Weaning but won't drop bottles

[sophie22]

Jack is over 19 weeks, he's now Having some breakfast and tea. But he hasn't dropped bottles, we are on hungry baby milk and it's still sometimes not even 3 hours between. He's a big boy, last checked he was in 98th centile for both height and weight. But I'm worried he is getting a bit too chunky. Why is he always hungry? He's still waking in night, sometimes twice and he was sleeping 11 hours solid before! I make 7oz but he leaves atleast an ounce but usually 2 sometimes 3. So he's drinking less per bottle but but still very frequent, is the normal? It dosnt seem to matter how much solids he has he still wants that bottle! It feels like chaos right now

 

[Rachel_C]

He's hungry because every bit of him is growing and developing and he needs the calories. Regardless of his place on the charts, he needs calories and it's perfectly healthy whatever end of the chart he's at.

Honestly, a baby that young is probably best eating every 3 hours (some will need milk every 2 hours, some every 4) and trying to trick his body into eating less frequently is only good for you.

He absolutely should NOT be dropping feeds for a very long time yet. Milk should be his main source of nutrition until a year old. We found with both kids that their milk needs stayed the same until after a year old, and they just 'topped up' extra calories with solids. Please forget about dropping feeds or taking less milk. Just let him tell you what he needs, he knows far better than you or any doctor/HV.

 

[sophie22]

I'm not doing anything because its better for me. The doctor told me to wean him and the health visitor said to watch his weight. His sickness has gone since weaning. Nothing is because it is better for me. I am posting this through concern not through wanting a good nights sleep. I am asking because he seems to be eating constantly and didnt know if this was ok. I wonder why I bother at times

 

[Hangin_On_AGS]

LO, has 3 decent meal during the day and still feeds every 2 hours. About the time you start solids is about the time they get more active and need more calories to keep up.

 

[chezababy]

Babies need calories and there are a lot more in milk than in food oz for oz so I'd be very surprised if a 19 week old was able to eat enough food to drop a bottle. My 26 week old has only dropped a couple of oz a day. Some babies need to feed every 2 hours and as your boy is a big baby I'd say his feeding was ok. I really wouldn't worry too much about his weight as it will likely start to go down when he's mobile.

 

[MindUtopia]

Oh gosh, he's so young to even be thinking about any of that.. Don't even expect him to be dropping bottles yet. My daughter is 8.5 months and hasn't dropped a bottle and my health visitor advised to not even expect it til 9-10 months, which is when babies usually start to really eat to satiate hunger. Just keep feeding him. Milk is the main source of nutrition until they're 1, even if you are weaning.

If he's hungry, he'll eat and if he's eating then that's what he needs to do. That all sounds completely normal. He's a baby. That's just what they do. I'd ignore your doctor and health visitor and just feed him as needed. They don't sound like they know what they're talking about, tbh. Hang in there! You're doing the right thing.

 

[sophie22]

Thank you,
I'm not sure i meant drop bottles exactly, just kind of expected it to be restructured more. Like rule of thumb, bottle upon waking, a bit later breakfast, then a bottle at lunch etc. but he's having an added bottle with his food. Same again in a tea time. But I will carry on as I am, just didnt know if I should be giving the one with the food but he seems to want it

 

[MindUtopia]

Thank you,
I'm not sure i meant drop bottles exactly, just kind of expected it to be restructured more. Like rule of thumb, bottle upon waking, a bit later breakfast, then a bottle at lunch etc. but he's having an added bottle with his food. Same again in a tea time. But I will carry on as I am, just didnt know if I should be giving the one with the food but he seems to want it

I'd say carry on feeding him a bottle anytime he's hungry. The food really won't make much difference for now. My daughter still has a bottle just before she eats a meal, as the food itself doesn't really fill them up at first because they can't physically eat enough until they're older.

 

[Balloo]

My LO was just under 10 months when she dropped a bottle! She was having 5 8oz bottles a day, then she dropped the amount down to 5/6 oz but still 5 times a day (this is 5 a day minimum!). She then went to 4 7oz bottles and now at 11 months has 4/5 bottles a day, of between 4-6 oz. this is on top of 3 meals a day and 2/3 snacks a day! My LO has always been very little though so I can only imagine it would be more if she was a bigger baby! X