Introducing solids alongside BF

[mumto5mo]

Hi everyone, I really need some advice!

My baby is now 7mo and we started introducing solids at 6mo, just the standard avocado, banana, brocoli etc. She hasn't dropped any feeds as of yet (we are still feeding to sleep so she feeds before each nap and in-between sometimes too). My worry is that I am due to go back to work when she is 11mo, so I have given myself a deadline to get her on solids throughout the day and BF in morning and evening.

As that is only 4 months away, I'm really unsure as to how to basically wean her off the breastmilk during the day? She has refused a bottle since 3mo, otherwise I would try to pump so she could at least have that. Also I read that food is just for fun up until 1 year, and at the moment that is the approach we have taken (she likes to smear her food around the tray rather than eat it) so the thought of her being on 3 solid meals by 11mo just seems impossible...

I'm also really conscious about feeling uncomfortable when she starts dropping feeds. We don't have a strict feeding schedule so she does tend to BF quite a bit, to the point where if she doesn't feed for 4 hours I become sore and leaky!

As you can probably tell from my LONG post I'm very confused, so any advice is really appreciated!

I wouldn't worry about purposely dropping feeds, you should find this happens naturally once she starts to take on a good amount of solids. What is your routine with solids currently? At 7 months I would expect a baby to be on one or two meals per day (although they won't necessarily be taking in loads at each meal, just offering a good amount and balance of foods). By 9 months, generally babies would then be on 3 meals or close to going onto 3 meals.

Also you don't need to have the same BF routine on working Vs non-working days with an older baby. I went back to work just before my daughter turned 9 months old. She was on three meals per day and on working days had a little expressed milk, fed in the morning before childcare, right after coming home and again before bed. But when I wasn't working I just breastfed on demand, maybe every 2-3 hours in the day.

No no, you don't need to do this. She will naturally eat more and drink other liquids more when you aren't around. Let her just gradually start feeding less when she wants to.

On my work days my 13 month old happily goes 12 hours without a breastfeed (and has done from 10 months) but on my days off with her she still feeds frequently and that's fine.

It's a wonderful immunity boosting superfood and there's really no reason to limit it. Babies will associate their mum with BF but frequently be fine when the mum isn't there!

Yesterday for example I was at work and my baby went from 6am to 5am with no breastfeed. Today as I'm around, and she wants to reconnect I imagine, she's fed about every two hours since we woke up. It's totally fine and your boobs adjust to the unpredictable schedule.

Sorry 6am to 5pm! X

I was worried about this too OP but it just somehow happens. So try not to stress, keep doing what you’re doing, keep offering lots of solid food. I did start trying to reduce the breastfeeds gradually a couple of months before I went back. So just dropped one for a couple weeks, then another. But never actually got through a whole day before she started nursery but then as PP said when I wasn’t there she was fine without it!

Till one food is just for fun is not strictly accurate.
Solid food after six months does have a nutritional role as stores of iron start running low if your baby is just breastfed. She will be more prone to chest infection etc if low iron.
I would be looking at a reputable weaning site or book for structured meal ideas written by nutritionist about just how much solid food and what type. Protein and carbs are important as well as fruit and veg

I was also told 22years ago for what it's worth by health visitor to feed solids just BEFORE the milk feed, and a little water or watered juice with the meal in a sippy cup or bottle. So baby is more interested in solids when you are transitioning over.
Breastfeeding can continue till they are much much older (mine were two when I stopped) but meals can make breastfeeding more flexible.

Thank you all so much! That's really taken the pressure off, I was so confused trying to work out how to drop a feed whilst feeding on demand... I'll see if it naturally happens and if not, hopefully she will be happy just on solids and water while I'm at work! 😊

As that is only 4 months away

Four months is ages. Think how much has changed since she was 3 months old. Another 4 months is more than half her life again.

I found dropping feeds happened naturally as she had more solids.

Agree with all the above OP, baby will just naturally start eating more and feeding less - defo don't drop any feeds. Similarly I could leave 10 month old and they would be fine with food and then have milk when I saw them, by 12 months they were refusing milk themself and just wanted food (and now 4 years later they never stop eating 🤣)