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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

My health visitor says I am not feeding 8 month old enough and should stop breast feeding?

30 replies

StinkyLinkyLane · 22/02/2012 10:27

He was born on the 9th percentile and is now on the 50th at 8 months - he weighs 18lb.

I am breast feeding and he also eats normal food. Took him to see the health visitor to be weighted as I am lazy and havent bothered for 4 months he was due to be seen and happened to mention that he still wakes looking for boob every hour it seems although probably less during the night - we co sleep.

She asked what he has in a typical day and says that he is not eating enough, that he is filling himself up during the night so I need to drop night feeds. He has:

Morning - Readybrek with a yoghurt, water/baby juice in a bottle
Snack - fruit or baby biscuit
Breastfed for nap time
Lunch - mashed banana on toast, jelly/yoghurt
Breastfed for nap time
Dinner - brocoli, carrot, baby sweetcorn, cheese, with more yoghurt/fruit.
Breastfed for nap
Then whatever I am eating for dinner stolen from my plate.
Breastfed for bed then on and off all night.

He has juice/water all through the day, occasional slices of cheese, toast etc depending on the day.

That was what he had yesterday, other days he will have chicken dinner, spag bol, dippy egg etc pretty much what ever I am doing for me.

HV seems to think he needs more cows milk (I already make his breakfast with full fat milk) and more yoghurts. Less breastfeeds.

He doesnt always eat what he is given. He prefers to throw it around, suck it and spit it out, mash it into his hair etc.

What do you think? What does your baby eat?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 22/02/2012 10:33

I think your HV is a loon misguided. It sounds like he is getting lots to eat and plenty of dairy in the form of BM

MzPixielated · 22/02/2012 10:34

your health visitor is an idiot. your baby is clearly eating enough and i think you should always trust your own instincts. you will most likely be the first to know if their is anything wrong with your baby be it feeding/weight or otherwise and i wouldn't stop breastfeeding unless you feel its the right thing to do.

4madboys · 22/02/2012 10:35

what cmotdibbler said, sounds fine to me!

otchayaniye · 22/02/2012 10:37

She sounds Ill informed. More cow's milk? For gawd's sake.

Are you sure she's not responding to you seemin to 'complain' about frequent night feeds? Then she may be suggesting upping solids to 'help', I'm guessing!

I'm only staring BLW my second at just over six months. BLW the first and bfed til three, night weaning at 2 to kick start ovulation.

Both are certainly interested with food and some goes in but nothing in quantity with first until 8-9 months. Both co-slept and fed to sleep round the clck.

Unless she's losing weight I struggle to see the issue.

I don't get my second weighed (with first I had lots of weight anxiety) as she went from 0.2 at birth to 30th in weeks and looks chubby and is developing fine

DonInKillerHeels · 22/02/2012 10:40

Your HV is an idiot. And babies under 12 months are not supposed to have cows milk as a drink! It sounds like you and baby are doing just fine. Ignore.

TheSurgeonsMate · 22/02/2012 10:42

More cows milk? I think that's the clue that her approach isn't to be valued. He's only 8 months - my own view is that it is fine at this stage to be simply adding some foods into his repertoire , rather than devising some complex dietary plan.

ZhenThereWereTwo · 22/02/2012 10:46

Your HV doesn't know what they are talking about, your baby is having dairy in yoghurts and cheese, cows milk not recommended until 12 months plus.

Breastmilk contains exactly the right nutrients for a human baby, unlike cows milk which is for calves!

Your baby seems to be eating more than enough to me and I was feeding lots at night still at that stage, due to DD teething and wanting to comfort feed rather than being hungry.

50th percentile and gaining great, mind you I didn't bother taking DD to health visitor after 5 weeks as I could clearly see she was gaining weight and had more than enough advice from my mother, MIL, SIL and extended family if I needed it.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 22/02/2012 11:45

Agree with the others, your HV sounds like she needs some uptodate training. Think you are doing everything right.

If sleep is an issue have you read the No Cry Sleep Solution or 31 ways to get your baby to sleep and stay asleep?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 22/02/2012 11:46

Just out of interest Stinky, do you go to any bfing support groups?

nickelDorritt · 22/02/2012 11:51

she shouldn't be recommending more cow's milk.
he's clearly getting enough food.

