Breastfeeding Dillemas with a Four-Month-Old

[dallinsmommy]

I'm a first time mom with a few questions regarding breastfeeding. My son is 4 1/2 months old and exclusively breastfed. He's on the 4 hour EASY; eating at about 6, 10, 2, 6 and a nightfeeding around midnight each night. He's a very healthy 17 lbs. and doing great.

First; I'm wondering if I can begin a dreamfeed at around 10 p.m. each night to skip the midnight feeding? Is he too old to start this now? He goes to bed each night at 7. We tried a dreamfeed when he was two months and he began waking for it each night and waking every two hours after it. I'm wondering if now I could try again? This would help my husband and I get a little more rest at night; I just wondered if it would work; switching the late night feed time.

Also; I had his four month checkup last week and the doctor told me it was time to start solids. He told me if I waited until six months my son wouldn't accept them. I've been researching this; and found that numerous organizations now suggest waiting for six months. I love breastfeeding my son and don't look forward to doing it any less; my pediatrician instructed me to start cereal for breakfast, veggies for lunch, and fruit for dinner. Doesn't this seem like I'm weaning my son? I don't want to stop breastfeeding until he's at least a year old. So, I'm wondering-when I do start solids in another month or so; how do I go about it without weaning my son? Do I breastfeed him and then offer some cereal? Or, do I breastfeed and then offer the cereal an hour or so later? This seems like it would lead to snacking . . . I'm just not sure what to do. I feel so clueless and am looking for a new pediatrician.

Thanks so much for all of your help. Sorry about all of the questions; I just wanted to try and get them all in one. Thanks again ladies.

[DeannaB]

First off, starting solids is actually beginning the weaning process....just slowly.  I would personally wait til 6 months if that is what you prefer (I plan to).  In my experience, most 4 mo olds still have a hard time getting the eating off a spoon thing down, so I doubt that waiting 2 more months, you will all of a sudden lose your 'window'.  IF you do want to start teaching your ds to eat from a spoon, maybe try a lil cereal with breakfast and that's all.  That will not be enough to start bf him less and it will give him some experience with the spoon.  Once you do start solids, you start at breakfast only, then add dinner.  Then as they get older you start offering lunch.  I would never start all 3 right in the beginning.  For me personally I stay at 5 bf a day til we are eating all 3 meals on a regular basis.  Then I drop to 4.  I personally stay at 3-4 bf a day til my babies turn a year, then I replace 1 with whole milk, then the next week, replace a second with milk as well.  I bf past the year mark, so I keep the wake up feed and bedtime feed as long as I want and am ready to wean.

If I were you honestly, I'd go to 3 hour/5 bf a day and see if you can't get a full night's sleep.  My 3.5 ds has been on that since 3 months and he easily goes 10-11 hours at night just fine.  If he seems hungrier during the day, we might do 6 feeds.  I just would rather fill him up during the day than get up at night.

HTH some!!!  And good luck.....just go with your mommy instinct.  :wink:

[zelkad]

whatever you do is up to you but I'm really surprised that your doctor would want you to start solids.  It sounds like your babe is doing great with the bf.  And really, it's amazing how your supply does change even with a little bit of an intro to solids!!  I would keep doing what you're doing!  Mind you, I started with cereals at almost five months because our lo was starting to wake at night a bit hungry.  Even though I increased the number of bf's he needed more (but he was very big too!!! over 19 lbs on bm alone!)  However, once you start solids you can't really go back.  And, bf is so easy and convenient compared to mixing cereal, opening jars, blah blah, blah!!!

Good luck!!
Zelka

[joannec]

The current research based school of thought is waiting until 6 months until introducing solids, mainly for 2 reasons: 1) less chyance of developing food allergies and 2) gastrointestinal tract more mature and able to cope better with the food. Also, when you do start, please go slow and only introduce one new food every few days or so. You would want to be able to pinpoint the culprit should your babe have any adverse reactions. I'd offer food after the b/f and only a teaspoon or two at first and only after one meal per day initially, it's all about going slow. Good luck finding a new doc.
Cheers, Jo

(mother to Noah - born 29/7/05 textbook gorgeous boy and a little spirited for good measure)

[dallinsmommy]

Thanks so much for your advice ladies. I'm going to keep breastfeeding exclusively for another month or so and then work on the solids. Thanks for suggesting three hours vs. four. I'll try that this week and see if that cuts out our night feedings.

Okay; this might be common sense-but, I just wanted to check. When I do start the rice cereal do I bf a full meal and then offer a teaspoon or so, gradually increasing? This past week when we tried a little cereal my guy just kept eating and eating-and I know he had a good feed right before. The entire day he was sooo gassy after that; can he eat too much or will he know to stop?

Okay, so after the first teaspoon and increasing size-do I cut out the morning bf session and just offer the solid? I guess I'm wondering how to continue breastfeeding for a year and also adding the solids? What would a sample schedule look like? I'm sorry; it's probably common sense-I'm just really not sure on the whole thing.

Thanks again for all of your help-and for your support.

[GraceKellysmom]

If it were me, I'd stop the cereal for another month or so. Give his gut time to heal and get more mature. He's gassy for a reason - he's not ready for it. (PS some babies love to eat and solids are really fun, but mommy knows best)

When you do start, offer solids about 30-60 min after nursing. I would start off with one meal per day (a few tsp) usually around "lunch". Around 7-8 months, you can add a second meal. Around 9 months you go to 3 meals. You want him to continue to nurse as much as possible, breastmilk is the majority of their nutrition until 12 months. The more solids you give, the less milk he will take. And definately chuck the rice cereal. Oatmeal is easier on their tummies, and you can start with fruits and veggies almost right away at 6 months. Meats and yogurt at 9 months. Cows milk at 12 months.

I agree on the more nursings per day to get him to sleep through longer for you. I used to nurse Max when he woke up and then shortly before his nap, or cluster feeding in the evening. Also, you could try putting him back to sleep without nursing in the middle of the night, he may stop waking for it.