Introducing solids & BF'ing

[clarejane]

DS is almost 7 mos, EBF & we have started introducing solids in the last few weeks - fruit, veggies, yoghurt etc. He currently BF's at 8ish (then nap) 11.30ish (then nap) 2.30ish, (then sometimes a nap) 5ish and bedtime. Plus at least one BF overnight. Dr says that by 9 mos he should be on 3 solid 'meals' a day plus about 3 BF's.

I am struggling with when to offer solids so that a) he is hungry but not starving b) he is awake c) it doesn't interfere with him taking as much BM as he needs and d) we can move towards a breakfast / lunch / dinner pattern of solids. Kellymom recommends offering solids an hour after BF'ing but he is generally napping by then.

I am not schedule obsessed at all, the pattern of his day is what he has settled into and we have to have some flexibility as I freelance and we travel regularly. I just feel that it would be good to get him onto his 3 meals at normal breakfast / lunch / dinner time so we can eat as a family etc. - right now it's pretty random!

Any suggestions re timing solid meals and adjusting BF's much appreciated! Thank you.

[RitaMorgan]

I would just offer him food if he is awake at a meal time. It doesn't matter if he misses a meal because he's asleep, or isn't very hungry.

He doesn't have to be on 3 meals by X time, and you don't have to reduce down to X number of breastfeeds. 3 breastfeeds seems quite little for a 9 month old anyway - my almost 11 month old still has at leasst 4.

[greeneone12]

Hi there

I am a first time Mum but am happy to tell you where we are at! I started by offering food inbetween feeds (between boobs) but that wasn't really working so I started offering food 1-2 hours after the last BF. It must be tricky if LO is asleep an hour after BF's so you could try the solids inbetween breasts method? I checked this with my HV and she said it's fine.

Sometimes my DD is asleep through the whole of lunchtime and she, like yours, isn't set to a rigid pattern everyday. I have now stopped worrying so much but do try and offer something at brek, lunch and dinner each day. Her weight is fine and she is eating some stuff so that's the main thing.

[greeneone12]

clarejane is 8pm when LO wakes up? If so I am very jealous!

[clarejane]

Yep - normally he's up around 8 (with a 5am feed...), I know we're lucky!

Thanks both of you for the sanity check - I will just offer him food around mealtimes and not worry. Don't know why I've been trying to make it more complicated than it needs to be....thank you!

[clarejane]

PS - not sure the 'between boobs' approach would work as he is looking for the 2nd side soon as he finishes the first, but I'll remember the idea :)