Loves his solids - but is he getting enough milk?

[Kif]

Sigh

Yup, me again.

So I've started the squirt on solids. He's 5 months and a bit. It's a major hit - he'd eat the spoon if we could - seems to stuff until his tummy can't physically hold more. Two meals a day - each roughly two and a half small pots worth.

I'm concerned that he's now getting too small a proportion of his calories from milk - which I understand is supposed to be main food til 1 year.

As background - i've had a slog to maintain bf over the last few months. His weight gain was poor - he's been on 0.4th centile for ages. His first weigh in post solids showed the curve moving back up through centiles (roughly on 1% centile now). He's on 4oz formula a day.

I'm wondering if he's now preferring solids to bm - and whether that means that I need to introduce more formula, to make sure he's still getting milk. Some breast feeds are 'normal' - others he seems to get frustrated very quick. Hv says bring on the sma - and I'm inclining to bowing out gracefully, content with 6 months bm in his tummy. Or am I flapping?

p.s. I was all set to go to LLL meeting on friday - but now feel like a fraud! Wimp?

Kif - do go to the meeting. There will be someone - maybe more than one - who has been through something similar.

I think your HV is useless, sorry. What she says is of course an option, but not the only one.

You are going a weensy bit fast on the solids - and there is a risk that he will fill up in preference to breastmilk. Now, for some mums this would not be a big deal. Their generous and copious supply will withstand this and the breastfeeding will continue quite merrily without as much stimulation. But I think with your history, where you have had to consciously work hard at getting the whole show on the road, you might find your supply is less robust.

What he is having know is maintaining a satisfactory weight gain, and he is enjoying. He can stay on that solids plateau without you increasing for the moment....and you can offer him more breastfeeds to work against the 'dwindling' factor. This will work by making your supply more 'bullet proof'.

Or, of course, you can feel justifiably feel good about the major struggle you have been through and let things take their course which would prob mean gradually increasing solids to match his enthusiasm and also increasing formula in response to the lessening of the breastmilk supply. It's up to you

Why do you feel like a fraud? You are still bf and it is supposed to be somewhere you can go to get advice for exactly that reason. You should be really proud to have fed your son for so long, it is bloody hard going (6 months is fantastic).
I can't really advise on the milk vs solid, my ds loved his solids and you can't tell how much milk they are getting when they are bf, so I used to mess around feeding him before and after meals trying to make sure he got enough milk, but I came to the conclusion that as long as I was giving him good healthy solids then he would make sure he was getting enough milk. After 8 moths ds was only having 2 milk feeds a day, but would eat solids until they were coming pout his ears. As long as he is having lots of wet nappies and soft poos I'm sure he's doing great.
It is totally up to you whether you change to formula altogther, if you are struggling then do it you have bf for the most important time and formula does have added vitamins so it would put your mind at ease. Don't feel pushed either way, it is totally up to you, what do you really want. I would go to LLL if you get a chance.
You are doing a graet job, don't worry.
xxx

sorry took me so long to type, tiktok has replied, with some of her great advice. So ignore anything I said.
I meant to say great not graet!

I know it's totally irrational to avoid the LLL meeitng on account of having bf difficulties. I think bf affects me hormonally - I notice that when I drop feeds I became markedly downbeat and reclusive for a while. I guess that's the real secret behind my steely determination to hold on to bf as long as possible .

This time I feel the writing really is on the wall 'byee bf' - but I'll try some of your tips, and not make snap changes. I've had a good run with this one.

Thanks for your advice, guys. Appreciated.