the first year.

Anyway, will try to increase his food a bit and see what happens.  I do think that we have some prop issues in the night again and that's partly to do with it - BUT, he is drinking his milk in the day as well, whereas before he was cutting down on his milk in the day and taking it at night.  That's what makes me think that some of it is hunger related.   As well as OT and SA probably too.