Nursing routine for 8mo during 2:1 with LONG A times

[newkidontheblock]

Looking for some feedback on the routine that is developing at the moment. DD will complete 8 months in a week and we have somehow found ourselves on the road toward one nap. Right now I am still nursing her 4 times plus DF. She is doing 1 x 1.5 or 2hr nap + a 30 min catnap.
Feed 1 - on WU
Just started - porridge with 2 oz milk
Feed 2- on WU from nap 1 ( nearly 6 hours after first feed! Is this ok)
Feed 3- 3 or 3.30 pm - very tiny feed as it is usually just 2.5 hours after last one.
Feed 4 - Bedtime
Feed 5 - DF

My issues are -
a) DF will have to be weaned soon. But nowadays she has gone from drinking 3-4oz expressed milk at df to 7oz every day.
b) Feed 2 is usually around 1pm. Feed 3 cannot be before nap 2, since BT is a short time later and she is usually too tired to nurse unless hungry, so I need a gap of 3 hours there. So I do Feed 3 soon after Feed 2.
c) This essentially means that once we drop the DF, she is down to only 3 1/2 feeds. Doesn't that seem on the low end for a 8mo? Her weight gain seems fine - she was 2.24kg at birth and was 7.5kg at 7 mo. We get 4-5 very wet disposable diapers a day. She will only nurse on one side per feed except for at BT.

What sort of routine are others doing at this point?

[*Ali*]

DS1 was fine to go 5hrs between feeds first thing in the morning but I fed DS2 before the first nap. Sometimes he fell asleep, sometimes he didn't. Is that an option?

Are you looking to stop the DF soon? Seems like she is still taking lots so perhaps still needs it.

Are you just doing the one solids meal so far? I'd maybe wait until she is having more in the way of solids.

[newkidontheblock]

Yes, strangely enough, she is fine going 5-6 hours. I feel so silly for the earlier routine full of top ups! I can't feed before nap 1 as on this current routine, I have been able to return to work in the morning. I'm back to nurse her by the time the nap ends. Yesterday and today, I offered to nurse 3 hours after feed 1, just before leaving but she wasn't interested. We are currently doing a heavier solids into which I can put at least 2 oz of milk in the morning and finger foods for lunch but she has been taking quite a bit. Today she had a bowl of sauteed spinach and a guava. I also think that we will simply have to continue with DF. I can't see a way to get 7 oz into her in the day! Recently she has started waking up for it and being in a light sleep between 10- 11 almost on anticipation! This current feeding routine, You don't feel this could negatively affect her growth or my supply?

[*Ali*]

No I'm she will let you know if she is hungry. Your supply should be established by now unlike the early months when frequent feeds were needed to stimulate it so long as she is demanding milk at those times then your body should keep supplying it.

[newkidontheblock]

Thanks, Ali. As always, really appreciate your input. Heard some scary stuff about milk drying up and since she is pretty much nursing on the right at 7am - 1ish pm - 6.30 pm and left at 3 -6.30, I felt it might not be enough.

So how much longer can I keep the DF around? Any clue why the amount she is taking suddenly double? Seems almost like she isn't getting enough during the day and is making up for it then.

[*Ali*]

You can keep the DF as long as you like . I'd just keep offering at all the times you currently do and let her take what she wants.

[katie80]

Read this the other day and meant to reply, but forgot. I didn't drop the DF with my older two until 10ish mo. It wasn't interrupting their night sleep and I wanted to be sure they didn't need it before dropping.

[newkidontheblock]

Thank you, Katie. She definitely still needs it. In the past two days, she has pretty much nursed only thrice a day (and not very well at that!) on WU, after nap 1 and at BT. And of course, DF. She is point blank refusing to nurse at any other times. And not taking much solids too. Today her poo was quite mucousy (sorry for the over sharing!) so I am wondering about teething. She has been faking us out about this for ages though!

[katie80]

Sounds like it could be...