solid routine issues...how to fit a square in a circle!

[Austin's mom]

so i need to pick your brain on this solids thing... ever since DS has started doing 2-3 steady meals a day, I can't seem to figure out a good routine for him. I think this is the right board... but maybe it should be bottle or EASY?... oh boy.

His day starts (generally ) at 6;30 am, and goes till 6:30 pm. Some times he still wakes up to eat at 11;00 pm and or 4:30am for food too. But I'm trying to weed one or if possible, both of those out. Cuz he doesn't take a full feeding (about 4oz)... so I think he can make it a bit longer. But if he gets eats past 4:30am, some times its hard to get him back to sleep, till 6:30.

The problem lies, where he still doesn't want to take a full feed in the morning when he gets up, especially if he didn't eat at night. Which doesn't make sense. I would think he should be super hungry?

He will typically take a bottle in the morning and evening, and only take the sippy in the afternoons. Which makes it hard to get the quantity of milk in him, if that makes sense. I tried to do 4, 8oz bottles a day, but if he resists one or more feedings, then he falls verrrry short, and thats not good. And if he doesn't finish a bottle, I don't like to give him solids, because I don't want him to fill up and not get his forumla. So its a snow ball effect and drives me CRAZY!

I tried to explain this to the nurse, and she said just not to give solids... doesn't work, he still resists his bottle and is up all night eating instead. (Only way he STTN is if he heats between 28+ oz and has 2-3 good meals a day).

Like yesterday, he did well, had two good "meals" and ate 39oz. but none of the bottles would he finish more than 4-5 oz at a time. And I've tried doing solids 1/2 way between bottles, but that only works if he goes 5 hours between bottles. other wise, I have to give it right after his bottle. And if he doesn't finish his bottle, I don't know what to do. Can't skip solids, because then he is up all night, but not supposed to give b/c he didnt finish milk. SWIM?

Does any of that make sense? Any one have an idea how to fit this together? gerber seggests like 6 4oz bottles a day and 3 meals, but I can't figure out how to fit that into his day. I had really hoped the 4 8oz bottles would have worked. The dr. said he needs between 28-32 oz so it all just doesn't add up! ahh!

Reflux is part of the equation (for those who don't know) as well as various food intollerances (milk, soy, corn).

ok... hopefully that wasn't too much but enough to give you an idea what I should be doing differently!

THX!

[Shiv52]

We started solids at 5.5 months and were on 3 meals by about 7/8 months and our routine was something like:

8am Wake up and BF
9.15 Breakfast
10.30-12pm Nap
12pm Wake up and BF
1/1.15pm  Lunch
2.30pm-4pm Nap
4pm Wake up and BF
5.15pm Dinner 

7.30pm BF and bed for 8.15ish

I always gave milk at least at hour before solids. 

Have you tried using a faster flow teat to help him get more millk in during the day with less effort?  At 5 months my LO became very alert and so nosey and just not interested in milk for a few weeks.  Feeding a quiet room helped a bit too. 

HTH xx

[Seona1973]

I would make the meals regular times - maybe when you may normally have meals yourself and then slot the milk feeds inbetween e.g. from 6 months ds's mealtimes were 8am, 12pm and 5pm and milk feeds were 7am, 11am, 2.30/3pm and 7.15pm (he also had 1 in the night till 8 months).  In the UK a minimum of 20oz is recommended between 6 months and 1 year so if he was taking 4 bottles of 5oz then that would actually be ok especially if you were then including his milk with his food e.g. putting it in with cereal, etc.

[Khalam's Mama]

We found solids 1 hr after milk was the key. If he doesn't finish milk can you add the same amount to his food so he is getting it that way? The total amount of milk does include what you mix in with solids so maybe he is getting more than what he has in the bottle? Do you thin all his food with milk and not water? We find feeding in the dark bedroom straight after a nap/wake is the key to getting a good feed in.