Milk

[Les1504]

Hi ladies, just a quick question about milk at 6 months+ I got Harry weighed this morning and the HV told me I was giving him too much milk, he has 3x8oz a day so 24oz on too of 3 meals and he said I should cut the middle bottle out as food is more important! 4 weeks ago I saw a HV from the same team who told me milk should be the priority and that he should be taking around 24-28oz at this stage (he's 6 and a half months). Why do they give out contradictory advice? He loves his milk and is hit and miss with food if he's having an off day so I won't be cutting it down! X

 

[Mrsstuart01]

I think milk is meant to be the main nutrition till they're 1 so I'd continue what you're doing.
One of the mums was told by a HV to stop breast feeding her 9 month old and put her onto formula! They try to get you bf'ing now she's being told to stop!
I'd say do what you feel is right. You know what's best for your baby and if they are healthy, happy and putting on weight then keep doing what you're doing xx

 

[Karate Kid]

From what I know milk is the primary source of nutrition until LO is one year old. Has Harry suddenly jumped centiles?

Oh I have been told to switch to formula many a time so much so I don't go to the drop in clinics any more! Xx

 

[Lolly85x]

3 bottles a day is nothing. I'm sure the formula box (I know it's only a guideline) says 4x8oz bottles a day! I have noticed W is dropping a bottle, not his 3am one though! Agh!
I really don't think it sounds too much milk at all xxx

 

[Les1504]

That's what I thought and he loves the milk, I would hate to deprive him of it! He's always hovered around the 98th centile and was just above it yesterday, but since the last weigh in he's started eating properly and had just eaten a whole weetabix with whole milk aswell as his morning bottle so I think that probably attributed to it. It's just funny how HVs sound like they've swallowed a textbook when they give you advice, but each one is giving out conflicting information x

 

[Lolly85x]

Aw! He's a baby... He's thriving! It's so conflicting info all the time. One minute it's milk is there main source of nutrition, then it's drop a bottle.?!?! Doesn't make sence.
So just go with your gut instinct.
I really want my little man weighted. I stood on the scales with him the others day, and it would have made him 16lbs 8?!? But I don't know if that actually works weighing them like that? Off topic though.
I think I will try W on some Wheetabix. Or adult porridge xxx

 

[KarenC]

KK - I can't believe people have been telling you to switch to formula when clearly C is thriving. Makes me so angry - they should be encouraging you. I rarely take T to clinic either as the HVs are all weird.

I believe milk should be his main source of nutrition up until the age of 1. With weaning, Tilly has dropped feeds by going longer between feeds, but I still always offer milk first and solids afterwards. Nothing is as nutritionally complete as milk for your LO.

HVs are all ignorant, do-gooding numpties. I dislike them in the extreme. We have to go for our 8 month check next Monday and I'm already on the defensive... about what I don't know, but I'm sure they will make me annoyed somehow.

My advice would be to offer milk first every time, then offer solids up to an hour later - sometimes we offer solids immediately afterwards, depending on timings. If he's hungry, he won't be able to concentrate on eating solids and will probably manage them better if he's had some milk first. Do what you feel is right by your own instincts - there's too much conflicting advice out there.
Hugs
xxx

 

[Karate Kid]

KK - I can't believe people have been telling you to switch to formula when clearly C is thriving. Makes me so angry - they should be encouraging you. I rarely take T to clinic either as the HVs are all weird.

I believe milk should be his main source of nutrition up until the age of 1. With weaning, Tilly has dropped feeds by going longer between feeds, but I still always offer milk first and solids afterwards. Nothing is as nutritionally complete as milk for your LO.

HVs are all ignorant, do-gooding numpties. I dislike them in the extreme. We have to go for our 8 month check next Monday and I'm already on the defensive... about what I don't know, but I'm sure they will make me annoyed somehow.

My advice would be to offer milk first every time, then offer solids up to an hour later - sometimes we offer solids immediately afterwards, depending on timings. If he's hungry, he won't be able to concentrate on eating solids and will probably manage them better if he's had some milk first. Do what you feel is right by your own instincts - there's too much conflicting advice out there.
Hugs
xxx

Oh don't get me started Hun! I just don't trust them, they just don't seem to know what they are doing!

A few have told me to switch completely and more have told me to give C 'top ups'. Now if they would stop focusing on percentages and graphs for long enough they would realise that C is as bright as a button and that neither hubby or I are particularly large or tall!? Xx

 

[TaffyRose]

That's awful KK, I can't believe they're were telling you to stop bf! Like you I don't bother with the drop in clinic anymore, Max is doing great and al the mums that I know that go just seem to come away stressed xx

 

[Karate Kid]

That's awful KK, I can't believe they're were telling you to stop bf! Like you I don't bother with the drop in clinic anymore, Max is doing great and al the mums that I know that go just seem to come away stressed xx

Seems to be a common theme Taffy! Yes I always hear about the stresses that jumped up HVs put on mums.

