My son just turned a year old and is still nursing as his primary nutrition. I breastfed my daughter until she was almost 3 and plan to nurse my son until at least 2. My questions revolve around how to integrate solids into our routine. I'm probably over-thinking this as he is growing just fine - he's very tall and in about the 50-75th percentile for weight and is hitting all his milestones. But I'm afraid I'm not paying much attention to his non-milk nutrition - more for the future than anything else.
Currently, he breastfeeds a lot. When he's with me all day/night, he probably nurses 8-10 times/day, sometimes more if he just snacks or cluster feeds. I'd say his nursing patterns are still similar to when he was an infant but more efficient. When he is at daycare (3 days/week), he's dropped down to about 6-8 oz of breastmilk in a bottle (used to be 10-13oz) but seems to make up for it when he's with me. At daycare he also tends to have 2 snacks and lunch of solids and is eating more and more of it. At home, I do not offer structured mealtimes or snacks much. If we have dinner at home (we're on the go a lot), I'll offer him some of what we have and he usually eats it. I'll also give him things like cheerios or apple slices or cheese on the go. But there's no real pattern. So I'm wanting to have a little more structure with meals and snacks and get him eating some more solids. I'm not really interested in cutting down nursing. I suppose over the next few months it'd be nice to cut down to 5-6 times a day but I am not trying to make it just an occasional thing. I like nursing and currently don't find it draining or an issue at all. I would like to be able to leave him with others without worrying too much about leaving enough breast milk but again there's no urgency. And he does well with water and solids when I"m not around. We haven't intro'ed cow's milk (though he eats yogurt and loves cheese) and I'd prefer not to yet if possible.
Oh, also - I read somewhere that a toddler should get 40 calories per inch. For my 30 inch baby that would mean 1,200 calories a day. I'm guessing he gets between 20 and 30 oz of breastmilk a day, which I assume is 400-600 calories. There is NO WAY he is getting another 600 cals from solids. I'd guess more like 200, if that. Maybe 300-400 when he's at daycare but that seems like a stretch. He does seem to be growing fine, so what gives?
Sorry this is rambling, but I guess my question is what I should be doing to begin to transition to more solids, if this is actually necessary, etc.
Currently, he breastfeeds a lot. When he's with me all day/night, he probably nurses 8-10 times/day, sometimes more if he just snacks or cluster feeds. I'd say his nursing patterns are still similar to when he was an infant but more efficient. When he is at daycare (3 days/week), he's dropped down to about 6-8 oz of breastmilk in a bottle (used to be 10-13oz) but seems to make up for it when he's with me. At daycare he also tends to have 2 snacks and lunch of solids and is eating more and more of it. At home, I do not offer structured mealtimes or snacks much. If we have dinner at home (we're on the go a lot), I'll offer him some of what we have and he usually eats it. I'll also give him things like cheerios or apple slices or cheese on the go. But there's no real pattern. So I'm wanting to have a little more structure with meals and snacks and get him eating some more solids. I'm not really interested in cutting down nursing. I suppose over the next few months it'd be nice to cut down to 5-6 times a day but I am not trying to make it just an occasional thing. I like nursing and currently don't find it draining or an issue at all. I would like to be able to leave him with others without worrying too much about leaving enough breast milk but again there's no urgency. And he does well with water and solids when I"m not around. We haven't intro'ed cow's milk (though he eats yogurt and loves cheese) and I'd prefer not to yet if possible.
Oh, also - I read somewhere that a toddler should get 40 calories per inch. For my 30 inch baby that would mean 1,200 calories a day. I'm guessing he gets between 20 and 30 oz of breastmilk a day, which I assume is 400-600 calories. There is NO WAY he is getting another 600 cals from solids. I'd guess more like 200, if that. Maybe 300-400 when he's at daycare but that seems like a stretch. He does seem to be growing fine, so what gives?
Sorry this is rambling, but I guess my question is what I should be doing to begin to transition to more solids, if this is actually necessary, etc.
