Home Forums Breastfeeding Breastfeeding Breastmilk, formula and solid food...?

Hi, I've been successfully breastfeeding our adopted son for 1 month now (after two months of mutual taming... pumping and giving my bm with the bottle, etc). Our son is 7 months old, he nurses 3 times/day and takes 4 bottles of formula (6 onces) in 24 hours. I also started giving him solid food: vegetables, meat, fruits and cereals. He likes that, wants to eat, but I don't know when to give him what... I've been told to give the milk first and then the solid food, but after the milk he is not hungry anymore!
I try to give him breastmilk first, then solid food, but I don't have enough bm to bf him 5-6 times a day!
Should I give him less formula?
He is a big baby, 22 lbs, I don't want to overfeed him!
Thanks, Jalx

Solids aren't really necessary the first year. You can introduce solids but they shouldn't be a big part of baby's diet at this time. I actually waited until my babies started asking for what we were eating to intro solids. I would stick to your breasmilk, formula and maybe a little rice cereal after he drinks all of his milk. If he doesn't want it then he isn't hungry. No need to worry about it.

Hi Jalx,

CONGRATULATIONS on your new baby and on a successful breastfeeding relationship.

Basically the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and then to add complementary foods. These days they are recommending meat and other iron producing foods to be introduced first to ward off iron deficiency which can happen at about 6 months when your baby's iron stores begin to deplete. But it's important that these foods be pureed or ground at first until your baby is able to chew and swallow.

Most mothers feed some breastmilk first and then provide the food and then top off with more breastmlk if needed. When you have a limited milk supply, adding solids can help. You'll begin to develop your own sytem with time.

Best,

Thanks Laurie and Lenore,
Since my baby is interested in food when we eat, I started giving him solid food at meal time - whatever his own feeding schedule... and it seems to work well. Usually it ends up about 1/2 hours- 1 hour after bf (or bottle feeding). I find it a lot less complicated and a lot more enjoyable - we're all eating together, one mealtime, and a shared moment... I guess it makes sense - what do you think?

Sounds great to me!! Mealtime should be enjoyable I think you are off to a great start.