One of my NCT ladies was told that feeding her son to sleep at six months old was one of the most irresponsible things she could do.... Said baby in question is so contented and sleeps 7-7pm, and is BFd on demand! Clearly irresponsible parenting!

Rant over.... Sorry Les I have taken over your thread!!!!
Xx

 

[Hope81]

I must have the most cool hv ever lol! She just keeps telling me how brilliant Amelie is doing and that she is not worried that she is dropping centiles as she is obviously thriving regardless...
They only stressed me to start her on solids because she causes me so much trouble with her bottles but so I stop stressing every time a feed comes.

Anyway at the question how much milk she should be drinking by 6m and when she is established at 3 meals per day I got told to offer milk first morning then a little later and after I showered, drank coffee etc (my hv is very mummy to feel rested orientated) offer her breakfast usually fruit, at around 11 bottle (eventually dropped when the baby wants) followed by lunch at 12 together with the baby, small bottle at around 2, dinner at 5-6, bottle before bed. That's 4 bottles and they will naturally drop to 3 at around 8 m and by 1 year to 2 (according to hv) Always offer water during meals and baby tea in between meals if she wants.
I think that's about all I was told. So practically she told me go ahead and give her as much milk ax she wants though I doubt Amelie is going to drink more than 3 half bottles but we will see...
I will just give him what he wants but I would offer only 1/2 a bottle before meal and then solids and then offer the rest of the bottle if he still wants it.
Every mum really has her methods and what I believe is of sth is not broken then don't try to fix it. As long as he is not jumping the centiles like crazy and he is eating his solids going slowly towards 3 established meals per day I don't see any problem that needs addressed???

 

[Les1504]

I didn't see any problem with what I was doing either Hope, he loves food and milk but it seems this HV didn't approve of him having so much milk (although I wouldn't call 24oz a day too much milk!) she said he should only be drinking formula twice a day now but he's only 6 months! X

 

[Les1504]

If we don't attend baby clinic every 4 weeks we get a phone call asking us why we haven't been! I'm back at work in two weeks time so I won't be able to go until Easter, what a shame!! X

 

[TaffyRose]

Les you obviously have a very happy healthy little boy, he'll drop a feed when he's ready. Once we got signed off from the hv I haven't heard a peep! We went to the drop in clinic for a few months but haven't bothered recently.

Like you say it's a shame you won't be able to go for a while xxx

 

[Les1504]

That's awful KK, I can't believe they're were telling you to stop bf! Like you I don't bother with the drop in clinic anymore, Max is doing great and al the mums that I know that go just seem to come away stressed xx

Seems to be a common theme Taffy! Yes I always hear about the stresses that jumped up HVs put on mums.

One of my NCT ladies was told that feeding her son to sleep at six months old was one of the most irresponsible things she could do.... Said baby in question is so contented and sleeps 7-7pm, and is BFd on demand! Clearly irresponsible parenting!

Rant over.... Sorry Les I have taken over your thread!!!!
Xx

Haha you haven't atall KK! It's reassuring to know that other mums are also being given conflicting advice and you are quite right, as long as baby is happy and thriving were doing ok! Harry's only had one cold in 29 weeks so his immune system must be relatively strong! X

 

[Les1504]

Les you obviously have a very happy healthy little boy, he'll drop a feed when he's ready. Once we got signed off from the hv I haven't heard a peep! We went to the drop in clinic for a few months but haven't bothered recently.

Like you say it's a shame you won't be able to go for a while xxx

Thanks TaffyRose! It's silly when I actually think about it, they see our LOs for 10 mins every few weeks and think they know our babies better than we do, fair enough they've had a lot of training and many years experience but babies aren't robots, they all have different needs x

 

[steffy]

I've stopped going to baby clinic! I well had enough of them! Abi dropped to below 25th centile when she was 12 weeks old. i was told she wasnt meeting the thrive line. she stuck around there for about 2 months and then we started weaning (as advised by her consultant) and next time i took her to baby clinic they were amazed as she had gone back up to the 50th centile. when i told them i started weaning, they gave me a lecture because she was 19 weeks until i told them it was under her consultant advice!! they were so rude and made me feel like i was doing something wrong! and usually they walk out with the parent and call in the next, but they stayed in the room to clearly talk about me! was so obvious!

abi still has 3 bottles a day! just starting to be not that fussed about the afternoon one, but it's important so i still encourage it. I'm sure he will drop it as and when is he ready, but he obviously wants it so let him.

Damned if you do and damned if you dont i'm afraid! so now she only get's weighed when she sees her consultant every 3 months. xx

 

[Lolly85x]

Last time I seem HV my little man was 17 weeks, and won't see her again till 8/9 months....!!!xxx