Around 22 weeks our little man began a 4 hour feeding schedule which was great for me while I was breastfeeding and great for daycare (less bottles to pack). Now at 35 weeks we’ve adapted our 4 hour bottle schedule to also include solids. I had the hardest time trying to find the perfect time to feed our little man solids so that he would actually be hungry enough for them but not exhausted and ready for a nap. So of course there is no perfect time for everyone but there is the time that works best for you and your baby. Since your little one is still getting their nutrition from their milk/formula you don’t want to decrease their bottles but you still need to find a time when they are ready to eat and not ready to sleep. For our little guy an hour after starting his bottle is best when trying to get him to eat solids. Not right before, during or after his bottle (we tried all of that!), not right before nap time (again a big failure), but 1 hr after he starts his bottle which is right in the middle of his current 2 hour wake time. He didn’t eat much at first but he’s slowly eating more and more and those solid meals are become more of a norm and less of an optional part of our day.
4 Hour Schedule (with solids) – At Home / Weekends
- 7:00 Wake him up and Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 8:00 – baby food (usually 1 fruit and 1 veggie)
- 9:00-11:00 nap
- 11:00 Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 12:00 baby food (usually 1 fruit cold with probiotic)
- 3:00 Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 4:00 – baby food (usually 1 fruit and 1 veggie)
- 4:30-5:30/6:00 – nap
- 6:45 Bath, Bottle, Bed by 7:15 – 8 oz bottle
4 Hour Schedule (with solids) – At Work & Daycare / Weekdays
- 7:00 Wake him up and Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 7:45 – leave for work/daycare (nap in car)
- 9:00 – baby food at daycare (1 fruit OR veggie)
- 9:30-11:00 nap
- 11:00 Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 12:00 baby food (1 fruit cold with probiotic)
- 3:00 Eat – 7 oz bottle
- 4:30 – pick up from daycare
- 4:45-5:15 – nap in the car on the way home
- 5:15 – baby food at home – usually a fruit and a veggie
- 6:45 Bath, Bottle, Bed by 7:15 – 8 oz bottle
*Our little guy is still not a huge solids eater. At 8 months he is eating about 2 oz total of baby food at each meal.