Decreasing formula in-take

jcsntms06

For about a month or two now Annabelle has been drinking less and less bottles. She was taking about 4 bottles a day 5-6oz at each feeding. This past weekend she has gone down to 3 bottles about 7oz at each feeding. Daycare called me today concerned that she was either teething or still wasn't feeling well. They said she wouldn't take her bottle, maybe only 2 or 3 oz. This morning I got her to take 5 oz before finally giving up. She eats a good amount of fruits/veggies/cheerios/puffs/meat at breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I wasn't sure if she was just weaning herself off formula or if I should be really concerned. Pedi wanted us to wait until she was a year old before transitioning her to milk.

Any thoughts?

lauranne

Aiden really started to increase his solids/finger foods intake between 8-10 months old.  Between 10-12 months, he was taking 3 8 oz. bottles a day.  I think my pedi said that he should still be getting 24 oz. of formula at that time.  I'm having a hard time remembering exactly when his bottles changed, by I know that by 10 months, he was only drinking formula three times a day.

mrs. remy

yeah, as soon as Sean really got into finger foods he was pretty *meh* about his milk. I struggled to get the recommended amount into him every day. oh, and when he had teeth coming in, forget it. He would throw his bottle across the room in anger, haha.

ucgrad

I think it is ok. Sophia had some days recently where she would only take a few ounces from each one. Just watch and see how many days it lasts.

We also recently switched to 3- 8 ounce bottles a day instead of 4- 6 ounce bottles. She weaned herself down to 6 ounces in each bottle, sometimes just 4 ounces. Then, we went for her 9 month check-up and the ped asked if we'd changed to 3 bottles a day. I said no, and she told us to go down to 3 and she was back up to 8 ounce bottles. Right now she is actually down to 2 - 6 ounce bottles a day and 1 - 8 ounce right before bed. Even if there is a drastic difference, I watch it for a couple of days. As someone told me once - they're people too. Sometimes they have hungry days and sometimes they have not-so-hungry days. This has been good advice to me.

jcsntms06

Thanks Ladies!

Oh we are definitely teething. She has 3 teeth popping through. 

 Lord give me the strength to get through tonight.

KathrynMD

Re the teething - did you give her motrin? Also Ella always slept while she was teething - she was exhausted by driving me nuts all day. Re formula - Ella went down to 3 8oz bottles - one am/wake-up, 2nd after lunch another at bedtime. As she stopped taking those, I started offering milk in the sippy with meals. She was just gradually less and less interested and would rather eat her calories, as she should be. Remember too that her growth/weight gain should be slowing down now.

jcsntms06

I need to pick up some motrin.

Last night she STTN, most likely from her screaming from 5:00-6:30. Poor baby. Thanks ladies for all the advice. 

KRMac

KathrynMD:

Also Ella always slept while she was teething - she was exhausted by driving me nuts all day.  

Hahahahaha.  "Exhausted by driving me nuts all day" just made me LOL...I feel the same way somedays and my baby doesn't have teeth yet.  

daisybaby09

Oh how I know your pain.  DS is a big eater about 30-35 oz a day with 3 meals but.......When he is teething it is a fight to get 20 oz in him.  The first few times I was really a mess not believing it was teething but now I try to relinquish control(:  They will eat if they are hungry.  DS eats everything in sight during his solid meals.  Oh and he drinks his bottles at DC but at home.....Not so much.  There are days he skips bottles all together.

I am not complaining though minus this and a very low grade fever twice he still sleeps and is over all happy.   He is working on his 5th and 6th teeth right now.

Obviousally I am not a dr(:  Apparently teething has a lot of similar symptoms to ear infections so keep a watch out for that just in case.  But I am sure it is teething.  

PS sorry for the late response.  She might even be over it by now.  They change there story so frequently it seems(: