9 months, table foods main nutrition now?

kujess1 · August 2014

So I took DD to her 9 month checkup today. The Dr gave the go-ahead to start table foods, and recommended that she start getting in 3 solid meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). He said that since she is getting more and more mobile, and is doing some of the precursors to walking, that she is going to need to get the majority of her calories now from solid foods, and that breastmilk now isn't enough to sustain her. He said that if she doesn't start getting 3 good meals in a day, her weight curve will start dropping quickly due to her increasing mobility. He recommended starting to give her solids first, then breastfeed after. And that if my milk happens to dry up before 1 year, then as long as she gets calcium from other sources such as yogurt, we wouldn't have to give her formula. This just all goes against what I've read before about BM or formula being the main source of nutrition up until 1 year, and to nurse first, then give solids. I think our pediatrician usually gives great advice but I'm not sold on this one... Thoughts?

Izzies · August 2014

This is completely opposite of what I've always heard! I'm a FTM but if it was me I would continue to nurse before each meal. For what it's worth I plan to BF beyond a year and let LO self wean when she is ready. My daughter is 9 and 1/2 months old and generally eats two meals a day and 1-2 snacks (we do baby led weaning)

kujess1 · August 2014

Thanks for the reply @lzzies! I just went on kellymom and found this, which goes against what the pediatrician said: https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-how/

mommatotwo2 · August 2014

Yikes! This is the problem, it's already hard enough to be a mom and wonder if you are doing the right thing for your child, to have a doctor give you such outdated and anti-BF advice is terrible! Baby's main nutrition should still come from breastmilk until a year. Totally ok to increase solids though and let her gradually reduce her milk intake over the next 3 months, tapering off closer to 11-12 months is ok, IMO.

kellbelle618 · August 2014

I've always been told that babies get majority of their calories/nutrition from breastmilk until they a year old. Nothing wrong with increasing solids, but solids are still pretty much for fun at this point.

lindseyb624 · August 2014

My pedi was big on increasing solids and said 3 meals a day at 9 months was ideal. I told her she was getting 15-20oz Breast milk a day and the doc said that was perfect. I took a bit different approach and did nurse when she woke up the breakfast about 2 hours later then 5 oz pumped breast milk the lunch about 2 hours later then 5 oz pumped milk after afternoon nap then dinner about 3 hours after them nurse before bed and often once during the night. I feel like now at 11 months the only time she really wants milk is at night and all other times she would prefer good over milk.

mmooki · August 2014

I fed dd 3 meals a day at that age, but never replacing a nursing session. And if she wasn't into the solid food, that was ok too since she was getting milk from me.

BootsOrHearts · August 2014

We follow BLW and one of the tenets is that you let baby tell you how much food they want. So we offer solid foods 3 times a day (and snacks if he wants) but we always let him have as much BM as he wants too. At almost 9 months, his BM intake is down about 2/3rd of what it was when he was getting only milk, but we started solids at 5 months so he's had lots of time to work up to that level of intake.

As others have said, I don't think it makes sense to make an abrupt change. Start offering 3 meals a day certainly, but I would not restrict her BM intake at this point.

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9 months, table foods main nutrition now?

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