Need suggestions on solids w/formula feeding schedule

[Annette_C]

I'm having a problem with Sabrina's feeding schedule and I was hoping to get some imput from you wonderful ladies.
She's eight months old and has been on solids since 4 mo. old (only cereal at first). She's not allergic to anything (so far) and has been eating stage 2 foods and also some table food in little bits, mostly fruits and veggies. Her ped said not to give her any finger food until 9 months but to add breakfast (she was having a bottle in the morning, solids w/formula at midday, bottle afternoon and cereal w/fruit + bottle at night).
Ever since I added more solids to her morning feeding, she hasn't been drinking her formula as much anymore. In fact, many times she leaves more than half her bottle and refuses to go back to it. She's been doing this at all the feedings now...especially if she was getting little bits from us while we were eating. Of course, the lack of drinking all her formula has led Sabrina to wake up in the middle of the night for a bottle!

So, my questions are:
1) Do you give solids to your babies with formula/bm?
2) If you do, do you give baby LESS the usual amount of formula/bm?
3) If you don't, how do you alternate?
4) How much solids or table food is a baby this age supposed to be eating?
5) How much formula or bm is a baby this age supposed to be drinking?
6) How many times a day is a baby this age supposed to eat?(I find she's not as hungry after 4 hours like she used to be)

I'm so confused on what to do. If I don't give her solids, she'll drink the formula but will never move on!
I'm really hoping you can help me out with this dilemma.
TIA!


Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[twins r fun]

At 8 months, I think this is what we did:

Bottle in the AM, then solids (breakfast) about an hour later. Bottle after the 2 hour morning nap and then solids (lunch) about an hour later. Bottle mid afternoon and then solids at dinnertime (maybe 2 hours later). Bottle at bedtime.

I never gave them a bottle and solids at the same time-afraid they would explode. I think I knocked about an ounce off each of the bottles once we started solids, whcih made their bottles about 4-5 ounces, except the early AM and late PM which were 5-6 ounces. I'm not sure what the amounts are that a baby is supposed to get at 8 months, but I'm sure someone else will know!

Nicole

[egoldber]

It is VERY normal for her formula intake to decrease wen you increase solids. At this age, I would still offer a bottle first. But at this age, she may WANT the solids more than the formula. I know that my DD LOVED solids. If her intake decreases dramatically (like below 20 ounces a day), I would ask your ped about introducing protein foods to replace the protein that she is getting from the formula.

HTH,

[LisaS]

1)I always gave bottles separate from solids

2) The qty slowly decreases (i.e., from 8oz bottles to 6 oz bottles) over time as you get closer to 1 yr when they don't need as much.

3) Here was our schedule when DD was appx 8 mo.s (we followed a modified version of the Contented Little Baby Book which I loved and had great success with using her reccommendations on feeding and sleeping).

7:30a.m. bottle (always a.m. bottle 1st thing b/c she really wanted it and it was her biggest intake of the day (8oz)

8a.m. breakfast (yogurt or cereal mixed w/formula, then cheerios and cut up fruit for finger foods)

9:30-10/10:30 (short a.m. nap)

11:30 - lunch (all solids - we introduced protien b/w 7-8 mo.s and our ped suggested not mixing milk w/protien b/c the milk actually decreases iron absorption - so, chicken soup (pureed) or meat stews pureed (if she was too tired to eat well, we just skipped lunch and she had a bottle instead- and then went down for her nap). This way, she'd have the bulk of her food by lunchtime, so if dinner was rushed or she was cranky, we wouldn't worry - I also find that if she has protien for lunch, she's happier in the afternoon - has more energy.

12:30-2:30/1-3 BIG nap

2:30/3 - bottle (6-8oz)

5 - dinner (solids - vegetarian meal - vegetable soup, chunky pureed veggies - some toast or bread finger foods)

6:30/7 - bedtime bottle (7-8 oz)

4) Solids - I did 3 meals a day - from abt 7 mo.s and my DD was hungry for it - we started at 5 months with dinner, then added lunch at 6 months and by 7 months added breakfast.

5)Appx 20-30oz of formula is normal for 8-12 mo.s My DD had around 24 - before we dropped the lunchtime bottle she was having close to 32. Now, since she's 1, she has abt 12 oz whole milk + her 3 meals a day and a snack.

6) Usually 3 meals a day - but there will always be exceptions. As I said, if we were having an off day, we'd skip the meal and just have a bottle instead. Maybe you should consider droping the mid-day lunch bottle - if you increase the a.m. bottle, followed by a big breakfast, then just give her water w/her solids then and increase her afternoon bottle and bedtime bottle. She'd still get at least 20 oz. And dropping that 1 feed will put you on track for protien at lunchtime.

Hope this helps.
Lisa

[Annette_C]

Thanks for your help, ladies!

Lisa, thank you very much for the details. It helps me a lot with making a schedule for Sabrina. And, thanks for the book suggestion too...I'll definitely check it out. I'm so rusty these days that I can use all the help I can get! LOL:)
Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[Shirale]

Annette,
We never had a problem with Amira taking a bottle, but the other way around- with food- we have always had a problem, which I solved by alwasy offering food and drink at different times, unless she specifically asked for something. They have such small stomachs it is so easy for them to fill up quickly on one one thing and not take the other. The other posts have some great ideas!! Amira is very] picky so my theory is- how ever much she will take is what she needs.