How to get solids into a baby that loves to nurse?

[GG]

I recently started my 8 mo on solids.  At first he was good about eating the food.  He would have 2-3 jars (2.5 oz) servings a day.  He also seems to like rice cereal (I added some pureed apples to sweeten it since I was making it with water).  He won't take a bottle of milk (even if it's ebm)- period.

He's since started rejecting the food.  He'll have a few spoonfuls and then stops.  He'll finish maybe 1 entire jar, just a little bit of rice cereal.  He would prefer to nurse.  The problem is that I'm pregnant and can't keep up my milk supply as before - I've noticed that my milk alone doesn't satisfy him and he wakes several times a night to nurse.  He also isn't gaining weight, which is why I upped the amount of solids I'm trying to get into him.  I can't take fenugreek to increase my supply.

Has anyone experienced a baby that refuses to wean?  Any suggestions?

[GraceKellysmom]

This is a pretty typical age for the refusal of solids. Will he eat any finger foods? Usually that works for babies at this age if they will self-feed. Is he interested in solids if he holds his own spoon? Have you tried offering them a little longer after nursing to get him hungrier?

It may just be the battle you fight, hon. It is hard to keep your milk supply up, especially if you have morning sickness and aren't feeling up to eating/drinking for three. Keep on working with him on a sippy cup, try a few kinds, and water usually is fun for them.

You have 12ish weeks until you hit 20 weeks, right? That is about when you'll notice a serious decrease in your supply. He will change a lot by then, and you have plenty of time to work on sippies and alternatives to your milk.

I swear they know when you are pregnant, that life is changing, and the night wakings increase anyway. I remember Grace was waking too, but she was about 2 months older, and more established in solids.

[GG]

I was hoping to hear from you.   :wink: 

He won't feed himself yet (we had an egg yolk fiasco yesterday morning), though he does grab on to the spoon when it comes close to his mouth.  Obviously, because of the mess this causes, I try to avoid letting him hold the spoon most of the times but I will let him every now and then since I think this is encouraging.

I need to experiment with sippy cups because the one we have requires him to suck and he may as well have a bottle instead.  He likes the straw but he bites a lot more than he sucks.  I'm taking him to my mom's today in the hope that he may take a bottle from her.  I think the fact that she isn't 'mommy' (so she obviously can't nurse him) and her prior experience with babies  :wink: will help get some food in him.

His doctor wants him to drink a goat milk formula (he throws up regular formula) in order to up his calories.  I've tried it in rice cereal (with some applesauce) and he seemed to like it but he didn't eat nearly enough.  At this point, I just need to get some calories into that kid.

Throw in the fact that he won't drink the hindmilk - something that has become obvious now that he's waking so often at night - and you can see where this is a real problem.  But, I'll work on it.  What I need to do is set a definite routine so that he knows what to expect in the morning and after each nap.  He'll get it... it's just that sooner would be much better than later so that I can get some more undisturbed sleep!

The joys of parenthood!!!   :?  :shock:  :roll:

PS.  I'm at about 8 weeks right now.  You're right!  Nausea is def a problem so I'm not too excited about eating and drinking right now, but I try very hard.

[GraceKellysmom]

It is SO hard to make yourself eat when pregnant to keep up the milk supply! Just do the best you can...

Here's hoping your mom had some success with him and the bottle. I've tried several of the sippies with Max. He really likes the Nuby soft spout, it requires very little sucking. If your ds is a chewer, just watch him as he gets teeth with that brand, they can bite through the spout. Grace always loved straw cups, Max chokes the flow is kinda strong.

Try putting down some Cheerios and help him get textured foods, like soft fruits and veggies a try. If you're not opposed to soy, soy yogurt may be an option. Any type of cereal, you can add formula to it, that should help calories.

The spoon thing, that is just for distraction. I always gave my kids one spoon (or two!) and used another for me to feed them. They liked to eat Cheerios while I fed them or bang on a plastic bowl with their spoon. Grace took forever to self-feed purees, but Max was self-feeding yogurt and applesauce at 14 months.

Don't forget this is a busy age. If he's moving at all, he's burning a ton of calories! He is too busy to eat!

Kudos and a big pat on the back for continuing to nurse while pregnant! You are doing awesome to make the transition for him smooth and painless. And you will sleep again ... I promise! Will your dh handle any of the nightwakings?

[GG]

My mother had no success with the bottle.  I told her to give it up and I'd try the sippy cup or straw route.  She even tried putting honey on the bottle nipple, as if it was the taste of the milk that was keeping him from drinking.  :roll:  She did feed him a small bowl of rice cereal with milk, so that got some calories in him.  Yaaaaay!

