Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11

[amayzie]

we were on 4 at her age and went to 3 at about 10 months i think- hamish was the same- biting at the feed he didn't want- that was usually the BT feed- I want to keep this one till last, so i cut one earlier in the day. It's probably not UNHEARD of though to go to 3 feeds at 9 months. You could keep offerring the feed every couple of days. Again- i always figured if he wasn't eating enough he'd wake at night to have it then...

[anna*]

We are trying to get 4 feeds in but tbh only one of them (5am) is a good long feed - sometimes bedtime - but the others are a bit of a struggle. Re the solids, sometimes she will be quite clear when she is finished (she rubs her eyes as if she was tired, basically), but other times it seems like she would never stop eating! I run out of things to give to her (or run out of time) and have to just cut her off. Still about worried about the BFing, worrying about my supply too... oh well, she's big, sleeping well, wet/dirty nappies, guess there's nothing really to worry about... but I'm a mum, it's my job...

[Fiver]

D's the same about seeming to want to eat until she would pop!  I just cut her off like you've been doing with Audrey.  There are only so many hours in the day, after all.  If you stopped the solids earlier and offered a BF, do you think she'd take it?  Even if it wasn't a massively long one?

[amayzie]

Anna- Hamish is JUST the same!! We run out of food! And anna- you might have covered this elsewhere.. but do you think if you cut out a BF that she might eat more at the others? Is that what you mean- you are on  5 feeds or so?

[Buttonbobs]

Hi guys, E has really suddenly got the hang of eating, she is 9 months old on Friday. Yesterday for breakfast she ate two homemade drop scones and a nectarine and then asked for some of my yoghurt. She then ate two mini babybel cheeses at lunch with rice cakes & a whole banana, before finishing off lots of pasta twists and bolognaise and watermelon for tea - I don't know where she puts it all :-)

But this is leading to a similar question about milk intake - although we're bottle feeding. In the las week her overall intake has dropped by a good few ounces a day. I'm not worried about that as she's still getting plenty. However, I'm still doing five milk feeds including a dream feed & these are spaced at about 7.30am, 11.30/12, 4ish & then 6.30/7 before bed, DF is at 10.30 & she usually takes more at this feed than the others.

In your opinions should I drop the DF first or try to reduce daytime feeds to 3 and space them something like:

Milk 7.30am
Solids 8.30
?snack - solids
Solids 12
Milk on wake up from nap - 3/3.30 ish
Solids - 5.30
Milk - 6.30/7

What do you think? I know there's no right answer and I have checked all the bottle feeding pages but it seems different for the BLW babies (to me anyway).
Thanks x

[amayzie]

I'd suggest dropping the DF as it's generally suggested that can go at 7 months, and they should be able to get through ithout it from 9 months... As far as day feeds- not REALLY sure either! I know my friend that was bottle feeding dropped to 3 bottles and 3 meals (solids) at about 9 months... but that was traditional weaning. BUT- if he;s eating that much he might be ready for a bit more food/less milk.. 2 babybel cheeses!!! That's awesome!!

[creations]

I'd suggest dropping the DF

I would too.  I don't see the point in keeping a night feed and reducing day milk.  I was really scared when I dropped the DF and it went a lot faster and more smoothly than I expected.  Most of these things are more scary to think of than in reality of getting down to it.  If he needs the milk he'll take more in the day or will eat more dairy solids.  If he needs the calories but not necessarily in milk, he'll up his solids with a range of foods.

[amayzie]

I was really scared when I dropped the DF and it went a lot faster and more smoothly than I expected.  Most of these things are more scary to think of than in reality of getting down to it.

This was soo true for us too! Basically my laziness won out- he woke up at DF time, i couldnt be bothered jumping up as i was already in my warm bed, and he resettled himself- that was it!!

[creations]

I didn't mean THAT easy Katy
For use there was some actual weaning involved but nothing he ever noticed or got upset about.  I really did have to ensure his day milk increased though.

[amayzie]

Ok- so i actually made it sound a little easier than it was.. That night of laziness was then followed by the 6 month MASSIVE growth spurt!! WORST timing of dropping the DF EVER!! So we kept it for another week before dropping it!

In other news- I thought i'd share that hamish is now anopen cup PRO!! No more finger bowl action, very little tipping and not too much water all over his face!! My tip- instead of offerring a full or half full cup i gave him one with about a cm of water in the bottom of it. I had given him fuller ones before so he didn't have to tip as far. Well now he's an expert tipper- so the tipping wasn't the issue. I tell you this not to brag- (only a little ) but to tell you that it can be done!! I still mainly use a sippy or more ideally a straw cup when we're out!

[Buttonbobs]

Thanks ladies. I agree that it seems weird to drop a daytime feed while maintaining and unnecessary night feed. I was just becoming a little worried that with E's massive increase in solid intake she is showing an interest in dropping a day bottle & if I dropped the DF too, she would be down two in a very short space of time.

Amayzie - yay for the cup tipping! It's very reassuring as my HV keeps telling me I need to get E to drink from a sippy cup or she won't be able to help herself. She won't currently drink from a sippy but will happily guzzle water from a doidy cup it open cup, with a bit of help at the moment. Well done Hamish :-)

[creations]

She won't currently drink from a sippy but will happily guzzle water from a doidy cup

It's a bit daft your HV is saying she should have a sippy.  A doidy cup is great.  The whole point of moving from bottles/breast to cup is that one day there won't be a bottle, not because sippy cups are the end goal.

You might find she takes to her milk more in the day if the DF goes.  I have found they have an amazing way of monitoring their intake.  Part of the BLW approach is about trusting your child to know what they need, tbh I didn't really 'go' for that aspect, more the independent finger food eating and monitoring the amount themselves aspect iyswim, BUT my guy had a very low milk intake (about half the guidance quantity) and one of the tips is to increase solids dairy.  However I found that every time I increased solids dairy he decreased his milk even more!  It was a worrying time for me.  I took a risk and stopped giving dairy solids and voila milk intake increased (back to half the guidance, he never was bug on milk, I have to just accept that).  So...if you drop the DF and she needs the milk I reckon she will take the milk or dairy solids in the day.

[amayzie]

She won't currently drink from a sippy but will happily guzzle water from a doidy cup it open cup, with a bit of help at the moment.

Um- Isn't this what the eventual aim is!! I found that hamish was pretty hopeless with a sippy to start- no idea, but was better with a straw cup and me helping him with an open cup. But closer to 12 months he was able to use a sippy easily.

[anna*]

And anna- you might have covered this elsewhere.. but do you think if you cut out a BF that she might eat more at the others? Is that what you mean- you are on  5 feeds or so?

I wish 5 feeds! No. I try for four - 5am, mid morning, early afternoon and bedtime - but quite often she'll refuse one of those. I'm trying to play it by ear and just not worry.

[Buttonbobs]

Yes weird indeed, she and I are both happy with the doidy cup. I think the dropping milk thing is a fear factor for the mummy, I'm sure E will be fine if I just go with it. I try so hard to just follow her, but I'm naturally run by my brain & thinking so if I can put it into a logical routine I feel unsettled. E on the other hand will no doubt not even notice :-) Anna, I'll try to be more like you & go with it!