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Weaning

6.5 mo DS crying lots - I think he is hungry

25 replies

NichyNoo · 28/06/2013 20:48

DS is 6.5 months old and was EBF until a few weeks ago. He now has 4 bottles of formula (210ml) during the day and a small bottle in the night. I started weaning last week and so added to that he has a small veg puree at lunchtime and a small fruit puree in the afternoon.

He is very big for his age (was 99th centile and is now 75th) and seems to be hungry all the time. He cries with anticipation when he sees the bottle or puree. He generally cries a lot....much more than DS1 did.

I don't want to over-feed him but think he needs more food. I don't dare to get rid of a milk feed as I currently space them out by 4 hours and the last 30 minutes of that he cries with, what I think is, hunger.

Should I be trying to feed him more food and, if so, when do I drop a feed? I'd love to drop the night feed but not ready to go cold turkey yet and deal with him screaming all night. I can't remember what I did with DS1 and was in a different country then (where paediatrician told me what to do month by month). Any advice please?

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/06/2013 21:17

Is that 210 ml per feed or total over the day? Is he hungry or are you assuming he is because he is big? Does he settle if you distract him? Have you tried smaller bottles more often? 4 hours is a long time to go without food or water though, know I would probably be crying too Smile

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/06/2013 21:22

Just reread your post. I would try a ff every 3.5 hours and not worry too much about dropping milk feeds yet. There is sone good weaning info on MN including milk feeds and a handy timetable here Smile

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BotBotticelli · 29/06/2013 09:01

Could you try feeding him something a litlle more filling for his solids, rather than pure veg or fruit purees, which don't have many calories in?

As he is over 6mo you can use cows milk in your 'cooking' now, so maybe try some weetabix with warm cows milk for one of your meals? Or some baby porridge made with formula milk? And with the veg purees, try to use more stodgy veg like sweet potatos, potatos etc, not just carrots/peas etc which don't have many calories in at all.

My DS is 7mo and we have been weaning since 5mo, so we're a few weeks in front of you, but things he likes eating include:

  • mashed potato with cheese and spinach (made with unsalted butter and whole milk)
  • weetabix for breakfast with whole milk
  • purees from the Anabel karmel book involving sweet potatos, normal potatos, parsnips and lots of other veg (and chicken too, but we waited will we had been weaning a month before starting those)
  • Full fat natural yoghurt with fruit puree mixed in
  • Toast fingers with unsalted butter
  • mashed avocado, on its own or with some mashed banana


Needless to say, keep up your milk feeds as you're currently doing....he will start to reduce the oz he takes over the next few months by himself. But if he is hungry for some solid food (and you must follow your instincts on this) it might be better to try and get some of these more fatty/calorific foods into him, rather than just watery veg.
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JiltedJohnsJulie · 29/06/2013 09:37

Mashed avocado is stodgy too Smile

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janey223 · 29/06/2013 09:44

I wouldn't worry about him having to go 4 hours and just feed him when he's hungry like you did when bf.

Also agree to up his food, either a third meal or more calorific foods, he'll let you know when he's full.

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RobotBananas · 29/06/2013 09:51

Just as a comparison - DS was having 7 bottles of milk a day just as we started weaning, and he was 50th centile. Def don't worry about dropping a feed yet, and offer more than fruit or veg for meals. He could have ready brek or something for breakfast?

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NichyNoo · 29/06/2013 11:25

Hello, its 210ml per feed. I'm assuming he is hungry as he starts crying desperately and opening his mouth when he sees the bottle being prepared.

I may try adding another puree feed in the late afternoon. He is only eating little portions so it won't put him off his milk. Thank you.

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NichyNoo · 29/06/2013 11:28

Oops...posted before refreshing and seeing the additional comments. Thanks for the ideas....will add some more variety to his food and go for some more filling foods.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 29/06/2013 19:43

If he's opening his mouth and crying you really should give him his milk nichy. The current advice is to feed on demand and he is giving you a clear signal that he is hungry, to the point of distress.

How do you feel about adding another bottle in the day?

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Purplehonesty · 29/06/2013 19:53

4 bottles a day doesn't seem very much for his age, I've bf both mine but I think I'd be upping the milk for now and adding in purées on top.
He is only little and needs his milk, both mine were having more feeds than that at 6m.

