Help needed in feeding a 5 month old

[Guest guest]

is 5 months now and doing great. He already cut 2 teeth which

went somewhat painlessly: no fussiness, no fever, etc. I'm now back

to work fulltime and I need some help figuring out what to give him

to eat when I'm gone. It seems he wakes up 3 to 4 times between 10pm

and 7am and I'm starting to be pretty exhausted. I have a feeling

he's ready for some solids, i.e. needs more substantial nourishment

than just breastmilk.

His current schedule is as follows:

7:30am breastfeeding (BF) - he seems to take in 5 oz+

10:30/11:00am BF - 5 oz bottle

12:00/12:30pm solids: banana or apple or sweet potato or butternut

squash, half a jar or so

2:00/2:30pm BF - 5 oz bottle

5:30pm BF (I get home then)

After this it's BF again once or twice until goes to bed at

10:00pm. He naps twice a day now for 1 to 2 hours each time.

I've been trying to increase the amount of solids he eats since I

don't want to do cereals....I thought if I put 1 to 2 tbsp of cereal

in his bottle he might be more satisfied and sleep better. My mom

also suggested pureeing half a banana into his bottle.

NT says not to feed any cereal/gruel before 1 year old. That's why

I've been holding off on cereal.

Any advice???

Thank you,

Magda