How to balance bf with solids 6-12 months?

[Alexia26]

Hi,

My DD will be 7 months soon , I've been exclusively breastfeeding but now she seems ready for solids. I've decided to go the blw route, I've got a pretty clear idea about it all but there's one thing that I can't find a lot of info on and that is balancing breastfeeding and solids from the 6-12 months. All the info says specifically that bm should still continue to be the main source of nutrients however how do you prevent the solids becoming the main source if they 'take ' to them right away ? I know your supposed to bf before offering the food too which makes sense .

Also I'm not sure month by month exactly how many times a day I should offer solids. By 12 months apparently they should then be on 3 meals per day plus snacks. Is one meal sufficient for the first month ? Or too little ?

I really dont want to cut the bfing short and it worries me! I know they say 'food before one is just for fun' which is reassuring but I I'd be grateful if somebody could tell me how they've done this just to give me idea . No one has heard of blw where we live so I am getting all my info online. Thanks

[TwoLittleTerrors]

Have a look at this
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/solid-foods-weaning.aspx
It implies 1 meal from 6 months. Moving to 3 meals at 8-9 months.

Tbh they won't eat that much compared to spoon fed babies. A lot less in fact imho when I see others getting fed. And DD1 was very good at self feeding. What I did (and also doing now with DD2) was 3 meals straight away if she is up during our meal time. For example one day she would have breakfast only. Another would have breakfast and dinner. Breastfeed on demand and not timed at all.

[TwoLittleTerrors]

This is another site on weaning from the nhs www.nhs.uk/start4life/taste-for-life
It seems snacks is from 1 year.

[Cawanaka]

Mine is nearly 7mo and I had similar concerns. She took to BLW so well that she is eating quite a lot. She has three meals a day but more for the social aspect of it all. BLW is very much avout joining in and having fun with food etc.

See what happens. Make sure you are still breastfeeding the same amount and if she starts to refuse a usual BF then you'll know you need to cut back on the real food. I do on demand so it's hard to tell but basically I try and do it as much as possible!

[jessplussomeonenew]

We are offering food every time we eat and have done so almost from the start (now just under 7 months and about 3-4 weeks into blw). I think introducing meals gradually is traditional weaning advice and reflects the fact that spoon-fed babies will swallow more food more quickly. DS hates being left out and isn't swallowing much yet so every meal seems to work for us. I'm basically leaving him to regulate his own needs for milk and food - I think part of the blw approach is to be led by the baby's appetite and trust that they will take what they need if offered a healthy range. I don't think he's feeding any less, though it's not easy to tell with bf. If his weight gain dropped off or he looked like he wasn't getting enough I'd play around with meal/feed timing but for now it's not necessary.

[Alexia26]

Thanks for replying and thank you Two for those links I've just been looking at them , some helpful info there.