8 month BF 2x a day + 2 formula feeds question

[writelydivided]

My son just turned 8 months old, and our schedule is like this:

7 AM BF
8 AM solids (cereal-1/4 cup, fruit-4 oz, yogurt-few big tablespoons)
9:45 nap (anywhere from 30 mins - 1.5 h)
11:00 8 oz formula
12:00 solids (meat, veggies - 4 - 6 oz)
1:30? (depending on AM nap) nap (again, 30 mins - 1.5 h)
3:00 8 oz formula
5:00 solids (veggies or fruit, sometimes cereal or protein; 4 + oz)
6:45 BF, bed

I'm having trouble with his morning breastfeed. 2 or 3 days out of the week he'll often take hardly anything (maybe 5-10 mins), and will barely have a wet diaper when he gets up from the morning nap. Is he self-weaning? Should I just feed solids first? I get frustrated because I'd really like to make it to a year with BF. I had to stop the daytime BFs because he was too distracted. Evening BF before bed is usually good now: 10-15 good minutes, up to 20 sometimes.

I'm also wondering if I need to switch lunch to solids first, then formula. And maybe dinner too? I've seen a lot of advice on formula feeding or breastfeeding, but not a lot on the combo (maybe I'm missing a thread?). I'm not sure if maybe less formula would encourage more of a morning BF. I offer water in a bottle off an on during the day; the most he's ever taken in a day is 2 oz.

Any advice on the morning BF, formula amounts, or order?

Thanks in advance. I've been reading the boards for some time now, and find them a great comfort and source of advice!

[*Kimberly*]

At 8 months I would continue to offer the BF/formula first.  I also wouldn't be too concerned if your lo is not taking a lot at that first feed.  I know it is a hard thing to do (I still struggle) but try not to focus too much on a single feed but on the overall day or week.  As long as he is doing fine overall, it is not a big issue.  That being said...he may be getting ready to do the 4-3 switch.  I know that most people say you do the switch from 4 to 3 BF/bottles when the lo starts to refuse the middle feed but for my lo he never slowed on any feed except the morning feed.  So I switched to 3 feeds and it took it a little bit but he began to even himself back out.  I would wait a little bit and if he begins to do it every morning then you might want to go to 3 BF/bottles.

HTH

Kimberly

[writelydivided]

Thanks for the reply! That is helpful. It's just so hard to know if he's getting enough liquid when the BF'ing doesn't go well. I'm a bit apprehensive about dropping one of the bottle feeds because of that.

Thanks again!
Rachel

[*Kimberly*]

Is he gaining weight?  And active?  If so, then he is getting enough.  I know it is hard.  Like I said, I still struggle.  Lately my lo has been drinking less and I keep stressing even though I know I shouldn't.   

Kimberly

[writelydivided]

Yes: he's always gained weight well and is quite active and generally very happy. Naps are the only other problem which lead to overtired. . . when it's the morning nap that's a problem, I always think "maybe he's hungry; if only he'd nursed better in the morning!". I think it's just a bit of paranoid first time mom nerves, wanting to do the best for him. . . all the normal stuff. He fed very well tonight before bed--a little too well, I think: he was so gung-ho he kept slurping and losing suction.  That may be teething, though, too.

I really want to make it to at least a year with BFing since it's so good for him. I didn't want to give up the day time feeds but it was getting way too frustrating for me, and he was taking in tons of solids around 6 months, so the switch to formula for day was good then (solid intake decreased afterwards).

I think I'll just breathe a sigh of relief that I've got a beautiful, healthy boy and try not to sweat it when the feeds aren't my idea of ideal.

--Rachel

[RachelC]

You may find support here: https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68301.60


I would definately hang in there on the AM feed (not switch to solids first).  You would be amazed at how much he gets in 5-10 minutes first thing in the morning (when your supply is the greatest).  You can try a nursing necklace or something to keep his focus on you.  It's so hard at this age when everything around them is so enticing

[*Kimberly*]

I think stressing is just part of parenting.  I know that of the billion or so things that I have stressed over during the first year of my son's life none of them turned out to be a big thing and most of them I can't even remember.  However, intuition is an awesome gift and if you truly feel that something is off or wrong with your child I would not ignore it.  That being said, I think your lo is fine.   

Kimberly

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Great advice already.  I would second (or third!) the recommendation to stick to bf before solids for sure.  Milk is much more important than solids for the first year.  I also had to bf right after naps when my dd was still sleepy if I wanted a full feed.  They like to make it complicated don't they? 

[writelydivided]

You may find support here: https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68301.60


I would definately hang in there on the AM feed (not switch to solids first).  You would be amazed at how much he gets in 5-10 minutes first thing in the morning (when your supply is the greatest).  You can try a nursing necklace or something to keep his focus on you.  It's so hard at this age when everything around them is so enticing

Thanks for the link, PaigeJalyn. It was great to see that thread.

And, thanks, Kimberly, for the moral support. I can really relate to so much of what you're saying. It's great knowing there are "kindred spirits" out there who understand.

Yesterday, we had a great morning feed: the longest in probably over a month--probably close to 20 minutes! I felt like the best mom ever. (The same way that I feel whenever he successfully goes down for a nap!)

Then, this morning, he wouldn't latch on, so I waited five minutes, he was very animated and looking around, and smiling and giggling; I tried again, no luck; 40 minutes later, I think I'd gotten him to BF maybe a grand total of 7 minutes (off and on). I was frustrated, but tried to focus on just enjoying him--because he certainly was having a great time!

Erin, you're right about the complicated! Unfortunately, I'm somewhat of a control freak. Jack's doing a great job of helping me see the joy in the moment and taking everything more just as it comes. 

I don't know what I'd be doing if I hadn't learned about the BW routines. I think life would be chaos! Even though Jack has his own ideas about feeds and naps, the routine has made our lives so much easier. 

Rachel

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Yesterday, we had a great morning feed: the longest in probably over a month--probably close to 20 minutes! I felt like the best mom ever. (The same way that I feel whenever he successfully goes down for a nap!)

  That is EXACTLY how I tend to feel! 

[Erin M]

Rachel, I did the 2 BF and the 2 FF a day from about 8/9 months as well and your schedule looks pretty much identical to ours.  Around 10ish months I think I dropped the 11 AM bottle (or was it the 3 PM one, I'm having a hard time remembering!) - and then had 1 bottle and 2 BFs.  We all got sick around 11 months and that was the end for us, but I think we could have kept up the morning and night for awhile longer.  

[writelydivided]

Erin, thanks so much. It's good to hear that I probably do need to keep the 2 FF's a while longer, and good to have an idea of when I might drop one.