Does he need to start solids?

[Jewels06]

My DS sleep has been off lately and he's been waking up just bawling until I get situated enough to feed him(we co-sleep and sometimes if I switch sides it can take a minute) - I'm wondering if I need to start solids. He's about 6 1/2 months and DH let him suck on a green grape about a month ago but other than that we haven't done anything else with solids. I'm actually thinking of hand expressing some milk tonight to mix with some rice cereal to see if that helps him with his nighttime sleep. I do have some questions though...

B/c I don't want my milk supply to decrease, what is the best way to introduce solids so that I don't loose any of my supply?

How often do you feed solids - once a day?

And has anyone hand expressed milk? We don't have a pump and I'm trying to figure out how to do it by hand.

On a side note I'm also wondering about the reason behind not re-using a pump. My Sister has one she wants to give me and she only used it a couple times to help with engorgement - so would it be terrible to use that? TIA!

[LadyCatherine185]

we followed the baby-led-weaning/solids approach. There are TONS of threads floating around LWAB about this.

As far as solids helping sleep-- doesn't help. Sorry.

[lucy_v]

I'm using my SIL's old pump. If you know where it's been & clean all the parts properly, I don't see any reason not to use it!

[lil_stinkyfeet]

No technically he does not NEED solids, he only needs breast milk.

Kellymom has some good advice on solids.
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...lids-when.html

I would definitely skip rice cereal, it won't help him sleep longer and he doesn't need it.

I started my ds on solids about once per day at 6months. (if I remembered to give them to him that is!) He is now 8mos and has solids 2-3 times per day but that is counting giving him fruit in the mesh feeder ect..

I think the recommendation is to offer the breast first and then solids after, I always do both together, b/c the solids are more just him playing with and experiencing food then for nutrition b/c he is getting all he needs from breast milk.

The reason it is not recommend to use a used pump is because of diseases that could possibly be passed and Bacterial infections. I however have used a used pump, and would use one from my sister.

[ssh]

At 6.5 months sleep issues could be because of teething or developmental milestones. My DD had a horrible 3 weeks right before her first tooth, crawling forward and pulling up. She did all three in the same week at 7.5 months. She was so busy with the crawling and cruising her sleep become much sounder. though we always had lots of night waking while teething.

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

we followed the baby-led-weaning/solids approach. There are TONS of threads floating around LWAB about this.

As far as solids helping sleep-- doesn't help. Sorry.

Solids really don't make any difference with sleep.

[Alisse]

We started solids at 4.5months and it did absolutely nothing to the night nursings.

With respect to the breast pump, unless the manual says it can be sterilized properly -- as is the case with hospital-grade ones -- you shouldn't reuse someone elses pump because the milk touches parts of the pump that cannot be cleaned out. The manuals that come with pumps will state whether they can be reused or not by someone else.