so confused about solids?

I know this topic has been done to death but I'm still so confused!

Right now the girls are eating 6 1/2 oz bottles 5 times a day. At 5:30, 9:00, 1:00, 5:00 and 7:45. (Ella nurses when I am home so I'm not sure of the exact amount, but Addison gets bottles of EBM)

We started giving solids after their 5:00 feeding. It works perfectly because I feed them while DH gets dinner ready (yes, I know I'm lucky!) they then stay in their high chairs while DH and I eat dinner.

BUT the girls just aren't eating very much at all. They split a tiny 2.5 oz jar of veggies and that's it. I know that breastmilk is what is most important so I'm not really concerned. But they are coming up on 6 months and we really need to get into solids. Should I give them their solids first and then breastfeed/bottle? I really like nursing first but I can change if I need to! Or should I just not let them nurse as long/cut back on oz in bottles??

I'm just worried about 1 meal a day for now! We just started this 2 weeks ago. I'll worry about adding breakfast later! (I work so the sitter will be doing that!)

 

My girls are just a couple weeks younger than yours and we are on pretty much the same schedule as you... 5 6oz bottles a day and solids once a day in the evening. They are only taking about 1/4 jar of veggies a night (so one jar lasts two days). My ped reassured us that they are getting all their nutrition from their bottles so not to worry about the amount of food they are eating.

I would stick with the plan you have (bottle/nursing first and then solids) because this way you know they are getting their nutritients. Then whatever they 'eat' after that is just icing. Some people wait to start introducing solids at 6 months so I wouldn't worry that they are only eating a little once a day at 5 months

Good luck! -Leighann

 

I don't think anything sounds wrong. Everybody does solids differently and each child is different too.

I mix up about 2-3 Tbl. of oatmeal with bm or formula and then a jar of food. That's dinner for the boys. They are just now getting to where they eat the whole thing so I'm going to start giving a little more and in the next week or so start adding in breakfast. Like pp said, lots of people don't start solids until 6 months and bm/formula is the primary source of nutrition during this time anyway.

The boys are just now getting to where they get excited about eating and are eating a little bit more.

Sounds like you're doing great. BTW...feed bm/formula first, let them eat as much as they want, and then give the food.

 

My guys are doing the same except I am not Breastfeeding,so I give them a little appetizer of milk ( five min maybe +/-) before I give food, my guys are very inconsistent with how much they consume; sometimes it's only a few bites, but they can eat up to a jar-a jar and a half along with about a tbsp of cereal. Don't fret b/c all their nutrition is from milk anyway at this point, my pedi said it's only to give them practice and variety at this point. I have to do all the meals by myself as my husband works all day running the family buiness and gets home after they are in bed lucky him right? No, he helps out w/ breakfast and does his share of housework so I guess it evens out.

 

We've been feeding solids for a month and a half now and are still doing just one feeding in the evening, when I have DH to help They don't eat a whole lot yet and are EBF. I think we'll start adding a 'meal' when we get bac kfrom vacation at the end of next week and see how it goes since it will be kust me feeding them What you're doing sounds just fine to me!!

 

We've been feeding solids for a month and a half now and are still doing just one feeding in the evening, when I have DH to help They don't eat a whole lot yet and are EBF. I think we'll start adding a 'meal' when we get bac kfrom vacation at the end of next week and see how it goes since it will be kust me feeding them What you're doing sounds just fine to me!!

 

We've been feeding solids for a month and a half now and are still doing just one feeding in the evening, when I have DH to help They don't eat a whole lot yet and are EBF. I think we'll start adding a 'meal' when we get back from vacation at the end of next week and see how it goes since it will be kust me feeding them What you're doing sounds just fine to me!!

 

OOPS!! Too many posts

 

My girls LOVE their solids, but as they aren't great eaters bottle wise, we have to make sure one doesn't interfere with the other.. We do bottles 4 times a day now and solids 3 times a day, but half way between bottles. They get a bottle at 8am, then breakfast at like 10, bottle at 12, lunch at like 2, bottle at 4, dinner at like 6 then a bottle at 8 and bed... at each "meal" they generally have cereal (barley) and 1 container of food to share, maybe 2 containers depending on them. Or we'll share a yo baby, with a container of fruit or egg yolkes and a fruit, we switch it up, but they usually have approx (shared) 2 containers worth of food at each meal. We have been increasing a bit lately...

 

Is it just me or does it seem like you're feeding your babies all day long once you start solids. It's like having newborns who eat every two hours again!

 

I started cereal a few times a week, a little after 4 months, and they really didn't get excited, or each much of it, until 5.5 months. I think that's how I knew they were ready, ya know. So we started cereal feedings once a day for the first week or two, then added a veggie too once a day for a week, and now we're doing fruit and oatmeal at breakfast, veggie for lunch, and rice cereal around dinner. We're still introducing foods at this point. I make their baby food, and freeze it in ice trays...each "cube" is about an ounce I think, and they will eat anywhere from 2-4 cubes total at a sitting. My pediatrician said there is no ryhme or reason to feeding solids, so don't worry about it. As you know, milk or forumla is still best!

I was nursing/EBM and then feeding an hour or so later, but now I'm doing them closer together because I think they weren't nursing or taking bottles as well because they weren't as hungry with things more spaced out. I make sure to nurse/bottle first now. So for my babes, it's "breakfast' at 8, lunch at noonish, and dinner around 5, then bottle/nurse before bed, and they are still waking once in the night to nurse....

Don't worry "what everyone else is doing" I know it's hard but you'll make yourself crazy...I did!

Jennifer

 

6 mo is a normal time to start solids, so you're not behind the gun at all. you're right on time.

As for amts. the babies are just practicing now and really are getting no nourishment at this point anyway-- just figuring out how to use their mouths to eat. so don't sweat it. you'll be amazed how they will get better, but each kid is unique. I have a friend whose son didn't take solids til 9 or 10 months. I started with one meal a day, went to 2 meals and didn't add lunch til 9 months. Now, they are 1 and we're weaning (I bf one and pump for the other) and they eat 5 times a day (2 snacks an dmeals) and it's alot of work, so enjoy this time... and don't fret.

Teri D