mix feeding help

[twoboots]

going back to work in 3 weeks, dh is staying at home so we are gradually transitioning dd (29 weeks) to formula. i hope to maintain feeds on waking, prior to bed and overnight (if she needs it)

she is an enthusiastic eater and she will take yoghurt, baby foods containing dairy, cereal mixed with ebm and a lightly mushed version of generally anything we eat (as long as it isnt too salty or spicy)

The main problem is that her stomach seems to be too full for at least an hour after meals to take much formula (she would normally breast feed within 15 minutes of a meal)

my job is such that I won't be able to reliably pump every day.

sorry to ramble on but would we be able to get away with giving her no formula and I were to manage 2-3 "good" breast feeds in a 24 hour period, with her getting dilute juice or water with meals? If not what, in your collective mumsnet opinions, would be the minumum number of formula feeds she should get through the day.

again sorry to ramble, am sleep deprived

The recommendation for babies 6-9 months is about 1 pt of milk per day, either as milk or in dairy products.

Of course this is a bit of a useless piece of information for you as we have no idea how much milk your DD is taking from you. I am not a specialist, but I do remember that my DD was quite happy with feeding only twice a day from me at that age, with ebm also on her cereal and plenty of yoghurt and cheese. I also gave her water with meals (not juice as I wasn't keen on her getting a sweet tooth). I would say that she seemed to take less milk than other babies the same age, but she was also a much better eater. Hurrah for our enthusiastic eaters!

If you are concerned, you could try also giving a lunchtime bottle, then gradually making it smaller and seeing how she goes? I don't think it is an exact science, they are all different. Some days she might want more milk and not be so into her food, for example (eg. when she is teething or feeling a bit ill or needing more comfort), and your DH could be responsive to this.

Godd luck!

thanks slattern, how did you give her cheese and what kind?

You should be fine with the bf.

My DD used to have bf in the morning, then her breakfast. Snack & lunch at nursery & then a bottle of formula at 2:30/3pm. Have tea at 5pm, followed by bath & then another bf. We carried on like this until she was 2.

If you give her a bottle at lunchtime, she is likely to eat less, so I would leave this out.

Hope this helps.

You should be fine with the bf.

My DD used to have bf in the morning, then her breakfast. Snack & lunch at nursery & then a bottle of formula at 2:30/3pm. Have tea at 5pm, followed by bath & then another bf. We carried on like this until she was 2.

If you give her a bottle at lunchtime, she is likely to eat less, so I would leave this out.

Hope this helps.

2-3 good feeds a day is fine for a baby of that age. Esp if she's a good eater.

My friend's kids both went through the day with solids and water with BFs first/last thing and in the night, six months to a year, no problems. I considered it with DD, but she was a dreadful eater (still is, sigh) so had two 8oz bottles of formula a day as well. No problems with milk supply either (definitely not, when we stopped cold turkey it was quite uncomfortable).

With cheese we started her on little bits of babybel, which she holds to gnaw on- even though she had no teeth. (Her eyes light up now when she sees the red wrapper!) Sometimes we grated mild cheddar up into little piles for her to grab fistfuls of. She also quite quickly learned to gnaw on cheese on toast. Or you can grate it onto mushed baby food so it melts in.

Anything really.

the other issue that I have only just discovered is that her daytime naps were previously very much related to being breastfed. she would usually go down for at least an hour after the breast twice a day. her sleep (day and night)is all over the place now.
does this get better?

I don't think anyone can answer that one for sure. It depends on your baby and on the rhythm to the day which your DH gets going.

I have found that, on the whole, my DD's nap gets more predictable as she gets older. But I never pushed it- I always needed a baby who could go-with-the-flow because playgroup, outings, visits etc. would vary in their time of day. So I needed her to be flexible (within reason).