Need help with my routine, for any experts out there :)

[vancouverbabies]

Okay, I've posted a couple of times now but now I have some new issues with my twin baby girls (6 1/2 months). We started solids about three weeks ago. I have them on three meals a day already b/c they seem to want something extra between bottles and are very enthusiastic to eat. They are doing the following:
7:00 bottle
8:00 breakfast, 2-4 tbs
11:00 bottle
12:00 lunch 2-4 tbs
3:00 bottle
4:30-5:00 dinner up to 6 or 7 tbs
6:30 or 7:00 bottle
11:00 bottle

Okay, these are my questions/concerns, please help!
1. They are still drinking anywhere from 20 oz to 24 oz/day not including what I might add to cereals. However, I don't always want to give cereal with every meal, so will they
adjust their formula intake if they don't get it in their meal?
2. They still need a third evening nap sometimes, which interferes with dinner but then they are grumpy, not sure if I should just not give dinner if they have a late nap? What happens is, if I feed them a meal after 5:30, they hardly drink any of their bottle, then they depend on their night feed to top up for the day. I would really like to have them
drink bigger bottles during the day so that we can gradually work towards going from 5 bottles to 4 and drop the night feed. Is this a realistic plan? The girls used to take up to 180 to 240 mL per bottle before, but now they take much less and just refuse more. I wanted to think about initiated the BW plan for weaning the night feed but they seem to be resistant to taking more, even in their morning bottle.
3. Is three meals a day too soon for them? As I said, they LOVE to eat. They took to solids immediately and make 'mmmmm'mmmm'mmm'm sounds the whole meal, it's hilarious. I just don't want to fill them up and not get enough formula into them.
4. I am going to try oatmeal this week-do most of you alternate your cereals once you try them all? Should I stick to oatmeal and barley now, and forget the rice cereal, assuming the girls take the new cereals well with no reactions?

THANKS SO MUCH FELLOW MAMAS!
TwinMama

[* Paula *]

At this age, I would consider giving much less solids.  Milk is still their main source of nutritian and solids should only be as tasters.

I think at this age 4 tbl spoons of solids is a lot, I would consider giving 2 - 4 teaspoons, and no more.  That way your lo's will take more milk.

If they are napping at dinner time, I would consider not giving a 3rd meal at this age.  Once they start increasing their A times, you can look at introducing a meal then.

[becky1969]

agree with pp.  as for which cereals to try, you can just alternate if you like so that one day you do oats, another day rice, etc.  don't worry about trying to fit in ALL the new foods they've accepted into 1 day.  You're just slowly seeing which foods are OK for their tummies, which aren't.  Once a food is accepted you can just use it in a meal whenever you please.  No pressure to use all foods in one day, or even in one week!