when feeding my 7 1/2 month old i nurse first then feed solids right after or wait a little while then feed solids if she seems rather full from nursing, except for dinner, i feed her solids first about an hour to 1 1/2 hrs before her night time nursing. The reason i started doing this was to create a more calming evening ritual, as food is exciting i started doing dinner time solids, then bath (on bath nights-every other night usually due to her sensitive skin) then nursing, story, bed. I was nursing then doing solids then bed and it just seems liek abackwards routine to me. what do you moms think? I figured since the dinner solids come an hour or so before nursing she wont be filling up and not taking in enaough breastmilk. The down side to this routine i've found is i'm not sure if she's full before bed o if she just sucked me dry and could eat more...i'm open to any suggestions. This is her schedule roughly: 6:30/7am awake and nursed, 8am 2 tbsp cereal with 2oz breastmilk and about 1 ounce (one frozen food cube) fruit, 9ish-10:45is nap, 11 nursed, 11:45/12ish lunch 2 food cubes veggie and/or fruit, or 1 food cuve fruit with 2 oz yogurt (sometimes the yogurt is after cereal if she seems hungry still) then about 2ish another nap, 5:30/6 dinner (2 food cubes veggie) 6:45/7 nursed then bed. Not sure where ideally to fit the yogurt in, as i just started it recently, seems to work for her either way. Shoudl i giver her cereal with milk again at dinner? Sorry the question is so long! Thank you for your advice in advance!

Dawn - posted on 03/19/2009

My Aunt is a nutritionist and gave me a WONDERFUL book all about feeding your kids--from birth on.  It's a very non-judgemental kind of book that gives sound advice from several angles.  Whenever I have questions, I always refer to it and it helps me not freak out about "doing everything right."  It is also very well organized and easy to find the info you want without having to wade though a whole bunch of other stuff.  It is called  "Child of Mine:  Feeding with Love and Good Sense and is by Ellyn Satter.  I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Beth - posted on 03/19/2009

I think we're on the same wave length :-)  my 7.5 month old has almost the exact same schedule!!!  And she eats a lot of the same things/amounts!  So I hope you're doing it right b/c then i am too :)

Question for you:  Do you make your own baby food?  (you mentioned the frozen cubes)  I've tried and had good luck with some fruits, but when I make peas or green beans or things like that, they're lumpy and thick.  If I add water, it just looks like little chunks floating in water...any suggestions?

Divina - posted on 03/19/2009

that sounds about right, we worked in the yougart with cereal about 7 and then before bed nurse or bottle, but we didn't put him down til 8. and he would be up at 6!!!

Janice - posted on 03/19/2009

Thank you all for your kind words and advice! Yes she is sleeping through the night, of course we have out occasional nights where she doesnt but 90-95% the time shes asleep by 7:30/8 and sleeps till 6:30/7

Mel - posted on 03/18/2009

also my daughter loved pieces of cheese and apprently its really good for them to get more dairy into her diet. and of course the day naps which I havent written in. x

Mel - posted on 03/18/2009

HI Janice, good question. my daughter has never had a normal schedule because she just wont eat enough but here is what I was reccomended this a a schedule to suit my extra needs child as she needs more food for weght gain but its just an idea (obv you dont formula feed so cant do all of it.)

7am -breakfast - weetbix or porridge mixed with formula or full fat yogurt mixed with cereal or stewed fruit

8am - milk feed

10am - snack - ritz cracker or baby rice cracker with spread (cheese spread, unsalted butter and vegemite, peanut butter)

11.30-12pm lunch - toast with a spread (not to much things like jam as its sugary), crackers, biscuits/cruskets, + tinned baby food/ frozen ice cube whichever you are using. milk feed after lunch.

2pm - snack

4-5pm - dinner - mash made with unsalted butter, cream or cheese, added frozen vegies. fish fingers or something similar. chicken drumsticks without the skin. frozen cube or baby food. milk feed

8pm - milk feed (in my case my daughter would have an extra meal at this time.

anyway thats jst a rough guide off the top of my head I do have the paper work somewhere that dietitions wrote down but I was always told to offer food before milk but that is a personal choice as well.

they also told me some other foods for this age group like giving them finger food while you eat such as a sausage cut thru the middle, a small piece of steak (enough so she wont choke on it), mince and spaghetti, noodles etc

good luck

Kristy - posted on 03/18/2009

Mummy's milk has a natural drug in it to help Baby sleep longer.

I gave my baby's food , then bath, then milk, then bed. So, I think they had food about an hour or so before bed. They all slept through from 6 weeks.

This worked for me, but everyone, and every baby's different...

The longer your breastmilk is the only meal, the longer before you get your monthly's back. I wanted to put that off for as long as I could!!!

Good luck

Bethany - posted on 03/18/2009

I agree with Kim- both that you seem to have a great system and that you sound like a fantastic mom! If she's seems content when done feeding and is sleeping well then I would say your food amounts are meeting her needs. Having said that- just because she's not sleeping doesn't mean she's hungry. But I won't make any assumptions since you didn't mention her night time sleep at all. Are you just concerned that she's not nursing enough because you feed solids first? If so, I wouldn't worry- you have the two "meals" spread out- and again as long as she seems content when she finishes nursing.

But please- share more details if we haven't answered your question. It sounds like we both want to help! :~D

Kim- I was wondering how often I could give yogurt- Eric is eating about 1 tub a day (it's 100g tub so not sure how many oz- 3 or so, I guess). He loves it so I guess we'll just keep it up! Thanks.

Kim - posted on 03/18/2009

Hi Janice!  It seems like you are giving your daughter plenty of food.  Is she sleeping through the night?  Is your night time feeding concern due to wanting her to sleep longer between feedings?  I'm just not clear on some things - and I'd LOVE to be able to help you with your dilemma.  So, from what you've said it honestly seems like you are feeding her plenty.  However,  if she still seems really hungry at bedtime you could try to move dinner time closer to your bed time nursing - adding a bit of cereal to that meal (mixing it with the veggies) will keep her feeling full longer.  BUT with that approach you will have to be careful not to feed her too much so that she doesn't get a belly ache (which is common with veggies before bed) Yogurt is a fantastic choice and can be fed many times each day.  My doctor suggested it for my daughter - I would feed her half of a yobaby organic yogurt at each of her meals.  If you choose to keep the dinner time as it is, then perhaps you will want to give her an ounce of yogurt right before nursing her at bedtime.   As far as her nursing until you're dry - I'm afraid she'll likely do that no matter how much you give her.  It's soothing and comforting for her...  I do truly feel that you are already doing exactly what you should be doing.  Your schedule sounds great!   You are certainly and obviously a fantastic mom!!  :-)