5 1/2 month old just started solids - need advice!

[absn]

Hi!  I have a 5 1/2 month old daughter and just introduced her to solids this week.  We've been on a 4 hour EASY routine for a while, and so I've just started since Sunday, giving her one solid meal of rice cereal a day and she seems to have taken well to it.  I'm going to give her 2 meals of rice cereal but have noticed that she doesn't take as much bottle (she was taking about 4-5 ounces per bottle feeding and has been a small eater since birth).  Now, I'm not sure if she's distracted during the day or what, but her bottles are generally about 4 ounces which I don't think are enough for her age.  And in the past couple days, she's woken at 11 or 12 am (unless I dream feed her before then), then around 3 or 4 am as well - acting hungry and eats about 4 ounces each time.  This is new since before the solids, she was sleeping from 7-7 with only one waking around 11pm or 12 am (dream feed time).  I'd like to have her eat more at each "meal" so she gets enough formula (clearly, she is not getting enough during the day)... and I'm also not sure when I should move the solid mealtimes to 3x a day.  Her naps have also seemed to have shortended as well - not sure if this is a result from the solids as well?  And one more question - do they have growth spurts around this age?  I can't find any reading material on this...

Thanks!!!  Sorry for the boatload of questions!!

Amy

[Colin Macs Mom]

Hi Amy,

LOs do usually have a major growth spurt at 6 mo. but that can happen a bit early or late too.

When are you offering the solids in relation to the bottles? It sounds to me like maybe they are too close together and she might be too full to have the bottle.

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Hi. Gage was only taking in about 4oz during the day and waking every 3 hours at nigt to eat. From the advice of these great ladies I got a larger nipple and he started eating a lot more. Also, at this age they are becoming very aware of their environment and it becomes hard to sit still long enough to fill the whole tummy. It seemed like every time I fed Gage he was farting around, wiggling or staring at me. The ladies also sugggested giving him a 5 to 10 min. intermission where he can play a little and then come back to eat. I did both of these things and he went from eating 18 oz to 32 oz  Worked like a charm!

[*Natasha*]

Gages Mum is spot on 
Could you post your day and how much at each feed please?