BLW Question (sorry may be long)

NithyaV

Hi gals - I'd love your feedback on what to do in this situation.  I've been BLW with DD since she was about 6 months old.  She's started "eating" the last month or so.  1/2 the food still ends up on the ground/in the dog's belly but she is eating.

Since turning 7-ish months, I've been offering her 3 meals a day.  Initially, she was eating fruits and veggies, then I started with carbs (oatmeal, pasta, bread) and this week gave her some tastes of chicken.  She had to be on amoxicillin recently so I gave her some yogurt which she loved so I would give her some of that daily to round out her meals.

This had been her nursing/BM bottle feeding schedule: 7A, 9:30A, 12P, 2:30P, 4:30P, 6:30P, 8P and maybe once a night (on weekends I BF on demand).

I cut out the 6:30 feed when she was eating more solids and nothing changed (still getting up once a night).

Lately, she's been cutting out at least one afternoon feed, if not both.  

On Monday - for lunch she had cheese bread (cheese sandwich with one slice of bread) and wouldn't take either afternoon feed (she had b'fast of waffles, 1/2 yogurt and had her other feeds)

Yesterday - I gave her pasta and sweet potato for lunch and she cut out one afternoon feed and had the 2:30 bottle in bits and pieces throughout the whole afternoon (same deal with breakfast).   

Mind you, she's only getting 3.5-4oz in a feed (she will not take more) and she never "cleans her plate" of her food.

Her pedi wanted her to get at least 24 oz of BM a day so what to do?  I cant really offer her less food b/c I don't make her clean her plate.  I do want to do 3 meals a day of her having access to solids.  Should I cut it down?  Or is she just cutting her milk amounts naturally?

Thanks! 

StrawberryAlarmClock

It sounds like natural weaning to me. You are offering plenty of protein and calcium.  If you and your pedi really want to see that 24 oz mark, could you offer her BM in other ways? Mixed into oatmeal? From a cup? Smoothie? Yogurt? Popsicle?

jesstellina

Sounds about like what my DD is doing. She still nurses about every 2-3 hours, but spends a lot less time eating at each session. And when I'm not home, she eats less from a bottle than she used to. I still offer her milk before a meal of solids, but I think she is starting to make the transition from milk to solids as her primary nutrition.

JoannaJes

At only 8 months of age, I'd be more inclined to offer only two meals and continue breastfeeding more. 

cfisher2008

JoannaJes:

At only 8 months of age, I'd be more inclined to offer only two meals and continue breastfeeding more. 

I agree with this. My DD only gets 2 meals a day and she's almost 10 months. I will switch to 3 meals a day when she's closer to 1. BM should be their primary source of nutrition until 1.