https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 04:29:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416269 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 22:31:09 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2416269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is 7 months and drinks 4 bottles each day (average 8.5-9oz each). They're at around 10am, 2pm, 6pm, and 9pm.</p> <p>We try to do two solids meals each day. I usually do them between bottles so she gets "brunch" around 11:30am/noon. And then we do dinner around 7:30pm-ish. She is eating 2-2.5 tubs average each day (8-10 oz).</p> <p>ETA: DD sleeps 9pm-9am approximately (and is never interested in eating immediately after waking up, hence the delay in the morning). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416249 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 22:11:43 +0000 californiadreams 2416249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>it was a while, but i roughly remember starting with one "meal", then moving up to 2 meals for a while. we always did solids at meal times. The milk schedule stayed the same and i would make a point to nurse before meals (i can't remember why, but i must have read that somewhere). I remember when he was 8 or 9 months nursing less at one meal and it was directly after he had actually eaten more than usual. So from there, i just let it be a gradual transition - the more he ate, the less nursing he would need over. i let him lead it, so it is hard to say when exactly things changed. by 2 years he was only nursing at night and for a long time after that, we still gave him milk before bed </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416241 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 22:05:30 +0000 MrsSRS 2416241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We breastfeed on demand and offer solids every time we sit at the table to eat and LO2 is awake (1-3 times a day). It's pretty relaxed over here! I think I was more regimented with LO1, but I don't remember! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416116 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 20:16:32 +0000 Kemma 2416116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My babies were / are both breastfed on demand with any solids being supplementary to their breastmilk so I've never been terribly worried about the amount of solids they've eaten. We also do family mealtimes so if my wee guy (9mo) is awake then he's eating with us although I have started making up any meals he misses due to naps. I usually offer him a selection of whatever we're eating and then spoon feed him as much as he wants to eat (yoghurt, fruit pouches, jarred baby food etc).</p> <p>His current schedule for milk and solids is as follows:</p> <p>0700 breastfeed<br /> 0800 breakfast<br /> 1000 breastfeed before nap<br /> 1230 lunch<br /> 1400 breastfeed<br /> 1500 breastfeed before nap<br /> 1730 dinner<br /> 1930 breastfeed before bedtime</p> <p>I think it's worth noting that the majority of mainstream information regarding solids is based on babies being weaned from the breast or bottle at twelve months of age so if you're happy to continue breast or bottle feeding beyond twelve months then you don't need to push solids if you don't want to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416115 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 20:16:24 +0000 regberadaisy 2416115@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: before one it is not necessary to give your LO three meals a day. It's more about getting them comfortable with food and self feeding. Their primary nutrition should be BM and/or formula. </p> <p>I think eith my first we didn't hit 3 meals till she was just about one. DD2 was at 3 meals pretty early on, probably about 10 months? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416077 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:25:02 +0000 Jennibenni 2416077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@youboots: Thank you, that's good to know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2416044 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 18:48:46 +0000 gingerbebe 2416044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started solids early for my son at 5 months (he showed interest and he had reflux, so we thought it would help). He was interested, but didn't actually eat much volume in the beginning - I would say it was more like tasting. I will say that my son is not a big eater and never even drank that much milk compared to other babies, so there's that. We did not do BLW because my son was never food motivated, so it would have just all ended up on the floor wasted. He was slow to pick up self-feeding as a result, although things really clicked for him starting at 11 months.</p> <p>At 5 months, DS was on 30-ish ounces of breastmilk/formula 5 times a day.</p> <p>First week, we started with breakfast. I gave him half a milk feeding, then would give him some cereal and then finish the rest of the milk feeding. That first week, I think he only had maybe a tablespoon or two.</p> <p>Second week, we did the same, but gave some kind of veggie puree like carrots. </p> <p>Third week, we just did milk first, then added a second veggie, like sweet potato.</p> <p>Fourth week, we did milk first, then added a third veggie, like peas.</p> <p>Second month (so when he was 6 months) we added lunch and moved to 4 milk feedings a day, which was helpful because the timing aligned better with traditional meals (730am, 1130am, 330pm, 730pm). He dropped down to 24oz at this point and never went back. We still did milk first, then would do cereal in the morning (mixed with prunes for constipation), and then a veggie puree for lunch, still adding a new puree every few days. Second month he was still taking max of 2 tablespoons a sitting.