Baby is barely taking bottles but eats 3 full meals a day

[max2800]

@rossandsue I have oatmeal! I’ll do that tomorrow morning and see how it goes

 

[mauro_g]

@max2800 Sounds exactly the same as my girl. I breastfeed so not sure how much she takes in from that but I would guess under 20 ounces a day as that is what I was pumping 2 months ago when I had go away for a week and she def drinks less now. She eats more food than her sister did at this age; in fact I think she eats more than her sister who is 2.5 currently does.

 

[ezzeking]

@max2800 I would personally offer the bottles before the solids rather than after. Not sure where you are located but the US guidance for that age is that breastmilk or formula be the main source of nutrition until one.

In particular the AAP recommends kids that age receive “ between 750 and 900 calories each day, of which about 400 to 500 should come from breast milk or formula (if you are not breastfeeding)—roughly 24 ounces (720 mL) a day. Breast milk and formula contain vitamins, minerals, and other important components for brain growth”

At 20 calories per ounce that eats comes out to 20 to 25 ounces daily.

ETA: you could also try dialing back mealtime water so she will be more likely to drink her formula. The main reason the AAP recommends a cap of 8oz a day of water is that more water may prevent babies from consuming an adequate amount of milk or formula

 

[starvinmarvin]

@max2800 My child is the opposite. She didn't eat much solids until 12 months. She was a big gagger. She's 20 months old and really only eats 2 meals and snacks. She breastfeeds on demand but she's smart and chunky so it's all good.

All babies are different. Your baby is perfectly healthy.

 

[max2800]

@starvinmarvin Thank you. I really wanted to breastfeed but she was early after a difficult pregnancy and then no milk completely derailed what I had “planned” so still trying to figure this out. She’s healthy and happy and chubby

 

[machia]

@max2800 My daughter went on a bottle strike at 7mo old. Our pediatrician told us that as long as we did 12-15oz a day In Conjunction with food, she’d be fine.

At 10mo, I think that’s normal to have less formula but full meals

 

[verdure]

@max2800 I've heard of kids like yours before. They just love solid food so much more than bottles, and that's ok! As long as your doctor isn't worried and the child is gaining weight, I wouldn't stress.

With my daughter, her solids consumption went up and down from 6-14 months and she would start to nurse more when she was teething or sick or just needed more mommy, then eat more solids again once she was healthy. So be prepared for consumption to maybe fluctuate a bit, but overall I wouldn't worry as long as the kid is consuming something.

 

[max2800]

@verdure She definitely wants more contact naps now that she’s teething but hasn’t fluctuated her food intake. Taken less bottles but I figured that’s because the food felt better to chew on and she got full.

 

[verdure]

@max2800 That's true, chewy cold food, like cucumber spears was also a huge hit while teething. Maybe my daughter's increased breast mild consumption when teething wasn't so much about the calories being liquid, but more about the comfort factor of nursing straight from mom's boob.

 

[kenjisan70]

@max2800 Wow! Your baby is a rock star! Even my toddler did not eat like that.

 

[addelheid]

@max2800 I think the sooner you can get off formula the better as long as all her nutritional needs are being met. If your doctor thinks it’s fine I would trust that.

 

[nkem246]

@addelheid Doctors recommend formula until 1 year I believe!

 

[neilgram]

@addelheid I've never heard any doctor or medical organization say "the sooner off formula the better" every source I've read has always said that breastmilk or formula should be their primary source of nutrition until their first birthday.

Some babies do naturally wean themselves early and don't have adverse health effects from that, but it's certainly not the goal.

 

[please]

@neilgram It would be dangerous for a doctor or medical organization to say that as then parents would try to feed their child exclusively solids at a much younger age instead of letting the child indicate when they are ready for more solids and fewer fluids. However the 12m goal posting isn't as rigid. This baby is 10m and consuming well. It's fine to encourage weaning at their own pace. Probably by 12m the baby will be completely off formula, which lines up exactly with the recommended guidance.

 

[please]

@addelheid Yes! The point of weaning is that they will eat solid foods when they're ready. If baby is gaining weight, pooping and peeing, and more or less happy then baby is healthy. 10 months is only 2 months off from a year—it's much better to let your child lead then to try to force them to drink something else. People in this thread are too rigid with their "formula main source until age one". But if your concerned, obviously ask your pediatrician.

 

[josephjourneyman]

@max2800 My son is just under 10 months, weighs right around 20 lbs, eats 3 meals a day (plus sometimes snacks if he got distracted at a mealtime), some water (maybe 6 oz total per day), and drinks 20 oz of breastmilk a day. Our pediatrician has asked about his eating habits and has no concerns whatsoever, plus he genuinely loves food and eats anything we give him, so he eats plenty. As long as kiddo is gaining weight according to their growth curve then 10 months seems like a pretty natural age for baby to start transitioning away from breastmilk/formula.

 

[angie4777]

@max2800 This is how both my kids were, and both gave up bottles (and formula) just before their first birthdays - with approval from their doctor. This was likely exactly what your doctor expected to happen.

Edit to add: they slowly dropped bottles till they were down to just one a day. The baby took longer to give up his last one - my oldest was right at 11 months and we didn’t want to buy more formula, and the baby was two weeks before his birthday. They’re 5 and 16 months now and both still great eaters.

 

[max2800]

@angie4777 This makes me feel better. I’m an extremely picky eater so I was really trying to make her diet more diverse. I’ve tried to make really balanced meals so it’s not like she’s just getting one food group. Hope she’ll carry that as she gets older

Edit-I got to delay a whole months shipment of formula so that’s definitely a perk! Still have 3 boxes in the pantry

 

[whitesunshinee]

@max2800 Hi! I have a 9 month old. My pediatrician says that it’s completely normal for babies to start being less interested in formula/bottles when they’re eating table food. She says 16-24 ounces is fine if baby is eating well. I think yours is fine. The main concern is making sure baby is getting enough iron-rich foods into their system!!

 

[max2800]

@whitesunshinee I didn’t mention this in my post but I give her the enfamil iron droplets in her formula. And have since she was born. So that’s not a worry. Polyvisol.