How Much to Breastfeed/babyfood 5 m.o.??

All this anxiety about measuring how much milk your baby is getting is instilled by FORMULA COMPANIES trying to sell you FORMULA. If your baby is happy and gaining weight, feed him what he wants when he wants it and don't worry. I have raised to healthy, smart kids by this method.

WOW! You are spending way too much of your time and energy worrying about this. Relax! Is your baby healthy, happy, and growing? Then you are fine! A hungry baby will be a fussy baby. Your schedule doesn't have to be exactly the same every day. To maintain YOUR supply and comfort level, you will probably want to continue to nurse every 3 - 4 hours while he is awake. You can add the baby food right before nursing or between nursings (perhaps at a family "meal") it doesn't matter all that much. Nursing is providing a majority of his calories and nutrition.
It will be a long time before he goes to a 3 meal format. I'm sure even your 3 yo has some fairly big snacks between meals. Toddlers really eat 5 or 6 mini-meals a day. Relax and enjoy your nursing success! - I'm sure you can find something way more exciting and important to worry about.

Hey J.,

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I can only ad that you will want to offer nursing with food until he is able to take a bottle or the one year mark where you can ad juices. Obviously you do not want to go without any liquids and only foods. He would become constipated and that is not good. So even though you can not have a visual as to what he is getting... just keep up with weight gain, it should never stall or decrease but steadily go up some... and then watch for a wet diaper every 7-8 hours and bowel movements should be creamy to pastey, not dry or hard every day or other day. All of that together will let you know he is getting what he needs. As for the soon to be teething... some babies chew on moms and some don't. And bf mom's always have a full supply in the mornings... that just might be his best liquid intake. I would offer some formula with his baby food jars when you are wanting to wean. talk to your pediatrician about sweeteing them, etc. I can't speak to the safety of it.. but we had a severe acid reflux baby with learned aversion and when my milk supply ended i had to find a way to encourage bottles. I did karo syrup per the doctor, twix strawberry powder, gerber yogurt juice and finally pediasure added to bottles to get her to drink (the later were all my ideas and while they worked, my kid is a sweet tooth addict). It was a rough experience so i do not highly recommend these additives...as my monkey will only drink white milk through a straw ..now chocolate is another story. But she did move on to juices and water quite well.
Best Wishes,
MB

Well, it sounds like you may be giving him a little too much baby food. If he is only 5 months old, he should only get about 4 oz. daily of baby food. The amount you are giving him should be what he is getting at 7-8 months. You did not mention how much cereal he is getting. I gave about 2 ounces of cereal for breakfast and 2 oz of baby food for dinner. I did not add baby food in the middle of the day until like 6 months, then it was about 2 oz. Once they were eating this much then I would increase the amounts from there. I did replace the nursing times with baby food times except for the morning feeding. I did not take this one out entirely until like 11 months. Replacing the nursing times with food will help you to "wean" them later. They did however nurse about 1 hour after eating the baby food. As far as how much, he is 5 months and may not be growing as rapidly right now so he may not be as hungry right now. But, that will pick up. Nursing is not determined with ounces, but if your baby is still hungry or not. If he is keep nursing, if he is not then don't. I hope this helps!

My pediatrician has always told me that its best to nurse him at each meal time before getting any cereal or baby food. Let him nurse, then give him a few bites of food. The baby food will fill him up, but with "empty" calories, meaning it does nothing for nourishment or weight gain. It is only intended to start practicing feeding habits and as filler. If I were you, I'd back off on the baby food and cereal for a bit and go back to primarily nursing until you feel your milk is better established again. My baby boy is 7 1/2 months old and does not get any kind of foods at this point, because he is more than satisfied and doesn't seem to want anything else. You don't need to worry about the 3 meals a day thing until closer to his first birthday. Even then, he may want to nurse between meals. Try not to worry too much. Just go with the flow and follow your mommy instincts. Sounds like you are doing a great job!!! Good luck!!

A. K

Don't worry so much!!! You sound like you are doing great.Your body will adjust it self to your babies nursing.I didn't believe this myself until I spoke to a nursing coach at our local hospital.It is really true as your child develops his own schedule for eating you body will adjust with him. Don't worry as long as he doesn't look like he is losing weight.Your doctor will tell you at his check ups if he is under weight.For his age your dr will tell you he should only be on the breast but if you have started him on food and he is doing ok I wouldn't go back just slow down a bit.Kids will let you know when they are hungry.My daughter would never take a bottle.we just started trying her on straws or cups when she could sit up well.Relax and talk to his doctor if you are uneasy. L.

It has been my experience and understanding that babies under a year are at risk of creating food allergies when given babyfoods prior to a minimum of 6 months old!!! This infant should be nursing only! Babies know how much they need. They will feed when hungry and normally drink until they are full or fall asleep. I mean, who wouldn't fall asleep while snuggled up the mommy all warm and cozy? A baby is not stupid, just tiny and in the process of developing physically!

