Snacks for 7 mth old?

[Metstark]

Just wondering if it's ok to give my son snacks. Our routine is:

6 am- breakfast 2-3 tbs cereal and 4 oz formula
6:30- A
8:30- snack, usually jar fruit or more cereal.
8:45- nap
10 or 10:15- A
11-lunch 3-4 tbs veggie, 3-4 tbs meat w/veggie combo, 3-4 oz formula
11:30- A
1- fruit
1:15- nap
2:45 or 3- dinner 3-4 tbs veggie, 3-4 tbs meat w/veggie combo, 4-5 oz formula
Activity until 6 pm then has bath, jammies and last bottle of 8 oz at 6:30 pm.
6:45 pm- Asleep for the night

I am wondering if I should drop a bottle instead so he will eat more at each meal instead of drinking less at each meal and having the snacks. My doctor told me 1 month ago to only feed every four hours, with a total of 4 bottles a day, but he won't go for a nap unless he gets something in his tummy. I realized this after he was napping great, then all of a sudden has been eating less at meals, then wouldn't nap well without screaming lately until I feed him and will hungrily eat snacks at 8:30 am and 1 pm. He is 24 lbs and over 2.5 ft tall so he is over the 98th percentile in both height and weight. My doctor was worrying about me overfeeding him, but from everything I read he isn't even getting the amount of formula in 24 hrs that he "technically" should, somedays he will only take 2 oz of formula for his lunch feed. Is this ok? If he won't nap, but will after a snack isn't that proof he is hungry? I am so confused, I don't want to be giving him too much food and not enough formula throughout the day! Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.

[*Kimberly*]

I want to start off by saying that I am no expert on this subject because my lo is not a snacker.  From reading what you wrote it seems like maybe he is wanting a snack because he is not eating as much at his meals.  I would suggest increasing the time between the bottle and solids (or vis-versa depending on how you do it).  My little one has 1 hour between his solids and his bottle.  I know some people who do 1/2 hour between.  Here is my lo's schedule.  He is a little over 8mo but it hasn't changed much since he was 7mo except that we switched the solids and bottle because he wasn't eating much solids.

7am solids
8am bottle
9:30-11am nap
11:30 solids
12:30 bottle
2-3pm nap
4pm solids
5pm bottle
7pm bedtime bottle

HTH,
Kimberly

[Lola]

I'm no expert either but I know that right now the main source of his nutrition is still bottle/breast. I would also suggest the same as tinkerbeal and give more time between the solids and his bottle.

My lo was sort of backwards in that she liked her food first, and bottle after. We had one snack (small snack consisting of some water and a mum mum (only one) cookie; after her nap and before lunch.

Not sure that helps...

[*Natasha*]

Milk is still the most important intake for them at this age and it looks like your LO is getting alot of solids their. I didn't introduce snacks until my DD was around 10months and dropped a bottle. I would stick to 3 meals of solids a day and your 4 bottles of milk. So try doing:

6 am- 6 oz formula
7am - breakfast 2-3 tbs cereal with fruit
6:30- A
8:45- nap
10 or 10:15- A
11-, 3-4 oz formula
11:30- A
12- lunch 3-4 tbs veggie, 3-4 tbs meat w/veggie combo
1:15- nap
2:45 or 3- , 4-5 oz formula
4/4.30pm - dinner 3-4 tbs veggie, 3-4 tbs meat w/veggie combo
Activity until 6 pm then has bath, jammies and last bottle of 8 oz at 6:30 pm.
6:45 pm- Asleep for the night

This is more spaced out and you will probably find your LO will feel full longer and get you through until nap times.

[Metstark]

Thanks for the advice Natasha. I think I will cut back on the snacks and try this approach.