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8 months and not digging the solids... help. (LONGish)

jess!cajess!ca member
in Breastfeeding

I've really been struggling and could use some advice.  DD is turning 8 months this week.  She has been really tough to BF lately.  VERY distracted.  She only BFs for like 5 mins on one side during the day.  I am not sure if she is getting enough milk during the day.  She's also been sick.  First strep and now Coxsackie virus, so I think that has made it hard too. 

I was told at the Dr that she should be working up to solids 3X a day by 9 months, and that she can go 4 hours between feedings of milk and could take 5 oz at a time.  (Right now she has been going like 3 or 3.5 hrs and taking 4 oz, but it takes her like a hour to eat a bottle sometimes because she eats like 2 oz, then 1 oz, then 1 oz with a re-warm in there...)

So right now she's been having solids at dinner time.  She usually has like 1/3 of a stage 2 jar of veggie or fruit mixed with some BM and a tbsp of rice cereal.  (I mix it all up for her.)  Sometimes she'll also have a few bites of a 2nd fruit or veggie with that.  So not a ton of food, and she doesn't always eat it all...

I've tried to offer her solids (a fruit or veggie) about an hour after her AM feeding, but she's really not into it.  Overall, it just seems like she is not digging the food.  (Purees.)  Should I be trying "table foods" instead?  Pieces of fruit or veggie?  I am so worried she is not getting enough milk or food, and I am not doing a good enough job of getting her eating food and teaching her.  I'd also like to make sure she gets back to getting her calories during the day and cuts out those night feedings, but that is when she is currently nursing best, and with her being so sick recently I haven't wanted to try to hold her off at night.  (I am willing to try doing something like that (ie. sleep training) at night again in about a week now that she is on the mend.)

 If you made it this far, and have any advice about whether 5 mins a session is enough, how to get her to eat more solids, or anything else, you are wonderful.

 I think I am overtired and overthinking this!

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Re: 8 months and not digging the solids... help. (LONGish)

  • shouldbworkinshouldbworkin
    At 8 mos, I had to BF DD in her bedroom.  It sucked, but fortunately she didn't nurse too often anymore so I didn't feel like I was there all the time.  She also hated purees and at 8 mos took to soft, mashed and diced table foods much better.  I don't think babies really get many calories from baby food or even the small amounts of table food they eat, it's really all for practice and starting good habits now.  Also, I think that BF babies aren't supposed to gain much from 6 to 12 mos.  DD was a great eater, but really leveled off btwn 6-12 mos.  After she was a year old and started eating table food much better, she started to put on more weight. 
    DS1 age 7, DD age 5 and DS2 born 4/3/12
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  • sosophsosoph member
    Especially since she's sick, I wouldn't get worked up. We just kept presenting a variety of textures and flavors (purees, frozen fruit in mesh feeders, finger foods) and then somewhere between 8 and 9 mos she had an eating revelation and actually liked food.
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  • jess!cajess!ca member

    thanks ladies... i appreciate you taking the time to read all that!  And your advice too!

    I just called DC to check on her, and she is JUST now eating her first bottle of the day there, and her last feeding was short and at 8 AM.  I told them to offer her another 1-2 oz after the bottle (currently 4 oz) because I think she might be needing to do bigger feedings but less of them (more spread out).  It's all so confusing!!!

    Thanks again for your advice.

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  • bugandbibsbugandbibs member

    To add a few things:

    DD2 didn't really start eating solids until she was 9.5 months.  She just wasn't interested before than.  Don't stress too much about it, all babies are different and they really only needs solids after they turn 1.  We just offered it to her every day or every other day and slowly increased based on her cues.  The amount of food you are feeding your LO is about what mine takes per meal now and she is a lot older.

    Bmilk changes and increases in calories as your LO gets older (you may have noticed a thicker fat layer on top).  My LO has never taken more than 3-4 oz at a time from a bottle.  They don't need to increase the oz amount like formula does. Also, my LO can suck a boob dry in 5 minutes.  They get more efficient as they get older.  Although I sometimes do have to go to a quiet spot to get her to focus.

    I wouldn't make any changes while your LO is sick. 

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