should I drop a milk feed?

[RachelG]

Can anyone advise? Matthew is 10 months old, and still has 5 milk feeds per day (breakfast, mid morning, mid afternoon, his bedtime, my bedtime - he wakes then and won't settle without milk). He's never been a huge fan of solid food, but eats 3 meals/day - still mostly mushy puree, gags on lumpy stuff. He's healthy and happy and gaining weight. He's dropped slighly off the line on the weight chart, but apparently that's normal for breastfed babies. I'm quite happy with the way things are, but was really wondering if 5 milk feeds is excessive at this stage. Should I try and drop one off, in the hope that he'll want to eat more solid food?

All opinions welcome!

Thanks

Rachel

I would have dropped milk feeds by now .. but its up to you .. try giving him finger food too

My son (17 months) is having 3-4 bottles of milk per day. Plus 3 large meals and snacks. We are trying to get him down to 3 bottles, but about 50% of the time he needs 4. But increasing his food consumption is difficult as he already eats more than me!

I would agree with Twiglett, try giving finger foods, it gives them more control and they choke less.

My son was on fairly pureed food at 10 months, as he has tongue-tie and it was only when it tore a bit that it became easier for him to eat lumps. As I make all my own food, it was easier that with jars to increase the lumps more gradually. Is he having protein and carbs to fill him up a bit more?

But I wouldn't worry too much, if is weight is OK.

Don't hold back the lumpy stuff because he gags. Gagging is OK - it's just the baby getting used to the sensation of lumpy food. As long as he's not actually choking, it's fine; he needs to have the lumpy stuff to get used to the texture - and they he'll stop gagging.

I'd drop a milk feed and up the solids, including some finger foods and lumps, see whether the inclusion of interesting tastes and textures, together with decreasing the milk, increases his taste for solid food.

At 10 months, DD was on 2 milk feeds. Morning and evening before bed. Try and drop his mid morning first. Offer him a piece of fruit or cracker instead. Found my DD didn't even notice me dropping the mid morning and afternoon feeds. She was happy with a snack. Think the late evening feed is probably a habit. He shouldn't really need milk at night now. Does he take anything in a bottle? Try offering him some water in a cup or bottle instead. May take a few nights, but he may decide it's not worth waking up for something as dull as water. Think you should persevere in offering him slightly lumpier stuff at this age. Try and give him some finger foods to try.