too much solids?

[Daylene]

I started Tara on solids at 5 months because she'd been showing the signs that she was ready for quite some time:  ie. drooling at the dinner table, reaching for our food, trying to put it in her mouth, etc.  Well, the first time I tried giving her 1 T. of baby rice mixed with 2 T. formula, and she gobbled in right down!  Now we're on week 3 and this is what she's eating:

breakfast ~ 2 T. baby oatmeal mixed with 1/4 cup formula
lunch ~ 2.5 ounces pureed carrots
dinner ~ 1 T. baby rice mixed with 2 T. formula

Now that seems like a LOT of food for a less-than-6-month-old baby.  I know many, many moms who worry about the opposite problem!  I also know if I offered Tara more food than this, she would probably eat it... she's gobbling down everything I give her until the bowl is clean.  A couple of things to keep in mind:

* She's a "bigger" baby: already weighs in at around 20 lbs (not sure exactly, but around there), not fat, just loooooong (her dad is also very tall)
* She's been sleeping VERY well since we started solids: 2 naps of around 2 - 2.5 hours a day, no catnap, and 11 hours at night with NO wake-ups.
* I always start meals with solids, not formula.  I know most moms start with the formula and then feed solids around an hour later, but what baby is hungry again an hour after filling up on formula?  Tracy said in BWSAYP that you should give solids when your baby is hungry, else what motivation do they have for eating?  She is still drinking 4-7 ounces of formula after meals.
* I only feed 4 times a day.  7am: solids and formula, 11am solids and formula, 3pm solids and formula, 7pm formula.  We don't dreamfeed -- never have -- and she still sleeps through the night.

So, is this a case of too much solids, too soon?  Or don't-fix-it-if-it-ain't-broke?

[kitcat]

It's a lot compared to my lo but she is only 16 lbs and is not as happy about the solids as your lo. Also, if she is happy and still getting lots of milk with that order I would leave it but that is me

[tearss]

Daylene, can you share with us how much forumla are you feeding each meal?

[Daylene]

I give her as much as she wants.  It's usually 5 or 6 ounces.  Her total for the day is around 22 ounces, with another 3 ounces mixed into her cereal.

[Shiv52]

I have always been told the rule is to encourage solids but not to the expense of milk as it has the best nutrients for a growing baby as opposed to solids which fill up but don't provide the same balance of nutrients.

At 6 months LO are taking 28-32oz of milk.  So if your LO is taking 25 oz in a day she's not far off and so long as it doesn't fall off the more solids she gets I think you're doing fine!

[First Time Mom]

I would be tempted to cut back the solids ever so slightly to increase her formula for now until she's eating more substantial foods (proteins, etc.,) as the first foods (ie. carrots) are so low in calories and nutrients and majority don't have iron.