Getting My Grandchild to Eat More and Take Less Formula

What worked on my kids was diluting the bottle with water, so it's less filling and less tasty. It took a couple of weeks, but it became less wonderful and they eventually got over it. I diluted it gradually, until I only put water in the bottle, and something else (milk or whatever) in a sippy cup, and gave them the option of which they wanted (both at once was fine). Then they'd eventually just want the sippy cup, unless they really had a desire to suck on the bottle (of water), which was fine with me.

Switch to rice or soy milk but mostly only provide water. That is what my doctor told me. If the food is soft, you could add formula to get him to like it better, but he will eat when he gets hungry enough. He is currently getting his nutrition needs met by formula with you as his accomplice, so why would he change? Only offer rice milk WITH his meals, otherwise only offer water. He may need several small meals for a while, but he needs to get it that the white liquid is only complementing the real food - not the other way around. I promise that he will not let himself starve to death. Also, be sure that his food is tasty (not canned/packaged baby foods -blech) - if you think it tastes gross, he probably does too.

I think the 4 to 8 bites thing is probably normal for that age. I worried about that also and the dr told me that their little stomachs are so small that it didn't take many bites to fill them up. I was told to give healthy snacks often if they prefer. Also wanting the formula so quickly after eating is probably thirst or security. Offer a sippy cup with water or juice. If that is turned down it is probably security and maybe he is ready to lay down and have quiet time and go to sleep.
Just a thought.

Wow! I went through this with my daughter and at the time, I just thought she was the only baby ever to do it. She gave up the bottle early, but still wanted her milk. It turns out for her, it seems, that she was and is a very picky eater. She is now 13 and still fills up mostly on milk. It has been a battle to get the nutrition that she desperately needs into her body. I have done a lot of playing around with food-prep ideas. The presentation is a big deal for her. I would just keep trying to force the nutritious solids, with your little guy. We found that offering more of the foods she liked and less of her "yucky foods" helped some. If you can get 4 bites of each solid item offered at each meal time. That may not be to bad, considering his age. We let our daughter pick out her own fun plate spoon and cup to eat her meals from. It helped a little, and every little bit, added up! Keep at it. Good luck, M.

I should also add that my girl was ACTIVE! Picky eating aside, she would rather play than eat. The fun plate,spoon and cup helped to keep her at the table longer. I also let her scribble with crayon on wipe-off place mats. It all adds up.

Is soy milk out too? I would difinately speak to the doctor and see if there is something else I could give him. 1. because of the cost and 2. I would think there is stuff in formula that he wouldn't need at his age.

when he comes back for formula put him back in his high chair and re-offer the food. give him water or juice in his sippy AFTER he eats. do not let him snack before a meal.. its ok for them to not have milk as long as they are getting the nutrients another way. my almost 2 year old will not touch milk (who can blame her?) her doc said its not to worry its more common than you think. hope this helps!

C., I had the same problem with my daughters...the too busy to eat, will drink milk issue...until my mother-in-law brought it to my attention. Yes it's great they are getting all that calcium, but their nutrition was totally lacking...and they drank milk all day long. I had to literally not allow them to drink anything in between meals and even at meals, would only give them milk to drink after they finished eating. It's still a challenge with my 10 yr old, she downs a glass of water and says, I'm full! Too bad, now we are back to eating first then drinking...!!! lol! Best of luck and hope you are able to get him straight. Take care!

I have a daughter and when she was that age she was the same way, she never wanted to eat! I was worried, but the dr told me she would eat when she was hungry and not to worry so much. I know it's hard not to but she was right. I would always try to keep healthy finger foods/snacks out for her through the day and she would eat here and there. She did ok and she is healthy today, so i guess the dr was right. hope this helps some..

I'd give him a bottle with water in it when he eats his meals, in fact, I wouldn't even put it in a bottle I would put it in a sippy cup. My son is 10 months old and he only gets a bottle in the morning and a bottle in the evening at bedtime. If he gets fussy and acts like he wants a bottle I give him one with water in it and he usually tosses it to the side. If you do this with his meals he will eat. After meals offer him a sippy cup with formula/milk/juice. Water isn't as appealing as the other things he will drink and he probably won't want it. If you do this for a few weeks you'll see. By the way - most boys are too active to eat anyway so if he' eating about 8 bites and then running around he's okay. I'd keep some healthy snacks out that he can eat like oranges, apples cut into tiny pieces, cheese, etc.

He is obviously filling up on the formula and probably has no room for food. Try starting with smaller cups, and smaller amounts in the cup. Offer him other things also, if he can drink them, watered down juice, etc. A little juice would not fill him up like formula, and may even help him develop an appetite.

Remember, you only need to put a little bit (of anything) in the cup. When he empties it look at him all wide-eyed and excited "You drank it all gone! You're such a big boy! Big boys eat bite bites!" Get him excited about eating, and let him get his hands in it and get to know his food lol.

You might try holding up 2 kinds of food and letting him pick which he wants. It's not too early to stat teaching him about choices and getting him involved in making his lunch :) Maybe if you get him involved in it, no matter how messy, he will start seeing it as an activity rather than a chore that stops him from playing.

Hello C., I'm a mother of 2 adult children, and 6 grandchildren. My experience has been to give regular meals and some snacks through the day. The bottle was only implemented through the night at bedtime. Also we use the sipping cup at times of the day with water and juice. Hope this helps.

I would put the milk only in a sippy cup and get rid of ALL bottles at both your house and Mommy's house. Offer more frequent meals. 6-8 throughout the day. 3 with true meals and 3 more snack like. Babies prefer the bottle because its quick and they can get to playing again. Keep offering small frequent meals and less formula.

You could offer another mini meal to him to get him used to eating solids. Instead of giving him formula again offer crackers with some soft cheese or apples with some yogurt. You may be suprised that he wont be able to handle the milk but can handle milk products. Peanut butter is a fun thing to dip crackers and apples in. Something nutritious and maybe that he would grow to love. What we as adults think of as a meal is way to much for little ones when they are starting out. I know my littlest ones are 4 and 5. They still pick one thing that they want to fill up on. Most of the time it is the green beans or the corn. My youngest hardly ever eats meat but he loves beans. I ask them to try things that I put on their plate. If they dont "like" it then we will try some other time. I never force them to eat. Eating should be a good experience.

When I did in home daycare I used would use this for picky eaters:

When I would feed them I would NOT give them the bottle until after they finished eating or I would only give them a little tiny bit in the cup. To get more milk they had to eat some more first. Everytime I would give them more it would only be a little bit. It's a little more work at first, but they get the hand of it after about 1 week of consistency. I would also only use a sippy cup and wean him form the bottle. Bottles are easier to get the milk out of then a sippy cup.