Author Topic: should i change solid feeding times  (Read 1658 times)

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Offline micah'smom

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should i change solid feeding times
« on: September 27, 2005, 23:34:27 pm »
hi,

my micah is 5.5mo and we've been on solids for the past several weeks. here's our eating schedule:

6:30-7 wake and bf
8 - cereal and fruit (2 oz total)
11ish - bf
2:30- bf
5:00 fruits and veggies (2 oz total)
6 or 6:30 bf
7ish - bedtime

the 5:00 solids is right after his last catnap of the day. i was wondering if it's too close to his bf session and is taking away from the bf? sometimes he doesn't seem to take a lot. then he wakes often at night hungry so i wonder if the solids is causing that.

also, when i first started he woke a lot at night and now i realize it could have been tummy issues. these days it's better (but we have those nightwakings as habit now oy!) but should i move the "dinner" to a lunch? does it even matter now?

thanks!
selena, mom to micah 4/14/05

Offline jekholm14

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had the same prob.
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2005, 03:10:06 am »
Hi there,

My DS is the same age and we ran into the same problems.  I found the "dinner" was leaving him too full before bed to eat, which of course caused him to wake earlier.  I brought the last solid feed back an hour and that seemed to help alot.  (I am giving him a 6 oz bottle of formula before bed now, which he takes most of.  Other than that he is BF)
Here is our routine, hope it helps.

7 up & E
8 cereal
9 nap
11 E
12 fruit
1 nap
2:30-3 E
4 cereal &  veg
5 sometimes catnap if other naps didn't go too well
6:30 bath
7 bottle and bed -- asleep by 7

he still wakes once, usually around 4, but it is brief and I am not worried about it.
All the best to you! :D

Offline Katet

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2005, 03:42:30 am »
When I gave ds#1 solids, I always gave them 20-30mins after a bf until 9mo & then swapped to solids them bf. From my perspective, you may have them too spaced out & be causing snacking. Also 2oz seems a lot for a 5.5mo... I work in metric, but looked at a bottle that has oz on the side... there is no way my ds#1 would have had 1oz at 7months & he was 23lb by then. So I think maybe some of the problems may be stomach ache, especially as he is so young & having solids in the evening, I would move it to middle of the day, after the 11.30 feed.

I notice he is on 4 day time feeds, he would still be needing at least one night time feed & despite books it is not uncommon for babies this age to need an extra night feed if they are bf as they tend to be distracted at the 4-8month mark & day feeds can often be a bit less than they need to be, so be mindful of that too.
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline micah'smom

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2005, 14:00:51 pm »
thanks for the replies - jekholm your sample schedule helps!

kate, i give 2 oz b.c it seems like he's hungry for it.... so should i cut down on the solids? i'll try giving a "lunch" instead of "dinner". also, i do one nighttime feed, but i still don't know why he keeps waking and i wonder if it IS hunger. you're right he gets distracted when he bf's during the day.

i wonder if he's going through a growth spurt too, so should i only offer more milk and not more solids?
selena, mom to micah 4/14/05

Offline Katet

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2005, 21:11:11 pm »
Selena,
I'd definitely be offering more milk, the solids should only be "fun food" not filling food until at least 7-8 months, as they need the nutrients in milk much more.
I know it used to be recommended solids at 4mo & now it is 6mo (because of the links to allergy & gastrointestinal diseases) & one of the reasons is babies can't regulate solids as much & if they take too much they can cut back on the milk & thus the nutrients the milk has & then act hungry/thirsty as they are looking for the nutrients that they are missing out on. That is why if you give it earlier than 6mo it shouldn't be as a filler, esp in a bf baby, just as something that is like a "chocolate after dinner"
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline micah'smom

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2005, 21:33:57 pm »
thanks for the info kate. grr i'm a little peeved at my pedi, she said to be on 3 meals of solids by the time we see her at our 6month checkup. and she referred me to the guide that said at micah's age, he should be eating 2-4oz solid food at each feeding. sigh.
selena, mom to micah 4/14/05

Offline Katet

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2005, 22:43:52 pm »
yes unfortunately there are lots of pedi's out there who don't seem to keep up with the research put out by the World Health Organisation  ref http://www.who.int/nut/inf.htm#ref01 & because they have always recommended solids at a ceratin age they do... a lot of them also still give solids as a solution for babies sleeping through the night... either that or CIO/CC, yet many who have their own children don't so the same??.
My 4mo, just spent 3 days in hospital & I must say I fought with more than one Dr about things, such as the drip, meaning he was bf less... managed to get it cut back as I said, before drips came along a mum would have just bf more... I got told yes but now we have drips & I said yes but that still should be to top up not replace & if he was ff I told them I'd agree, but a bf baby is getting what nature intended.
It is such a big argument as to solids & it has changed so much in recent years that it is confusing. We need to trust our Drs & Pedi's but also remember to challenge them about things too when they differ from what you hear other people are doing... they are still human & as one of the Pedi's I challenged in the Hospital said... If I am prepared to trust my "mother instinct & refuse the treatment", they had to challenge me as they needed to "follow protocol" even though they agreed I was probably right & knew my child best... I was right too!
Another good reference on solids is http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html#experts
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline micah'smom

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should i change solid feeding times
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2005, 01:17:25 am »
kate, good for you!! sometimes i feel so inadequate as a new, young mom that i run to "expert" opinion and forget that i really am the one who knows ds the best.

i wish i had known about the 6month thing before. thanks for all the great info, it makes me confident that i made the right choice about bf'ing.
selena, mom to micah 4/14/05