Slow start to solids, dropping ounces, thoughts??

[~*Nicole*~]

DS has had a "slow" start to solids. I say slow because it is much different than with DD who was on cereal at 4 months, purees at 5.5 and by this time (7 months) was on three meals a day and being introduced to a variety of single ingredient foods and heading towards combinations, etc. She did really well, had no digestion issues and drank her bottles down no problem.

On the flip side, DS has reflux and MSPI and did not tolerate foods at 4 months as the ped. advised. He has been on prescription formula from about 5.5 months when the ped. GI switched him and I stopped nursing to hopefully heal his gut a bit. Since a little over 6 months we started trialing some foods again and he's doing alright and enjoys solid foods but is reducing his formula intake which wasn't too high to begin with. I'd say he was taking in about four 6oz. bottles a day and occasionally one or two 4 oz. bottles overnight depending on the night. Sometimes he'd take near 7-8 oz. but not reliably. Now he is only seeming interested in  3 bottles a day and not as many oz. (Today only 3oz. each time...but he is teething and sick so I know why he's off).

I don't want him down to 3 bottles a day...even if he does wake and eat overnight...but he's not eating a lot of solids either...so not much to drop there?

[Lolly]

The minimum they need from 6 months with solids is 20oz and that can include dairy in food which you won't be doing. We actually dropped my DD to 3 bottles at 8 months to make sure we got up to the 20oz (a refluxer too, but not MSPI) and it did work to increase her milk intake. I think you do need to be a bit more creative with refluxers, the solids will hopefully help the reflux settle or at least keep the milk down. If he's not eating much then you can't really cut back much, just try and keep milk a priority.

Laura

[~*Nicole*~]

If he's not eating much then you can't really cut back much, just try and keep milk a priority.

That's my main goal. My mom watches him for me so I keep reminding her "food before one is only for fun" and bottles come first, etc. On days he isn't taking as much from bottles we'll skip solids altogether so he'll take as much as possible from his bottles. Probably with his overnight eating he does get 20 oz. so that makes me feel better. And, yes, him not getting dairy was one reason I was worried about it.

I think he'd do 3 decent bottles (6-8 oz) and 3 solid meals a day after he is over his illness. He'll be 8 months the 22nd. Do you think that sounds reasonable? If he only takes 6 oz that would be 18 but I could squeeze some more by using formula in his cereal (and the overnight bottle if he's still waking for it)

[lilisuze]

DS went to 3 bottles at 8.5 months. Dropped the DF and the 2pm at about the same time. I'd say you sound like youre doing great. Small MSPI babies with reflux eh.....I'm on number 2 now and its no more fun the second time around either!

[~*Nicole*~]

Thank you!