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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

11 month old DD still only having 5 oz of formula every few hours

17 replies

Nanabana · 02/08/2012 09:23

DD2 was small at birth, and at 11 months is still skinnier than I think is normal for her age. (Last got her weighed in March when she was in the same percentile as when she was born).

She hasn't increased the amount of formula she drinks since she was around 6 months. (5 oz, every few hours.. sometimes she'll reject bottles for up to 6 hours between feeds, even if she hasn't had substantial solids)

She has solids, but doesnt eat more than a couple of dollops in the bottom of a bowl.

She is interested in food, enjoys tasting and trying but doesnt have much of it.

She's happy and active.

I know that all the above means that she is probably ok, but I can't help but worry that she's not getting enough. (I give her abidec vitamins too)

She usually doesnt even finish a whole 5 oz bottle... she gets distracted and wonders off, or she just doesnt want it, but then I keep trying with her again. When other people feed her she tends to behave better, but that might just be by chance.

Are there any tricks that you could recommend that in your experience has helped encourage your DC's intake? I feed her Aptimil, I had DD1 on Cow & Gate. Is it worth trying to change formula brand?

OP posts:
RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 09:28

Why don't you get her weighed again? It sounds like she's following the same centile, in which case there is no need to worry. But I would concentrate more on getting her to eat more solids at 11 months!

RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 09:30

Fwiw my ddsm, at around a year old, only had milk morning and before bed. 3 solid meals a day, plus small snacks morning and afternoon. I don't think that is unusual, so going 6 hours between milk feeds sounds fine to me.

RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 09:31

My dds, not ddsm. Autocorrect Hmm

CharlotteBronzeySaurus · 02/08/2012 09:35

yes, I think get her weighed, and check how she's doing re her centile line.

i think at this at age my DDs were having 3 feeds a day - first thing, bedtime, and after the afternoon nap - of about 6-7oz, and they were massive 98th centilers, so a few 5oz feeds sounds normal for a smaller baby.

Original poster
Nanabana · 02/08/2012 09:38

Yes i will make a point of getting her weighed again next when im off from work

I do give up with her on formula (cant force her, let her have the amount she wants), and I concentrate on solids, but she just doesnt have very much of that either! She grazes, doesnt have a reasonable amount of anything.

Isn't milk intake important for all the nutrients it contains?

OP posts:
RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 09:50

Yes, milk is important, but at this age, and increasingly from now, it is important only as part of a wider diet. Meat, veg, grains are all important too. You might find that cutting the number of times you offer milk to 2-3 a day actually helps the amount she drinks and/or helps with her appetite for solids. Maybe chat to your health visitor when you get her weighed?

MamaBear17 · 02/08/2012 11:00

You are describing my daughter!! She has never taken milk well. Infact, she was born on the 75th centile, dropped scarily twice when she was very little and again just before weaning started and is now just on the 25th. At her one year review last week they said that it was nothing to worry about. My DD is very active, she has crawled since she was 6 months and walked around the furniture just after that. She climbs on furniture and uses a lot of energy. I have found giving her a morning bottle, one at 2.30 as her afternoon 'snack' and then a bottle just before bed as part of her bedtime routine has been the best way of getting milk into her. With each bottle I offer it twice; she usually drinks a couple of oz, goes off to play for ten minutes and then comes back and drinks more. xx

EugenesAxe · 02/08/2012 11:12

My DD is 9m and has 3 meals and 3 7oz bottles of Aptamil Follow On (supposedly need less as more calorific). So in short she goes for a while between milk feeds (she has water with meals if she needs it) - approx 8am, 3pm, 10pm. I wouldn't worry about that - my DD also will leave on average 2oz each bottle (although she has quite a few oz with her food).

Like another poster said I'd concentrate on the solids; she should be well established on 3 meals a day now.

Saying all that... I think you have little to worry about in terms of health if you are supplementing and if she looks happy and is lively. I think everyone could improve in some area, in an ideal world!

Original poster
Nanabana · 02/08/2012 11:33

her feeds are quite sporadic tbh. She has 3 main meals (even if she only has little amounts), but her FFs are less routined. As she only has little amounts, I offer her a bottle frequently. (when I think she hasn't had enough, or when she is cranky and I know she wants some - she would still only have a little at these times, just a couple ounces)

Will try to establish a routine, with fewer feeds. DD1 wasn't too keen on milk either but then she was hooked from the age of 18 months

Will ask HV, thanks for all the reassurance

OP posts:
vodkaanddietirnbru · 02/08/2012 12:35

I would concentrate more on solids rather than offering milk all the time. At that age both mine just had milk at breakfast and before bed. They had water with meals and snacks.

RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 12:43

Another thought, if you are worried about the milk intake from a nutritional point of view, don't forget that yoghurts and cheese etc also count as sources of fat, protein and calcium. So if she will eat some yoghurt as pudding, then you can mentally tick that off as part of her 'dairy' diet.

Definitely get her weighed and chat to your HV, but don't worry too much, it takes some children quite a while to get going with eating and drinking (as you say, your DS didn't like milk much till 18m). So as long as you are offering the right things at the right times, then trust your DD to take what she needs (and grit your teeth and smile when the rest of it goes in the bin/down the sink!).

Original poster
Nanabana · 02/08/2012 14:16

yes she does have yoghurts, will try to relax a bit. She is happy and active, just stringy.
Apart from cream cheese on bread, what's a good cheese to offer babies who dont have teeth yet? Ive never been sure about offering her a something like a cheesestring to snack on.. in case she chokes, they're quite chewy..

OP posts:
RationalBrain · 02/08/2012 14:24

I'm not sure - mine have been allergic to dairy, so cheese a no-no! There's a weaning section here somewhere that might have some tips on.

CharlotteBronzeySaurus · 02/08/2012 14:27

cheese on toast, cheesy mash, lentil and cheese bake, cheese risotto, offer porridge for breakfast

Original poster
Nanabana · 02/08/2012 14:39

ah thanks for those, will try her with an easy cheesy mash tonight.

She does like porridge, but only with water and no sugar.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nanabana · 02/08/2012 15:10

I will have a think about changing her formula also, it might be that she prefers a different brand? I dont know, but will give it a try.

OP posts:
MamaBear17 · 02/08/2012 15:35

I used to offer my dd the bottle more often too and she barely took an ounce from each. Once I got her into a routine of three bottles and three meals, and only offered it to her at those times, she started to take more. My HV told me that by continually topping her up I wasnt actually allowing her to feel hungry and therefore want the food. Its hard, but worth it to allow them to wait x

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