Way less formula/BM when on solids?

nicolita14w

We saw our pedi last week and she recommended doing solids twice a day. We started this, but now DS is taking WAY less formula--- he pretty much totally refuses his last bottle of the day. So, before we started the second "meal" he was drinking about 25-30 oz/day. Now with the second meal he drinks around 20-22oz. Does that seem okay? He is so skinny that I worry about him not getting enough.

2terps

I had the same issue with my smaller twin. He was taking 30 oz no problem, but when I increased the solid foods he started refusing whole bottles and would hardly finish any. I spaced out his feeding schedule and most days he takes 20-24 oz. I also try and give him the bottle a half hour or so later if he initially refuses it. My pedi said that amount of formula intake was ok. I took him in for a weight check since I was also concerned since he is tiny. I learned that forcing the bottle on him is not a good idea. He really will eat when he is hungry.

NYBrideInWI

@ 6mo appt pedi told us to work our way up to 3x day with solids, i asked how much bm/formula ds should still be getting and she said "24oz of formula". she knows  i bf 2x day and ff at daycare...I didn't think to ask her to clarify.

before solids ds bf 2x and had 24-30oz formula per day.

Now with soloids 2x day he is still bf 2x but formula is down to 22-24oz day. I didn't expect it to drop by a full bottle because i had heard the solids were just for practice...

btw ds is 20.5lbs @ 7mo

nicolita14w

Phew! Thanks, ladies. Sounds like this is pretty normal then. Thank you!

ESTH2000

I'm going through the same thing ..DD is refusing her last bottle of 8oz..only drinking from that bottle 1-4oz and I was already gettin worried but I guess its normal..phew is right!!

SeaSoul

hm...my understanding of solids at this age is that they are to come in addition to formula/bm.  so, you feed a little milk, then some solid, then more milk at each feeding.  they should be getting the majority of their nutrients via bm/formula.  so if he's taking much less, that may be cause for concern, but i suppose it could also depend on the source.

trinny

Wow-- your LO's must be liking solids much more than my DD.  I don't think she's eating more than a few bites a day.  And she still pretty much spits everything out. 

NYBrideInWI

trinny:

  And she still pretty much spits everything out. 

DS ate like a bird the first week or two. But now is eating more. From the beginning he would make terrible faces (like a bad taste) when the food would go in his mouth, but never fail, he opens up when the spoon comes to him again...so I figure this means he likes it?

My BIL, a dental student, told me that the sucking/swallow tongue/mouth motion for a bottle or nipple is different than the swallow from a spoon for babies - so it will take a little while for your LO to learn how to swallow without spitting the food back out - this doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't like it.

trinny

Good to know!  She really looks like we're giving her lemons or something?!  But we're sticking with it (or daycare is anyway -- we're trying BLW at home and cereal at DC.

JGirl2005

My LO is huge and drinks so much less with 2 or 3 solid meals a day.  At daycare they have given him 8-12 oz during 8 hrs - when they used to give him 16+ or a lot more...

I don't have a good answer, but maybe pedi can check on him.  if he is ok, then you are doing the right thing.  I've noticed a huge drop in breastfeeding, etc. 

But I also read they get all their nutrients from BM and formula, so I don't get it.