6 months old, 11lbs gaining weight / shall I start solids?

[poupinette]

Hello,

My Breastfed baby is born with kidneys malformations. We have been in and out of hospital many times, he's had surgery twice and now has started to gain weight.
Needless to say, I have not been able to start implementing a proper routine.
Now, we are back home and I find it very difficult, especially with his brother aged 2 who now has tantrums (i think he wants his mum back to himself).
He was used to sleep by himself in hospital bed and had a dummy.
Since being back home, he has been refusing the dummy, and took the habit of falling asleep on grandma (when she was around).
I took him in bed at night to reinstate my milk supply and help with weight gain. I also had to use the Medela supplemental feeding system as he has always refused bottles (yes, even given by nurses, doctors, grandma, daddy...).
Now, he refuses to fall asleep by himself as he has been using my breast like a dummy . He cries as soon as I put him down in his cot.
Having reached 6 months, I also have started giving him a few spoons of solid each day but with food calories being less than BM, will he lose weight again?
I also want to
1. start him on the bottle for day feeds and keeping BF only 1st + evening feeds
2. stop feeding him all night long (3 times a night!)
3. get him to sleep alone

Would anyone be able to help and offer some advice?

[jbepko]

My goodness what a saga you have had so far! Definitely a lot of issues to work out. When you say "bottle feed" are you talking about EBM or formula? It makes a big difference in terms of supply. To work on the night feedings, you need to move all of his calories into the day and increase the amount of his feedings. For question #3, there is a whole forum devoted to sleep issues and those ladies are much smarter about sleep than I am. Instead of all three at once, I would try one at a time. IMHO, a well-rested baby will be open to changes, llike introducing bottle. But in order for mom (you) and LO to be well-rested, you need to eliminate some night-feedings IF appropriate. Not ALL 6 month old, can sleep through the night without a nursing/feeding. You say there are 3 feedings- are they timed like 3 hours apart/ erratic/ or same time every night? I would really work on boosting daytime feedings- especially cluster feed and maybe introducing a dreamfeed. I would concentrate on BF only until daytime routine is established and sleep is better...then move to bottle issue. Can you give us some idea of his sleep/naps/eating cycle currently?

[First Time Mom]

Wow, you have had a lot to deal with!
I can only comment on the solids and bfing, my dd has always been slow to gain weight and petite (at 8 mths was 13.5 pounds). Go easy on the solids at first and give them only after bfing- I give solids up to an hour after. Try to stick with the higher cal items- avocado and banana are great in cals and nutrients though my dd only likes them mixed together. I go easy on the low cal stuff like carrots,etc. I also have continued to offer a df at night as per my doc's request to continue to see if it makes a difference in gains.

[poupinette]

thanks. You are right. I need to establish the day routine first. I know he has one nap am, one in afternoon but dunno exactly when/how long.
at night, feedomgs are erratic. Maybe every 2-3 hours.
I have tried to give him more during the day but he does not drink if not thirsty.
Also, I have never been able to express more than 60 ml (2 ounces) of milk so I might have to give him formula milk or breast + top up of formula?