When to offer food

[Miss squish]

Ds is 9 months and has been eating solid food since about 5 1/2 months. He usually enjoys eating and eats a good amount of food two and sometimes three times a day.
I know when first starting solids the advice is to always nurse first to make sure baby isn't filling up on solids and not getting enough nutrition through milk, also to protect your supply. But when does that change? How do you feed a baby closer to a year? I'm wondering if I should move to offering food at particular times of day consistently and just nursing on cue otherwise, instead of waiting until he asks to nurse first.

[anniekins1488]

Subbing as I'd like opinions on the same. My DD3 is the same age- born 5/10/12.

[ulawolf]

My dd4 was born 4/29. She eats table food twice a day and a few snacks . about 12/13 months I will transition to more table foods but that is because I only have enough stored milk to last a year and I already supplement with formula. We don't offer bottles or formula after a year. We will transition to almond milk so we will up her food intake then.

[Tris]

I've never heard that, and I've bf 2 babes. I just offered them food when they started mimicking us at the table, or staring with their mouths open like little birds I used a hand pump if I ever I felt engorged, which happened if I missed a feeding, every 4 hours or less. I don't remember ever thinking the kid was too full from food, but when they first start they really eat so little it didn't matter. And they always still wanted milk.

Eta- we also never did baby food, we always did fresh fruit or veggies cut up into tiny pieces or bits of whatever we were eating at the moment, to an extent.

[tibeca]

I don't necessarily nurse first. I offer a little bite here or there when we eat dinner. Generally, I would sit down and try to nurse baby before dinner so I wouldn't get interrupted. I didn't worry whether they nursed or not, since they'll refuse if they're full. They will eventually turn down nursing for food. No need to do it for them.

[Miss squish]

Originally Posted by anniekins1488 Subbing as I'd like opinions on the same. My DD3 is the same age- born 5/10/12.

6 days apart

Originally Posted by ulawolf My dd4 was born 4/29. She eats table food twice a day and a few snacks . about 12/13 months I will transition to more table foods but that is because I only have enough stored milk to last a year and I already supplement with formula. We don't offer bottles or formula after a year. We will transition to almond milk so we will up her food intake then.

Would you still do the same if your dd was nursing? I know I want to make it to a year but I'm not sure how much longer after that I don't know, I would really like ds to be getting mostly food with goats milk, and nursing as an extra by 13-14 months.

Originally Posted by Tris I've never heard that, and I've bf 2 babes. I just offered them food when they started mimicking us at the table, or staring with their mouths open like little birds I used a hand pump if I ever I felt engorged, which happened if I missed a feeding, every 4 hours or less. I don't remember ever thinking the kid was too full from food, but when they first start they really eat so little it didn't matter. And they always still wanted milk. Eta- we also never did baby food, we always did fresh fruit or veggies cut up into tiny pieces or bits of whatever we were eating at the moment, to an extent.

It sounds like you must have a really good milk supply, unfortunately I struggle with it a lot so maybe that's why I have been more strict about doing everything anyone ever suggested about maintaining supply.
When did your kiddos start to eat more food and drink less?

Originally Posted by tibeca I don't necessarily nurse first. I offer a little bite here or there when we eat dinner. Generally, I would sit down and try to nurse baby before dinner so I wouldn't get interrupted. I didn't worry whether they nursed or not, since they'll refuse if they're full. They will eventually turn down nursing for food. No need to do it for them.

When did this happen for yours? I'm trying to think ahead.....

[Tris]

Originally Posted by Miss squish It sounds like you must have a really good milk supply, unfortunately I struggle with it a lot so maybe that's why I have been more strict about doing everything anyone ever suggested about maintaining supply. When did your kiddos start to eat more food and drink less?

It was ok, I could pump about 3oz if I needed. I had to take fenugreek to keep it up. I nursed ALL THE TIME though, so I think that helped.
I focused on more food/less milk around a yearish. I don't remember the details exactly though

[tibeca]

We do baby led weaning. Started at 6 mo with DD1, 5.5 with DD2 (she was stealing foods from her sister and my plates) and still trying with DD3. She is having bad food reactions, so we're going to take a break (she's over 6 months). Food before 1 is just for fun, so a couple of peas, a baby fistful of something, a single baby carrot, etc.

[ulawolf]

Originally Posted by Miss squish 6 days apart Would you still do the same if your dd was nursing? I know I want to make it to a year but I'm not sure how much longer after that I don't know, I would really like ds to be getting mostly food with goats milk, and nursing as an extra by 13-14 months. It sounds like you must have a really good milk supply, unfortunately I struggle with it a lot so maybe that's why I have been more strict about doing everything anyone ever suggested about maintaining supply. When did your kiddos start to eat more food and drink less? When did this happen for yours? I'm trying to think ahead.....

Pretty much I think

[Miss squish]

So waiting a little longer before changing anything else. Another month or two at least before trying to increase his solid food intake.

I used to think I liked the BLW philosophy about food under 1, but ds has other ideas. The kid EATS. He's not gagging down purées he's eating our dinner usually, he eats most everything we put in front of him and asks for more. Now that he's got top and bottom teeth he's eating even more. I let him eat until he's full, I figure if he's interested in eating that much then he is probably that hungry for it.