to ask how the hell I can fill up my baby?

[Merryoldgoat]

I’m at my bloody wit’s end - my baby is 8 months and I can’t seem to fill him up.

He just constantly whines for more food or milk and it’s utterly ridiculous.

He is ENORMOUS. He’s 2 stone and the size of a much older baby - he’s wearing 12-18 month clothes and they fit him properly.

I just don’t know what to do - the obvious answer is to give him more, but then he vomits because he’s too full.

He had breakfast at 8.30am (woke at 8.00), big bowl of porridge and two yoghurts. From 9.15 he whined until I gave him a bottle - he demolished it in about 10 mins.

He’s going to start up again within an hour, but what do I do? It’s all fucking day.

He’s tracking considerably above the top centile so HV suggested reducing formula, but unless they’re moving in to deal with the whining that’s not happening.

Anyone else had one like this? What did you do?

My DH and I make big kids - 5 year old is tallest in his year wearing 7-8 year old clothes - not at all fat, just tall. He was big but ate at normal intervals.

I’m exhausted. I’ve got no time to do anything substantial and my PND was retreating but it’s getting worse again with this constantly being on edge.

I just don’t know what to do and I’m sick of being told he’s ‘too big’ as it is.

Yes definitely try again

If you fond it stressful you don't have to do full BLW, I certainly don't
You can do a mix of purées and stuff for him to feed himself

From yesterday's food DD fed herself the toast, the omelette, cherry toms, a bit of the banana & a few slices of avocado, everything else I mushed and fed her

It's important that your DS learns to chew and feed himself

It sounds like maybe he's not hungry all the time, maybe just unsatisfied

I find they seem to go through a filling and bulking up phase just before they get more mobile, and then the extra goes to energy and they "slim" down a little anyways cos they're never flipping still!

Try to increase the protein, as that it what fills us up and leave a cup of water out for him.

Sorry you are having such a hard time of it.

Hello OP

I looked at your menu and see a lot of sugar in there. If the yogurt isn’t the full fat, sugar free, Greek type, then that’s a serve of sugar. The fruit is another serve. Pasta is another serve, if not quite as simple. Potato is another serve. That won’t necessarily fill him up.

The chick pea/lentil purees sound great. Pumpkin and sweet potato are excellent choices. They are sweet in flavour but more nutrient dense. At 8 months, i was cubing and boiling until soft so dd could feed herself. Carrot, parsnips, beans are all good.

Also, if we ate steak atc, I would give dd the bone as we were all at table so she gnawed away very happily. Please note that all of the above suggested can be used for breakfast. Just because Kelloggs say cereal for breakfast is the best doesn’t mean it’s true.

Good luck. Lots of people here have great ideas and you will sort it out.

At 8 months a baby is at peak chub because they aren’t moving around much. He will slim down once he’s crawling/walking.

He could also just be a whingey baby. I had one of those I’d be wary about interpreting his crankiness as hunger all the time tbh, especially at such a young age.

Could you try some food that takes ages to eat? Something like oatcakes that they have to make soggy by chewing before they can eat, or peas that have to be picked up individually - might slow him down a bit and give you a break. I find mine eats more purees than if she is feeding herself.

Also is he crawling yet? Mine was 98th centile but dropped when got more on the move.

Some people are missing whatever it is that makes them feel full and naturally atop eating. I have known a child like this, it was diagnosed as they would just eat and eat til vomiting. Their parents had to limit portion sizes for them

some babies need a lot of stimulation.It is no ood to toss him the same old toys he was bored of months ago- ive him something new to explore

That sounds really hard. I have no real advice but we had a similar problem with DD between 4 and 8 months where no amount of milk would fill her, we were advised to start weaning early. Maybe try always having low calorie options on hand e.g. cucumber, celery, rice cakes, crackers with quark? Then at least he feels like he's eating but he won't be having so much more than he should be.

DD grew out of acting like a starved child around 7/8 months and eats very normally now and is tracking 91st centile length and 75th weight (she was 91st and 99th at one point).

I definitely would give him things to chew on (vegetables, rice cakes) rather than purée to slow down his eating. you will probably find that he slims down once he starts moving though.

Two yoghurts aren't very filling. Would be much better off with a banana surely?

Have you heard of bickiepegs? They're teething biscuits but literally impossible to eat. They kept my DS happy as he was chewing on something food like even though it didn't fill him up.

Are you making porridge with whole oats or the baby porridge?
Whole rolled oats take a lot longer to digest and keep blood sugar stable for longer. Baby porridge is usually mostly rice.

Thank you everyone - I’m going to try some of the suggestions on here. Most appreciated.

He’s so different from my older son I’m finding I’m second guessing myself all the time and getting stuff wrong.

He hates banana. He and my other son are the only children I’ve ever met who don’t like it. He spits it out and cries if it goes near him.

If I eat porridge for breakfast I get a painful, ravenous kind of feeling of hunger only an hour or two afterwards - maybe your poor little fellow has the same. It's so strange because some people do seem to find it filling.

My 12 month old is a big boy, both on height and weight, though he's not overweight for his height, he is for his age iyswim. In 18 to 24 month clothes.
He has 9oz first thing either formula or fresh full fat.
About an hour later Weetabix.
2 hours later 7oz milk
1.30pm lunch and pudding, drink
3.30pm 7oz milk
5pm Tea with pudding, drink
Bed 9oz milk.
He will wake for feeds now and again for comfort.

Avacado's instead of Bananas are perfect, keep the other half in the fridge for the next day. Mine has half an avacodo (or half a banana) at 3/4 ish between lunch and dinner.

Avacado's are as portable as bananas too, though more expensive i know

He honestly just sounds a bit hungry and needs more variety & filling ingredients at lunch and dinner

Plus a filling snack like a avacado's or rice cakes with humus, penut butter/cream cheese ect

Its a tricky age imo. They know what they want to do but a little young to do it. I agree on the protein and pulses pps have said too. Maybe split the food up a bit and let him eat some himself to slow it down plus gumming stuff will help with teething. Everyone goes on about bedtime routines but I put more emphasis on the day time routine not so much nap times but eating and going out (more for my sanity) and it seemed to fall into place!

@BackBoiler agreed! Daytime routine is essential

Thanks again. It’s been a really hard day. He’s basically just hooted at me unless I’ve been holding him or feeding him. It’s exhausting.

This is going to be a really long half term.

Could it be
Silent reflux? Babies who suffer tend to overeat because its soothing whilst they are eating

Yes! I second what Autumn said plus you seem to have not been giving him water?! Surely not none at all? He should be having a free flow sippy cup of cooled boiled water available to grab and prompted to sip it frequently during every meal. If you haven’t been giving him any water I guarantee it will be thirst not hunger at least 50% of the time he’s telling you. Definitely do more baby led as he will eat the same but much slower so his tummy will have time to register how much he is eating and that he’s full, don’t ever give 2 yoghurts that’s crazy a yoghurt is a portion! Try porridge then half a slice of toast which will take him much much longer to eat himself rather than shovelling in pots of sugary fattening yoghurt in half the speed, if you stretch his tummy at this rate he will be eating a full multi pack by age 2!

He’s a bit ‘loud’ refluxy - has been since birth but it’s much better now.

The food I posted was kind of an illustration - not the same every day. He does have water at meals from a sippy cup which he loves. I just meant I’d give him more between meals.

I’ll consider BLW but I’m not keen.