Is My Daughter Getting Enough Formula?

I think it's normal for a baby to go threw phases that thtey don't eat a lot. My daughter is 4 months and actually gts brest milk in a bottle and there are days she guzzles the bottle down and other days that i'm lucky if she drinks more than 2 ounces.
does she seem cranky or hungry soon after she had teh bottle?

I just wrote in about my 6 month old who has been a slow gainer since the beginning. She recently stopped eating real well esspecially nursing. Then all of a sudden the past couple of days she has been eating real well(knock on wood!!) Anyway, maybe this is just a down time for her eating and then in a week she will start eating again. How long has it been? My little one went about a week but then will eat well and then won't. When she doesn't it's soo stressful and frustrating because you know if they would just eat they could grow and they would feel better too. Anyway, i'm going through a similar thing and sometimes it's nice to hear. I wouldn't stress too much, that's what many mother's told me, she'll eat when she needs it. B.

Dear J.,

I am wondering if maybe she doesn't like the flavor. You could ask your pediatrician for some samples of other brands to see if she likes them better.

A.

Around that age my youngest decided she didn't like the bottles we were using anymore! It was good timing actually because I ended up buying some BPA-free bottles, even though in another couple of months, after she turns one, we won't be using bottles as much. Anyway, she loves the new ones and has been fine ever since. It could be a picky baby, like mine! I also agree with the post who said babies do get all they need and eat when they are hungry, etc. They aren't like us adults who will purposely not eat something at any given time. Regardless, I know it can be worrisome, so I would definitely try feeding her a big bottle when she wakes up, then do breakfast about an hour or so later so she is hungry again but not starving. Then you can space the bottles out during the day accordingly. You might also try for a big feeding before bed - my kids always like to be held and cuddles when they are tired, so doing that might help her drink more before bed (and hopefully sleep through the night, unlike my 11-month old!!). Good luck and don't worry!

Hi there! My daughter is also 9 months old but breastfed and has done the exact same thing the last month or so. She used to drink about 20 oz of pumped breast milk and then nurse 2-4 times a day. Even after we first started solids at 5 months she drank a TON of milk. But in the last month or so she is so busy crawling and pulling up on everything and being active she won't settle down to nurse anymore, and only takes bottles right before or after a nap. So she is only getting 7 - 12 oz of milk a day, plus whatever I mix with her rice/oatmeal cereal. I saw my pedi this past week and she said it was perfectly fine. If shes growing ok she's fine!

Will she do a sippy cup?

Could be that she is teething, or maybe the formula is not agreeing with her system. Children go through periods where they will eat a lot, then the next week don't seem to eat much of anything...especially as they get more active. Follow her ques, her body knows what it needs.

Good morning J.,
I am a mom of a 3yr old and a 1yr old. I too have has similar concerns in the past. My pedi recommended that I give my kids liquid vitamins. I use Poly-vi-sol. You can buy it at any pharmacy. I don't always give it every day, but a least a few times a week. It is that peace of mind that I need and it is good for my kids. Perhaps you can talk to your pedi about it.
Best,
T.

Hi J.,

As long as the baby is growing and gaining weight, you don't have a whole lot to worry about. When she is hungry she will eat, and when she is thirsty, she'll drink.

If you are worried, you can always double check with the pedi to make sure, but I think she's fine. Babies are like adults in that sometimes they aren't as hungry and sometimes they are!

Good luck!!

Hi J.,

Try not to worry and try to trust that your daughter is getting the nutrition she needs, if she is gaining weight and developing normally. I know this is easier advice to give than to practice!

Check with your ped. if you have concerns. Perhaps he or she will recommend a multi-vitamin suitable for your baby if there are concerns about her weight gain or nutritional needs.

Hang in there,and good luck! L. S.

My daughter is 7 mos and started solids around the same time as yours. After a couple of months she was taking less formula and I was concerned about it like you are (I read the books and charted how much she took per day vs. how much she was "supposed" to have). Anyway, I asked her DR about it and he said not to worry at all. Babies are able to tell us when they are hungry and rarely eat beyond being full. If she's not taking it it's because she's had enough to eat and the solids are providing nutrients too. I give my daughter an 8 oz bottle when she gets up in the AM and before bed and then I work in 2 4oz. bottles throughout the day (usually with lunch and dinner). Can you try giving her more in the AM after she's gone the longest without eating? That may be where you have the chance to increase her ounces. My daughter's schedule is 8oz at 6am, fruit and cereal around 9ish, veggie and 4oz around 1, veggie and 4oz around 5, juice and then another 8oz at bedtime (usually 8 or so). Well, I hope this helps and good luck. Happy Mother's Day!!

Hi there,my 10 month old son is exactly the same.I recently took him to nutrionist on advice of ped to see what she thought.She told me ways to build up his food so that he would get more from it,like putting butter and cheese into his pasta and mashed potatoes and giving him rice cereal twice a day so he gets his required amount of iron.He is perfectly healthy so i not worried I went through exactly same scenario with my daughter when she started eating solids,just wasn't that interested in formula anymore.She also perfectly healthy.I know when its your first you worry about everything,but if you really worried ask ped for advice.Good luck.

Hi,

I was told by a pedi nurse that all the baby food, yogurt, etc also counts towards some of the liquids because there is so much water in it. If your daughter is growing and gaining weight than she is fine. Not all kids will eat the exact same amount. You will notice she will probably go through spurts of being ravaging and eating a ton and then other times when she is not so hungry. I really think they just know when they are growing and how much to eat.

Good luck,

L.

Reliv makes a fantastic nutritional supplement, formulated by Dr. Carl Hastings and his scientific team - he is the nutrition expert who formulated Enfamil and ProSoBee formulas, and he has been honored world-wide for his knowledge and contributions to nutrition. Reliv takes the worry out of balancing nutrition, and it tastes delicious. You can add it to applesauce or yogurt or other things - even mix it with a little milk and it tastes like cake frosting! Lots of recipes available from other moms who have had the same struggle as you, getting their children to eat. Let me know if you want more info and a chance to talk to other moms!

Hi J.,

I just went to the pedi for my daughters 9 month appointment. Much to my surprise, he told me that she should be getting 16oz of formula MAX per day. He said he wanted her to get her calories from food at this point, instead of the bottle. I also give her vitamins in the morning, so she'll get the nutrients she needs. Check with your pedi -- they all differ in opinions it seems. But, perhaps it's not such a bad thing that your little one is more interested in food that formula!

Good luck!

J.

My gut reaction to your dilemma is that there is no need for concern at all. Babies go through growth spurts and plateaus all the time. This could be a low-formula time for her.
Of course, she might be coming down with a cold, and I know that my children eat less when that happens. Or maybe she is teething--our second child refuses to eat almost anything when teething. Good Luck--and, Happy First Mother's Day!!

Hi! I had the same problem with my son...his Peds suggested getting one thing of yogurt in a day because that cuts down how much formula he really needs and other than that they suggested to try different ways-cold, hot, warm...eventually he started taking more but he still only takes a few ounces with every meal and he is 11 months! Good Luck