11mo: Taking alot of bottles, but no food?!

[ColtonsMom]

With Colton being so close to the one mark, I'm worried about him going on cows milk. He's not really eating any food. He isn't on purees anymore, he can eat our food but he just wont. I'm worried he wont be getting anything nutrious (sp?).
If I try and just put it on his tray he will play in it and not really eat anything. Tonight during dinner he didn't take even one bite Actually all day today he has only had a few bites of my cereal, a few bites of an apple, and a couple butter cookies (I know bad. cookies! but it's the only thing he will willingly eat). However, even if I try and feed him he will turn away.
And he isn't going down on bottles at all. I figured he would be on 3 bottles now max. But he is still wanting four and with him not eating I'm afraid to cut it down. He has four 8oz during the day, and two 4oz during the night (he refuses to sleep through and wont go back down without one).
I really have no idea what to do. Should I just let him be?! I need some advice from people who have had LOs this age/older. Please tell me what to do?! How do I get him to eat?

 

[VanWest]

I dont really have advice but Im in the same boat, so Im intrested in what the replys will be. Noah has a 6 oz bottle every 3 hours. He will not eat food at all.

 

[ColtonsMom]

are you still feeding him formula? since his corrected age is around 10mo. Or did you go ahead and move to cows milk at 1yr?

 

[VanWest]

Sorry for the late reply Noahs been sick so Ive been busy Yes he is still on formula. I havent seen his gastro doctor yet so I guess after he is a year old I'll get his advice on when to switch him

 

[sabby52]

I had a bit of a problem like this with Dec, he was refusing food in the hope that he would get a bottle!!! he would sit at the table nibble his food and then point to the kitchen for his bottle. The only advice I have it the one I used myself, refuse the bottles, he is getting all the calories and nutrition he needs from then and thats why he is not eating. If you refuse the bottles then he will get to the stage where he will know that if he doesnt eat then he wont get a bottle. Believe me they wont starve, they all eat when they are hungry. xx Good luck hun

 

[ColtonsMom]

I thought about doing that. But I didn't want him to starve He will do exactly that, nibble at his food and then 15-30min after "eating" he will scream until he gets his bottle!!
I thought about absolutely NOT giving him more than 3 bottles and seeing if it improves. He has 4 bottles right now, plus his night ones- which I really need to cut out too, but unsure how.

 

[ColtonsMom]

anyone else?

I went to get Colton's WIC today, and even though I voiced my concerns about Colton not eating alot, she said he could just be picky.
Which leaves me with no solution. What if he starves because he is picky?

I'm so confused. She told me I could start weaning him off formula (2oz milk, 6oz formula.. etc) at 11mo.
I dont want him to loose a bunch of weight though, and she didn't weigh him so I dont know how much he is right now. She said it was fine to loose some weight, as long as he wasn't loosing tons of weight.

Am I just worrying too much? What would you do?

 

[ryder]

Im not sure what to suggest, but dont let him be picky. One friend let their son be a brat about eating and all he would eat was hotdogs, cheese and candy. It was so ridiculous and they always gave in to him.

he was a bit older then colton though... but I think you need to watch what he is eating now... do you hide the bottles? Or have you tried giving a sippy cup instead? I dont think you will starv him at that age, his hunger reflex will take over.

 

[ColtonsMom]

His bottles stay in the cabinet, so they are never in sight. And he gets a sippy during the day with juice. I've tried putting his formula in a sippy, he drank alittle under half of it then got upset and wouldn't drink anymore.
I dont want him to be picky, and offer him different things all the time. I'm a really picky eater, and it sucks. I dont like it, but there are just so many things that I cannot stand the taste of! I used to eat everything when I was little though.

He did good last night at dinner, and ate like 4-5 bites. I was excited and praised him. Hopefully he will do better tonight.

 

[ryder]

Hope you dont take this comment to heart... but IMO, I would stay away from cookies and stuff until he is willing to eat what you give him. Im not suggesting that you are giving him them all the time either... just a comment. I understand picky eating is hard though.

I feel for ya... I couldnt stand having to get up in the night at that age, I hope you find something that works.

 

[ColtonsMom]

yeah probably, and no offense taken. He gets about two a day now, but doesnt usually eat it all, alot ends up on the floor
This is the third day that I've been cutting back his bottles, and it seems to be getting better. I've been timing them so he gets one 6 hours after his first, no sooner; then his third at bedtime. Today he didnt eat much for breakfast (a few bites of toast), but had 6-7 little pieces of hotdog (out of a corndog that I was eating) and about 4-5 pieces of carrot!! I was surprised he kept eating and didnt waste hardly any (like his normal throw everything in the floor routine). Maybe this will be the key, refusing bottles. Hopefully it wont be a short lived thing! We shall see how dinner goes tonight!
And going to go later to buy him some new kinds of cereal to try and see if we can find some new things for lunch/breakfast for some variety!

I know I sound silly getting excited! But since he's been on our food he's never eaten this much! lol. It's like weaning all over again!

 

[ryder]

aww glad its going better!

 

[KarenLV]

I dont think he is picky. He just likes his milk. Try decreasing his bottles and increasing his solids gradually.It's not the end of the world if he is not on cows milk by 1 year. Take your time until he is ready.

 

[ColtonsMom]

What should he be on at one year? I've heard/seen babies BF after one year, but I've never seen a baby who continued on formula past one year.

 

[ryder]

People bf their babies past a year, but it isn't necessary, it is usually the mothers preferance. Babies are ready for cows milk because at 12 months they should be eating a balanced enough diet that they dont need the extra vitamins formula or BM provides.