Milk/Solids routine questions

[h33na]

Hi
My DS2 will be 6 months next week and is currently 17.5lbs. I started weaning him 2 weeks ago as he started waking at night for a feed and was draining his bottles. He's still learning to swallow, but has tried and liked a variety of fruit and veg purees.
So far his milk intake has stayed pretty much the same but I'm worried he has too many bottles during the day....his current routine is:

7am       wake
7.15am   6oz bottle (funnily enough he never ever finishes this one, has approx 4 or 5 oz)
9am       baby cereal - just a few licks at the mo
10am     bath
10.30am 6oz bottle
1pm       lunch - veg/fruit - a few licks again
2pm       6oz bottle
5.30pm   6oz bottle - he's started fussing at this one and is only taking about 3 or 4 oz
6.30pm   dinner - veg fruit
8pm       6oz bottle
10.30pm 4oz dream feed

He has a morning nap (1 hr) and a afternoon nap (1.5hr) usually. He also sleeps fine through the night and I have to wake him in the morning (school run for DS1). 

I have introduced 3 meals which are more for routine and to get him used to the highchair etc, and he loves being part of meal times. I don't expect him to eat really, but am a bit confused as when I started he ate loads, but now he's not very interested.
He also has a bit of a cold so that may well be why he's off his solids.
I'm not sure if I should drop the 5.30pm bottle?

Please can you give me some advice.

Thanks!!

[mmom]

At this age, we only had 4 bottles.  But we had dropped the dream feed by then.  I think Tracey says that some continue that until 7 months?  What is your reasoning for the 5 pm bottle?  It is ok if your LO isn't interested in solids when teething.  That can totally happen.  Plus, if you are just starting out anyway, it takes them a while to really get it.

[h33na]

Hi - Thanks for your reply.

At the mo, I have left all of his bottles at the same times and have tried to slot in the "meals" as I know his milk is still more important than the food. The 5.30pm bottle worked for him, before solids started anyway, as the one before is 2pm and the one after is 8pm, ie too long a gap to go without a feed.
The bottle times work for me generally as I have a 4 year old as well and school runs, his meal times etc to fit around.

He's woken up this morning with a really runny nose so I think it may well be the on set of a cold that's stopping him eating.
Should I keep offering food or just wait for a couple of days? Also once he's back on track and starting to eat again, should I replace the 5.30pm bottle wth solids and maybe move the 2pm bottle to about 3/3.30pm?

Thanks

[mmom]

We kept being consistent with solids even when things were off.  That is just me though.  In the beginning, they are getting used to everything and I kept offering them no matter what.  Some days he took less, but he still got them offered to him. 

As for the bottles, what do you think he can handle in terms of spacing?  It doesn't look like he is taking much at that 5:30 bottle.  If you think you could push the other one out (2 pm) and move the other bottle forward a few (the last one), then go for it.  But if your routine is working for you, then I guess there is no reason to change it.  I would do what YOU think is best for your LO at the moment.

[brenda2]

usually milk feeds are 4 hours apart at this age so this means 4 bottles in a 12 hour day.  i would push the 2nd and third bottles a bit later and drop the 5ish bottle.

[mom2myMMS]

I'm having a similar experience...my DS just turned 6 months in January.  My DS too was really interested in solids when we first introduced them, but now he's barely eating anything.  When we started he was eating 3 Tablespoons cereal and 1 package of fruit/veggie puree.  Now he's barely eating 1 1/2 Tablespoons and 1/2 package of fruit/veggie.  As long as your DS is still taking his bottles I wouldn't be worried.  Isn't it "until 1, food is for fun"?! 

Here's what my DS's routine looks like:

7:00 Wake up / BF
8:00 Solids

11:00 BF
12:00 Solids

3:00 BF
4:00 Solids...this one is more like a snack.  Usually only 1/2 package of fruit/veggie puree.

6:00 Solids...this one is dinner.  He gets cereal along with fruit/veggie puree.
7:00 BF

11:00 DF

How do you like your schedule?  It seems like you start giving the bottle before the solids, but by the end of the day it's reversed.  Also, I agree with the pp in that he may need to follow a 4 hour EASY which would be 4 bottles throughout the day then you can still DF at 10:30.  I was told that at this age, solids should be considered part of A time, which is why I give solids 1 hour after BF.

I hope this helps!