How Much Should My 5 Month Old Be Eating???

Until 1 year, their main source of nutrition should be from breastmilk or formula. Solids are just for practice eating and so they can experience the tastes. They should never replace breastmilk or formula (i.e. if your baby starts taking less from the bottle/breast, you should cut back on solids).

My baby was very petite as well. My ped was also very relaxed; she fell over 70 percentile points before the ped finally suggested we try increasing her intake. Realize that, as long as he's growing (especially if he's staying in the 5th percentile -- staying on his growth curve) and hitting milestones, he is probably just supposed to be a skinny baby.

Don't give more solids. In fact, I'd cut back. Solids are less caloric than breastmilk or formula and fill them up more so they drink less -- sort of exactly the opposite of what you want to do. Also, you should only give solids after they've taken a full bottle (whatever is the normal amount) or a full nursing session; that helps to make sure they are getting enough calories and nutrients from the milk before adding in "practice" solids.

Also, breastmilk is generally more calorie-dense than formula and is digested faster (they'll be hungry again sooner), so I would try to nurse as much as possible, especially on weekends. When my baby's weight was getting too low, I started dreamfeeding before I went to bed (picking her up asleep and nursing her) and nursing twice instead of once in the night. It helped, and I've actually come to love that extra cuddling! Now we're back down to one middle of the night nursing.

As far as how much formula goes, if you multiply their weight by 2-2.5, you get the number of oz of formula they should take. If he's 12 lbs, he should take 24-30 oz of formula a day. However, you're also nursing, so cut that back a little. A BF baby will take about 25 oz a day (breastmilk becomes more caloric as they grow -- they don't increase the amount like formula fed babies do).

HI!!!
It soundd laisse faire to me too at that time but its completely right... Feed your baby as much as he wants... if he doesn't want more he will let you know.... Do not rush him with food... you are doing great!!! Don't forget the 3 day rule to every new food... In may case I was formula and breastfeeding until 6 and a half and he was taking around 30 oz per day.... so try perhaps to give him some more formula/breastmilk
Good luck! If he is healthy that;s the most important thing!!!

Your doc is right. Feed him as much as he wants to eat, and make sure it's a balance diet with lots of healty fat in it (avocado, crushed walnuts - great in yogurt, olive oil). babies need lots of fat for their developing brain. My kids were both tall and skinny too. Nothing wrong with that!

right now they eat solids just or the practice of it- most of their nutrition should come from breast milk or formula for the first year

Formula or breast milk should be the major source of his calories for the first year. So I would offer a bottle first, then solids (formula and breast milk are much more calorically dense than most solids). If he is hungry feed him more.

Sorry the pumping didn't work -- SO great you are still nursing! GO MOM:)

He's actually taking in less than my son did:) My son took in around 24-30 oz breast and formula a day in bottles, as well as eating 2-3 jars and nursing 2-3 times (while I was at home) each 24 hours.

Maybe more formula -- say adding another 1-2 6 oz bottles and adding a breakfast or lunch. Both my children had skinny hips, and my doctors said until they didn't have the "hip indent" they would be hungry hippos:)

Good luck Mama and keep it up!:)

I agree with the last post... feed him what he wants & make sure there's a little milk left over in the bottle to make certain that he's full. I didn't start my kids on solids until they were 6+ months old. They were content with just formula & a little cereal at 5-6 months. At that age my kids were probably drinking 28-32 oz a day & they were some big babies.

My son was similarly small - off the charts on the low end for a long time, despite eating everything in the house when it was offered to him. I used his output as an indicator of whether or not he was getting enough to eat. I did move him to three meals earlier than my other kids and I did introduce both yogurt and cream cheese earlier since they were higher in fat earlier (can't remember when they are recommended but I did it a little bit earlier). Both of those things made me feel better because he still remained off the charts small and I realized that his body just wasn't ready to grow at a faster pace yet. But he always grew on his own growth curve which the doctor said was the best indicator. And you will definitely know if he is hungry :)

He is now 3 years old and is 10th percentile for weight, up from <3 percentile. He still eats a tremendous amount and hopefully he will have a growth spurt before kindergarten. But I think that some kids bodies are just a little slower to absorb fats. I wish I had that problem

Your dr is right - give him as much as he wants. As long as the food is healthy - no juice or sweetened anything and as natural food as possible - ie low salt - then just let him eat until he refuses food.