Transition to Whole Milk and Low Weight

Re: Transition to Whole Milk and Low Weight

• ASmallWonder member

  November 2013

  This is something you have to try and play around with it as you go.  Formula, and 30 ounces of it at that, is incredibly filling so it's not surprising that he doesn't have a lot of room left for solids.  With rare exception, kids will eat when they're hungry.  Yes, it might be a struggle at first and you'll probably spend an insane amount of time and energy making sure he's eating and trying to find new things for him to try but unless he starts really dropping weight, you kind of just have to jump in with both feet.

  
  

  That said, want to share what he does eat and what you've tried that he rejects?  There are always awesome suggestions to be had about new things to feed them and tips and tricks (for example, if I make "it" into a quesadilla - anything - my kid will eat it lol)

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• ELF4321 member

  November 2013

  My thought would be to first cut back on formula to see if you can get him to eat more solids before making the switch over to milk. That way you know he's still getting a good amount of nutrients from the formula while you get him used to more solid food.
  
  Make sure to offer 3 different things at each meal with different colors and textures to increase thlikelihood he'll eat at least something at each meal.
  
  Also, make sure formula isn't offered until awhile after meal times, so he doesn't fill up on formula first or figure out that you'll give it to him as soon as he refuses to eat.

  
  

  
  

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• ss265 member

  November 2013

  Thanks Ladies! We usually offer solids an hour after formula - I like the idea of offering less formula or maybe even more solids to begin with before we make the transition. It might be easier if we can get him down to less formula before we make the switch to cow's milk. I will try that.

  

  
  

  
  

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• ss265 member

  November 2013

  Oh I should also add that he doesn't do well with table food and we still give him purees to make sure he is getting enough calories. He gets offered table food at least once a day (usually cheerios, whatever they have at day care and then whatever we eat for dinner - rice etc.) He usually eats off our plates and likes to eat what we have but it's usually smaller quantities like maybe a couple of table spoons.

  

  
  

  
  

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• jnnfrrose6 member

  November 2013

  I'm curious by what you mean "he doesn't do well with table food."  In what way?  

  
  

  DS was in the 20% for weight at his 12 month check up and we started whole milk that weekend.  At his 15 month check this week, he was up to th 90% for weight.  Granted, he was EBF, not formula, but we clearly saw a difference with the WCM.  We actually offered food first, and milk after (reverse of what you're doing) to make sure he wasn't filling up on milk instead.  

  
  

  As others have said, we put 3-4 things on his plate with at least 2 of those things we know he will eat.  If he doesn't eat something, fine, but we'll try it again at another meal.  I'm not going to give up on something because he rejects it once or twice.  I also don't give him an alternative.  He can eat what we offer, or not, but he doesn't get choices.  I'm not a line chef at a 24 hour diner.  He will eat if he's hungry.  If he doesn't eat everything we offer, then he'll just be a little hungrier at the next meal and probably eat it all then.

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• cedenton member

  November 2013

  Agreed. Once they switch to milk they can end up not getting the right nutrients if they fill up on milk instead of food. I think 24 oz is usually considered the max. Perhaps only offer water with meals and the milk with snack to see if it will help his appetite.
  

  
  

  

  
  

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• ss265 member

  November 2013

  jnnfrrose6 said:

  I'm curious by what you mean "he doesn't do well with table food."  In what way?  

  
  

  DS was in the 20% for weight at his 12 month check up and we started whole milk that weekend.  At his 15 month check this week, he was up to th 90% for weight.  Granted, he was EBF, not formula, but we clearly saw a difference with the WCM.  We actually offered food first, and milk after (reverse of what you're doing) to make sure he wasn't filling up on milk instead.  

  
  

  As others have said, we put 3-4 things on his plate with at least 2 of those things we know he will eat.  If he doesn't eat something, fine, but we'll try it again at another meal.  I'm not going to give up on something because he rejects it once or twice.  I also don't give him an alternative.  He can eat what we offer, or not, but he doesn't get choices.  I'm not a line chef at a 24 hour diner.  He will eat if he's hungry.  If he doesn't eat everything we offer, then he'll just be a little hungrier at the next meal and probably eat it all then.

  
  I meant that he usually doesn't eat it. The day care consistently offers him a wide variety of table foods and cheerios are the only thing he consistently eats.

  

  
  

  
  

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• Starbear06 member

  November 2013

  DS has always been in the 10% range since about 9 months as well. He was EBF until 12 months then we transitioned to formula and WCM. He wasn't a good milk drinker and he's also somewhat picky food eater as well. We also went on a big international 2 week trip when we turned 1 over the summer. He didn't eat much at all during that trip! I was so concerned!
  We would always offer the solids with water first. He did well with solid foods and liked to pick up to feed himself. And then we would give him milk in between meals. We talked with our pedi about his milk intake and she said that we can try flavoring it to see if he would take it better. We also offered yogurt and cheese everyday which helped with his daily calcium intake.

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• ss265 member

  November 2013

  Thanks for all the suggestions and the input. I think I might just have to just plunge in and slowly reduce his milk intake and offer more solids. I might try re-introducing some of the foods he rejected before like avocado and yogurt as well.

  

  
  

  
  

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