What should I do?

My boys are 7 and a half months old. They eat solids 3 times a day and love it. They drink 6-8oz of formula before those feedings and another bottle before bed. I always offer the bottle before I offer solids. Nathan has started drinking very little formula during 1 feeding. Usually the lunch one. He doesn't have reflux, he's burped and doesn't drink juice or anything else that might fill him up, clean diapers and all of that. At this feeding, he has drunk 2 oz and won't take anymore. I'm going to offer him solids, which I know he will eat, but I'm just worried he's not getting enough formula. What should I do? I know the formula is the most important so that's why I'm worried.

Oh and I try to give him his formula in a sippy cup and he won't take it that way either.

Any advice would be great.

TIA

 

A lot of kids won't take formula in a sippy. It's a really common problem. Kids who won't take formula from a sippy will usually take juice or milk so don't let it get you down. I would just keep offering it, he might surprise you one day.

I wouldn't worry as much about his decreased formula consumption unless he seems to be dehydrated. Most babies start to drink their daily allotment of formula in less sittings around that age. Then there are some kids who are big eaters but aren't particularly thirsty. Maybe you could him a drink about an hour after he's eaten? But I wouldn't be too worried. Kids have odd appetites. Some days they are ravenous and others they barely eat anything.

 

You are definitely doing all the right things! So try not to worry too much.

I've noticed lately that DS is somewhat less interested in nursing than he used to be, or less so than DD is right now. He's content going longer between nursing sessions now, and has started sometimes refusing to nurse at times that he used to want it, or just taking a few sips and then squirming off the pillow. And he is a bigger eater at the table than DD (though just by a little bit). Sometimes I wonder if he's saving room for solids on purpose! I wonder if your little guy is the same way?

Anyway, you're offering bottles at appropriate times (ie before solids), and that's the best you can do - it's up to him to take it or not. Maybe it would help give you some peace of mind to keep a diaper checklist for couple days, just to make sure he's wetting enough. You're doing everything right, just keep up the good work!

 

I would cut back on the solids in the am by a little, and see if that helps. Although, around 9 months, you want their solid intake to be more and formula less, so I think you are fine either way.

 

That happened to us and the pedi recommended cutting back on solids to make sure the girls got in their 24 oz. of formula per day.

 

We have had to cut down to 3 8oz bottles because it's just too much feeding otherwise. As long as he is still having wet diapers he is getting fluids from his solids also. I think the recommened amount of formula for that age is 24-32 oz so as long as he falls with in that range I'm sure it's fine. On the flipside of that I was giving 2 solid meals around 7 months and ended up cutting one out for a little while because mine really were not nursing or drinking their bottles but they were actually have way fewer wet diapers so I knew they weren't getting enough fluids.

 

At 7 months my boys stopped eating the lunchtime bottle. I called the ped, and he said drop it, so they continued with 3 8 oz bottles until 11 1/2 months when we stopped formula altogether.