Almost 12 month old still too full for breakfast??

[Mrsb3]

I've always had this problem with him but thought he would grow out of it but he still is too full for his breakfast after his bottle- and I'm talking a good 5 hours! Everyone I have talked to give their lo a bottle then breakfast 1 hour to 2 hours later max. I don't want to drop his bottle as he only has 2 a day (morning and night) and he needs the vitamins in it as he is a fussy eater. Likes to play with his food rather than eat it. I have noticed though at 1.30 he is ready to eat all his dinner and he likes his afternoon snack but tea time is a nightmare it's almost as if he refuses to eat on purpose because he knows his bottle is coming 2.5 hours later and he likes to drink all that instead. My goal is to have him eat all his 3 meals a day but still have his bottles for the nutrients. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[Springflower]

My daughter is the same. I now give her a bottle after breakfast, about 9:30. She has breakfast at 7:30. That seems to be working. ....

 

[Mrsb3]

Thanks for your reply- I was thinking of that myself but thought if might seem odd popping him in a high chair at 5.30 in the morning as he often goes back to sleep after his bottle for an hour.

 

[Rachel_C]

At a year old, I'd say you're probably better giving solids first then a bottle. Formula or breastmilk is a full meal - would you want a full breakfast then another full breakfast within a couple of hours? Probably not.

If you move his bottle to after his food, you might well find that he eats better. At the moment he's getting a lovely easy meal from his milk so he really doesn't have any reason to eat a proper breakfast and if he knows he's going to get a full bottle right after his evening meal, why bother eating the food? If I know there's chocolate cake for dessert, I'm less likely to eat my main course until I'm full

Although your LO is still quite young, I don't necessarily think continuing with formula in a way that is quite obviously affecting how much food he eats is the best idea if good nutrition is your aim. Perhaps you could switch to three or four smaller bottles spread throughout the day as snacks instead e.g. breastfast, mid morning bottle, lunch, mid afternoon bottle, dinner, bedtime bottle, or even breakfast followed by breakfast bottle, snack bottle, lunch, afternoon bottle, dinner, bedtime bottle.

 

[Springflower]

Could you give him a smaller bottle or just water at 5:30?

 

[Mrsb3]

At a year old, I'd say you're probably better giving solids first then a bottle. Formula or breastmilk is a full meal - would you want a full breakfast then another full breakfast within a couple of hours? Probably not.

If you move his bottle to after his food, you might well find that he eats better. At the moment he's getting a lovely easy meal from his milk so he really doesn't have any reason to eat a proper breakfast and if he knows he's going to get a full bottle right after his evening meal, why bother eating the food? If I know there's chocolate cake for dessert, I'm less likely to eat my main course until I'm full

Although your LO is still quite young, I don't necessarily think continuing with formula in a way that is quite obviously affecting how much food he eats is the best idea if good nutrition is your aim. Perhaps you could switch to three or four smaller bottles spread throughout the day as snacks instead e.g. breastfast, mid morning bottle, lunch, mid afternoon bottle, dinner, bedtime bottle, or even breakfast followed by breakfast bottle, snack bottle, lunch, afternoon bottle, dinner, bedtime bottle.

Hi, thanks for replying- yes you are completely right! His formula is quite yummy tbh it's not the powder stuff it's the ready made carton tastes very sweet like vanilla milkshake ( vanilla milk vs broccoli) ....mmmm I see what you mean. He hates been in his high chair as it is, he can't sit still more than 2 minutes.... Where as he can guzzle his 8oz milk in 2-3 mins in mummy's cuddly arms! Giving him small ounces more frequently sounds like an ideal solution, however I'm expecting a newborn any week now and I don't really want to be over my head in bottles if I can find another way. Also I can see him getting upset with just a few ounce on offer. I once ran out if formula and only had 5oz to give him and he was not a happy chappy at all and he refused point blank 3oz of cows milk I tried to offer.

I think I'm going to go with breakfast first then a bottle 2-3 hours later.
And give him his tea 3 hours before bed bottle rather than 2.5 hours

I just found it awfully confusing that everyone else seemed to be giving their lo a bottle as soon as they woke up then an hour or so later their full breakfast. By everyone I mean googling '11 month old feeding routines'
Maybe they are offering the powder stuff lol

 

[Mrsb3]

Could you give him a smaller bottle or just water at 5:30?

