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Infant feeding

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

Should I change formula for 9 month old?

6 replies

Moonshine160 · 28/12/2019 09:21

My DS has always been fussy with both his milk and food. He is a slim, long baby. He was exclusively breastfed for the first 3 months, then mixed fed until 7 months. He’s gone up and down the centiles because he has periods of being so fussy with milk, he just doesn’t want to drink it, the health visitor has said some babies are just like that. He has never cried through hunger for a bottle, its like he just never has an appetite. He is 9 months old now and is only having around 15oz milk a day despite being offered it frequently. He isn’t having a lot of food to make up the calories either, he tries a wide variety of foods but sometimes just takes a few small bites, other times he may eat a lot, but it never changes the amount of milk he wants to drink. He has plenty of water and enjoys this from his sippy cup, but again isn’t fussed about milk from his sippy cup. He has dropped from 50th centile to 25th again, and he isn’t yet crawling so it’s not like he’s dropped from being too active. He’s on cow and gate formula. Is it worth changing formula at this late stage? The health visitor has said that they’re pretty much all the same so it probably won’t help but surely there’s got to me some difference? If so, what should I change to? We tried Hipp Organic a couple of months ago when we went away and the shop had no Cow and Gate, it didn’t seem to make a difference but we didn’t really persevere. Is Aptamil better? I just want to get more calories in him and I’m struggling to do this with food. He does love natural yogurt and has this every day so gets additional dairy through this, and milk on his porridge etc. If anyone has any advice or been in the same situation I’d really appreciate it... it’s like he just doesn’t like formula! He has no interest in it.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/12/2019 10:19

When you say he has slipped again to the 25th centile, is this for weight? How is his length centile progressing? Has he recently got longer?

It's not worth swapping from Cow and Gate to Aptimil as they are made in the same factory. You could try Aldi's formula or Hipp Organic but he may just not like milk. Has anyone discussed the possibility of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) with you?

dementedpixie · 28/12/2019 10:25

All the infant formula available will have roughly the same calories. Do you think they just don't like the flavour? You could try buying a variety of the ready made cartons and see if they prefer any of them.

What food do they eat? Could you try and incorporate more milk, butter, cream, full fat yogurt, etc.

yellowallpaper · 28/12/2019 11:37

DS always sprouts lengthways and loses weight and looks skinny, then he slowly fills out in time for another growth spurt.

Some babies are just not big drinkers, so I'd concentrate on giving more calorie rich foods.

Moonshine160 · 28/12/2019 20:32

Thanks for your replies - yes he’s a long baby and has been between the 75th and 91st centile each time he has been measured, despite currently only being at the 25th for weight. So he is growing, just upwards and not outwards! I do honestly think he just isn’t a big drinker and isn’t keen on the taste of formula milk. He used to drink expressed breast milk without a problem but unfortunately that isn’t an option anymore (I wish it was) as my milk supply has dried up completely. I think I panic because I constantly hear that they need around 18-20oz of formula a day until they are 1 year old. Some days he has that and others he doesn’t, but he isn’t a big eater either so it does worry me. I’ll persevere on the weaning side of things and concentrate on trying to get some calorie rich food in him.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/12/2019 20:54

To be honest, it doesn't sound like you have much to worry about. If he's growing and is bright and alert at times and meeting his milestones - he is fine.

The 20floz is old advice anyway and has been updated.

According to this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust at 10 months they need just 13.5 floz of formula a day. If they have less than 20 you will need to give them a daily vitamin supplement though.

Things like oily fish, hummus and adding olive oil to his food might help too Smile

dementedpixie · 28/12/2019 21:31

Milk in cereal and other dairy foods count towards the 20oz recommended too.

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