Hi All,

My son is 6 months old and just today I have changed his routine, based on information from the MCH line.

He has been having solids for a couple of weeks, but only 2 meals a day. MCH recommended introducing the third meal and cutting back on the amount of BF.....the information seems to matchup with what most people / sites etc recommend.

Previously he was being BF every 2 - 3 hrs, basically I would feed him when he woke up from a nap....trying to follow the Eat Activity Sleep routine....and because some of his naps were short it would mean feeding him more often.

So before today a 'average day would be something like:

7am BF
8:30am Nap (30 - 40min)
9am BF
9:30 solids
10:30 Nap (1.5 hr)
12 BF
1:30 Nap (30 - 40 min) (sometimes this would be missed if we were out and about and the next nap would be earlier)
2:30 BF
4 Nap (30 - 40 min)
5 BF
5:30 Solids
6:30 BF

The plan was to change it to
7 BF
8 Solids
9 nap
11BF
12 solids
1 nap
3BF
4:30 optional nap
5:20 solids
6:20 BF
7 bed

Which I got close to:
7am BF
8am solids
9am nap (he slept for 1.5hr)
10:45 BF
11:45 solids
12:50 nap (1 hr)
2:50 BF
4 nap (30 min)
5:30 solids
6 BF
6:30 bed

Now all went well until the end of the day. I was told to give solids first and the BF. But he wanted BF...he got quite upset when I had him in the high chair and when I picked him up to comfort him, he showed me his dislike by biting me on the chin!( Not like him at all! He is usually so easy going.)

SO after all of that info, my question is, should I persist with trying to feed him his dinner solids first and the BF before he goes to bed? or should I change it and add in an additional fed, or BF before solids.

I know it's only the first day I have switched to this, I just wanted to see if I am doing the right thing.

Thanks,

Sarah.

My MCHN said that by 9 months (once solids established and protein introduced) to give solids before BF.

I don't think there are absolutes at this age. If your bub is starving and doesn't have patience for solids, just give breast first. If he's happy and enjoying the solids, let him have it then give breast. I don't think there's a right or wrong every time.

It looks like hes sleeping through the night without a feed? If so I would be tempted to keep everything the same and just add a lunch in.

The only thing I noticed is that at 6 months (and now at 10 months) my son would struggle to get from a lunch at 12, BF at 230/3 to dinner at 530. I usually start dinner at 5 and he's pretty hungry. Or I give him an afternoon snack at 4ish (like rice cracker and apple) if for some reason dinner has to be later. A couple of times Ive been running late and he was so hungry and upset he couldn't eat and I have had to BF first.

He's not sleeping through the night...I left that bit out. His night wakes have been all over the place. Just this week he has started waking at 9:30pm. And then usually around 2 and then 5. Last night however it was 9:30 and then he slept until 5. Who knows what tonight will bring.

Maybe he was really hungry before the evening solids. Maybe I need to try a BF after the last nap, then solids and then BF.

I would try the solids at around 5 or right after the last cat nap sleep. All you can do is offer. If they don't want it you can't force it. When my DS was!about 6 months he was on a similar routine and it worked after a few days. Some days he would eat lots others he wouldn't. I also started giving him yoghurt at this age and that with some fruit went down well if he was into solids that night. Then he had a BF as the wind down to bed at 7.
Hope you ind something that works for you.

My DD has just turned 6 months also. I just feed her 4 hourly generally and fit it around her naps and eating times.

She usually wakes at 7, so I'll BF then brekki about half an hour later (or sometimes after her second nap). Then 11, 3 and 6:30ish. I just fit her solid meals in where I can but dinner is usually at 5:30. She's a bit all over the place the last couple of days due to a cold though.

I find that DD doesn't feed as long and assume it's because she not as ravenous since consistently eating solids.

This change to routine is going to be tricky. He's done a 30min cat nap and it's an 1hr an 15 before he is due for a feed.

I feel like I will be confusing him if I get him up but don't feed him, when that is what he is expecting.

Sounds like a pretty good routine, it won't be long before he's dropped that 3rd nap. In the meantime I'd either give him a little top up feed, or straight to dinner I don't think it'll take too long for him to adjust. I'd still give him a feed before bed regardless.

My DS is 8 months now & his routine is quite similar.

I've found that giving him his dinner solid feed at 5 pm works well, then he has nudie time on the floor, bath at 6, milk at 6.30 and bed at 7pm.

I found if I fed him at 5.30 as I was told he would refuse his milk at 6.30 and then be up at 11 wanting a bottle ( oh yeah he's FF)

He is a catnapper so still has a half hr sleep at 4pm although didn't yesterday and slept 10 hrs straight last night....so I'm going to try and avoid that arvo sleep today ...but as I say he's now 8 months.

From my reading it by 8 months when solids should be offered first so go gently & ease him into it, maybe one feed a day offer solids first.

Good Luck hope that helps a bit