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The Nursing Baby - Q&A

My daughter is 6 months old, over 18lbs and is eating cereal, 2 jars of solids and nursing 4* a day. i was wondering if it is healthy for me to go down to 3* a day. would she be getting enough fluids?

First, check out our articles on Starting Solids with Your Breastfed Baby and Breastfeeding Frequency - a Question of Style.

According to some nutritionists, she should only get about 10% of her calories from solids till she is 9 months old (that would equate to about 5 ounces of solids per day). From 9-12 months about 25% of calories from solids (10-15 ounces of solids). Babies over a year need no formula or cow's milk if they are nursing 2-3 times per day. If not, 2-3 dairy servings are recommended.

If you'd like to wean, you might choose weaning to formula rather than adding more solids. You don't need to introduce a bottle - a sippy cup works very well, too.

However, if you'd like to wean at 9 months to solids and formula feeding, the way you are choosing is a very common and fairly easy method that American mothers have been using for many years.

If you are planning on nursing to 12 months and/or beyond, you should consider increasing how often you nurse. Some babies lose interest fairly easily if they are only nursing a few times a day at 6 months. One of the key advantages of demand feeding rather than scheduled feeding is that babies feel in control and won't wean prematurely from frustration of lack of control (some babies end up preferring bottles since they can have them more often).

It's hard to answer your question about liquids - many cereals and baby jars have a very high liquid content. Just keep an eye on wet diapers, and you might consider offering sippy cups of water with her meals.

And keep in mind, for some women nursing 3 times a day would only give their babies 8 ounces of milk. For other women, their babies would get 24 ounces of milk. As your baby's mom, you are uniquely qualified to tell if she's hydrated and satisfied.

Happy Nursing!

These tips are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have questions.