Starting Food and Breastfeeding

What you're really doing at this age is just introducing them to the textures and tastes of foods (letting them learn how to handle both). It's usually easier to give solids after regular nursing or a bottle, especially if they are fussy when it's time to eat! If they aren't fussy at mealtimes, you can try giving solids before nursing if that works better for you, but their main source of nutrition will still be breast milk at least until they are a year old, so you probably don't want to skip it unless they just aren't that hungry.

You can try starting Stage 2 foods at this point if they seem ready to move on, or (as we did) you can continue with the Stage 1 foods for a couple months more; it's really more about what works best for you and your babies.

Personally, we only use Stage 1 foods; when they are ready for Stage 2 at around 7-9 months, we just puree or mash our own "baby food" and offer soft, easy to eat table foods instead. That's also partly because our kids always seemed much more interested in what WE had on our plates than what was in that baby food jar! :-D

I guess this was just my long-winded way of saying, "Follow your babies' cues and do what works." ;-)

HTH!
--A.

The only difference I have noticed between Gerber stage 1 foods and stage 2 is the amount of food in the container, and there is a greater variety. Stage 3 is when they get thicker and chunkier. They are the same price for almost double the amount of food. When I started feeding my son more foods, my breastmilk supply dropped dramatically. Plus he did not want to nurse anymore, and I had to pump and give him feedings in a bottle. I have now had to switch to formula. The pediatrician told me that the milk/formula is what the baby needs, the other stuff is just extra. Just make sure that you nurse them or give them a bottle first, then give them the other stuff.

Yes, your milk supply will go down if you cut out a nursing. Many mothers have found that it works well to nurse your babies first, then offer food. Keep in mind that they are still getting superior nutrition from your breastmilk. It is perfectly suited to their needs at this time in their life. Table foods are great for introducing foods. Let them pick up peas, soft steamed veggies or pieces of bananas and just take your cues from them. They will show you when they are ready to move on to other foods!!! Go to llli.org for more information on introducing solids! AND congratulations on breastfeeding twins... what a feat!!!
K.

WOW! Good for you breastfeeding your twins for so long. The longer you can continue the better for them (and you). I mostly wanted to say that. I followed my children's cues for how much and when to feed them solids, my children didn't take nearly so much solids by that stage (we just started at 6 months), but as others have said breastfeeding is supply and demand, if your supply lowers too low for them they will demand more and you will make more. Don't worry too much about your supply, just follow what your babies need!

K.

Don't move them on to the thicker & chunkier stage 2 foods until they are eating the stage 1 foods well. I would keep going the way you are. They will eventually start wanting more to eat. I would definately nurse them at lunch if you start feeding them, as they will be thirsty (I would nurse first & feed after so they get the nutrition they need from the milk & still get used to eating foods). Your production may go down if you cut out nursing at lunch as your body adjusts to not nursing that one time. It should be fine for the other nursings, but your babies will be thirsty & breast milk is the best liquid for them right now.

God bless!

I have been wondering the same thing. I have been doing cereal and veggies and some fruits so far. I just don't know how much I need to nurse my 6 month old daughter and how much to feed her the other stuff. I am going to go to my health department and ask the breast feeding educator. That is the only thing I can think of to do.

First of all...as you know, breastfeeding is a supply and demand business...the more you add other food, the less they demand of your breastmilk and the less you will produce.
Personally, I would not move on to "stage 2" baby food yet, the "stage" is that they are ready to have more texture in their food and I am not sure that 6 month old twins would be ready for that yet. I would stick with stage 1 and then talk with your pediatrician the next time you go in and see what he/she has to tell you.
If your babies are sleeping through the night...you are doing it ALL right!!!
R. Ann

I never ever cut back any nursing just because I was giving foods. I always nursed before giving any foods so my production did not get effected. I have not nursed twins, but have tandem nursed 3 times ( actually am doing it right now, the youngest is 3 months old)

I always waited until 1 year or older to introduce other foods, since food alergies run in my family.

When I did ad foods my Naturpathic Doctor suggested yellow and orange veggies. That is what I started with, then with green veggies, after that protein foods like meat and very very very last grains, he felt grains should not be given to anyone under a year and half and better yet not til 2. When we did we used grains not as commonly used ( not wheat and corn)

You don't say why you are pumping vs nursing, seems like the nursing would make your life easier for your than pumping....

Any time you do not nurse it cuts back on production so yes the lunch cut back would do that, nursing is a supply and demand system and works with the more you use it the more you make. frequency effects supply much more than how long you nurse each time.

I nursed whenever my babies were hungry. Starting food did not matter. My boy never even wanted to eat anything until 12 months (baby food), and even after he turned two he was on the bottle only (toddler formula by that time), as he didn't want to eat. Solids were not something that interested him. At three, he loves to eat regular food and is happy to announce his "baba broke."
Lil guy here is 3 months and I'll start cereal and salmon @ 6 months. Salmon, in baby food variety, is supposed to be a great choice for the DHA.