I GIVE UP!!! I'M READY TO THROW THIS DAMN BOTTLE OUT THE WINDOW!!!

[hlatreille]

Ok, I have posted a little bit about this lately but I am getting more & more frustrated by the day.  Someone tell me why does he need formula to be his main food source???  Why can't he get his nutrients from solid foods (he is 8 months old and 20+ lbs)??  What is the main reason he needs so much formula?

I know that they are supposed to be on the bottle as the main source of food but he just doesn't want it....so I give in and feed him solids....I don't want him to become deficient in anything but I don't know what else to do.....if I cut out solids all together won't I be taking a giant step backwards??

He averages maybe 16oz....and that is a good day.....my sisters just say not to worry about it, that if he has a morning bottle & bedtime bottle that should be good enough.....is that true??

Need some reassurance here.....

[ryan's mum]

You could use some OZ of formula to make up his solids so he's getting more . I made puddings with the OZ missed when DS dropped a bottle feed .

[Zoey]

Hi there, I'm sorry you're so frustrated.  In addition to what Nadia has said;

I haven't read your other posts about this but...

Have you tried a sippy cup?
Flavoring the formula?
A fast flowing nipple?

Can you show us the times he eats solids, the times you offer bottles and the rough amount of both?  Like...

7am bottle 7oz
8am solids 2 tablespoons

11am bottle 6oz

and so on.

I don't think you should cut out solids completely but it also can not be the main source of nutrition .  What types of solid foods are you offering?  A few tablespoons of carrots and apple sauce, has very little calories, barely any fat or protein.  Sure they have a lot of vitamins and those are important - but fat, protein and calories are the important things your baby need in order to have normal brain and body development.  That's just how it goes.

So, let's try to think of the reasons why he doesn't want the milk, and see if there is a way to help you increase it.  In the mean time, 16ounces in 24h is better than nothing - in fact that's pretty good IMO - - - so take a deep breath and try to let it go a bit.    HUGS, it'll be ok.

[samijoe]

hi love

hang in there!

some little dudes just really do like their solids......but zoey is right, there has to be some reason why he doesn't want the formula?

how was he at drinking formula before the solids??


i agree too, that if you can break-down your day for us....we might be able to spot something....



sami

[Sarahlolly]

Hi

I would definately cook food in formula (porridge, mash etc) and then stick to the morning and evening bottle.

I always say go with whatever your little one wants, and he obviously wants food!!

Just try and sneak it in wherever you can - in drinks etc!

Sarah x

[Freya'sMum]

Marking for your response the others' questions and support so far are good!

Ax

[tylersmommy]

The reason that formula should be the main source of nutrition is because it's far more nutritionally complete than any solid food. It's high in fat and calories, which are necessary for proper brain and central nervous system development. It also has iron, which most solid foods don't have, and iron is important for development as well. It has tons of vitamins and minerals that are essential, especially at that age. 16 oz is on the low end, but that's really not that bad. The other gals had lots of great ideas for making up for what he's not drinking, and maybe a look at his routine might help some. You can also use dry formula powder to thicken up just about anything...just add a smidge to yogurt, purees, etc.

Teething could also play a part...if this has only been going on for a couple of days, he might be back on track soon.

[hlatreille]

Thanks all for taking the time.  It's not that he doesn't want or refuse to drink his formula, I mean he does get excited when I give him the bottle and he will drink....but not all of it maybe a few oz's then he just plays with it.  I have tried holding him and me feeding him instead of him holding the bottle but he just pushes the bottle away.  I mean he must be still hungry because when I feed him the solids he is like a little bird.

Here is his routine:

7am - 8oz bottle is given to him, he normally leaves about 2 oz
8am - cereal mixed with leftover bottle

12pm - I try to give him at least a 5oz bottle, he may drink 2-4oz this is pretty consistant, today he only had an oz
12:30pm - solids like a meat/veggies (Turkey stew, Beef Noodle, chicken & rice....that sort of thing) 1/2 small jar, then 1/2 jar fruit

5pm - 1/2 jar fruit & 1/2 jar veggies/meat (usually the same thing he had for lunch)

6:30pm-7pm - 8oz bottle given, he normally will drink 6-8oz


I would use a sippy cup but he doesn't really know how to use it.  I will give it to him sometimes with water but all he does is chew on the end and ends up just getting soaked as he doesn't swallow he just lets it run out of his mouth.

