8 month old reduced milk intake and BF supply

[LillianFullStop]

8 month old DD taking solids since 6 months - she started on just breakfast and a small dinner which did not really affect her milk intake. At 6 months we also succeeded in her taking the bottle (after months of trying) and so we started her on one formula bottle a day in addition to breastfeeding every 3 hours or so.

The problem was that her weight gain had slowed right down and she dropped 2 centiles (from 9th to 0.4th) and so we were referred to see the GP. We were advised to introduce more solids like meat, pasta, yogurts and cheese and up to 3 meals a day. I've also upped her formula intake to 2 feeds a day. She takes quite a big breakfast but only a few bites of lunch and dinner - she loves yogurt and fromage fraise snacks though so it seems she has a sweet tooth.

My concern is that she is now taking a lot less milk. I thought milk should still be their main source of nutrition? Prior to upping her solids at GP advice she was finishing 180ml bottles - but now I'm lucky to get her finishing 120ml. I'm also worried my breastmilk supply has gone down because she's not taking full feeds from the breast anymore.

Although she's recovered a centile back to 2nd, at last check has again plateaued probably due to the reduced milk intake.

Can anyone offer or share a feeding schedule for an 8 month old so I can manage the intervals between solids and milk to ensure she's hungry enough for milk? Should I be offering milk first always and she will take the solids if she's still hungry after?

[bf1000]

She may be distracted in day and not nursing as often or much due to being distracted by everything. My 7 month old is struggles to nurse if other things happening around him. But he does nurse through night more at moment I think that he is catching up his calories then.
What time is the formula? If it is at night and has resulted in longer stretches of sleep this could have 2 effects...1. Baby is in a artificial long sleep stretch so not waking for feeds so not catching up calories. 2. As not nursing at night this can have an effect on supply as supply is boosted at night due to hormones released.

One more thing to consider is babies can tend to drop after food introduction and becoming more mobile. Both my children have been hefty chubby babies but dropped to lower Centiles as they got older. 4 yr old was on 50th but dropped to 25th towards age 1 and is now on 9th centile. 7 month old went up to 75th but is starting to come just below 75th now

[bf1000]

Also Dr advice to I trounce more solids is odd because breast milk is the highest calorie healthiest oz for oz that there is. Where is food is harder to digest so fills for longer but is lower in calories oz for oz.

So you could try reducing food slightly and offering breast more. Skin to skin, some where without too many distractions

[ICJump]

You could, often breastfeed feeds before solids and formula bottles. And see how that goes

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

Agree that you have been given rather outdated information from the GP. The current NHS guidelines say to pmove to 3 meals a day between 8 and 9 months. As the PP said, it is far more important that she drinks her milk rather than eats the solids, so try not to stress too much.

Yes to giving her the milk first, then wait an hour until she has the solids. If she eats some, then great. If she doesn't, she's simply not hungry.

Could you try something like this?

7am bottle

8 am breakfast

10.30 ish BF

11.30 ish lunch

2pm Bf

4 pm BF

7 pm bottle

Is she Bfing in the night too?

If she wants a snack during the day, I'd just bf. It really is better for her than petite filous no matter what the doctor has led you to believe