He would go mental lol
But if he had to sit in his high chair and eat ready Break at 5.30 he would probably not bother waking up so early! Solves the early waking solution

 

[liz1985]

You could try giving breakfast first then a bottle. Or how about giving him finger foods for breakfast instead of cereal, may eat more this way, could have toast, fruit, ommlette, pancakes etc. Also will he drink from a cup? Could give him his fomula in a cup as a drink with his breakfast, or make his cereal with some of his formula, then he drinks the rest, so a smaller bottle but still having the same amount of fomula.

 

[Mrsb3]

You could try giving breakfast first then a bottle. Or how about giving him finger foods for breakfast instead of cereal, may eat more this way, could have toast, fruit, ommlette, pancakes etc. Also will he drink from a cup? Could give him his fomula in a cup as a drink with his breakfast, or make his cereal with some of his formula, then he drinks the rest, so a smaller bottle but still having the same amount of fomula.

Thanks for replying, I'm happy to give him formula in a bottle warmed up (cuddle time) for a few more months- just want him to eat his 3 meals too like all the others seem to be able to do! I've started to give him toast and a cereal bar for babies when he wakes up. He is not happy being in his high chair and goes mad for 10 mins at least! I have also started giving him watered down fruit juice in his beaker with breakfast. Omelette / pancakes sounds nice but lo does not have the patience while I make it. It's something he will grow in to I'm sure... He is sill as messy as ever with his finger food no improvement since 6 month and I'm not kidding!! So cleaning up after him is a challenge with him since he won't just sit there while I tidy away.... Again I'm sure he will grow out of it when he is ready. They truly are all different!

 

[MindUtopia]

Like others have said, try breakfast first and then milk. You should prioritise milk first until about a year because they really need the added nutrients and calories from breastmilk or formula until then. After that, if he'll eat breakfast without needing milk first, there's no reason not to. My daughter is 15 months now and until recently always wanted milk before she had breakfast. But the past few weeks, has been fine until we get up and downstairs to eat, so unless she asks for it, we've been going straight to breakfast. Like your LO, on the mornings she had milk first, she has started to not be hungry for breakfast, mainly because milk and breakfast came to close together as we have to get out the door to nursery. But when she's happy to skip milk, she eats a lot more for breakfast. Also, if you want to try other things, like pancakes or an omelette, just make them the night before and reheat in the morning to save yourself some time. It might also just be a matter of trying to find other things he does like. It might not be as much that he isn't hungry, but that he needs more variety to keep his attention.

 

[Mrsb3]

Like others have said, try breakfast first and then milk. You should prioritise milk first until about a year because they really need the added nutrients and calories from breastmilk or formula until then. After that, if he'll eat breakfast without needing milk first, there's no reason not to. My daughter is 15 months now and until recently always wanted milk before she had breakfast. But the past few weeks, has been fine until we get up and downstairs to eat, so unless she asks for it, we've been going straight to breakfast. Like your LO, on the mornings she had milk first, she has started to not be hungry for breakfast, mainly because milk and breakfast came to close together as we have to get out the door to nursery. But when she's happy to skip milk, she eats a lot more for breakfast. Also, if you want to try other things, like pancakes or an omelette, just make them the night before and reheat in the morning to save yourself some time. It might also just be a matter of trying to find other things he does like. It might not be as much that he isn't hungry, but that he needs more variety to keep his attention.

Hi thanks for replying- I know about prioritising milk before a year, I just wanted to start 2 weeks early with the rendition as I'm expecting 4 days after his birthday. Great idea to cook the night before! I've started to do that with evening meals too so I'll try that with a yummy cheese omelette. As far as variety goes- my kitchen looks like a food fight at a buffet style restaurant haha he gets offered everything.... I just want him to eat but he just plays with it. Lunch time is the best though he usually lets me spoon feed him then I give him chopped up fruit in Greek yogurt for desert and he does eat that. Meal times take a good hour and half though which includes perpetration, feeding, cleaning up one handed (very tricky) face m, hand, hair wash, change of clothes. Evan though he wears a bib (coverall) type

 

[Amazeballs]

I've never heard of already made formula in cartons!! Sounds amazing!