BM is supposed to form the largest part of their diet until 1 year anyway, and no way should you drop BM in favour of cow's milk - yours has got a lot more of the essential nutrients your baby needs (as you can probably guess from the fact that as an adult you don't live on grass)

Pozzled · 22/02/2012 11:55

Why on earth would she suggest cutting back on bfs so that he can have more cows milk? How can cows milk possibly be better for him? It's nonsense.

I'm in a similar situation- 8 month old, bfing and co-sleeping. I think if you want to cut down the night feeds, you could probably start to do so, but there is no need to otherwise. Your DS sounds healthy and well fed to me.

TheSkiingGardener · 22/02/2012 12:00

She's an idiot. Your child's diet sounds fine.

Hullygully · 22/02/2012 12:06

HVs are insane. trufax

Snakeonaplane · 22/02/2012 12:07

Ignore, ignore, ignore if you and he are happy then just forget it. You must be shattered with all that night feeding though?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 22/02/2012 12:09

Don't forget too that bfing is recommended for a minimum of 2 years and for the first year solids should just complement, not replace, breastfeeds.

TheCrunchUnderfoot · 22/02/2012 12:10

Hmm, wouldn't bother with the journey to see this one again. And would actually probably say something to the practice manager about the cow's milk recommendation - that is plain wrong, and people will follow that advice.

Your son's diet sounds good and the BM will be by far the most valuable part of it at 8 months.

I know you get individually good ones, but in general, the HV system seems to be one big pile of nonsense.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 22/02/2012 12:13
Hmm

Shes a fool.

HCPs shouldnt be recommending cow's milk before 12mths so you have your proof right there.

The next HV will tell you something different.

chipmonkey · 22/02/2012 12:35

My three year old sometimes doesn't eat that much!
She is a fool. Ignore her.

Original poster
StinkyLinkyLane · 22/02/2012 12:56

JiltedJohn - I don't go to any breastfeeding support groups,

Thanks everyone, feel very reassured now. He is currently throwing around eating pancakes and sliced pear for lunch, its the only time I get to post as he hates being left to his own devices unless Noddy is on then I get to have a wee break Grin

Health visitor has made us an appointment for next Thursday for a follow up and to weigh him again but I don't think i'll bother going. He is happy and far too actived, always smiling and I don't have any concerns about him in general.

Thank you for the link about sleeping, only tried putting him in his cot once and he screamed so havent bothered since. I dont really wake up to much when he stirs as he just helps himself typical man to my boobs! It would be nice to have a bit of time to cuddle DP though and also to get an evening back so will have a read and might even give it a go!

OP posts:
Harecare · 22/02/2012 13:02

Around that age (DDs, not mine) I called my Mum to say the HVs were worried about DD1s weight. "Is she happy, alert and active?" "Yes" "So why are you weighing her?" was the conversation. I never went back. It's worth trying a cot though as by about 9 months I know both DD1 and DD2 were sleeping through and not needing night feeds.

Pozzled · 22/02/2012 14:07

Definitely worth getting him used to a cot. Although I co-sleep, I put DD down in her cot for the evening until I go up to bed, and it makes so much difference to my sanity having a child-free evening. It did take quite a lot of perseverance at first, but it was worth it. Now I just need to sort out her daytime sleeping!

worldgonecrazy · 22/02/2012 14:13

I would contact the centre and complain about this HV's poor advice. Why does she want to weigh again next week?? It's only advised to weigh newborns evry couple of weeks, and now the weight gain will have slowed right down.

If you're feeling strong enough you could see her, refuse the weighing and tell her she's talking out of her bottom ask for some scientific support for her comments.

You will get your evenings back eventually, they don't stay babies for ever. I found having an excuse for an early night meant I got plenty of sleep to get me through the first year.

lilbreeze · 22/02/2012 14:15

what ridiculous advice! dd2 had no interest whatsoever in food until 8 months so what your ds eats sounds amazing to me. As others have said, smile and ignore.....

He could be comfort sucking at night though - lovely for him but tiring for you so could be worth trying to tackle that if you want to, but that's a separate issue in my view and not related to the amount of cows milk he has.

liveinazoo · 22/02/2012 14:20

she sounds like one my HV...17 years ago.pensioner her orf and ignore the dozy old bat!!!!!Grin

LadyMontdore · 22/02/2012 14:21

Sounds like a very normal 8 month old.

Re the night feeds, have you thought of a bedside cot? Then you can easily feed but they become used to sleeping in their own space. I had one with dd2 and it was fab.

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