BF'ers-when did you intro. 3rd meal?

RayRay007 · September 2011

I've been debating about adding a third (solids) meal. The only reason is because it just seems like it's the thing to do. She's been on solids since a week before 5 months, and two meals a day for about a month. The reason why I'm reluctant is that I don't want it to affect bf'ing. If we add another meal I'm sure we'll be down to 3-4 bf's per day, and I planned on bf'ing for 12-18 months. If we're already down to 3-4, how will we make it to 18 months? It seems like she just keeps dropping more and more feeds.

EVA116 · September 2011

I asked my doc about this at DD 6 month check up. She said to try the third meal but only if she was interested. Every day is different now. Sometimes she wants to eat the third meal and sometimes she doesn't.

HenHen25 · September 2011

Do you feed the solids before or after nursing? I nurse and then offer the solids 20-30 min later, so that his intake of BM is about the same.

AshnJax11 · September 2011

I just recently started the 3 meals a day and my LO will be 8 months Oct18th. now that hes more active and crawling all over the place (since 6months) but hes faster and also pulling himself up and trying to walk around on furniture. and i figure after every meal i still BF him but this ensures that hes getting full, and hes getting his milk from me.

GHBEA · September 2011

I was just thinking this as well a few minuets ago. We always nurse before she has solids so she isn't eating a lot to begin with or what I would consider a lot. I use to work in day care and the babies there at this age would be eating more. Maybe I should add in a lunch and see how it goes.

SeussicalOne · September 2011

I think like 7-7.5 months.

ekc29 · September 2011

My pedi said you will just know when to add the third meal in. She basically said to follow the LO's lead, it she seems hungry, give her more. Right now, I am only doing two meals, breakfast and dinner. It already has started to affect my supply. I was concerned about this too, but the pedi said every baby is different and sometimes, the solid meal will take the place of the nursing session and sometimes not. This is true for my LO, some days it takes the place, other days it does not. I always BF first, then about an hour and half to two hour later, I offer solids. Sometimes she won't nurse again for another 3 or 4 hours. I never thought it would be this difficult to figure out adding solids into the BFing routine.

RayRay007 · September 2011

HenHen25:

Do you feed the solids before or after nursing? I nurse and then offer the solids 20-30 min later, so that his intake of BM is about the same.

This is how we started out, and she was waking in the night to nurse too, so she was getting lots of BM, but now we've fallen into the routine of bf'ing early am, 'breakfast', 'morning snack', solids for lunch, bf for 'afternoon snack', solids for supper, and bf for 'bedtime snack'. She has lots of wet/dirty diapers, her growth is on track and she's healthy, so I'm not concerned about her not getting enough BM yet, but if we drop another bf b/c we introduce solids for breakfast, then I may be concerned. We could bf for breakfast, offer solids a short time later, but then I'm sure we'd drop the morning snack.

MrsNiner · September 2011

We have been doing a third meal for about a week/week and a half now. He is a grumpy butt now without it.

ekc29 · September 2011

HenHen25:
Do you feed the solids before or after nursing? I nurse and then offer the solids 20-30 min later, so that his intake of BM is about the same.

My LO is never hungry for solids that soon after nursing. It's at least an hour and a half to two hours later that she seems interested, which usually (but not always) means it takes the place or pushes back the next nursing session. Her BM intake could be less, I don't know, but she is nursing less throughout the day and she isn't eating all that much solids (maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons twice a day).

RayRay007 · September 2011

I think I'll just wait to add another meal. She's happy with bf'ing in the am and I don't think there is any good reason to add solids.

RayRay007 · September 2011

ekc29:
HenHen25:

Do you feed the solids before or after nursing? I nurse and then offer the solids 20-30 min later, so that his intake of BM is about the same.

My LO is never hungry for solids that soon after nursing. It's at least an hour and a half to two hours later that she seems interested, which usually (but not always) means it takes the place or pushes back the next nursing session. Her BM intake could be less, I don't know, but she is nursing less throughout the day and she isn't eating all that much solids (maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons twice a day).

This is what I was finding when I was trying to feed solids after bf'ing. I'd have to wait quite a while, and then it would end up pushing back or replacing a bf. That's how we fell into the routine I described above.

kg_08 · September 2011

You can really do whatever you want to. Babies don't NEED "people food" until 12 months.

That said, we went to 3 meals somewhere after 6 months. DD started self weaning pretty early, and we were completely weaned by 10 months and she couldn't care less. Some kids like BFing more, some kids like solids more. As long as they're getting the nutrients they need, it doesn't matter.

TakeLuck · September 2011

Right now, DS "eats" dinner (I think he maybe ingests about aboult 1/2 tbsp of food) and I offer him fruit at breakfast, which is hit or miss. Honestly, I think it'll be another couple of months before I start giving him lunch...

Kaley28 · September 2011

We're days from 9 months and are just now introducing a third meal.

My DD really isn't too interested in solids. I offer solids an hour after nursing in the morning and around dinner time. My pedi is of the belief that, while important, "food before one is for fun."

AimeeL85 · September 2011

We started a few weeks ago (about 8 months) but we started solids a little later than you (6 months). He still seems to take in the same amount of milk although I guess I can't be sure.

AimeeL85 · September 2011

ekc29:
I never thought it would be this difficult to figure out adding solids into the BFing routine.

I agree, I have been second-guessing myself ever since starting solids...with how much, what, when, how often etc. etc.

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