Reducing formula in prep for weaning

[marshmallowpies]

DD2 is nearly 6 months & is mixed fed (BF, 4 bottles of formula a day & 1 bottle of expressed milk).

She has climbed steadily up the percentiles and is now 98 th centime. The HV said we should 'drastically' cut back the formula so she loses weight in preparation for weaning. Is this something anyone has ever been advised to do before?

The formula volumes she gets are not as much as a fully formula fed baby of the same age would get, obviously, usually 150ml, but she has 200ml bottles of aptamil when we are out and about during the day. The expressed bottle is usually around 130-140ml but I'm finding it harder and harder to express that much now, so was going to stop expressing at 6 months, it just takes too long. I plan to continue BFing once weaning starts, just a bit terrified I will be starving her if I cut out too much formula so quickly - I don't think my milk alone will compensate!

[MrsHathaway]

What the actual fuck?

Not only have I not heard that advice before, I think it actively dangerous. A weaning baby gets nearly all her calories from milk and adds a few tastes until by around twelve months she's getting more from solids than milk.

It's quite common for babies to grow into their weight when they wean as most foods are less calorie dense than milk. This also usually coincides with their becoming more mobile and burning more calories.

Unless a doctor has told you your child is vastly overweight please ignore this very weird advice from the health visitor. I'm agog and aghast.

[HeadDreamer]

Who told you to reduce milk feeds? They don't drop milk for ages. DD2 is 10mo and only starting to stop asking for milk so much in the last week. And she's on 3 meals, 2 snacks, carbs, protein, dairy, the works.

[marshmallowpies]

Ok thank you for telling me that this is positively bad advice! My gut told me it wasn't good.

I am going to try and up the BF and cut the formula a little, in the hope she will keep BFing more once I stop expressing, but not nearly as much as the HV says. And go to see my fab BF support midwife who I suspect will be at this advice...

[babyiwantabump]

Erm the health visitor is talking utter tosh! A baby shouldn't loose weight in preparation for weaning!!

Dangerous and unhealthy!

Food is fun under 1 and a weaning baby should get the majority from milk until then!

[chandelierswinger]

Loses weight?! Is she for real??? Milk, whether formula or breast milk, should continue to be the main source of your DD's calorie intake for the next 6 months. She'll let you know when she's ready to drop her milk in favour of food, but it won't be for a while. HVs!

[SurlyCue]

Health visitor needs reporting! Tht is appalling advice! At 6 months weaning is not supposed to replace any milk calories.

[HeadDreamer]

I'm glad you know your HV is bonkers. To lose weight in preparation of weaning? Definitely check with a GP first. And one who does baby checks at your clinic. I don't have much respect for the advice I had from the HV. I have been told my BF baby doesn't need vitamin drops because I take pregnacare. That's not what the NHS web pages says!

[marshmallowpies]

Thank you all again - and just to be clear, she's not even 6 months for another 2 weeks, we aren't introducing foods early or anything (except gumming on carrot and cucumber sticks for soothing her gums, she's not swallowing any). The idea of depriving her of milk to get her 'ready' for food seems so cruel!

She is quite a difficult baby and very fretful in the afternoons/early evening (we suspect about to get a tooth any day now) and I admit my DH's response is always 'should we feed her more?' - but I resisted giving her more formula bar 1 or 2 occasions when she seemed really distressed and refused to BF. But I can't bear the thought of starving her!

[HeadDreamer]

Have you read the NHS pages on weaning?
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/solid-foods-weaning.aspx

It is very good and all you needed to know about weaning.

The advice is weaning around 6 months. There are 3 signs to look out for when baby is ready. There is nothing magical that happened at exactly 26 weeks. Your baby might be ready now or might not be for another 4 weeks. HTH