My second born child would always fall asleep while nursing. Then awaken shortly thereafter to nurse again. It can be time consuming, but well worth the efforts to give what is needed to my infant! They all grow up so quickly. I feel we should enjoy every moment of the nursing experience while we have it. You are not only feeding the child but nourishing his soul with your love and with your time spent snuggling him! keep that in mind while you nurse him- perhaps this thought will change the entire experience for you.

Good Luck and God Bless You and your family!

sincerely,

D.

There is no magic formula to how much a baby gets nursing for a certain amount of time. My first child only nursed for a total of 10 minutes at a time 8 times a day. I remember crying and being sure that I was starving her. At her 2 week check-up, she had gained back to her birth weight plus 7 ounces. The only time I ever felt engorged with all three children was the morning. The only time that my milk supply dropped was when my youngest got two teeth and had a double ear infection all at the same time. She increased it after she felt better - not fun for me because we had to get up at night to work on the supply. As long as your baby is healthy and gaining weight, don't worry about the ounces. He is likely getting a lot more than it feels like he is getting. If you are not already, maybe nurse him first and then do the cereal. Enjoy your baby.

If he is gaining that much weight you have plenty of milk.
You don't have to feel full to be making plenty of milk & if you tried to pump that is not an indicator of how much milk you are producing.

At his age they should be getting most nutrition from nursing so nurse then offer jarred food. Do not go to just food until at least a year. My girls didn't go to 3 meals a day until after a year.

Congratulations on getting this far with nursing! I'm so glad you could make it work for you this time around. =)

First of all, I think you should know that at this stage, "feeding" foods to babies is really all about exploration--so try not to worry how much FOOD he ingests, just remember he is just trying to figure out what he likes and doesn't, how foods can have different tastes and textures, etc.

Also, I'd suggest nursing him or offering him a chance to nurse before every time you try to give him baby food at this age. That will help keep your milk supply up and help him get enough milk, because at this age, they really aren't supposed to be replacing milk with food, just trying foods out, if that makes sense.

I think it's great that you're doing a lot of reading on the subject, and if you're up for a little more I suggest kellymom.com. That site has TONS of great information and advice about feeding babies and how to handle it all when you're nursing them and starting them on baby food, and how it *might* go as he very slowly moves down the road from almost entirely milk to, eventually one day, entirely food!

Although I have to say, I don't think there's really one schedule that's perfect for everyone. It would be nice if there was, though, so we could take a lot of the guesswork out! I know nursing schedules and times change a LOT from baby to baby, but as far as the food amounts/times go, I think the most important thing to remember is that it shouldn't be about getting food into him right now as much as letting him try it all out and see what he thinks...and sounds like he's already getting a good bit of food in there during the process!

Good luck with everything and I'm sure you're doing GREAT! =)

I would b/f him FIRST before the baby food, then let him take as much or little as he wants of the food. Right now his primary nutrition will come from b-milk or formula, so you want to make sure he gets that FIRST. The food is more for practicing eating with a spoon and tasting food at this age. That's my understanding, anyway. Hopefully your supply will stay good that way too.
Good luck!

My first daughter was the same, as she wouldn't take a bottle. I nursed her up until she was 13 months old. As far as how much, I was told to nurse first, then baby food. The baby food is just to introduce solids, not to replace nursing. Also, keeping track of how many wet diapers is another way to see if he is getting enough milk. His weight shows that he is getting enough, so I wouldn't worry about his growth. Just try nursing just before you give him food, even if it is just for 10 minutes. I hope this helps.

God Bless, T.

Your baby sounds very healthy! Yes, this is the problem most mommas have when breastfeeding. You don't know how much he took in. But if he is wetting several times a day and having bowel movements, he is getting enough. After a few months, babies get so good at nursing that they don't have to work as hard at it to get the milk. He swallows louder in the morning due to a faster flow of milk; in the morning your breasts feel full, don't they? I am so proud of you for continuing to nurse your baby. He is getting the best that only his momma can give! And the fact that he drifts to sleep is just another sign at how content he is! His little belly is full of him momma's milk and he can drift to sleep peacefully. If he weren't getting enough, that wouldn't happen. So relax, and enjoy these months because you'll never get them back. Talk to your doctor about when he should get 3 meals a day. I don't think it would be at 5 months old, probably older. Hope this encourages you some.

J. D,

I know it can be frustrating but you want to continue to breastfeed if for nothing else it is sooo good for that little angel. But you also want to continue to feed baby food. my pediatrician once my little one started to eat baby food he said it was okay for her to take in less milk. Dont' worry about it. As he gets older he will continue to take in less milk and want more jar food or eventually table food. Contrary to what some of the others are saying the baby food is good for him the association of pediatrics reccomends at 4 months start feeding jar food. It is not empty calories but if you feed them right it is very good for them. Fruits and vegetables are good and have so many things that help their little bodies grow. Cereal has vitamins if you buy the right kind. Please dont let your baby go without these. Here is waht the American Academy of Pediatrics says check it out. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Solids.htm My daughter is 10 months old and has about 3 bottles a day because she eats table food 3x a day. When she was 5 months she took about 4-5 bottles a day and ate jar food 3x a day. He needs both but you have to trust your body knows what it is doing especially since you have been brest feeding for 5 months. But also trust that he knows when he is full, also when they are teething they cut back on eating some. and start to want more baby food. You might ask your pediatrician everyone ped. is different and want parents to do different things . Also you know what is right for your child don't second guess yourself. As far as bottles the best thing I have found it was the only bottle my daughter would take she was picky especially after breastfeeding but it is Soothie bottles. It is close to a breast nipple. To this day that is the only bottle she will take. Good Luck And trust yourself and your baby

