Meals Before Milk? When Is The Right Time?

Your little one is 9 months old, and you are really starting to get a hang of this solids business. They may eat a little or a lot, but any anxiety you once had around starting solids is hopefully well and truly behind you. At this age you'll likely have a check in with your maternal child health nurse, who might suggest you need to switch to meals before milk. For some parents this doesn't worry them at all. For parents that only just feel like they are getting into a good routine or have a bub that isn't eating much, the idea of mixing things up once again can see that anxiety creep back in.

Parents often feel an enormous amount pressure to keep things moving forward when it comes to their little one's development. This can be a result of well-meaning suggestions from friends, family or health professionals or our culture, which can be a little too focused on comparison to others. If another bub in your mums' group is already pulling to stand or on three meals a day we can question if we are doing enough and if we are succeeding as parents. What is that old saying…. "comparison is the thief of joy"?. But when you're a first-time parent without an instruction manual it is natural to look to others for advice or for an idea of what is normal.

And of course, it is also natural to want to make sure your baby is on track and that we are doing everything we can to support their growth and development. However, try to remember that babies are all different and will reach milestone at different times for example, walking. It is considered totally normal for a baby to walk anywhere from 8 months to 18 months….so why would we expect all babies to be on solids at exactly 6 months, all babies to need to switch to meals first at 9 months and all babies to drop the bottle at 12 months on the dot. This is why in most of our resources and our step by step program we provide a wide age range for the different stages. You need to be comfortable and feel like your little one is ready for the changes.

So, do you need to switch to milk after all meals at 9 months?

The general answer is no. If your bub is still interested in eating after milk and growing well, then you can keep doing what you're doing. Over time, as babies get more comfortable with solids and are eating more, they will naturally drink less. You might start to offer milk after one meal and slowly transition towards all meals coming first. You might have a morning ritual of a feed in bed together when you wake and that time together is really special, so rest assured there is no need to give that up. The goal is to move towards three meals a day consistently by around 10 months, so if you're working towards that, and what you're doing is working for you, then that is great. When you decide to change things up may vary depending on your feeding goals also. If you are wanting to wean from breast / bottle feeding by 12 months changing things up earlier would likely support that goal however if you plan to continue breastfeeding to 2 years or beyond you may not be ready to change.

If your little one is really not taking to solids, then think about changing things up sooner. Some babies just aren't that interested in food and if you offer a meal after milk they may not eat much because they aren't hungry. Eating is a learnt skill and if that appetite isn't there some bubs will just go without. Try having their lunch ready to go when they wake up from their nap and see if that makes a difference. Again, there is no pressure to suddenly switch the order up for all meals.

So the take home: there is no rush! If your baby is eating and growing well, you can transition to milk after meals when it works for you. If they aren't really interested, then try mixing it up and see what happens. Remember that you are the expert in your family and your little one, so take the advice that works for you and don't compare your LO to others…it may steal your joy!

As always, if you have concerns about how your bub is progressing with solids or their growth, reach out to your GP, MCHN or a paediatric dietitian to take a look at what is going on and give you individual and tailored support.