confused about milk and solid food

[lilisuze]

I need some advice on feeding up my little one. He is 8 months old now and weighs 16lb so a little on the light side. He is currently having 4 bottles during the day and 3 meals like this

7.30 Milk 6oz
8.15 cereal and fruit

11.30 milk 5oz
12.00 veg/chicken puree (starting with lumps)

3.30 Milk 5oz (but he is starting to take less)
5.00 veg puree then fruit

He will eat about half a babyfood jar or 4 cubes at a time, unless it is fruit, when he would eat a whole stage 1 jar in about 3 minutes. When i offer vegetables he takes it eagerly for about 4 spoonfulls then turns away, but because he is not gaining well, i have been really pushing the food to try and get him to eat more.

He will eat almost a whole jar if he has a rice cake to hold at the same time.

I would really love to get him having just one bottle in the day now, but dont want him to wake hungry in the night. Should i move the milk to 2pm before his afternoon nap? and just offer water at mealtimes?

All help appreciated

Lili xx

 

[mommyof3co]

I think it's too early to drop to one bottle. In the first year their main source of nutrition should be breastmilk/formula, solids is more to teach them how to eat, introduce new tastes and textures...not really for nutrition at that point. With him being small I would really push more breastmilk/formula because that's where he's going to get most of his calories. Fruits and veggies while they are really good for him they have very little calories and fat and fat is actually really good for babies, especially for brain development. That's why after age 1 they say whole milk because of the high fat content, they really need that. I personally would try and add in one more bottle instead of taking them out, maybe right before bed or somethng, especially if your concerned about him being on the small side...or leave it how he is if he's content like that

 

[lilisuze]

thanks beth,

the health visitor seems convinced its that he's not eating enough, and that she'd rather he had food than milk which personally i dont quite understand. He also has a milk feed at bedtime which i forgot to put on the pp!

He is suffering with a throat infection at the moment, and mealtimes are such a struggle, cant get him to eat hardly anything and he's so angry about it i dont know how to help him! Its breaking my heart trying to persuade him to eat enough. so do you think that 4 bottles through the day is still ok for 8 mo?

 

[mommyof3co]

I think it sounds perfect It's not the amounts, how many times, how much solids that is important, it's how he develops..is he meeting all milestones? Does he seem content with what he's having? Is he growing on his own "chart"? If so I really wouldn't be worried. Hayden wasn't eating any solids really until 9mo, and though he was on the small side and still is he is very healthy, never had any issues as far as development. Some kids just aren't big on the solids for awhile..Hayden's almost 21mo now and eats tons some days then other days he eats very little, but he's growing and healthy He eats much much better than he used to though, some days even more than his older brothers

 

[lilisuze]

he is meeting milestones...and more! Already crawling and pulling up and starting to wave and pincer grip with his fingers so all fine on that front! He is not growing much, 1lb in the last 6 weeks so thats why they are a bit concerned about him. But he generally (although not this week) sleeps through the night now so not that hungry! Maybe he's just got a little tummy.

Lili xx

 

[mommyof3co]

He probably does He probably has slowed in growing because he is now crawling and becoming more active