Weaning questions

[Toni.C]

Alfie is formula fed and is currently having 1 meal a day at lunchtime which is either mushed fruit or mushed veg with a bottle following. He is still having 5 7oz bottles during the day between 8am and 8pm roughly every 3 hours.

When should I introduce another meal (such as breakfast) and when would I expect him to go longer between bottles? I'm aware that babies still rely on there milk as the main source of goodness. Do I keep feeding a meal along with a bottle?

 

[Selina13]

I give Theo (5mt) 2 'meals a day' breakfast and something either late afternoon or evening. Sometimes if I'm out or whatever then there have been days I haven't given him any actual food and it's not bothered him. He's just having purée fruit/veg and baby porridge. He has the same amount of bottles and I don't think they drop their milk until a while after 6 months.
I think by 12mt they should be having like 3 meals a day, snacks and a couple of cows/follow on milk portions.
I'm just taking his lead. I was eating a yoghurt earlier on today and he was licking his lips, making a chew with his gums and grunting! Lol! I quickly made him some porridge before he kicked off!

Theo hasn't particularly gone much longer between bottles every 3-4 hours but maybe 20mins he has done on occasion. Xx

 

[Toni.C]

Thank you Selina. Maybe I'll try giving him a baby porridge with his morning bottle at 8 then move his 'lunchtime' later at about 1/2pm. Really I need to stop worry and just let him show me. How many ounces is your little one having?

 

[kumber]

At 6 months we went straight into 3 meals a day. His routine was

6am:
8oz bottle
Breakfast of 1/2 a weetabix with baby milk

11am:
Lunch of potatoes, meat and veg
8oz bottle

2-3pm:
8oz bottle

5pm
Cheese on toast or sandwich

6pm
8oz bottle and bed


We increased food portion sizes and decreased milk portion sizes as he chose, he self-weaned off both formula and bottles at 11 months which was highly unexpected. I tried to keep him on some sort of formula but nope!

Our food routine hasn't changed since weaning, he still eats every 3-4 hours but just dropped his milk intake. I personally don't agree with children going longer between meals as they only have small tummies and need to eat little and often. In ds's case, he would eat constantly if he could! My advice would be not to focus on him going longer but on eating more solids and having less milk.

If you do drop any feeds, or rather if baby does, the daytime bottles go first. Up to a year, babies need those morning and nighttime bottles for the right balance of nutrition. Ds didn't start dropping feeds until about 8 months.

Hope this helps somewhat

 

[Selina13]

Kumber that's really helpful.

Theo has 7oz 5 times a day and sleeps through. I introduced food because he showed an interest and I felt he was developmentally ready rather than wanting him to sleep etc

I'm surprised at how much he eats (porridge box says one tablespoon but he polishes off 3 tbs and about the same amount of purée at the same sitting) but I worry that he may eat too much so stop at that! He would eat more if I let him I think!

I tend to give him food inbetween the bottles, say bottle at 8 food at 10 then bottle at 12 x

 

[kumber]

Babies are really good at regulating their intake so I would just give him how ever much he wants! Bit different when they're toddlers and trying to push boundaries but at such a young age, they can be greedy!

Imo, you might be better feeding and bottling at the same time so he recognises meal times. Feel free to ignore that if it doesn't suit you - we do it that way cus it suited himself better. No baby is the same after all!

Glad to be of some help, this weaning is so confusing when so many books and health professionals contradict each other!!

 

[Selina13]

Oh yeah I didn't think about that! I have no routine regarding food yet, I thought we were exploring so I didn't bother with any structure. As I said I sometimes give him food, sometimes not, sometimes once, somethimes 3 times! lol!
Think I need to sort it out so he has some understanding like you say. Thanks Hun. Xx

 

[Toni.C]

Ladies you've been really helpful.

Kumber, I've been trying to give him a meal before his bottle at lunchtime which is working out great. He's so greedy and happy to eat and eat and eat!

I'll carry on as we are, and we will incorporate baby porridge for breakfast starting tomorrow. Selina we sometimes have days as you describe. I try to give him something different everyday whether it's a stick of Apple/fruit/veg or whether I cook and blend something up.

I'm guessing it's just a process that he will soon tell me what he wants and how much he wants when. I've been reading an Ella's kitchen book which is fab for recipes and general food guidance but nothing about when he should start having more meals etc. I went to a weaning talk at our local hospital a few weeks ago and she didn't state when we should start upping his meals either, so it's as clear as mud!