what age can they eat in the day and you bf just morning and evening?

[Gemmitygem]

I'm a bit confused by all this milk first then solids thing, want to make sure DS gets enough.

He's 20 weeks now, bf only, getting hungrier and hungrier, boobs can just about keep up (expressing 2 out of his 5 feeds at work, which is a struggle). Determined not to give him formula,

is there some stage where you just bf morning and evening and they eat food in the day? that would be great!

[colditz]

Not until about 8 or 9 months, I think GG, sorry. other people may know different

[skerriesmum]

It will be quite awhile I think before you can do that, I know ds1 was nearly a year old when we got to that stage.
Do you know the book Birth and Beyond? There's good advice about weaning/introducing food etc.

[FrannyandZooey]

Milk is the most important part of their nutrition up until at least a year, so you should be giving milk first until then. Milk is such a perfect food, and contains more calories and nutrients than most "first foods" that your child will be having.

However I am sure you will, like most of us, find a way that suits you. If it's not convenient to breastfeed at certain times, then you can give extra food, but your ds may well choose to make up the difference during the night if he feels he is not getting enough during the day!

You sound like you're doing really well with exclusive breastfeeding - make sure you eat lots yourself and get enough rest (neither of which are essential for breastfeeding but my god it helps ). The need will drop down to some extent when you introduce other foods from 6 months. Good luck!

[Gemmitygem]

thanks all,

I love the birth and beyond book, will have a look..

Spose I'm panicking because the nanny says he's draining his bottles of EBM in the day, and so I figure that means he's not getting enough or he'd leave some.. but can't express any more cos am already locked in my office frantically pumping away , and have another midnight expressing session as well! So it feels like I'm expressing all the time, plus of course have to carry on at the weekend because it always has to be ready for the next day..

oh well, will grit my teeth to prepare for doing this for another nearly 8 months then!

[dunscared]

Gem
wouldn't worry too much think you're doing great to still be exclusively bfing depsite being back at work.
my daughter wouldn't take a bottle so when I went back to work when she was 6.5 months she had morning and evening bf and ate like a trooper in the day, loved fromage frais, ready brek, weetabix, cauli cheese etc all made with whole milk - like you didn't want to start with formula and my job doesn't allow for expressing, time or facilities. she's a perfectly healthy 2.5 year old who'll eat anything as long as it's not bland - remember picking her up from nursery when she was 8 months old reeking of garlic cos she'd grabbed a piece of garlic bread from one of the older kids and wolfed it down, now likes to snack on parmesan shavings!!!
my 6 month old son is presently having 3 bf and 3 meals a day and like his sister will have to drop the afternoon feed in 3 weeks when go I back to work.
before i get shot down agree milk is very important up to 1 year but think this is still doable with 2 decent breastfeeds plus "milkbased" food.
good luck