Feeding Schedule. - Brooklyn,NY

Every source I've read (including the current guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics) says that if your child is under the age of 1, the primary source of nutrition should be breastmilk or formula, not cow milk. So, you should really double check this with the pediatrician.

At that age, I was nursing my son, and the doctor said to offer the breastmilk before all meals, and offer solids, so that he gradually cut back on the breastmilk over time. I'm not sure how that will differ for a formula fed baby, but I think that is probably good starting point.

Feeding solids at this point is all about new experiences and exposing him to new flavors/textures. It's not really about him getting his nutrition from solid food, until after he turns one.

Hopefully, some of the other parents who feed formula can share more info on a formula-fed schedule.

My daughter is 10 months old and her schedule is as follows:

8am - Bottle and then cereal and fruit
mid morning nap
12pm she eats a 4oz jar of veggie and cereal and then 4-6 oz bottle
mid afternoon nap
4pm - she has a 6oz bottle
between 5-6pm she has her dinner (4oz jar of meats and 4 oz yogurt)
8pm - 8oz bottle
8:30 - bedtime

She does really well with this schedule. On bath nights she has her bath around 7:30. That gives her hair enough time to dry before bed.

Hope this helps some.

you have two choices: you can clarify with your dr what he really wants you to do......OR you can wing it - which I'm totally okay with. If your son is not satisfied, he'll let you know!

This is how I ususally do it:
1. bottle upon waking.
2. Followed by a breakfast of cereal (sometimes mixed with fruit) & a cup of milk (just 2oz or so) or watered-down juice to help wash it down. This is usually before the morning nap. Sometimes at the 2hour mark after that morning bottle, instead of 3 hours. & !! having a full tummy really helps with that nap!!
3. a short bottle/cup upon waking....if hungry....otherwise, wait until your child shows signs of hunger. If you can wait, then serve "lunch": the solids of your choice & a little bit of milk. Full tummy again!
4. most children will not require another bottle before afternoon nap. Until ?maybe 10 months?, I would recommend a bottle/cup immediately after the afternoon nap. It's a long time to dinner! This is a good time to introduce healthy snacks.....lots of easily-digestible baby finger foods out there to choose from......but I always rely on bits of graham cracker, Cheerios, chunks of fruit......for my baby snacking.
5. dinner time! A little bit of milk or watered-down juice with the meal of solids. A few finger foods. & you should be good to go until bedtime.
6. before bedtime, a full bottle. Some big/hungry babies require another round of cereal to ensure a good night. Both of my boys required it, but not all children do.

Soooo, I'm not sure if your dr is okay with the whole "finger foods" thing. Both of my boys were on an accelerated feeding schedule....due to being big, hungry boys & having 8 teeth by 8 months. My sister's kids were the same way. 3 out of 4 of my daycare kids were on finger foods between 7-9 months, with the 4th hitting that benchmark closer to 10 months due to possible food intolerances. All of the daycare kids were on table foods fully by 12 months, with just cups during mealtimes......& a bottle at bedtime only. Hope this helps!

I would say a typical schedule would look like this.
Bottle right after he wakes up in morning.
Breakfast about an hour later
mid morning bottle
lunch around noon
bottle after afternoon nap
dinner
bottle before bed

I'm not really sure how to answer this because every baby is different. My daughter nurses 3-4 times per day and eats 3 solid meals per day. Her first feeding is at around 4-5 a.m. and then she goes back down and usually sleeps until 6:30 or 7 a.m. Around 7:30 she usually gets "breakfast" which consists of fruit and oatmeal. Then about 10 or 10:30 she nurses and I feed her lunch around 12 or 12:30, which is usually some black beans or chickpeas and another vegetable as well as about 2 or 3 tbsp of oatmeal again. She nurses again around 3 or so and then I usually nurse her again at about 5 or 530 so she can have her solid dinner around 6 with my husband and I. Typically dinner is 3 oz. of fruit and some veggies with a little protein mixed in.

My daughter is different in that she hasn't nursed before bedtime since about 4 or 5-months. I realize this is not the norm, but just wanted to explain why there is no "bedtime" feeding in here. She goes down at 7 so her solid dinner is usually what carries her through the night. Hopefully this is helpful.

Oh and my daughter is 9-months-old. I didn't add the third solid meal until about one week before she turned 9-months. My milk production had gone down a little bit and so she needed those few extra calories. I should also tell you that I mix formula (only about 1 oz.) into her cereal for the extra calories and vitamins it provides.

In no way am I saying that what I do is the absolute best way to do it. It's just to let you know one persons schedule and how I do things, but everyone is different. Your baby will more than likely guide you and let him. I know sometimes that is easier said than done. I have a hard time reading my babies cues sometimes, but eventually I get it...and then she changes it on me! Ha!

you may find it very hard to switch him to formula at this age. he knows where the good stuff is and formula tastes horrible! Now if there is a problem and we can help you nurse longer please ask us! Also if its a work issue you can always nurse when you are home and give foods and other fluids while you are gone, or even try formula then. Good luck and i hope you can continue nursing!

I am not sure why you are switching to formula so close to the dairy age.
At 1 yr old he will be able to drink regular milk. If it is that he is getting to old for your comfort to nurse then pump and bottle/sipy cup feed.

My schedule for my kids is as follows
wake up w/ bottle/cup (630)
8am Breakfast with a sippy cup to wash things down
9-1030 nap (when ever she wakes up)
1030 snack with a drink(sippy cup)
1200 lunch with a drink (Bottle/cup)
100 nap til she wakes up

330 bottle/cup snack
5pm dinner
6 bottle / cup
630 bath then bed
REPEAT!!

Now mind you she is 15 months old and protest the bottles except in AM she wants to be like her older brothers, but this is the schedule that works for us.

If you are going to switch to formula the best thing to do is do it slowly like you would w/ milk put 7 oz breast milk to 1 oz formula in a cup or bottle and slowly increast until 8 oz of form. and 0 oz of breastmilk.

Good luck and I hope this has been helpful