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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

6.5mo not interested in food, should I cut milk down ?

9 replies

NewMumSept2014 · 09/04/2015 19:56

Hi,
DD is now 6.5mo and has been getting solids on advice of HV from about 5mo. It was going great until after 6 month growth spurt, she just seemed less hungry and combined with a cold has set things back. She now eats a good amount at breakfast but after that just seems to want milk, and will eat very little. I'm doing purees for a variety of reasons, not least of which DH just doesn't 'get' BLW and was causing arguments.
Anyway, at present I'm trying to do:

4 or 5am: 8oz bottle
Then sleeps again till
7ish: Breakfast (porridge/ yoghurt and fruit)
9ish: 7oz bottle
Then nap
11ish: Fruit of some kind
1ish: 7oz bottle
Then nap
4ish: 7oz bottle
Then nap
5ish: Dinner
7ish: Bed and 8oz bottle.

She's still just taking A LOT of milk and not really wanting lunch or dinner.
I have tried reducing her milk (to 4 or 5oz) so that she takes more food but even if she's eaten well she seems to just want milk anyway and is a nightmare to get to sleep.
I feel like I'm forcing it with her when she isn't really interested.
Should I really be aiming to give her 3 meals at this stage?
Should I try pushing this on her by reducing milk more or just relax and presume she'll eat more when she's hungry? (I read online somewhere they only need 500ml of milk/day after 6m?)
Thanks, Sorry for ridiculously long post.

OP posts:

allotherusernamesaretaken · 09/04/2015 21:33

Milk is really important at this age so keep giving her as much as she wants. There is no need to rush to 3 meals so you could just try the one for now until she gets the hang of it. She is still so young and she will get there in her own time. It is hard not to worry though of course.

strawberry01 · 09/04/2015 21:55

I wouldn't cut down her milk. Let her go at her own pace. She is only 6.5mo!

My DD didn't become properly interested in food until she was about 7mo. Slowly she's cut down herself. Between 7-8.5mo she was on 4 bottles per day and at 10mo she has 3. I usually make 9oz for the morning and bedtime ones and 8oz for her afternoon one- sometimes she finishes them other times she doesn't. I don't force her to eat her meals. I like to see her eat a good amount but some times she just isn't fussed.

Passmethecrisps · 09/04/2015 21:57

Sounds like you are doing fine. Most of their nutrients come from milk so at this really early stage just go with it.

My dd was barely eating solids at about 8mo. She gradually picked it up herself until one day she just refused her milk completely and never took another bottle again.

Passmethecrisps · 09/04/2015 22:00

And thinking about it my dd was probably not reliably on 3 meals a day until about 10 months.

At the moment it should be play, texture, smell and fun. If some gets swallowed then fab.

I say this is a frantic weaner - don't worry about it. Babies work at their own pace. At this age it is sleep, cuddles, play and milk which is vital. Everything else is extra

clairemiss79 · 10/04/2015 07:57

Hi my 6.5 mth old also drinks a lot of milk and sometimes i feel as though I'm giving her solids just for the sake of it. Her routine is like this

7am 6 oz
8am baby porridge
11.30 7 oz
12.30 lunch
2.30 7oz
4.30 tea and drink of water
6.30 7oz and bed
10.30 7oz

She has started waking at 4.30am hungry though but I'm worried about increasing solids. I think milk is much more important at this stage

Box5883284322679964228 · 10/04/2015 08:08

Milk is the essential thing, the food is just extra. The food is more about getting used to different tastes, coordinating her mouth. Food at this age is not about calorific intake. All of mine were not interested in food at all till 10 months. At 6 months they had one spoonful of food at each meal and by 8 months ate one ice cubes worth at each meal. They are fit, healthy non fussy children. Really do not force your child to eat. Going down that route will mean you are utterly and ridiculously obsessed about how much she eats, while she (under pressure) will start having early food issues.

squizita · 10/04/2015 10:21

I have a small 6.5 monther and been told many times to NOT decrease milk till 8 months as it's full of calories. Instead make the small amounts of food very nourishing (so proteins, fats and veg/vitamins ... not just veg).

I've found avocado a good food in this regard. Also full fat yoghurt, chicken thigh and cheese. She tastes a bit but I know there's protein and fat in it!

noblegiraffe · 10/04/2015 10:30

She shouldn't be on 3 meals till about 9 months (NHS advice) so definitely don't cut down the milk to force food which is less nutritious than milk.

Remember when she is having less than 500ml formula she will need a vitamin supplement.

Heatherbell1978 · 10/04/2015 15:05

I'm having a similar issue with my 7.5 mth old. I posted on it a few days ago. He was eating 3 meals at 6 mths, got a bad cold (I think it was bronchitis although GP was very unhelpful) and that's us now at 4 weeks of him barely eating. Occasionally he'll scoff a meal but then he won't eat for a day. It's so random. I'm worried but he looks well, is retaining his weight and knows 'how' to eat,...I guess I just need to wait.....

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