K - how to adjust bottle feeds for LO who refuses all solids?

[Sarah O]

Hey there,

I'm not overly concerned that one of my babies is not yet on solids (6.5 months old), but am just wondering how to react to his increased appetite for formula feeds...we've been on 4 hour EASY for quite some time and I'm reluctant to turn back the clock to 3 hour EASY however he is hungry before the 4 hours is up!  He refuses every kind of solid food...I've tried him on pretty much every cereal, fruit and vegetable.  Once he ate bananas but then was terribly constipated.  So I'll patiently await his foray into solids but what do I do for a hungry baby in the meantime?  His bottles are 7 oz each and he won't take more.

Suggestions?

Thanks!
Sarah

[Sarah O]

Anyone?  Not trying to be a nuisance here, I'm just sure someone out there has an answer or a similar experience and would love to hear about it.  Very eager.    Thanks!!

Sarah

[tylersmommy]

Sarah-

Good for you for being so patient with him! Some babies just need more time. You say you've tried just about everything out there...how many times have you tried each food? It can often take around 10-15 offerings of the SAME food before some of the more cautious types will even think about opening up. When Tyler started solids, he'd eat one bite of just about everything and turn away. After about the 10th time he saw peas, he opened his mouth and willingly ate. He was around 7.5  mo then, I think.

How much formula does he get each day? I know you said he's on 4 hr EASY with 7 oz per bottle, but I'm not sure if you still cluster feed or have a dreamfeed in there.

[Sarah O]

Thanks!

Since my DS doesn't open his mouth for any of the food, do you think it matters how many times I offer it?  What I mean is (and I've often wondered about this..) can they reject a food just based on the smell?  Sometimes I don't get anywhere even close to his face with it (his Kung Fu is strong, LOL!).

Formula-wise, he's averaging about 30 oz (anywhere from 28-32) which includes a dreamfeed.

Thanks again for replying!

Sarah

[emwith2]

Hi there Sarah,

I have the same problem as you.  My lo is six months and I started giving solids when he was 5 1/2 months.  I too am having an absolute nightmare feeding him.  We started with rice cereal and most of it ended up everywhere but his mouth.  We have also tried to give him pureed apples, pears and pumpkin.  I have tried fitting in an extra feed somewhere but he just wont drink it.  We stopped the dream feed at 5 months, it just didn't work for him.  He'd wake up at 7am, I fed him and he'd only take about 3oz (80 ml).  I am very concerned about his weight he is just over 7 kgs (15 lbs). Our doctor is concerend about his weight too.  He had a urine sample done, and that came back back ok,  but we are still going to see the paed to find out that everything is normal

Yesterday it took me an hour to feed him some pumpkin (2 oz), and most of ended up splattered on my white t shirt.  Hopefully one day he will catch on and think "hey this is yum" hopefully sooner than later.

[corrina01]

Sarah,

What formula are you on?  Is it the first milk?  or a hungrier milk?

My DD refused solids when I first started on them.  I then stopped offering them and about 2 weeks later I tried again, and she took to them no problem.  About 3 weeks ago, she started refusing them again, so I gave her some solids with a bit of texture to them, she wolfed it down.  Now she is going through a phase, she will only purees again, anything with a tiny bit of lump she gags, or throws up.

[tylersmommy]

He could be rejecting food based on the smell, but it's probably just because it's something different. It may take him a little longer to warm up to the idea of eating from a spoon, and he may just need lots of exposures to it before he decides to take a bite. His formula intake looks like it's exactly where it should be, so I don't know if I'd try to increase his bottles. You might even try offering solids first for a few meals (if you haven't already) and see what happens, too. He'll come around, I promise you won't be packing bottles of formula in his school lunchbox!