My dh is now trying to give him milk in 2 different sippy cups, one of them being the Nuby (the Nuby won out - he drank most of the milk in there!!!).  He likes straws, too, but he ends up biting them more than he eats from them (still, I got a small amount of milk in him with that).  I see that his gums are inflammed and think that, finally, his tooth is coming in.  That probably explains his seemingly sudden refusal of solids.

Yes, he's definitely a mover and a shaker.  He would be climbing over everything if he could.  He gets so happy when I help him stand up.  He burns tons of calories just trying to fall asleep!!

DH doesn't do night wakings since I have to nurse (obviously).  If/when he does transition to the other milk, I still won't wake him to feed ds.  If I can get ds down to even just 1 waking per night (if he can take in enough calories during the day) then I would gladly take care of that.  Selfishly, I just couldn't hand over that task - I enjoy feeding him at night (just not so often!).

Thanks for the support!  I really need to hear about others' experiences so that I don't feel so alone (I really need to vent about my mother's "encouraging words" in the Relationships forum, so that you can get an idea of what I'm up against here  :?).

[GraceKellysmom]

HONEY!!!!  :shock:  Doesn't she know that isn't safe for babies??? Gee whiz!

I know it seems like a lot of work now. Try to enjoy him through your exhaustion. I really have a hard time remembering Grace's early toddler months. Having them so close, it was tough, but wonderful. They are so cute together now!

[Beata]

Georgia -
First {{{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Second re: the formula...I have not moved to formula yet, but am thinking for the future because I have no ebm stash!!! Shame on me.

So my dd had a bad cow's milk protein sensitivity which I am dearly hoping she outgrows. Turns out she does not tolerate say either (now I drink rice milk with my cereal...gross maybe but I NEED my cereal!

Anyhow, I found this formula that I am trying to incorporate into ceral first then bottle (I pump when I do this so I don't loose any supply). You can order it through Enfamil's Web site, but it is a bit pricey, so...but jsut wanted to give you the info:

Enfamil® Nutramigen® LIPIL® (No cow's milke Web site if yo uare interested)


Nutramigen LIPIL is a hypoallergenic infant formula clinically proven to reduce colic symptoms due to milk protein allergy within 48 hours. If other products for common feeding problems have not successfully managed your baby's colic symptoms like excessive crying, gas or disturbed sleep, Nutramigen LIPIL quiets colic symptoms fast! Consult with your baby's doctor before using Nutramigen LIPIL. Use only as directed by your baby's doctor. Nutramigen LIPIL includes LIPIL – a blend of DHA and ARA, nutrients also found in breast milk that support brain and eye development.

[GG]

HONEY!!!!  :shock:  Doesn't she know that isn't safe for babies??? Gee whiz!

Oh the things I have to share regarding my mom!!  (check out Relationships forum... I'm heading there next.  I need to do some serious venting!)

Beata, thanks for the suggestion.  At this point the pedi recommended a goat's milk formula that ds seems to be tolerating.  Goat's milk is easier to digest by humans than cow's milk.  He seems to enjoy it, though he hasn't yet gotten to the point of drinking even 4 oz in one sitting.  I'm hoping he gets up to at least that within the next couple of days.  That kid is a fussy eater!

I didn't have a stash of ebm either.  I read somewhere that, as the baby grows, your bm changes and that older bm won't fill him up as much as more current stuff.  That, plus the fact that I wasn't able to pump more than 2 oz at a time (from both sides) made me stop the pumping.  I think I'll try to pump with the next one, though.  It'll be so much easier.

As for rice milk, that's what I drink and I think it tastes fairly decent.  I prefer it over soy milk for a couple of reasons.  I need my cereal, too!   

[GraceKellysmom]

FWIW, the Nutramigen isn't tolerated by most babies with cows milk protein intolerance. You should be able to buy it at your regular supermarket, most have it stocked, as well as Alimentum, another "predigested" formula. Both actually have milk proteins in them, they are just "predigested" (by what-gross!) and easier for some babies to digest.

You've definately peaked my curiosity about your mom, I will have to venture to the R forum, way out of my comfort zone!  :lol:

[GG]

I saw both those formulas in the grocery store.  "Pre-digested" does sound pretty disgusting.

I tried posting in the Relationships forum.  I spent half an hour venting and, when I clicked on the "Preview" button, I got an IE error that the window was going to shut down!!   :evil:  :evil:  Hate MS!  Gotta go back and re-enter it.