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RobotBananas · 29/06/2013 20:03

IIRC there is normally a general guide on the side of the formula packet to give you an idea of how much milk you'd expect them to drink at each age. I'll try and find a link...

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PourquoiPas · 29/06/2013 20:04

If he is clearly hungry after 3.5 hours, why not feed him then?

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RobotBananas · 29/06/2013 20:08

[http://www.cgbabyclub.co.uk/article/how-much-and-how-often-should-i-bottlefeed-my-baby Here you go]]

It's just a guide though.

6mo - 4 x 8oz (240ml) bottles a day. So you're about right, but I think I'd offer a bit more.

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RobotBananas · 29/06/2013 20:08
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JiltedJohnsJulie · 29/06/2013 22:37

Agree that I'd offer more, 4 x 8oz is just a guideline and your baby is clearly hasnt read the instructions...Smile

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RobotBananas · 29/06/2013 23:28

Yy, like I said upthread - DS was on 7 x 7oz at this age. God knows where he put it all!

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PeazlyPops · 29/06/2013 23:35

I think 4 bottles isn't really enough at this age. DS was on 5 bottles a day until he was 10 months old, had 4 a day until 12momths, 3 a day until 14 months.

There's no need to evenly space feeds.. If he's hungry after 3.5 hours, give him a feed!

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NichyNoo · 30/06/2013 08:28

Thank you. The advice on the Aptamil carton is 5 x 210ml a day which I give him (including night feed). I wasn't aware I could give more.....thought I'd be accused of over-feeding him. Never had these issues with DS1.....DS2 just seems so much more hungry.

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maja00 · 30/06/2013 08:35

I don't understand why you'd make him wait an extra 30 minutes after he's hungry either? The advice on the box is just a guideline for an average baby and as you've said yours is bigger than average anyway!

By 6.5 months my DS was having a full range of family foods - porridge for breakfast, toast/fruit/yoghurt for lunch, lasagne or casserole and rice for dinner. It's fine to just feed them the same as you are having at this age - just don't add salt when you cook and avoid whole nuts and honey.

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MyDaydream · 30/06/2013 09:10

My 6mo has 5 240mls a day and it seems to get him through, although the spacing between gets shorter throughout the day. We're giving finger foods twice a day so not much is eaten in the way of food but I'm happy as long as the milk goes down. I also bf a couple of times a day but that's when he's over tired and not settling for a nap rather than food.
He's always Been a hungry baby and we just go with what he wants rather than by the formula tub because its not the formula company who have to put up with him crying because his milk wasn't enough.

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NichyNoo · 30/06/2013 09:53

Ok OK....the reason I spaced them out was to make the 5 feeds last for the day as I didn't know I could give more than on the box. Otherwise he'd have all of his 5 feeds within a few hours if he could.

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feesh · 30/06/2013 17:50

I would up the amount in his bottles - my 6.5 month old son regularly knocks back 240ml bottles (which is 250ml+ once made up). Mine also gets hungrier as the day goes on - he tends to feed at approximately 6am, 11am, 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 10pm.

Ignore the manufacturer guidelines, I don't know any formula fed babies who come even close to what it says on the box.

I have twins and they are so different in what they take in terms of formula.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/06/2013 18:28

nichy are you going to try 3.5 hours and see how it goes?

How about giving him some ready brek and chopped banana for breakfast or some toast about an hour after his first bottle? Agree there is no need for sticking to veg and fruit purees at this age either so if you are having something like pasta in the evening its fine to give him a blw too. Just watch the salt and sugar levels and don't give him whole nuts or honey Smile

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NichyNoo · 30/06/2013 19:54

I am going to be more relaxed about timings between feeds yes...plus give an extra meal (breakfast).

Today he had 210ml milk at 6am, weetabix at 8am, 210ml milk at around 10.30am (he was asleep so didn't have it earlier). Vegetable and potato puree at midday plus some drops of water, 210ml milk at 3.30pm (again he was asleep in the car so didn't wake for it earlier), fruit puree at around 5pm plus drops of water then 210ml milk before bed at 7.30pm. He will normally wake for 150ml milk in the night any time between midnight and 4am.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/06/2013 20:04

So he hasn't had any more milk, just more solids? Did he seem happier and have you had a better day? Smile

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