New into solids... new schedule?

[epmoreno]

Hi,

our son is now close to 6 months and a couple of weeks ago we started giving him some solids. We started giving him some spoons after the 7, 11 and 3 milk feeds and we are very pleased because he seems to be taking them very well.

Actually the amount of solid intake has increase so I wonder if we should also adapt his EASY schedule to structure and accommodate the meals and feeds a bit better because I feel that now he is being fed too many times a day and it is a bit disruptive.

Here is his current schedule and the one I think we could move into.... What do you think? anyone who has a similar experience? would the transition make sense and, if so, how can we get there in a progressive way?

Current EASY schedule

7.00      Wake-up & milk
7.15      Activity
8.00      Solids (breakfast)
9.15      Morning nap
11.00      Milk
11.15      Activity
12.00      Solids (lunch)
13.30      Nap
15.00      Milk
15.15      Activity
16.00      Solids (dinner)
17.00      Nap
18.00      Milk
18.15      Activity
19.30      Bath & bedtime routine
20.00      Milk
22.30      Milk & cereal

New schedule

7.00      Wake-up and breakfast (milk & fruit)
7.15      Activity
9.00      Morning nap
11.00      Snack (milk)
11.15      Activity
13.30      Lunch (veggies)
14.00      Activity
14.30      Nap
16.00      Snack (milk)
16.15      Activity
18.00      Dinner (solids)
18.30      Activity
19.00         Bath
19.30         Milk & bedtime routine
22.30      Dream feed

Thanks in advance for your help !

[~Sara~]

At his age, he still needs to have more milk (be it through bfs or formula) than solids.  The milk should be the main meal still at this point.  So, what I would do is just offer solids 1h after his milk...something like this, pretty close to what you posted I think, just the times are a bit different:

E: wake at 7, milk; solids at 8
Nap
E: 11ish, milk; solids at 12
Nap
E: 4, milk
Catnap
E: solids after nap
E: milk feed before bed
DF

[epmoreno]

Thanks a lot !!!

So... should I try to limit the amount of solids he takes? right now he is eating around 3oz. at every meal. I am really not forcing it but he is very eager. He still drinks his milk but I do see that some of his feeds, specially the morning ones have gone down from 7 to 4 oz.

Thanks !

[~Sara~]

I would say that if you see his milk intake dropping drastically, then yes, cut back on the solids a bit.  Have you seen this thread:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67569.0

I also think that most LOs on the forums take a bit longer to build up to 3 solids meals a day; so your little guy is slightly ahead of the game   Just mentioning that in case it's hard to find routines for LOs of a similar age eating the same amount.  I think my DS was on 3 solids a day by ~7/8 months.  HTH a bit!

[epmoreno]

Hi Sara,

thanks a lot. Hadn't seen the Milk intake post so thanks for sharing it. Very helpful !

So, even if he seems to be a good eater, I will try to keep it easy and watch out for his milk intake. Let's hope his good eating habits will continue but will take one step at the time :-)

Thanks for your help !

[~Sara~]

Definitely enjoy the good eater it sounds like you have!!!

[epmoreno]

Hi everyone,

just bringing the topic back again...

now my LO is 6 months and a half and he is doing great with solid food. He also drinks well but somehow I feel is time to adjust his schedule to better accommodate the eating hours.

Current EASY schedule

7.00      Wake-up & milk
7.15      Activity
8.00      Solids (breakfast)
9.15      Morning nap
11.00      Milk
11.15      Activity
12.00      Solids (lunch)
13.30      Nap
15.00      Milk
15.15      Activity
16.00      Solids (dinner)
17.00      Nap
18.00      Milk
18.15      Activity
19.30      Bath & bedtime routine
20.00      Milk
22.30      Milk & cereal

New schedule

7.00      Wake-up and breakfast (milk & fruit)
7.15      Activity
9.00      Morning nap
11.00      Snack (milk)
11.15      Activity
13.00      Lunch (veggies)
13.30      Activity
14.00      Nap
16.00      Snack (milk)
16.15      Activity
18.00      Dinner (solids)
18.30      Activity
19.00         Bath
19.30         Milk & bedtime routine
22.30      Dream feed

Would this new schedule be appropriate for this age? if so, how can I make the transition? I am a bit worried about that because it looks very different... specially the afternoon.

Thanks

[Buntybear]

Hi, I am not much good with routines but I think the milk feeds at 7, 11, 3/4 and BT are good. Solids tend to be an hourish after that.

[epmoreno]

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I have followed the solids schedule one hour after the milk while it was just a introduction but, now that he is more into solids ... should this be adjusted so that it become more of a meal? should I move toward the new schedule?

[*Kara*]

Not yet... I would leave it as is until closer to 8/9 months... you really don't want milk to be replaced with solids.  Solids before a year are only for learning, not for nutrition.

[epmoreno]

Thank you Kara !

[gooders30]

My LO has literally just started solids in the last 3 days.  She is on the 4hr EASY schedule so feeds are at 7,11,3 & 6:30 (ish) after bath before bed at 7.  As its just her 1st week i am only doing solids / purees at breakfast time.  I decided to feed the solids at 8:30 because often she takes 45 mins to have her 7oz bottle so she wouldnt be hungry for solids at 8. 
Is this ok do you think?

Also when do i progress to 2 solids feeds a day? i think i would do this at about 12:30 to give my LO time to digest but i would like to hear what others think of my timings?
This is a really scary transition and im also not sure when you can stop pureeing and start feeding more 'solid' food to your LO.

Any advice would be so appreciated.
  

 

[*Kara*]

Hey Gooders30  - sounds like you are doing great so far!  Your times are just what mine were with my LO... I added a second offering at lunch time after a couple of weeks... then dinner about a month after that.  Just be sure that LO's milk intake stays above 24 ozs a day... more specifically, you want her milk intake to remain fairly stable overall... it may drop slightly when you first introduce each new solids meal, but it should return to her previous level after a couple of days time.  If she goes below the 24 ozs min or drops below her average and doesn't come back up, offer less in terms of solids.

As for the 45 mins to finish a 7 oz bottle - are you on a fast flow teat?

[gooders30]

Thanks Kara.  Yes we are on a fast flow teat.  Sometimes LO will drink bottle in 15mins but then sometimes she fusses and it takes me an age to get her to finish the bottle. 
I think i will follow you and give it a couple of weeks before introducing lunchtime solids.  Let my LO settle into breakfast first.  I have noticed that her DF has also declined.  Is this normal? Since solids she will sometimes drink 3oz only at her df and sometimes she doesnt want anything at all just wants to be put back in her cot to sleep.  I know they are meant to drop the DF at like 7 months but i worry she is dropping it too quickly. 

[gooders30]

This might sound like a silly question but do you have to burp LO after solids?  We just started this week -s so am on pureed fruit and baby rice cereal

Also when can you try and leave a few lumps in the puree so that baby isnt eating just pureed foods? i just mashing maybe>
thanks