HELP with FEEDING

[confusedmum]

I feel really overwhelmed and a bit of a fool to be asking for help in this area, but I have no family around me to learn from.
I have a little boy who is almost 7 months old. He is having 3 meals a day,
Breakfast around 6:30 ( cereal and boob)
morning tea 10.00 (I am trying to introduce a bottle)
Lunch 1.00 (vegies and boob)
afternoon tea 3.30 (boob)
tea around 5.30 - 6.00 (vegies and fruit) then boob for bed.

I guess I wonder if I am doing the right thing, breakfast and lunch his breastfeed is quite small, which doesn't worry me that much, but his afternoon tea he is quite distracted and doesn't drink much either.
I am also having difficulty getting him to take the bottle. If I try he just tries to drink from me, when my husband tries he gets very upset and my husband works shift work so he can't always be there to help.

I was also wondering should I wait til he tells me he is hungry or when he wakes do I feed him? Also, is it ok to feed solids then wait a while before I give him a drink or should i do it one after the other?
Thanks for your help, I'm sure these must seem like trivial questions to you but I'm a bit of a worry wart!!

[the pero clinic]

Dear Confusedmum,

There is no such thing as a trivial question in this forum! It can be extremely hard to figure out the many mysteries of babies without having help and advice from experienced mums.

To start with the basics, your bub should be continuing to breastfeed on demand (or weaning to formula if this is your preference) and having three small meals of solids each day.

I am not entirely clear on the amount your bub is eating and drinking, but if you suggest that his first two breastfeeds are quite small, then he may not actually be eating enough throughout the day. This may account for tiredness or difficult feeding later in the day.

If you are trying to reduce your breastfeeds, there is no reason why you can’t wean your baby directly to a cup – this is likely to be more readily accepted than a bottle, and good for oral development.

When it comes to feed times and routines for your little one, it really is a matter of listening and watching for his signals of hunger. It is fine to have some space between solids and milk, but if your bub is still only having small amounts of solids, then he may still be quite hungry and ready for a drink immediately. There is also nothing wrong with offering food or a drink to see if your bub is hungry (including after waking). If he refuses, just offer again a bit later. You will quickly learn what your son is likely to want and when. It can take some time for mums and bubs to adjust to a new routine of solids and drinks.

the pero clinic