</p> <p>Third month (7 months), we added dinner, which was really around 4pm after his 330pm milk feeding. Again, he was only taking about 3-4 tablespoons a feeding. We also started offering puffs and mum mums at mommy and daddy's dinner time to keep him occupied and sit together. </p> <p>Starting at 8 months, DS was eating chunkier foods (homemade rice porridges, chunky pureed soups) and was offered small soft finger foods like soft steamed broccoli spears, banana, blueberries, and watermelon. His intake stepped up where he could eat a 3oz pouch in a sitting. His milk consumption was somewhere in the 22oz a day range. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415913 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 16:31:44 +0000 sapphire 2415913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started with one meal per day and then increased to 3 plus a snack. At 10 months she has milk when she wakes b/w 6-7am, solid breakfast around 9, bottle after at daycare, lunch around 12:30 with bottle after, snack around 3 with bottle after, dinner at home around 5:30 with milk after and then bed around 6:30.<br /> In the first days we did mostly purées - from about 5.5 months until 8 months. We usually did just one serving of a single purée at that time. Now she eats table foods and has 2-3 foods at each meal. We mix iron containing with high vitamin C foods for better iron absorption. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415831 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 15:08:10 +0000 youboots 2415831@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: she's 10 months (you can click on a username to get more info about that person). Welcome! I just saw you are new here. She's only eating for about 5 minutes. I don't pump anymore so I have no idea what she's getting. We give her about 4oz of diluted juice a day and 1 2 oz bottle right after nursing before bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415827 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:57:52 +0000 Jennibenni 2415827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@youboots: How old is your LO and do you feel like she is still nursing a lot at each session? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415822 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:56:04 +0000 Jennibenni 2415822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks @FaithFertility: that is helpful! @ldh112: I did ask the pediatrician at his 6 month checkup but she wasn't very specific, just said we could "work up to it" and that every baby will be different. But I like real examples and hearing what works for others! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415819 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:53:26 +0000 youboots 2415819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I still bf on demand- yesterday that was 5/6 times. I do a big breakfast when she gets up. Lunch if we are home and dinner. I also give her 3ish pouches a day- after table food usually. I have a variety of food prepped (cooked and chopped) and ready to go and just toss it on her tray- black beans, corn spaghetti, rice, broccoli, corn, peas, bacon, hamburger meat, shredded cheese, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415811 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:44:03 +0000 ldh112 2415811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: Our babies are the same age and I am right there with you! So far I do a purée pouch a day, she usually finishes it after 2-3 times of offering it during the day on top of getting about 30-32 oz of formula 5-6<br /> times a day. We go in for her 6 mo shots soon (a little late due to scheduling issues) and I plan to ask our pediatrician her thoughts on a feeding schedule as she gets older. I don't think solids are supposed to replace formula/breast milk for a bit longer. </p> <p>Have you asked your pediatrician? </p> <p>I've seen schedules like this online as a guide: <a href="http://www.texaschildrenspediatrics.org/health/health.aspx?page=pa_foodchrt_art.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.texaschildrenspediatrics.org/health/health.aspx?page=pa_foodchrt_art.htm</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415797 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:25:02 +0000 FaithFertility 2415797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ 7 months DD started at her sitters so she got on a good schedule<br /> I nursed her at 6 a.m. wake up<br /> She got 4-5 oz in a straw cup(only thing she would take) around 8 a.m.<br /> Breakfast: 1/2 yo baby yogurt or fruit puree<br /> Another straw cup (4-5 oz) 10 a.m.<br /> 11:30 Lunch veggie puree<br /> 12:00 (milk offering again)<br /> 3:00(milk again)<br /> I would nurse her at 5:30<br /> Dinner: meat/veggie puree<br /> Nurse before bed 7:30</p> <p>I might be off a tad so funny how quickly one forgets....lol<br /> She got formula at her sitters! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-balance-solids-and-breastfeedingformula#post-2415789 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:19:44 +0000 Jennibenni 2415789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What does/did your daily schedule for solids and nursing or bottle look like? LO is 6.5 months and up until now we have had no schedule for feeding solids, just here and there. I'm trying to start being more regular and want to get into s routine of three "meals" a day, but I'm not sure if the best way to do that and also make sure he's getting enough milk. Im curious about what your timeline was like between 6 months and 1 year as far as feeding more solids, more regularly. </p>