solids and continuing breast feeding

[equidistant]

I started my son on solids at 6 months- cereals, fruits, and veggies; we added meat and beans (mostly lentils) around 6.5 months.  He is an amazing eater and can really plow through solids- he can eat a whole banana in one sitting!  Anyway, I've noticed that his interest in nursing has really gone downhill.  He is in daycare full time, but I go down to nurse him.  He used to eat every 2 hours, but is now only eating 1-3 times during the work day and he often doesn't eat very much.  

I thought about trying to go down every 3 hours, but he just doesn't show much interest when he's eaten recently.  Now it's starting to happen at home too; this weekend, he just wasn't eating all that well and he actually refused bfing on Saturday, which ended up in a 5 hour block of him not eating (we didn't have solids with us, so he did eat a little bread, but that's it).

I know that some of my angst is from not wanting him to wean until he is at least a year old, but I'm also concerned about his nutrition.  I want to make sure he is still getting the benefit of my breastmilk.

I'm a first time mom, so I have no idea if this is normal.  I'd love it if other moms would share what the impact of introducing solids was with their baby's breastfeeding. 

[phathui5]

How old is he now?

How often is he nursing when you're at home? What about at night?

[inkandpaper]

I was about to post the same question, so I'll be interested to hear what responses you get.  I can't tell you if it is "normal" but I can tell you that you're not the only one!  My dd (7.5 months) started BLW a couple of months ago, and just recently has really got the hang of the whole solids thing and LOVES it.   Loves drinking water from a cup, shoving finger food in her mouth, and using a spoon (I fill it and hand it to her).  All great, except the past couple of days she just isn't so interested in nursing (unless it has to do with sleeping).  She used to nurse every 2-3 hours (sometimes more or less), but now she'll go for hours.  Her poops have quickly gone from EBF poos to well, regular adult consistency.

This isn't what I was expecting.  I worked really, really hard when she was a newborn to get breastfeeding to work, and now she seems to think she has more important things to do    Looking forward to seeing other replies.

[3girls1boy]

Nurse first, then offer solids. You may have to remind the caregivers when you are coming to nurse so they don't fill him up with other foods. In the first year, your milk is still the best and primary food. Other foods are just practice.

[Jaxy]

I'm with y'all on that, but mine is a little younger (going on 5.5 months). We started solids about 2 weeks ago and tonight, in one sitting, he ate 2 ounces of turkey, 2 ounces of prune and about 2 ounces of water! I couldn't believe it, isn't that a lot? Then an hour later he nursed for like 5 mins and fell asleep...

I went back to work when he was 7 weeks and my supply has been going downhille but yesterday I only pumped 2 ounces of milk in 9HOURS, which is like, nothing! It never happened before...! I think I'm drying up :(

But thx for the advise 3girls1boy, I'll try offering the breast first.

[skycheattraffic]

Definitely nurse first. For those of you mamas who work, send solids to daycare and just nurse at home. Also, we did one small meal a day to start, then upped to two at 9 months and 3 at 12 months. Solids is part oF the equation but so is distractibility at that age. I tried nursing in a dark quiet room which helped a little but what really helped was to change positions. I started sitting her in my lap facing me and she could nurse and still look around.
Jaxy, about the pumping amount changing, I honestly stopped responding to the pump around 6 months. It was a good pump in great condition but even pumping 45 minutes, I could barely cost the bottom of the jar. Then DD would come, latch on and drain me in 3 minutes, milk oozing out the side of her mouth. The pump simply may not trigger your letdowns as effectively anymore.

[MichelleZB]

The way I look at it, babies learn to eat at different rates... some kids take to it right away, while others take a little longer to adjust. Why not let him eat what he wants? It still sounds like he is nursing when he wants (1-3 times during your workday still works out to once every, what, 4 hours on average? That's till within the range of normal.). Does he do a morning nurse? A bedtime nurse? Does he wake to nurse during the night? If so, he's probably getting plenty of breastmilk.

At his age, some kids are distracted nursers. If there are lots of things happening in the room, they can "forget" to eat for hours! You might want to try to take him into a quiet place to have a nurse sometimes and see if he gets into it in a more one-on-one setting?

Meanwhile, don't kill the interest in solids. He is having an affair with them right now. They are new and interesting--textures, tastes. He is obviously a gourmet and will one day cook great meals himself.

You can keep an eye out for signs that he's hungry or fussier than usual. But as long as he's health and gaining well, etc., you probably don't have a problem.

[Jaxy]

Thanks a lot for your answers!!!

When I'm at home I definitely offer the breast first, but since he started solids he is sooo into it that I already give it to him 2-3 times a day. He likes everything I give him and ask for more!! Looooves water (although I was reluctant to give him water at first, he is thrilled to drink from a normal cup already!) I only offer him 1-2 ounces with his supper and he is happy with that.

skycheattraffic your theory about the pump is pretty good, I think it's what's happening... He does breastfeed constantly when I'm off, although I feel drained during the evening and end up giving him a bottle of formula if he's especially cranky (and he generally drinks the whole thing, about 4 ounces, that's why I think I'm drying up...but I know that the less you bf the less milk you have) But we've been offering him both breastmilk and formula since I've been back to work, not being able to pump enough since then (and he's a BIG eater) so that's normal I think. He doesn't go to daycare, his dad watches him while I'm at work, gives him my milk first, then a couple of bottles of formula and usually solids once or twice throughout the day depending on my work schedule.

As said as long as he's healthy and happy that's what matters! I was just a little concerned about my supply, not wanting to quit BFind totally...