Getting ready to start solids

[Anonymous]

So we have been given the thumbs up from our ped GI and his RD to start solids when we are ready. I am still alittle hesistant, but DH wants to start ASAP. Cooper will officially be 5months on Monday. He has great head control, is almost sitting unassisted and is very interested anytime we are eating, so I do think that he is ready. I am just scared to death of him having an allergy or worse it affecting his reflux negatively. I know I can’t put off the inevitable, but I was all pumped to wait until 6 months. But I am willing to try. If he does well how do I gage his formula intake? Right now he gets 4oz b/t 2-4am and luckily he is content with only 4oz, I am working on getting rid of this feeding however it is nice b/c then I can give him his prevacid at 6:30am and he is content to wait until 7am for his first bottle. He then gets 7oz at 7am, 10:30am, 2pm, 5:30pm and 7-8oz at ~8pm or whenever he is ready for bed, but definatly by 8:30pm. Do I continue to make the 7oz bottles and let him tell me when he is done? Cut them down to 6oz and see how he does? I am so confused with the whole adding solids thing. I know he won’t be taking much at first, but I have a feeling he is going to be a good eater as we have never had any problems with bottle/breast when we were doing that… I don’t want to starve him, but I also don’t want to turn him into a little porker if you know what I mean. TIA.

[Anonymous]

I would keep making the bottles however you’ve been doing it and let him decide what he wants. At first they don’t eat a huge amount anyway, and babies will generally eat until they’re full and stop. I kept making the same size bottles for Dagney, and she started to pull back on formula herself once she was eating more food. She started to “wean” herself of the midmorning (1030ish) bottle first, actually before we even started the solids, she started to only take about 2-3 ounces, so I figured she was ready to spread out her feedings a little, and I just rearranged the times accordingly. Are you starting him on cereal first? You may want to try giving it to him around his 5:30 bottle (they usually suggest starting with “dinner” first), and see how he does, it may be enough to fill him for the evening and he may be able to drop that 2-4am bottle! Good luck, it’s so exciting but so stressful at the same time!

[Anonymous]

I agree with Denise. Generally they don’t eat enough at first to start reducing their formula intake, so I’d keep making him his 7 ounce bottles. I wouldn’t worry about over feeding. Babies self regulate very well. I always started with a tablespoon of cereal once per day and then gradually added more until they were taking a few tablespoons at a time. When that went well I’d offer a few bites of a stage one food along with the cereal or at a different feeding.

Good luck! I hope he loves his nummies!

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