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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU.. Baby refusing milk

22 replies

LouBlue1507 · 09/02/2017 12:57

My DD is 6 months and has taken to food brilliantly, she's eats everything! The only thing is she has stopped taking her milk. She'll have a couple of ounces every few ounces and will only take a full 6oz during her dream feed.

AIBU to worry a bit? I'm sure she should still be having 20-30oz a day at this age and DD is having no where near that much!

An example of her day is;

6:30 2oz milk
9:00 weetabix with milk, grapes and strawberries.
10:00 2oz milk
12:00 - Jam sandwich, watermelon and carrot/parsnip pudding
1:30 - 2oz milk
4:30 - 2oz milk
5:30 - fish, mash and peas and fruit pudding
7:00 - 4oz milk and bed
11:00 - 5oz milk dream feed

Boiled water as and when throughout the day.

Is DD getting enough? Thanks!

OP posts:

sum1killthepawpatrollers · 09/02/2017 12:59

are you making her weetabix and mash with her milk? if so then shes really not that far off 20oz

dementedpixie · 09/02/2017 13:00

Sounds like a lot of food for a 6 month old. You don't need to boil drinking water.

Becca83 · 09/02/2017 13:03

I think maybe it's a bit much food for a 6 month old to be honest. I also wouldn't personally give a small baby a jam sandwich due to the sugar content, but that's just me!
I would try to add milk to porridge eye as she needs the nutrients from the breastmilk/formula for at least the next 6 months.

DonkeyOaty · 09/02/2017 13:04

Really you've gone super fast with the solid food - iirc 3 meals a day by 8 to 9 months is more like it.

Could you cut out the lunch or tea for now, replace with milk feed, reintroduce in a few more weeks?

EdmundCleverClogs · 09/02/2017 13:14

That sounds like a lot of food! At 6 months mine had two meals a day, and 'tasters' of things here and there. They only have so much room in their tiny stomachs. I'd start by cutting out the jam sandwich to be honest.

Me624 · 09/02/2017 13:17

DS was still on 5 x 6oz bottles a day at 6 months but as others have said we took food a lot more slowly, he had low calorie fruit and vegetable purées once a day for the first few weeks and it took until about 8 months to get to 3 proper meals at which point he cut down his milk himself. If she loves her food and is eating lots then that's fine but no need to offer her milk quite so often, just give her a bottle first thing and maybe one mid morning and mid afternoon and one at bed. You're trying to fit two milk feeds in between lunch and tea, she's probably not hungry.

Original poster

LouBlue1507 · 09/02/2017 13:21

Thanks everyone. It's the health visitor who suggested three meals a day and DD really does love her food so it's worked well. I just wasn't sure if she needed as much milk as I'm trying?

OP posts:

Becca83 · 09/02/2017 13:27

I would maybe have another chat with your hv as I'm sure you're supposed to offer a supplement if they take below the recommended amount of milk a day. I would try to cut back on one meal and offer an extra milk feed. It just seems so quick and milk is the most important source of nutrition before they turn 1. It's great that she's taken so well to food (mime loves it too!) But she really needs her milk too.
I'm surprised your hv is pushing so much food so early!

Anditstartsagain · 09/02/2017 13:31

I'm not sure about the right amounts but just wanted to say ds2 is a big food fan he is eating loads and dropped down the milk per bottle to around the same as your baby. Even if I feed him less he still doesn't want the milk just moans until I get him real food.

DorotheaHomeAlone · 09/02/2017 13:36

That is 17oz of milk plus whatever is in her cereal. Sounds fine. Three meals a day is fine. I would really try to cut her sugar intake though. Jam is full of sugar and fruit with every meal is unnecessary too.

Kpo58 · 09/02/2017 13:39

If your baby is drinking under 500ml of formula, then they recommend giving baby vitamin drops.

Soubriquet · 09/02/2017 13:41

Are you using formula as milk for the weetabix?

That's a way of getting it in there too

Original poster

LouBlue1507 · 09/02/2017 14:12

Yes formula for weetabix! Looking back she does get a decent amount of milk and maybe I am over analysing and worrying!

OP posts:

2014newme · 09/02/2017 14:16

Jam for a six month old?
She is,eating a lot of food but counting it up she is also getting 20Oz of milk. She must be a very hungry baby!

Pointeshoes · 09/02/2017 14:19

Don't worry it sounds fine just cut back on the sugar :)

KatyWT1987 · 09/02/2017 14:26

As others have said that's a crazy amount of food! My HV hasn't seen us since my baby was newborn so haven't had any suggestions but my 6 month old is getting one portion of fruit or veg purée a day and one finger food (cucumber, melon, asparagus type things). I thought the idea was that around 9 months they would be getting 3 meals a day and 6 months was just really the start of weaning?
Maybe I'm misinformed.

Susiethetortoiseshellcat · 09/02/2017 14:29

With baby led weaning which is popular now you do usually tend to start with 3 meals. My ds didn't have very much to start but if she is eating it then I wouldn't worry, she clearly wants it. You can also use cows milk in cooking, eggs on weetabix from 6 months. Just up her dairy if she isn't having much milk. Sounds like you are doing a great job by the way, I have a very fussy child and found weaning the hardest thing so far.

Jooni · 09/02/2017 14:31

I remember being really worried about the recommended milk intake when DD was between 6-12 months too as she's never been a big drinker. I tried reducing her solids but it didn't really make any difference and looking back, I wish I'd been more relaxed about it.

All babies have different preferences and want different amounts of milk at different stages. It sounds like she's really keen on the solids and just isn't a big drinker, some aren't. It sounds like you're doing a great job at getting as much into a reluctant milk drinker as possible - there's not much more you can do but keep offering it and you never know, she may go through a growth spurt in a month or two and suddenly want loads. If she's happy and healthy and nappies are fine, you've got nothing to worry about

2014newme · 09/02/2017 16:25

Jooni But she is having 20Oz milk a day. That's plenty in addition to three meals surely?

mummymeister · 09/02/2017 16:44

look, everyones baby is different. some people will say that a 6 month old should only be on one meal a day and loads of milk and others will say the polar opposite. this is because fundamentally all babies are different.

feeona123 · 09/02/2017 19:45

With my 2nd (who is nearly 14 months) the advice seemed to change from my first who is coming up 3.

It wasn't a gradual increase in food it was 3 full meals straight away...a jar full amount each meal with 3 milk feeds.

I didn't quite follow that quantity but he was very interested in food so it was 3 meals pretty quick.

Anditstartsagain · 09/02/2017 21:33

I called my hv after reading this thread since we have been the same she said 20oz and 3 meals is fine as long as baby is happy healthy and alert. She also said that if the milk reduction is baby led it's fine just to make sure if he falls below the 20oz in bottles then try to make it up in food and cups.

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