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View Full Version : Questions on transitioning to solids for a breastfed baby


hellokitty1
07-21-2009, 10:45 PM
DS's teacher mentioned this week that he was getting fussy and thought he might be ready for cereal or an additional bottle. Between 8am and 5pm, he gets three bottles with about 4.25-4.5 ounces in bottles 1 and 2 and no more than 4 ounces in bottle 3 because i pick him up soon after and nurse as soon as we get home.

I am pumping exclusively during the work week and production is not meeting demand. This happened with DD too. I'll keep pumping and Ithink my stash will help me make it to 6 months. So when DS starts rice cereal, should I expect his milk intake to go down? I was thinking that kids need more milk/calories as they grow bigger but it's highly unlikely i'll be able to output mpore than i do now when i pump. So when solids are introduced, will it help in meeting the need for more calories so that milk intake might actually remain level?

Apologies in advance for my rambling. I THINK I'm just trying to figure out where breastfeeding is going. I think he needs more milk at school but i can't pump any more than i do now so wondering if solids will help meet his hunger needs? otherwise, i will need to use my freezer stash and then eventually use formula to supplement when he's bottlefed.

(On a side note, I've read up on how to increase production and how using freezer stash is bad. So I'm not really looking for that advice right now. I've got the info but I'm just not able to follow it all to a tee. I do what i can but I also have to balanceit with my sanity).

TIA.

egoldber
07-21-2009, 10:52 PM
I would hold off on solids until 6 months. If he still seems hungry, I would have daycare offer an additional bottle with whatever you have available, your freezer stash or formula. AAP recommends breastmilk or formula only for the first 6 months and a gradual introduction of solids over the next 6 months.

Snow mom
07-21-2009, 11:20 PM
I would hold off on solids until 6 months. If he still seems hungry, I would have daycare offer an additional bottle with whatever you have available, your freezer stash or formula. AAP recommends breastmilk or formula only for the first 6 months and a gradual introduction of solids over the next 6 months.

I agree with Beth. I think freezer milk or formula might be a more appropriate choice. Also, I'm not sure I'd take feeding advice from my DCP.

jgenie
07-21-2009, 11:29 PM
I agree on waiting until 6 months to start solids. That's what we did with DS even though lots of people "suggested" we start sooner. GL

DebbieJ
07-21-2009, 11:33 PM
Even at 6 mths, solids are just for practice, not really for nutrition.

I'd say more breastmilk/formula for now.

Does he nurse at home? Maybe you can increase that?

kijip
07-22-2009, 01:49 AM
Solids are not going to help him get enough calories at this point. Why does the DCP think he needs more? How much does he nurse at home with you on the weekends?

If he is wetting enough diapers, his urine is light in color, having regular dirty dipes, growing, meeting developmental milestones I don't think you have to worry that he is not getting enough. Care providers (be it DCP, grandparents etc) often assume that if a baby WILL eat he is hungry. This is not true! ETA: It's easy to think that your supply is not keeping up with demand but it is important to figure out if that is your baby's demand or the caregiver's demand/assumptions/bias. I was surprised to learn that the amount of breastmilk consumed does not dramatically jump as the baby gets older.

Maybe redistributing the feeds would help? More earlier in the day and less later in the day so he is ready to nurse well after p/u? Ie, 5 ounces twice, than 2-3 ounces last?

When you do start solids, I would start with something more fattening and calorie rich than cereal. Avocado, fruit or veggies mixed with breastmilk or formula, yogurt rather than low fat calorie cereal. He is coming up on 6 months quickly.

Here is some helpful information:

http://www.workandpump.com/bottlesize.htm

rprav8r
07-22-2009, 09:40 AM
Even if you do start solids early, don't expect them to be a magic bullet. DD started solids at 5.5 months, and pretty much refused to eat more than a few bites until she was 7-7.5 mos. Her caloric intake of solids was essentially nil until a few weeks ago.

And newsflash for your DCP - babies get fussy for lots of reasons, not just hunger. Teething, growth spurts (physical and emotional), discomfort, and just plain needing a little extra attention one day. Assuming your DS shows normal growth/gain patterns and is peeing and pooping enough, there's no reason to assume that hunger is the source of his fussiness.