LOL the reason you can't find an answer to how much you should nurse your baby is, all you need to do is feed him whenever he's hungry, and end the nursing session whenever he's satisfied. My 10-month old daughter even stops to look around and play before she's done, so I offer her my breast another time or two, and she might go back to nursing another 5 minutes.

It's the reverse of what you think: you're reassured by feeding an 8-oz bottle if that's what the "experts" say he should get, but actually, how do they know? What if it's hot and he's thirstier than usual? What if he is more or less active than the average baby, so needs more or less than other babies? When you nurse your baby, your baby eats as much as he needs to.

(By the way, in fact, what is taught is, a baby should get as many ounces in breast milk or formula as he is old in months. Five-month olds should get 5 ounces per feeding. So, if you're talking about your 5-month old, he should definitely not be getting 8 ounces. Taper down.)

The solids problem is the same as the formula. The way you're feeding him, and the amounts, anyway. They're interfering with your supply. Easily fixed. The La Leche League leader I asked about feeding solids vis a vis my supply told me something that made so much sense to me, once she said it. Feed solids *after* you nurse your baby. Then, he's only getting a little. And that's all he needs till he's a year old. As they say, "before one, it's just for fun." The solids foods are not supposed to replace your nursing in any way, but just be in addition to.

(Sometimes I cheat and give my daughter a couple of bites of my banana or apple, or soy yogurt or whatever about an hour after nursing, too. Doesn't seem to hurt anything, my supply is fine, and she is nursing as much as she did before.)

As for gulping and swallowing noises, my guess is, as long as he's staying latched on, he's getting enough to keep him interested. I think that you're not hearing the eager feeding noises because he is getting filled up on solids.

Now, this part is VERY IMPORTANT: feeding large amounts of solids, especially to the point where it's replacing much of the daily breast milk intake, can be a serious hazard for a baby because the main - practically only - source of food till age 1 is breast milk or formula. You need to reduce his solids to avoid this. But I wouldn't risk it.

Absolutely don't worry that he won't get enough breast milk. Your body will supply all that he needs. This is how we women are built! Or else we wouldn't have made it this far through human history. If you're "not making enough" in the immediate term, he'll just nurse more frequently for a day or two. This tells your body to make more milk. If this becomes a nuisance, just take him to bed, snuggle up and catch up on your sleep :) Or read a good book. (If you're not familiar with the side-lying nursing position, in particular, experiment a little till you get comfortable. Try a pillow to support your back. Try the top breast or the bottom. But do try it. It's so worth it.)

L.

PS instead of jarred baby food, try just mashing up and diluting with cooled, boiled water, foods like bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, and squash (the best foods at this age). It saves you a lot of money and is way healthier for your little one. You can get BPA-free plastic food cube trays - like ice cube trays, only safer for babies - from cottonbabies.com. This way you can just pull a cube out of the freezer, add a little boiling water to it to help it thaw, stir it up and you've got your "meal"! CHeck out Ruth Yaron's Super Baby Food for more info. Great book.

I think you're doing great...or I'm way off too! I'm 29, with a 3 ry old and a 5 mo old also. Our schedule looks like this, so you can compare notes. She gets breatsfed at 6 and 10am., 2, 6, and 10pm. Then sleeps from 10-6. I just started her on fruiuts, so she is only getting pears so far. She eats cereal in the morning, fruit at lunch, and cearl mixed with fruit for dinner. One jar of food per day...so far. She is a very happy baby and has made her own schedule. Now somedays, of course, the times vary a bit, like 9, 1, 5, and 9pm, but usually, she is breastfed every two hours. With a three year old, I just cant breastfeed and serve fruit/cereal during one sitting. My pediatrician said cereal at 4 mo, fruit, vegetables, and juice at 5 mo, and go from there, wtih all food by 1 year. Yes, they don't need it, but I think you need dto start that early to leave days in between to check for allergies. Otherwise, they would only be eating20 different foods when they're a year and a half! Ridiculous! Best of luck! I'd love to hear from you.

talk to your health care provider. As long as he is gaining weight I dont see a problem with it.

Yeah I have some trouble figuring out how to balance breastfeeding & increasing solids. I have close to the same schedule with my 6 month old. Except I am adding a third feeding in the morning of solids. I think he will began nursing for smaller amouts of time as well. I just noticed that with mine she is nursing a good 20 mins in the morning & before bed but throughout the day it is more like 5 to 7 mins.