How often does your EBF 5 month old BF? and a question about solids...........

[Shannon Smith]

My DD just turned 5 mo. She eats about every 2-3 hours during the day, sometimes cluster feeds in the pm before bed which is then every 2 hours. She started waking up again during the night to eat once (she was sleeping through the night from 10pm until 5 am) and then sleeps until 6 am or so. I think it's probably growth spurt time for my LO too. I only nursed DS until he was 4 mo- I was working more and had a lower milk supply so he weaned very early and I quit b/c I was exhausted- so this is new to me too.

My Ped said to hold off on solids until 6 months- then to start slowly. If they aren't sitting up totally unassisted, that's ok. I reclined my highchair with DS or I've heard those soft Bumbo chairs work great for first eating. I have the Super Baby Food book- she recommends starting with banana and avacado. Also to make your own brown rice cereal that has more nutrition than white rice cereal. They can digest the brown rice cereal after 6 months. Might as well skip the boxed rice cereal since it really doesn't have much nutritional value. Good luck!

[MRL2611]

A little over 6mo here and still nursing every 2-3 hours around the clock. She has had some solids but goes days without any too.

[Mirasmom]

[QUOTE=missdawn25;4508922]We have not started solids yet and do not plan to start until DS can sit up on his own and is actively showing interest in foods, such as grabbing food from us. I plan to start him with avocado, sweet potatos or bananas.[/QUOTE]


Those are the three recommended first foods other than rice cereal. I have been researching a lot as DS is also 5 mos (3/4/08). I did things different with dd because she was ff. I am going to start when he's 6 mos, so in about three weeks or so. I'm going to use the next three weeks to make his baby food and freeze it so it's ready to go. I am going to start with organic brown rice cereal with probiotic (found at my health food store) and then avacado and sweet potato. Next I will do bananas and squash, pear and green beans, apples and peaches. Obviously not fast...but in pretty much that order. Then perhaps oatmeal. I really don't want to push him, so whatever he wants is fine with me. One meal a day max is all I will do for a month or so. I really doesn't seem interested in food all that much to me. Also bf babes go through a growth spurt at any time between 4 and 6 mos so that's what the increased nursing is from. It should slow down in a day or two or three

[luvmyfluff]

My baby is going to be 6 months in a week and I thought she was interested in eating cereal between 4 and 5 months. I tried it and she seemed to like it but her tummy didn't. I noticed that she was gassier and her sleep habits (which were great before) became disturbed and she started waking more. So for us it wasn't worth starting, I haven't continued on a regular basis, here and there I give her tastes of food though. I formula fed my twins and they were ready for solids much earlier. I read somewhere that EBF babies usually need to wait longer because they're digestive systems aren't ready for solids as early a FF babies.

That's very interesting about the saliva stimulating the differences in milk production.

Laura

[threecrazykids]

It sounds like it is a growing spurt or teething. My DD does that often. It seem that just as I get used to her schedule she changes it. I did not start solids with my DD until she was 8 months. I started with bananas, avocados, sweet potatos. For grain I choose quinoa it is more nutritious than brown rice.

[mg1278]

My 5 month old EBF baby eats around 2-3 hours during the day, and cluster feeds about 1-2 hours in the evening. Most of the time, she sleeps through the night, so I think the cluster feeds are getting ready for that. I haven't started her on solids yet, but am planning on reading the Super Baby food book mentioned by a PP.