How do I know when he has had enough?!

[monkeynut30]

HELP! My LO is 19weeks and 13lb. Long story but from day 1 the so called health proffesionals have been getting on at me as he has not been putting on weight as quickly as they would like. He was solely breastfed until about 6weeks ago when I introduced formula because of all the stress I was getting. GP also advised early weaning. My supply of frozen breast milk ran out this week so just on formula now. He has been having 35oz milk and 2 lots of 2 tsp porridge along with 1 lot tsp sweet potato for the last week. He is rarely sick but has so many dirty nappies. The feeds just seem to go straight through him! I am worried I am overfeeding him. The GP said he would be sick if I was overfeeding him but his poo is so runny I am concerned he is not digesting properly. Had a stool sample come back normal last week as he had blood in stools for a couple of days. I had someone suggest I reduce milk intake and increase solid sightly? Also I have been using the hungry milk and they suggested using stage 1? Sorry to ramble but this really is a mindfield to me! I was ok when breastfeeding though he was hanging off me all day and I obviously was not producing enough milk for him but then I am convinced that was due to all the added stress. He is a perfectly happy baby boy who almost always sleeps through the night though recently the dirty nappies have been waking him earlier than usual. He rarely refuses food and I am concerned I am stuffing him due to all the people getting on at me. He has put on 3lb since I started formula (was 7lb 9.5oz at birth). I will shut up now to give you a chance to read! Thanks

PS He was really colicky as a baby and currently screams after milk intake giving the impression he is still hungry but usually settles once nappy is full!

My DS was going through nappies at a rate of knots when I first gave formula instead of bm, the GP said it can take weeks for their systems to get used to the change. I actually changed the brand of formula and the copious runny poos stopped overnight and he was much happier.
I don't think 13lbs is a low weight for 19 weeks? My DS is around the same at 20 weeks. He's just smaller than average.

Have you talked to your HV about your concerns?

DS is the same and i was worried about the same thing. I think some babies are just born to eat and enjoy food and trying new tastes and experiences! It took me a while to work out that if i feed DS enough he does actually let me know, i just hadn't got to the stage before when he'd had enough! I was trying to take it too slowly because that's what the advice is, when in fact he was ready to move quite quickly onto two and three meals a day. When he's genuinely had enough he clamps his mouth shut and generally becomes very easily distracted by other things. Or, rather than opening his mouth really wide and taking the spoon right in, he only opens it a little and 'licks' the food from the spoon. Each baby is different, but i think your LO would find a way to tell you when he's had enough.

Meant to say that if you give him enough solids he should gradually just start wanting less milk naturally which will change his nappies and poos.

Paige, no haven't talked to HV. After all the stress she gave me (making me give up breast feeding sooner than I would have liked and not allowing me to enjoy my LO, she is the last person I want to take advice from!).
Matana, I don't think it's the solids that are giving him grief, I think it's the milk. Lots of mucus filled nappies straight after a bottle...do we think it's teething (lots of other symptoms) or an allergy?
Thanks

Have you considered a cow's milk allergy?
mucusy diahorrea,
tummy ache after feeding?

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and this too