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

[max2800]

My baby is 10 months old and eats 3 meals a day.
Breakfast: eggs, potatoes, cheese, fresh fruit
Lunch: turkey, noodles or biscuits, fruit and yogurt
Dinner: whatever we’re eating but usually includes chicken, cheese, mixed veggies (steamed) and some form of carb.

She eats everything I put in front of her and I only stop when she starts seeming disinterested. All meals are accompanied with her sippy cup with water and she drinks usually around 4-5 ounces each meal and it’s available to her all day so she drinks outside meals too. I offer the bottles an hour after meals before she goes down for naps. Problem is she rarely finishes her 6 ounce bottles. She’s probably only drinking 12-16 ounces a day. At her 9 month appt her dr told me to start the 3 meals a day so that by a year she would be able to get her full nutrition without formula. I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly and I’m worrying I’m maybe feeding her too much? She was a month early so adjusted she’s 9 months now. She’s not fat or thin. About 21 pounds. Hitting all milestones so maybe I’m overthinking this. Anyone else had this situation?

Edit: I’ve gotten a lot of opinions. I’m going to try new things to implement more formula into her diet but most have been positive. Y’all, be nice. We’re all trying our best.

 

[zemanel]

@max2800 My daughter is similar, her formula intake went way down once she started eating a lot of solids. I offer her formula in a bottle with her meals and then at the end of the meal a little cup of water so she can practice with the cup. I believe AAP recommendation is only 4-8 oz of water per day when their under 12 months, so switching from water with meals to formula may be helpful.

Edit: AAP not CDC

 

[max2800]

@zemanel I’ve tried formula in the sippy cup and she straight up spit it out. I’ve called my dr about the amount of water she drinks and she didn’t express any worry about that part. She was just happy she’s using one so well.

 

[zemanel]

@max2800 That all sounds fine then. Great job

 

[hkr006]

@max2800 My pediatrician told me to offer a bottle maybe an hour before a meal. So that he would get full off of the formula but still eat/taste at the meal. Hes a good eater still at a year and a half.

 

[jayadams81]

@max2800 I think (in the US) at 9 months, for bottle fed babies, the recommendation is like 16-24 oz breastmilk or formula plus meals, with the goal of weaning off bottles by 12 months. You can then sub in whole milk with meals or between meals if the kid needs it. Sounds like your little one is right on track.

 

[max2800]

@jayadams81 thank you

 

[ezzeking]

@jayadams81 It’s 20 to 25 ounces until 12 months of breastmilk or formula and then 16-24 ounces of whole milk after one.

 

[chriscomplex]

@ezzeking 16-24 oz MAX for whole milk after one, with the goal of cutting down to 16 oz. So I’m not too worried about OP’s kid cutting down on milk slightly early. Most toddlers have the opposite problem where they still drink most their calories at 12-18 months.

 

[ezzeking]

@chriscomplex Yes and that’s for whole milk after one. Before one virtually every medical organization that there is says formula or milk should be the primary source of infant calories*. It is very hard to get an infant or a toddler to take in certain nutrients in adequate amounts from foods. In particular iron is of significant concern.

From the AAP: “[At 8-12 months], your baby needs 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 least in the US and also the WHO

 

[chriscomplex]

@ezzeking Recommendations are an ideal and not individualised advice for individual babies. It’s understood that there’s leeway and natural variation on either side, just like with milestones. Going to the 12+ month recommendation 2 months early because the baby wants to and is growing fine, is just not a big deal. And it’s not even completely going to the 12+ month recommendation because it’s still formula, not cow milk.

 

[peterh99]

@ezzeking After 1 they don't actually need any milk, but if they don't have it they need some other dairy or fortified milk etc for the nutrition. My daughter isn't a huge milk drinker but she has lots of cheese and yoghurt every day.

 

[ezzeking]

@peterh99 Yeah you can use other forms of fat and calcium to take the place of the recommended whole milk that’s true, but the 16-24 ounces rec is for whole milk after a year not for breastmilk or formula prior to 1 year

 

[falconeye]

@max2800 My daughter weaned herself as well. My ped said sometimes babies do that and there’s nothing you can do. By 10 1/2 months she rarely took a bottle. As long as you’re researching nutritional guidelines and making sure they’re getting all of their nutrients, it’s fine.

 

[leigh54]

@max2800 That is wonderful. I wish my 13 month ate like that. Only eats a few bites here and there. Still supplementing with infant formula because without it his weight drops. It’s been a process

 

[rossandsue]

@leigh54 Your baby sounds like what I feel my second one is going to be like once he turns one. He’s 10 months now and if he wasn’t eating formula, idk that he would be “finishing” meals. He’s kind of picky even though everybody tells me babies can’t be picky. He is hitting his milestones but man does he stress me out. I’m scared he’s gonna drop off the chart and we have worked so hard towards raising his percentile.

My firstborn sounds like OP’s baby. Once he started solids 3 meals a day, he wanted nothing to do with bottles. I could only get a morning and night bottle in him. He was a chunky one, too, and hitting all milestones.

 

[leigh54]

@rossandsue That makes me feel a little better. I’ve been so afraid it was all due to the food aversion he developed when we tried daycare and they treated him terribly. It will get better

 

[rossandsue]

@leigh54 I’m sorry that happened to you. It probably did not help the situation. It has taken some training on my part to not force him to keep eating if he doesn’t want it. He spits it right back out at me anyways if he’s adamant on not eating.

 

[max2800]

@rossandsue Only real solid bottle I can get in her is if she wakes in the middle of the night, which isn’t always but I always do it but just for those extra calories

 

[rossandsue]

@max2800 The morning and night bottles weren’t that big either. They were like 5 oz bottles. We had to make sure he had oatmeal pretty much every single day to sneak in another 4-5 oz in him. Our pediatrician reassured us it was ok!