Late start to solids - how to much & when??

[MommytoJack]

We tried DS on solids when he was 6mo, he loved cereal and even pears...however it caused him gas.  Dr suggested we wait 2wks and try him again.  We kept trying on and off for 2wks until at 9mo he seemed to digest it a lot better and was really enjoying eating   He was eating about 1-2Tbsp and still experiencing some gas but mostly at night.  Dietitian switched his formula from a Generic brand to Good Start formula and suggested we reduce the number of bottles per day.  He was having about 6-7 (8oz) bottles per day and she wants him to have 5 (6oz) bottles and reducing to 3 (6-8oz) per day.  She also suggested since he was enjoying toast, that we stop puree's and get him eating more textured foods and more finger foods.   

He has seemed to not enjoy eating at all now   He will barely eat his toast and refuses any spoon feedings.  He only likes cheerios and puffs, he wont eat/pick up any of the softer foods like fruit or potato...  He has been waking thru the night again (he never was much of a sleeper but at least he only woke 1-2x per night) and now wakes almost every 40mins-1hr.   I am wondering if he isn't getting enough solids to compensate for the reduction in bottles?

He naps at 9/9:30 (1.5hrs) and 2/2:30 (1.5hrs)...how should I feed him? solids before bottle...bottle before solids...an hour apart...together??  Seems like I don't even know how to feed my son anymore & all I want him to do is eat   He is a big boy (weighs 22.5lbs) and will be 10mo in 4days.   

Any suggestions for an Feeding schedule?  I am trying to get him to eat 3 solid meals per day..how much should he be eating per meal?  what are some good sample menus?  (he wakes at 5:30..& trying a bedtime of 7 since his NW have been an issue)

[MommytoJack]

....as well he wont' hold his own bottle, should I continue trying with the bottle or transition to a sippy cup?

[~inbalance~]

Hi there!

Can you post your whole routine, including current amounts, so we can have a good idea?

Am I correct in thinking he is currently taking 30oz, or have you already reduced to about 24oz?  You want him to have probably about 20-24oz of formula at this age, but to also have some milk with his solids too (ie yogurt, cheese).

Any chance he is teething?  That could account for lack of appetite.

Hugs!!  My DS2 was just like this and still is.    If he won't open up for a spoon I wouldn't try and just stick to finger foods, offering him a large variety of different finger foods to try.  He can eat just about anything you eat, minus added salt or sugar of course.

As for the sippy cup, neither of my boys drank well from a sippy before 12mos.  You can try giving some milk in a sippy for practice, but I would stick with the bottle for now.

At this age you can do solids before bottle if you like.  By now it really comes down to what works for you and him.

Here are some links:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68458.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=70142.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68677.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=182686.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=61946.0

[MommytoJack]

He was eating an 8oz bottle during these times (7am, 10, 1, 4, 7, 9pm), 6 bottles per day = 40-50oz per day. 

Pediatrician wanted him down to 4 bottles (8oz)...tried (7,12,5 & 8pm), this seemed too much at first since he wasn't eating more then 2Tbsp 2x day = 32 oz

Dietitian suggested 5 bottles (6oz) and since he was eating toast to stop purees and more finger foods so his day is looking more like this:
6am (wake) 6oz bottle
8am toast (usually half slice)
10am 6oz bottle
12am fruit/veggies and cheerios ...he wont eat more then a few bites, refuses anything sticky/mushy thus why the cheerios (even tried adding bread crumbs etc)
1pm 6oz bottle
4pm supper/ pasta & chicken (he will eat more of this but gets frustrated fast & refuses spoon totally & will not let you put food in his mouth)
5/5:30 6oz bottle
6pm snack of puffs or cheerios
7pm 6oz bottle

I find that I need to give him a bottle about 3am, if not he will wake every 30mins-1hr until 5:30 when he gets up for the day.  If he has a bottle he will sleep until 6am sometimes.

Hate feeding him just cheerios/puffs or toast but he refuses everything, I keep trying new things, string beans, banana...even those little mesh feeders

[~inbalance~]

He sounds JUST like my DS2!! 

He is still getting a lot of milk.  For the 3am bottle, I understand that he continues waking for it, but he really doesn't need it.  I think if you were to perservere with getting rid of it he will start sleeping through, and also his appetite may increase.

But I know how much easier that is said than done, because even though I breastfeed we still have the same issues and I still feed DS2 once between 4-5 am, even at 13mos, because like you said he will keep waking until I do.  It is a prop issue really, and if I were braver I would just stop altogether and know that he would get over it, but I am lazy. 

What you've described is not at all bad.  I know it seems like most other babies are eating so much more, but the truth of the matter is they all have different personalities and some just aren't as into eating as others.  I have had to accept this with DS2, he still eats very little even now. 

The most important part is that you are offering healthy food and giving him lots of opportunities to eat.  Developing healthy eating habits is more important than quantity.

I'd try to get his milk intake down a little bit and see if it helps his appetite.  I would also keep offering more finger foods, since it seems like he wants the control to be able to feed himself. 

[MommytoJack]

When should he be adjusting to eating with a spoon and a sippy cup?  Should I wait to introduce until he has a good handle on eating with his hands?

he actually ate turkey today the sliced deli kind cut into small pieces, how do I know what size is good?  I am super paranoid of choking

[~inbalance~]

Eating with a spoon takes a lot of practice.  DS1 didn't eat well with a spoon until much older, definitely after 18mos.  DS2 won't even try! 

It took until about a year for both of my boys to get the hang of drinking out of a sippy cup, and actually even longer still to figure out how to tip it up!  Again, it just takes a lot of practice and you can offer sippys now if you like.  I started offering them at around 6mos.

Choking size is about the size of a grape, so pieces that are much smaller are good, or some foods you can give very big sticks or chunks for LO to hold and bite on.

[MommytoJack]

He actually had some turkey yesterday which was so good!  I can't believe how excited I get to see him eat food LOL...sometimes it makes me want to cry (how sad is that LOL)

Thanks, I'll just let  him adjust to the sippy cup & kinda play with it until he is comfortable on his own.  The spoon can wait