What is the proper balance of milk and solids for my 6 month twins?
I am just a little confused about what the balance of my twins boys’ milk/ solids should be, as they are being introduced to solids later. In the weaning book it starts at 4 months i.e. still offering the milk first followed by 1tsb of baby rice etc. Should I be offering more solids to my boys than the book suggests for 4-5 months, as they will be 6 months next week. In the book it says they should be on 3 meals a day by 6 months and cutting down on their milk intake.
I am concerned that I am still offering them too much milk and not enough solids – what is the correct balance for babies of this age?
At present they have 1 cube of carrot puree at 11am and 2 tsp baby rice mixed with 1 cube of pear at 6pm.
Now that the weaning guidelines have changed, many babies are being introduced to solids later than before, when 4 months was the suggested age to begin. This means that the whole process needs to be speeded up. To do this introduce a new food every two days or so, always watching for any reaction. The amount you offer should also be increased from those in the 4-5 month routines. Use 2 cubes and offer the boys as much of this as they seem able to cope with. To begin with they will probably take about 11/2 cubes at a time. Your boys should now be able to progress to the “tier method ” used in the fifth month at their 11am feed. See a description of this on p<> of the Complete Weaning Guide. This is when half their milk is given before the solids and then offered again once they have had their vegetable or fruit. It means they will begin to take more solids and cut back on their milk in preparation for the sixth month when protein is introduced at this feed and the milk feed dropped.
At 6pm offer them 3-4 tsps of baby rice mixed with the either pear or apple. If they show signs of constipation with the rice, then add a little more fruit but not a great deal more, as too much fruit may be a cause of dirty nappies in the early morning.
By 6 months a baby’s iron reserves laid down at birth will be running low, so iron-rich foods such as formula (if being used), beans and lentils, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables need to be introduced. Once your babies are used to digesting these foods in reasonable amounts, it is important to progress quickly on to animal-derived foods. Iron is absorbed much better from animal-derived foods such as fish, chicken and red meat than from plant sources. If you wish to follow a vegetarian diet you will need to seek the advice of your doctor.
In general, be guided by your sons and their overall well-being. If they remain content, sleeping well and enjoying their solids, then begin to increase their amounts and the wider range of tastes more quickly, so they will be well used to taking solids in their sixth month