solids and breast feeding

[jinna]

my son is 6 months and i am breast feeding him. I started weaning him at 4 months and he took to it well although he ate very little amounts. He is 6 months now and i feel confused about when to give him solids and then when to brest feed . I 've read that he should still be getting 600ml of milk each day aswell as 3 meals - at the moment he is having a little at breakfast and then some food at tea time. I have also read that it is best to give milk separate from the times he is fed solids inorder to help absorption of iron - i just feel very overwhelmed - i feel even more silly for getting in a fluster because he is my second baby - my older son is 4 - but i honestly cannot remember what i did with him - although i do remember that he wasn't such a handful as my baby at the moment.
the 6 month old has also learnt that when he doesn't like something he will close him lips firmly - i can't believe they start doing this so young .
any advise would be greatfully recieved

I'm confused about water. Now ds (6 months) is on solids, does he need it? I do offer it, but he refuses anything but breast.

I am also confused about how much water my 6month old should be having. At the mo she is having mashed up vegetables and breast milk, and is bf on demand..but only seems to do poos every couple of days. Should I offer her water as well, should it boiled tap water, or just breast milk?

My dd is 7 months - been on solids for a month. She hardly takes much water. She prefers to drink it straight from a cup but spills so much its difficult to say how much she is taking. My HV said not to worry if she is taking plenty b/feeds but to keep offering the water to get her used to the idea.

Wouldn't worry about the poos cazzybabs - b/milk has such little waste many babies go a few days without pooing. My son used to go up to 5 days and then have an explosion!

I would not be concerned at all about water. If you are happy to give breastfeeds then that is fine. If you are cutting out breastfeeds then water or juice can be given then. Personally I gave my 4 children well diluted juice because they refused water. I think that is because breast milk is so sweet. Anyway, they do not have any fillings/dental decay. Tell a lie, the youngest got a tiny filling when she was about 6, but has not had another one. The eldest is 15yrs and the youngest is 9. She now drinks water in preference to juice.

I would offer water with meals (solids) & let baby decide if she wanted it. I can't see the harm... mine are huge eaters & water drinkers. DD mastered the AnyWay Up Cup by the time she was 6 months (!)

My DS is six and a half months and has been on 'solids' for a month. Prior to having solids he was happily taking a bottle at the Childminders (where he goes from 9-2.30pm three days per week), but is now only taking 1oz, if that. He won't take water from a cup or a bottle, and I'm worried that his fluid intake isn't enough. I know I could just offer him b/f frequently to see if he's interested, but I'm reluctant to do this as his top teeth have just started to come through and he tends to bite unless he's really interested!! I'm beginning to dread feeding him, but can't switch to formula or even expressed breast milk as he is totally refusing bottles. I'm meant to be increasing his hours at the Childminders to 9-5pm, but I'm worried that will be too long for him to go without drinking anything. Any ideas?

Keep offering drinks from a feeder cup and he will eventually take them - honestly. He will probably co-operate more at the childminders and will drink when he is thirsty. Try not to convey any anxiety to him. Another way of getting fluids into him is by giving jellies - they usually go down a treat.

They do learn to not nip pretty quickly. On the lower teeth holding their nose worked for me and then they unlatch pretty quick. You have to let them know that the have nipped you as they don't know.

Well, after a traumatic couple of days where DS only consumed 1oz of expressed milk per day I offered him formula again yesterday afternoon in a "I know you're not going to drink this but I'm going to offer it anyway" kind of way, and he guzzled down the whole 4 oz, then a further 2 and then 4 more before bedtime!! Back to my original plan today of breastfeeding morning and evening and bottles in the day - who knows what his plan will be today though??!!!

Thanks for your replies!