Should I Feed 6 Month Old Before or After Naps?

feed her if she wants to eat.

My son is 10 months. he nurses before a nap (he is down to 1 nap a day) If he wakes up happy he gets solids right after his nap.. if he wakes up crying he nurses. I dont know if he is really hungry.. but it settles him down and then he is happy.

He also nruses before bedtime and 2 times durning the night.

The days of nursing will be gone before you know it so enjoy this time...

Myson is down to about 5 nursings a day..

Lisa

I also have a 6 month old and I just weaned her from the breast but I try to feed once she wakes up then her play time is happy and contented. Sometimes you don't sleep so good when your tummy is full. I also do this deliberately cause I don't want her to be in the habit of falling asleep on the bottle. I want her to be able to fall asleep on her own. So... I might recommend that you nurse her first prepare her food and feed her with in 15 mins. Cause like you said she will snack all day plus you will be spending your day feeding your child.

Until one year old, breast milk/formula is the main source of nutrients. So load her up on milk then top her off with baby food. Also, at 6 months old they should be on the same eating schedule as the rest of the family (breakfast/luch/dinner)
A great book on making baby food and feeding schedules is SUPER BABY FOOD, by Ruth Yaren. I hightly recommend it! It is loaded with good info!

And enjoy every moment - as you have already seen - they grow so fast!

Do what you feel baby needs. My 3 munckins always ate BEFORE their naps, slept for 2 - 3 hours and then ate after they woke up... Only you know your baby...

S.,
I'd feed her whenever she's hungry... my DS always BFed before nap and after his nap and every 2 hours... sometimes it is comfort nursing and sometimes it is just hungry nursing. I hope that answers your questions.

As a note my DS is 14 months and still normally nurses every 2 hours or sometimes less.. it works for us. Now though I am offering less often.. so if he asks then I'll nurse.. or sometimes I'll feed him solids instead.. he does get 3 meals a day and snacks solid food, but still nurses, it's mostly comfort, but it keeps him happy and it gives me a 5 minute break from chasing him!

Hi S.,
I have a 7 month old son, my second child. But I try to feed him usually when he wakes up and before bedtime. At times, he will be hungry before nap, so I feed him as well and then he may not be hungry when he wakes. Your daughter might sleep longer if you feed after she wakes and then she will learn to fall asleep on her own. My son takes usually two naps a day, ranging from 1-3 hours. Once in a while he needs a third nap and he sleeps through the night from 8:30 p.m., to 8-8:30 a.m.

I'm also 34 and was a social worker....just interested as to where you worked...I have my masters with a concentration in aging/gerontology certificate. I am now a sahm. L.

you should have at least 4 hrs in between each nursing time. i nurse my soon to be one year old just before a nap, and feed him his regular meal when he wakes up.

here is our schedule for sleep/feeding-this is just a basic look at what we follow, and the nurssings during the day are rather light now that he is starting to eat more and drink milk.

nurse 6am
sleep till 8am
breakfast 8:15am
nurse 10:15
nap at 10:30am-12pm
lunch 12:15pm
nurse 3pm
nap 3:15pm-5:15pm
dinner 5:30pm
nurse at 8:15
bed time 8:30