Hi everyone. I just started feeding solids to my babies. My ped said to give them the solids and THEN the bottle. I've always heard to give the formula first as it has the nutrients etc in it. Also, if they are taking the solids does the amount of formula they drink decrease a lot, if any?

Thanks!

Ann

BBG born 7/7/03
33 weeks 3 days

I'm not sure why your ped said that. I follow the Babywise plan, and have found it to work great. I give my boys their bottle/nurse first, then the solids. Their intact may decrease a bit - 1 to 2 ounces if that. If my kids left any formula, I would use it to make their cereal for breakfast. Good Luck!


Karen - mother to spontaneous triplet boys:
Ethan,Dylan,& Parker
3/24/03
33weeks, 4 days

Karen - blessed wife to Paul,
Proud mom to spontaneous boys
3/24/03
God is soooo good!

I gave mine the cereal first, mixing it with fruit and b.milk and sometimes had to make an extra bowl if they were littls piggies! And then Id wait a bit and then give them bottle or breast. they always seemed to take in adequate fluids, I never thought of doing vice versa. It worked for us! Im sure what ever you chose will be best for your babies!
Kim

Kim
Wife to Brian
Mommy to BBG @ 32.5 wks)

I gave them solids first and then while I cleaned up they got a 4 oz. bottle. It also worked for us and their fluid intake did decrease, but not enough that they weren't getting enough. Like the above post I always mixed their cereal with breastmilk or formula. The nutritionist with WIC said that the amount of breastmilk or formula mixed into the cereal counted as nutritional fluid intake. Do what works for you and your babies (Are they eager to eat when they wake or can they be pacified until you fix them something?). If you try solids first and you don't think it's working or they decrease their fluid intake too much then you can always switch and do bottles first.

Kris & Co.
Nicknamed "Supermommy!" (by DH) to 4 super kids:
(B)Schuyler-7
Spontaneous Triplets born @ 33wks 5-18-99
(G)Katrena-4
(G)Kourtney-4
(G)Kerisa-4

........... Kris & Co. ...........

"Solids first and then the bottle/nursing" is very outdated advice, stemming from the era when there was a push to get babies on solid foods too soon. Pushing solids is a great way to create food allergies in babies.

As you've seen, solids first makes for less formula/EBM later. In the first year solid foods should be mainly for learning & experimentation, not nutrition. The American Pediatrics Association (or whatever they're called) and the World Health Org recommend that bottles/nursing come first, then solids. This way your babies are assured of getting adequate nutrition & calories.

Tulip & The Three Amigos
Born at 35w5d on December 31, 2002 - Happy New Year's Eve!!!
Aimee, Let's bump heads!
Edward, Rollin' Rollin' Rollin', Got to keep on rollin'!
Hope, Bouncy! Bouncy! Bouncy! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

YES! You *can* breastfeed triplets!!!
http://www.tripletconnection.org/dcforum/forum1/14349.html

Tulip & The Three Amigos
GBG born at 35w5d on December 31, 2002 - Happy New Year's Eve!!!

YES! You *can* breastfeed triplets!!!

I am a Velveteen Rabbit, and the birth, love, kisses & magic that are my children has made me Real.

Tulip,For outdated information , my trio did pretty well and have thrived! Now at 29 mths they have always been at or above average on their weights , heights and other milestones. They obviously never lacked for any sort of nutrtional values because they ate cereals before fluids once they began cereals which were mixed with my breast milk and wasnt until they were 4 mths old, at their peds advice! And they always had plenty of wet diapers , proving that they were not being deprived of adequate fluids and the nutrition which they received from my breast! And my babies have not had any Food allergies either!!!
Im not saying nor did I in my above post that any other way is the wrong way! This is the way I did it and it worked for us. It is simply my experience I was sharing!
Then I come to your post and feel attacked and small for your first paragragh! Had you left that out I wouldnt have been offended! There are tacktful ways to say things and to come across to people! But this seems to be your way of putting it out there! Just *&$^%#% on those who you dont agree with! Cant you just agree to disagree and stop bashing others for their oppinions! Talk about out dated!
Im done posting here at TC ! There is obviously your oppinon and your oppinion! Its the same old , same old here! You know what I mean with all the same old posters! And always the same old self righteous, My way is the right way attitudes! No room for any new oppinions or advice without sneeking in the snide comments!!!
Well thanks alot for making this homs experience memorable! Ill stick to reading the magazine!

Kim

Kim
Wife to Brian
Mommy to BBG @ 32.5 wks)

Definitely bottle first then solids. I would hate for them to fill up on solids and not finish their bottle. Mine are a little over 6 mos now and I've been told that it's not even neccessary to start solids right now being that their adjusted age is approx 4 1/2 mos. If they finish their solids, I just consider that a bonus.

How often are you feeding solids? I'm not sure what is appropriate. I give them their solids around 11am and it consists of 1 Tblsp of rice cereal mixed with either a veggie (ie: carrots, squash or sweet potatoe) or fruit (ie: bananas, pears and peaches). I usually split the one serving of stage 1 foods among the 3 of them. For their last bottle of the night, I put 1-2 Tblsp of cereal in their bottle.

I'd love to hear what plan you're on.

Cristina
Proud mommy to Daniela, Bobby and Vanessa
Born June 28, 2003 - The best day of my life!!!

Cristina
Proud mommy to Daniela, Bobby and Vanessa
Born June 28, 2003 - The best day of my life!!!

Cristina,

My ped told me to feed them 3 times a day with solids. Currently we had been feeding them only once a day with cereal. Now we are doing 2x a day. I am holding off on the 3rd feeding while they get used to it. I also put rice cereal in their bottles throughout the day (well, for 2 of them) for their reflux, but I have been doing that since they were 2 months old. Back to solids, I am just starting so they've had rice cereal and oatmeal with applesauce and we just started pears today. I'll wait a week and then try a veggie.

Ann

Ann

BBG born 7/7/03
33 weeks 3 days

Ann,

How much cereal are you putting in their bottles? Both my girls have reflux as well and their GI doctor told me to put 1 Tbsp every 2 oz. They drink 6-8oz per feed and I think that's just way too much cereal for one feed. Now I only give them 1 Tblsp of rice cereal in their nighttime bottle. I just don't think they need all those extra calories. They're gaining weight so nicely and they're actually on the pudgy side so I don't want to overdue the solids.

Cristina
Proud mommy to Daniela, Bobby and Vanessa
Born June 28, 2003 - The best day of my life!!!

Cristina
Proud mommy to Daniela, Bobby and Vanessa
Born June 28, 2003 - The best day of my life!!!

Cristina,

My ped told us the same thing - 1 tbspn for every 2 oz of formula. Mine are at 6oz, but I only put in 2 tblspns. I tried more and I feel the same as you, it's too much. Plus they can't get it through the nipple half the time as it's too thick! Mine are not pudgy, well one is pretty pudgy, but I still don't think they need that much cereal either.

Ann

BBG born 7/7/03
33 weeks 3 days

We mostly give them the bottle first, but one baby likes cereal and veg much better, so he takes some of his bottle first, eats cereal and then finishes off the bottle. I think they DO drink less now that they are well into solids, but they are still drinking way more milk than average, so I am not worrying about it. We follow the Contented Baby Book except that we started with just cereal, then introduced some veg and we are just now trying banana. We'll go for apple next. It can't matter too much as long as they are getting enough milk, I guess?
MESSSSSY is all I can say.
Ali

Jack - 10 years old
Abraham, Dylan and Zane - 8 years
and now . . . . Tobias, 2 years old!