8 month old food & formula opinions please

[lisastevo]

Hiya all.

Just after your opinions on my 8 month old sons diet. I'll give you a run down...

Upon waking 8/9 oz formula

Breakfast- Either weetabix or porridge made with 3oz formula + half pouch of fruit

Lunch-1 7+ jar and yogurt

Tea- Half 7+ jar and half fruit pouch

Bedtime bottle 8/9 oz formula

He also has between 6/8 oz of water throughout the day and the occasional biscotti and organix snacks.

I guess I'm just worried about him not having enough formula. I was offering him bottles between meals but the problem with my son is its all or nothing....if I give him a bottle he'll want 8/9 oz and then just spend the day throwing up his food so I thought why bother, he didn't seem to need it, he's hungry at mealtimes and eats really well. I'd love to just be able to offer him a couple of oz's but if I do he just cries for more and as I say then throws up everywhere.

I don't give him a large tea because he won't take his bedtime bottle and then he really is only having 13 or so oz's which I was told by the HV that is isn't enough.

He seems happy and healthy so maybe I'm just over analysing things?

Any opinions or suggestions much appreciated.

 

[Toni.C]

For lunch or dinner instead of a jar could you make up some mashed potato with a few ounces of milk? Have you thought about buying the Ella's kitchen first foods book, it's full of great recipes which incorporate babies formula milk. I've found it invaluable with weaning and recipes for LO as he gets older.

 

[kumber]

I wouldn't worry too much about the formula as they are getting most of their calories from food at 8 months. The milk is there to help balance what they don't get and provide extra fat. I would suggest a 4-5oz portion at about 3 or 4 though, going from 1pm to 7pm wih no food is quite a long time for an 8 month old.

I think substituting the lunch jar for a healthy homecooked meal with some milk mixed in is also an excellent idea. Lumpy mash, meat and veggies are greaat for this as they get a good variety of flavours in there, lots of lumps for chewing and you can bump up their milk intake. You only need about an oz or two in there but every little helps!

Not all babies stay on formula until 12 momths either, my lb self-weaned off formula just shy of 11 months and there was not a hope of getting him to have it. At 8 months though I would say he was getting 8oz in morning and at night, 2oz in breakfast, lunch and dinner (all homecooked so it was easier to mix in milk) and a 4oz bottle mid afternoon. So he was only having 3 bottles, but got his milk through his food too.

 

[lisastevo]

Thanks for your advice. I think you may have misread my post Kumber. Those weren't the times he eats but how much. Bottle at 7am, brekkie at 8.30, snack around 10.30, lunch 12.30, snack at 3, tea at 4.30, bedtime bottle at 6. Hence why I can't fit in a full bottle, he crys if I only offer 3/4 oz's as suggested because he wants more, cue the throwing up. Also I was using those as an example, my husband is a chef so we eat a lot of home cooked food, just never thought to add formula. Maybe I should have mad myself more clear

 

[kumber]

Ahh sorry, yes I completely misunderstood your post. Is it possible to use smaller bottles so they still look full but he's getting a smaller amount? Sorry if you've already tried this, I just wondered if it could be a visual thing? Have you tried offering his milk in a sippy cup?

Beyond that I wouldn't have a clue what to suggest unfortunately maybe reduce the food in favour of the milk but then that's sort of going backwards too. Sorry, no useful advice at all I'm afraid.

 

[littlemonkey]

Your son sounds very similar to my eldest. He had reflux and we now believe in fact he had an undiagnosed milk allergy/intolerance. As a result he never drank much formula and we weaned at four months in a bid to help with his reflux and get more food into him. He was on three meals a day by six months. Based on my experience with him I honestly don't know how some babies manage on just milk until six months!

At the age he was having two or three bottles a day along with three meals and snacks. He'd have a morning and bed time bottle and then maybe a few ounces mid morning. Although he was gradually dropping that around that age. I made sure I offered him alternative sources of dairy and calcium, so lots of cheese, yogurts etc and lots of fruit and veg. I also gave him vitamin drops. I would also try to sneak in formula where I could, adding it to cereals and purees. You can also give LO cows milk as a drink from six months as a way of bumping up their calorie and dairy intake, just don't use it to replace his formula feeds just yet.

Like Kumber says, it's just a matter of making sure they get the extra fat and the vitamins and minerals that are added to formula. Your LO is eating well so I think cutting foods to increase his milk intake is a backwards step.

 

[littlemonkey]

Also HV never mentioned my son's formula intake after six months. As long as he's gaining weight ok and getting his vitamins I wouldn't worry.

 

[JD.Deedee]

My son is a little older so it's just a theory.. I've just swapped him from normal formula to toddler milk.. It's got fewer calories the older stage it goes up to.. So it might be worth getting a bit more formula in by getting a follow on with fewer calories than the one you're currently using..? Maybe if all fails, ask GP/HV whomever does them in your area for vitamin drops to add to the food. I can't imagine it would be because your little one seems to be eating fine and getting enough cals out of it..