Progression of solids

missmuffetsmum

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 5:15 am

Once a baby happily takes a significant portion of solids, how do you build up to 3 meals a day? He's bottle-fed, so how do I do the two together?
You'd think it's my first Can't Believe It

He's number 3 but the first to enjoy solids and the first to dislike his bottles...

amother

Peach

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:29 am

For us, we still offer bottles the same frequency and add in the meals. Slowly baby either just drinks less per feeding or has more oz less frequently. Right now I have an 8 month old who is having usually 2 meals a day and still having 6-8 oz every 4 hours. I would still continue to offer bottles as usual though.

amother

Celeste

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:37 am

Once the baby is eating solids well, I would give 3 meals a day and offer a bottle afterwards. If he doesn’t want it, that’s a good sign… they are naturally supposed to cut down on bottles as they switch over to solids. I’m up to the same stage now but nursing. I try to nurse 3-4 times a day in conjunction with meals. As she gets closer to a year, I hope to cut down the nursing even more and then just give milk in a cup at a year.

missmuffetsmum

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 7:26 am

And if he's refusing his bottles, do I wait to add more solids?

Do I do bottle, break, food, break, nap repeat, over the day? How long should the break be between bottle and food?

amother

Molasses

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 8:17 am

Does he not like bottles because of the content or because he wants a cup? How old is he?

You can try to give more water with the meal. And bottles in between. Depending on his age you can just add more solids and work up to chunkier consistency while putting less powder in the bottle or giving water instead. It could be that he just likes textures and flavors and is bored with the milk? Also you do NOT have to give supplemented milk until the age of 1(Dr. Jack Newman) if he doesn't like it, as long as he gets enough vitamins and minerals for other sources, I. e. food.

Sebastian

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 8:37 am

How old is your baby? Before age 1 baby have special nutrtional needs that cannot be met only by food. Please make sure he has btw 24 to 30 pz of formula a day. Meals should be in addition to formula

amother

Hyssop

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 8:42 am

“Food before one is just for fun”
This isn’t true for all kids, but it’s definitely been true for mine
They nurse or have formula for nutrition and eat food to get used to eating solids or for enjoyment, but not for nutrition
Also, kids don’t necessarily need “3 meals a day”
(Even adults don’t! Many of us might actually do better with more frequent, smaller meals, and some are ok with eating 2x a day)
The point is that everyone is different and listening to the signals of the body is very important
A child will generally not starve themselves
Meanwhile just give him food when you’re eating. If he doesn’t want any, then don’t force it. It’s not so important at that point

amother

Chambray

Wed, Oct 18 2023, 12:17 pm

Try a straw cup or a sippy cup or even an open cup. At that age my daughter would only drink as part of a meal. We would sit her in her highchair and give her a straw cup full of cold pumped milk at the beginning of each of her food meals or snacks.