B/f and weaning - totally confused, please help....

[MrsHumphz]

I EBF'd my baby until he was 6 months old, and started weaning. I read a couple of books and spoke to the HV, and am still not sure if I'm doing the right thing!

He has two b/f's : 7pm and 3am (youch)

He then has breakfast (9am), lunch (12.30)and tea (5pm). He absolutely loves eating and eats waaaaaay more than the books I consulted suggested that he ought to be eating. One, in particular, was suggesting 2x teaspoons of food and mine will quite happily have 3x tablespoons and still ask for more.

I give him water at mealtimes and throughout the day. He also snacks on grapes or blueberries throughout the day.

Question is : should I be giving him more milk? I've gone back to work so I couldn't breastfeed anymore (expressing didn't work for me, so not an option). I really don't know if he is missing out just having the 2x breastfeeds - so whether he needs a bottle of formula (glug, haven't ever done it, and am a bit intimidated by the sterilising!) or cowsmilk?

He's a big baby - has always been 95th percentile, and doesn't look "fat" despite large appetite!

If anyone knows, or can point me to a decent website, I'd very much appreciate it.

Sorry - should have said, he is a few days away from 7 months at the moment.

He probably needs more milk than that I think - either a bottle of formula or a couple of extra breastfeeds. He can't have cow's milk until he's 1.

I wouldn't bother with sterilising at this age though personally.

could you breastfeed him in the morning before work? You wouldn't need to sterilise bottles if he had formula - he could drink it out of a cup anyway (formula needs to be made up with hot water though)

I don't know how much milk they should be having at that age but it doens't sound like a lot.
Sounds like he's a great eater though

the guidelines say at least 21oz of milk per day until the age of one, obviously this is difficult to judge when bf, but i bf my 7mo ds 5 times a day, 7am on waking, 10ish after first nap, 1ish after lunch, midafternoon and before bed at 7.
I believe milk should remain the main source of cals and nutrients until age 1?
I know what you mean about being uncertain re frequency of feeds now though. My ds eats alot, still hungry for bf too. I think i read to cut down on milk feeds from 8-9 months onwards.

oh, no need to sterilise now - judging by finding my ds licking the shoes in the hall today! Just wash throughly in really hot soapy water with a bottle brush, leave to air dry.

If you did want to sterilise, cold water sterilising with Milton tablets is very easy and inexpensive. I used to be anti cold water sterilisation and considered getting an electric steriliser when pg. My LO was then in SCBU and we got used to using cold water sterilising then - plus we figured that if it was good enough for SCBu it was good enough for home!