How much does 9mo need-solids and milk? *update*

[Roseii]

Basically I desperately need to drop DD2's 2-3 night feeds  

But I need to be sure I've given her enough in the day so that I'm sure she's not truly hungry in the night   I know she comfort feeds but takes a lot and I guess it's a vicious circle-she then doesn't eat as much in the day as she could...

My HV said 3 milk feeds is fine-so she is on morning bf, mid day bottle, bedtime bf. And 3 meals.

But how much should she have at meals?? I know I can't control what she eats but I need a base line so I can feel more confident in settling her at night without feeding...

TIA  

ETA I should add, my HV is *really* pushing the solids aspect   DD2's weight is now off the scale and HV thinks she needs less milk in the night and more solids to fill her up in the day...I really like and trust my HV but not sure about this  

[~inbalance~]

Hi Charli

I think at this age DD should be getting somewhere around 24-30oz milk, or 4-5 BF/day.  Because you're doing both you'll have to use your judgement to figure if she is getting enough or not.  Hopefully she'll be eating 3 meals a day as well.  If this is the case, then I think you can safely drop the NFs.  She will add it to her daytime calories, it just might take some time.  Maybe keep one NF for the first little bit so it's not such a big shock to go from 2-3 to none.

Actually I think your HV's advice is pretty sound.  I agree that she needs less milk at night.  I would encourage more solids too, but at her own pace of course. 

[Texomamama]

Agree with Martina (and indirectly, the HV).  3-4 milk feeds for a total in the 24-30 oz range is always what I have seen suggested.

Although milk or formula is the primary source of nutrition and calories until 12 months, I think what the HV is trying to suggest is for you to shift your focus more towards solids, because after all, from 12 months on, that is what your LO will be eating, and milk will only be a supplement or complimentary beverage.

If you are asking about portion sizes in terms of solids, it varies a great deal, but I am going to say a 9 mo eats about 3-6 oz of food at each meal.  Not sure though.  Hopefully, someone else can clarify.

[Shiv52]

How many milk feeds does she have in the day at the minute?

I think at 9 months with M we were still doing 4, so am, bedtime and after each nap. 

She was fairly well established on solids by 9 months although we built up slowly.  She always ate a good amount of solids.  So breakfast was maybe a bowl of porridge (one of those plastic childrens bowls half full?) with 2 ice cubes of fruit puree and toast fingers.  Lunch would have been 2-3 (more like 3) cubes of a meal plus finger food like raisins/bread then a yogurt.  Dinner would be similar.  But M was a big gutso and ate really well so those amounts might be alot!

[Roseii]

Thanks girls 

Because you're doing both you'll have to use your judgement to figure if she is getting enough or not. 

I struggle with this  She feeds for 5-10 mins, goodness knows how much she is taking, and usually takes 5-6oz in a bottle. I have given her formula in the night lately too, usually 5oz...So I guess she is on approx 5 feeds across 24 hours, maybe taking 5oz per feed at a guess, so 25oz in total. So obviously that is fine but if I cut the nightfeeds should I be upping the daytime milk?? As she's MPI she's not having any dairy so all her milk is from nutramigen and breast...

How many milk feeds does she have in the day at the minute?

So morning breast, midday bottle, evening breast (again on HV's advice that 3 is fine) Should I maybe give her mid morning and mid avo milk do you think?? Poor baby really doesn't have that big an appetite despite her off the scale weight!! I struggle to get solids in her as it is, without upping the milk amount you know?

Shiv DD1 was like M, lots of solids and good portions. If I give DD2 finger food she eats some but mostly messes around. Yesterday she was putting peas in her mouth then deliberately letting them roll out and onto the floor She thought it was hilarious! If I spoon feed her she is fine for the first few mouthfuls but will then start screaming her head off, I'm not entirely sure why. She doesn't want to feed herself with the spoon eitehr, she chucks it on the floor if I try that

[~inbalance~]

Now that she is getting closer to 12mos the focus will start to move away from milk, so I don't think you need to worry too much.  F feeds 5x day and since he is BFing I don't know how much he is getting but instinct tells me he is fine.  He feeds for about 5-10mins max.

There are other foods you can focus on if your LO can't have dairy.  Dairy is important for fats but you can offer other foods for this.  Avocado is great, and also adding olive oil, or coconut oil will up the fat content of your LO's foods.  For calcium broccoli and dark leafy greens are great sources.  Also you can try a almond/coconut milk mix in place of milk.  Actually all the things your LO needs from milk can be found from other sources in her diet, so if he is a tiny bit short on dairy there is not necessarily reason to worry.

She will shift those calories and if she's hungry she will make up for them in the day.  When we first dropped NFs I definitely noticed F started eating more during the day.  Now we are stilll stuck on just one NF.     But I know it's a 'learned' hunger and not true hunger, so when we drop it I won't be worried that he's hungry at night.  He doesn't eat much solids, but he eats enough.  After 9mos they start to learn to eat when they're hungry, so if she's hungry she will eat!! 

[MichR]

Charlibob...

my DD is a quick eater (I like to think efficient) when BF and I really make an effort to fit in a solid 3 BF/day because she doesn't wake at night.  Like you said, you need to feel confident she is getting enough during the day in order to feel secure with cutting her off at night.  I will post my DD's eating schedule below...just recently she has started a solid lunch...at most meals I try to use food that she can eat herself because she too would scream at me and she also is willing to eat things on her own that she won't take pureed or with a spoon

wake (7:30) - BF (both sides)
8:30 - 9:00 am - breakfast (1/4 c. cereal, 2 servings fruit - serving being 1 ice cube size, 1 piece of toast)
11:30 - periodically BF (usually 1 side)
12:00 - 12:30 - lunch (1 yogurt - individual Activia cup, 1 serving fruit and/or 1 serving veg, bits of cheese)
4:00 - periodically BF (usually 1 side)
5:00 - supper (cut up bits of meat, 2 servings veg, 1/4 c. cereal, 1 serving fruit)
6:30 - BF (sometimes she will and others not but usually at least 1 side)

we serve water in sippy for every meal and if I go out during the day we will give her a rice rusk or some wheat puffs...I also just started yesterday offering her homo milk in a sippy with supper.

hopefully that is helpful

[Roseii]

They are great suggestions, thanks Martina, we eat tons of avocado so that's an easy one! She really is objecting to finger food right now Going to spoon feed and still offer her finger foods I think...see how she gets on.

Mich that is really helpful, it's so useful to see what other LOs are eating. DD LOVES her water in a sippy cup and rice cakes too, they make for a great distraction

[Roseii]

Just wanted to let you know, totally off her own accord (i.e. me not implementing any sleep training, refusing to feed or whatever) DD2 has STTN the last 3 nights For the past week she has either STTN or fed once, which I am fine with. I am by no means expecting this to be it and I now have a permanently STTN baby, BUT I now know she does not need feeding 3 times a night, yay!!!!!! So if/when she does start the NWs I know I can be confident in settling her without feeding and not worrying about her being hungry
Thanks so much for the advice, I'll be back

[Shiv52]

YAY that is great news!!!!  Hope it continues xx

[~inbalance~]

Yay!  F did it the other night too, unprevoked by me.  Maybe they are finally getting the message that daytime is for eating and nighttime is for sleeping. 

[Roseii]

We can always hope Martina