ds is 6.5 months, loves solids but is he getting enough breastmilk? How can i tell?!

[cheritongirl]

My ds loves his solid food now but is clearly taking a lot less breastmilk than before (apart from his first feed in the morning) - i have read somewhere that he should be still getting 600-800ml a day, have no idea if he is getting this but very much doubt it! He won't take formula or a bottle but will drink water from a beaker, but not much.
What is more important: solid food or breastmilk at this stage?
And can he get dehydrated??
TIA !

both are important you could offer the milk before solids if you worried

I would say breastmilk. I'd feed him before offering solids

i think i had this prob but didn't realise. ds was into solids and not drinking enough. only when i went to bottles at 11 mths did i realise he was only able to drink 4oz at a time and only 3 x per day which is way under what he should have been drinking. he also dropped from 50th centile to 9th centile in this period. next time i will def concentrate on getting the breastmilk into baby (eg. before breakfast) and if he can't manage 3 meals a day plus milk then i would cut one of the meals rather than the milk. it is much more important.

if hes thirsty hed drink water
but if you`re worried about not cetting enough nutrition i guess solid food is a good source if you combined every useful bits.you can add cheese and youghurt for extra calcium.

Ditto hairymclary. I would offer ds a milk feed before solids at each meal time and that way I knew he was probably getting a good amount. I think solid food is all about tastes at this stage and bm is so much more important. I would doubt he would get dehydrated if offered bm before food and drinks plenty water but I stand to be corrected by a bf councillor! Don't fret, I'm sure you're doing a great job and would be the first to know if he was dehydrated! I found if ds hadn't taken much bm in the day he would take a bigger bedtime feed or even wake in the night for one. And when he was ill he went right off solid food for 3 days and just took breastmilk, like he knew it was better for him!

actually, breastmilk should be the main source of nutrition for the first 12 months.

Should solids replace breastmilk?

No. Solids during the first year are only meant to complement breastmilk, not take precedence over it or replace any breastfeedings. It is more of a way to add textures to the baby's diet, to allow the baby new experiences, and to help her develop hand/eye coordination through finger feeding. Your baby should still be allowed to nurse on demand, as your milk should be her primary source of nutrition until closer to the end of the first year. Continuing to allow on-demand feedings also better ensures your milk supply.

I had similar worries but no one I spoke to (health visitors, LLL) seemed that concerned about it. I used to feed 4 times a day but DS wasn't always too bothered about it.

I now feed 3 times a day, although he's never on for long at his middle feed. I've been told that the "pint a day" thing is rubbish by LLL, and if you put milk on his cereal that all counts towards his daily intake. Chuck a bit of cheese and yogurt in and you're probably sorted so long as he is still having a few decent feeds per day.

Plus they get a lot more efficient at feeding and can take in much more in less time. I try not too worry too much about amounts in mls as there's just no way to know.

Hope that helps a bit!

of course milk is essential for the first year.
i didnt realise hes so young.