I mean maybe I'm stressing for nothing, but I'm running out of ideas on getting him to finish a bottle.  I've tried decreasing his morning cereal hoping that will make him hungrier for lunch AND I have sometimes waited until 1pm to give him his bottle,  but he seems unphased by it.  He never really asks for lunch, I just give it to him......

[ryan's mum]

Have you tried a faster flow teat ? maybe he is getting bored because it's not coming out fast enough for him 

[Sarahlolly]

Will he drink it as a drink to wash his solids down?

Does he have water with his meals?

And I agree about the faster flow teats.

Sarah x

[hlatreille]

Have you tried a faster flow teat ? maybe he is getting bored because it's not coming out fast enough for him 

I have the fastest flow nipple.....


Tyler'smommy - what a great idea adding the powder to solids....how much would you add do you think???

[Freya'sMum]

Also, how much formula was he drinking before you introduced solid foods, and at what age did you introduce them?

At 8 months, my girls were still on 5 milkfeeds per day (4 daytime, 1 night-time), so I wonder whether, rather than 3 'big' bottles, if you could restructure to a 4 milkfeed routine with smaller amounts, which would provide more milk in total ? Something like this (assuming you are on a 2 nap routine)...

7am 5oz
8am breakfast
10am nap
11.30am 5oz
12.30pm lunch
2.30pm nap
4pm 5oz
5pm tea
6.30pm 5-8oz

This would then also fit in with an EASY schedule, if you consider the solid foods as part of the Activity time

Just a thought,

Ax

[hlatreille]

Also, how much formula was he drinking before you introduced solid foods, and at what age did you introduce them? 
At 8 months, my girls were still on 5 milkfeeds per day (4 daytime, 1 night-time), so I wonder whether, rather than 3 'big' bottles, if you could restructure to a 4 milkfeed routine with smaller amounts, which would provide more milk in total ? Something like this (assuming you are on a 2 nap routine)...

7am 5oz
8am breakfast
10am nap
11.30am 5oz
12.30pm lunch
2.30pm nap
4pm 5oz
5pm tea
6.30pm 5-8oz

This would then also fit in with an EASY schedule, if you consider the solid foods as part of the Activity time

Just a thought,

Ax

He has been on 8oz bottles for over a couple months now, I dropped to 3 bottles at about 6 months, but once I started giving solids at lunch time...that is where we ran into the issue, he used to drink all his 3 bottles before I started lunch solids.  I started solids at 5 months and he does have 2 naps per day.

Trouble is when he wakes up from his morning nap (11-12pm) he really isn't hungry, I have tried just giving him a bottle but he will just play with it if he isn't hungry, so I hear what you are saying about offering him smaller bottles more often but knowing him, I don't think it will work.  He only ever asks for food (starts crying/fussing) in the morning when he wakes and right after his bath in the evening.  I mean I would be the same way.....I don't like to eat when I'm not hungry....KWIM??

[samijoe]

hmmmm....might just be me, be he sounds like he is teething.

my dd would completely refuse a bottle when teething...used to drive me mad when it was the bedtime bottle!

i know it won't work so easy for the first bottle of the day....but could you give some acet./tylenol beforehand---maybe 1/2hr or so?   
even teething tabs might work........


I'm thinking he's compensating with solids because he IS hungry and it doesn't hurt so bad.




sami

[Zoey]

What Sami says makes sense to me

Drinking from a sippy cup is a skill.  You will find as baby gets older everything takes time and everything takes repetition.  Keep letting him practice, try different cups - no stress though it's just like the solids at this point.... all experimental. 

Hang in there.  Sounds like you really just needs some hugs?  Here you go ***HUGS HUGS HUGS***