Returning to work and 6 month old won't have solids yet

[rebemuri]

Hi, there! I am currently living in Brazil which has a fantastic maternity leave period of 6 months!! I feel blessed. HOWEVER, I am worried that we recently introduced solids (2 weeks ago), and he is having NONE of it. Up to then, DS has been exclusively breast fed and I would rather not introduce formula (it was hell with DD when I tried to switch), but I will be gone at least 5 hours so at least one feed I won't be able to give. If he would only take one solids meal a day, that would be FANTASTIC! Any advice, please? Thanks a lot, ladies!!!

[michaeljacknnugg]

You could pump, and have the caregiver offer your milk in a cup or bottle? Or feed immediately before you leave and also when you get back?

Probably if you offer solids with no pressure he will take some eventually, but until 1 his main source of nutrition is milk.

[rebemuri]

I would have to pump at work cause I won't be able to feed him and then pump a whole bottle. DS usually drains me out. I am not sure that I will be able to pump at work.
Feeding before I leave and after I return won't work cause DS eats every 3.5 - 4 hours. I'll be gone for at least 5... potentially 6 or 7.
Any thoughts?

[Martini~]

Have you tried some baby rice with fruits? That's one of the easiest to digest for us, you can make it on your own milk but you don't need much. A portion of 30-60ml with 2tbsp of fruits could make him wait for 5h between BF. WDYT?

Ahhh, forgot to say that it is one of DS favourite food. Even when I serve it with veggies not fruits:).

[creations]

I would give one formula feed whilst you are gone. You say you will be potentially away 6 or 7 hours and he feeds every 3.5 - to 4 - I really think he needs a milk feed in that time, not solids.  Sure in a few weeks or another month he might be taking enough solids to extend his milk feeds up to 5 hrs and maybe at that point you can feed before leaving and on return (although he may well still need a milk feed in that time) but for now he is young, his primary food is milk whether breast or formula, that's what he needs. I know you said you didn't want to use formula but if you can't pump sufficient to leave a full feed for him whilst you are gone I see no other option. Babies need milk.

[rebemuri]

Thanks so much for the advice. Rice and fruit is not something I have tried... I'll give it a shot! Problem with formula is not the bottle itself as it will be just one a day. The problem is how to get him to accept it. With DD it was such a painful process that I am afraid to have to go through that again. I know every baby is different, but DD was a lot more open to new flavors than DS is... DS certainly doesn't seem to enjoy anything other than his breastmilk (not juice, not fruit, not vegetables, not meat, nothing so far!)
I got a 1-month extension (unpaid leave) so I am hopeful that he will be in a better place by the time that I return to work. I'll let you know how we're doing in a couple of weeks.
Thanks!!

[creations]

Good to hear you have another month.
Have you not tried him with any formula yet then?  How about just getting a couple of the small ready made cartons (if those are available where you live) and try him on those, that way you avoid buying a large container of milk powder and there's no fuss in making the carton feed up either.  If you don't have any bottles perhaps try with a straw in a cup?

[rebemuri]

Thanks! Have never heard of those cartons here in Brazil, but I'll sure look out for them. I think him accepting a different taste is what will be a big challenge. So far, he hasn't taken any new flavors well... at all.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Do you have any pumped milk at all? Just thinking it might work if you mixed formula and bm to see if that would work. Or just try a bottle and find out now whether it is an issue or not, he might surprise you! Just because he is not into solids much doesn't mean he won't take formula...my DD2 was a slow starter on solids and switched to formula quite easily. Even when he is 7 months and you are back to work that will be such a long time to be without a milk feed.

[rebemuri]

I thought once they had a full solids lunch they would skip a milk feed and that would give me an extra 4 hours without milk feeding him? I guess not
I'll try the formula on its own and if he doesn't like it, the formula+bm combination... Hope it works!! I'll keep you posted 

[ButterflyLily]

Sorry if that's a stupid question...But maybe you could negotiate a more flexible schedule so that you can work less or work from home? With all these screen sharing tools and video conferencing equipment life has gotten so much easier!

[rebemuri]

Not stupid at all! Actually, I've already negotiated a part-time assignment, so that helps Still, I'm sure I'll have to be out of the house for 5 or 6 hours at a time most days.

[*Ali*]

It's normal for a BF LO to have at least 4 BFs during the day until closer to 12mo although some drop earlier to three BFs around 10mo if they are big solids eaters. Many are on more BFs.

You might be able to stretch him 5hrs between feeds if he sleeps for good chunk of that and takes a big solid meal. What about leaving formula in a sippy cup or mixing his food with some formula if he takes a liking to cereal or you plan to use purées? You'd need to try to fit in 4 BFs the rest of the day though IMO or he may start waking more at night (reverse cycling) to make up for the lost breast milk and mummy time.