Weaning and milk

[Quinn4089]

Hi everyone,

Just after some advice/experiences...I’m a first time mum so not sure how it works!

My little boy is almost 7 months old, I started him on veg puree once a day at 6 months, he’s now up to mixed veg/fruit purée twice a day and LOVES his food so that’s not really the issue as I feel fine with that.....it’s more to do with how much milk he should be having.

I ebf him until 6 months then started weaning him onto formula as I’m due back at work in 4 weeks and feel it’s what will work best. So far his ‘routine’ is:

• 7am breastfeed

-10/11am formula (5oz - I make up 7 but he always leaves 2)

• 12/1pm solids

-3pm formula (7oz) -6/7pm breastfeed and solids -11pm breastfeed -3/4am breastfeed

Sorry for the background...the question is when I give him formula, how much should I be giving? I’ve read once weaning is established they need 20oz but how do you know how much to give at each feed etc? With ebf I don’t know how much he’s taking other than some feeds are shorter than others...in the next 4 weeks I plan to have him on formula for all his feeds so would like to make sure I’m getting the formula right.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help a very confused mum haha. :)

I don’t think it’s really to do with the amount of oz they are taking. As you’re combi feeding it’s impossible to know the total volume your DS is taking.

I’ve formula fed from about 4 weeks, DS is 7mo. I feed him on demand. When we first started on bottles I was advised to make a bottle, if they were clearly hungry after offer a little more. So I would make a 6oz bottle, if he needed more I would give more, and then make the next bottle a 7oz one.

Follow his hunger cues. You trust them for BF, trust them for FF.

Exactly what jeans says. Yiu can measure what he’s taking so just offer him what he will take for the formula. The current advice is to drop one bf every 2 weeks to give him a chance to get used to the new quantities of milk he will need to consume and to reduce your risk of getting mastitis. Will you be working just days and is there another daytime feed that you need to drop before going to work?

Almost forgot. At 7 months you can give them some finger food to go with their purees

Thank you both, nope only feeds really that I need to drop before work are his morning and evening one as they’re when we will be on the commute! Almost there with it 😊 I think I was more confused with the whole formula thing as the advice is they need 500-600ml once you start solids, yet he quite happily has more than that so it that ok? He is small for his age as he was 4 weeks early so I don’t know if that factors into it? He’s 7 months in 2 weeks, excited for more foods! X

The milk recommendation is a minimum so it’s absolutely fine that he’s taking more

The current NHS Guidelines are to move to offering solids 3 times a day between 8 and 9 months taking baby’s lead so I wouldn’t rush to offer him anymore meals yet. There’s a list of foods to avoid here apart from those, anything goes!

Are you giving him a vitamin supplement too?

Yeah I would worry. We’re a month into weaning an he’s only dropping an oz or two of formula here and there. The 500ml is a minimum recommendation so don’t worry about that either. My DS has always drank more than the recommendation 😂
Your DS will drink what he needs, eat what he wants and drop oz or whole feeds when he’s ready to. It’s only in the last week or so my DS has actually been taking much food in (we’re BLW)

Wouldn’t worry. Jeez. Typo in the first sentence.

Ahhh ok thank you! I probably sound like an idiot haha will just follow his lead then 😊 no vitamin supplement, what would you recommend? Is that because he won’t be getting certain nurtients from breast milk now? There’s so much to know! I feel you get sorted and settled and it’s time for change again. Thanks mummies! X

Also don't forget to start to include a little drinking water to with meals. Otherwise could lead to a little constipation. www.hipp.co.uk/advice-centre/weaning-your-baby/how-to-start-weaning/drinks-during-weaning/

Oh and if you are giving your baby formula you shouldn't need to do vitamin supplements to as they have the extra vitamins in. Double check your formula product though for levels etc.

Sorry about to post another NHS link. According to them in this link all babies need a vitamin supplement from 6 months, no matter how they’re fed

everyone the NHS link it does state third paragraph in though that "Babies who are having more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day shouldn't be given vitamin supplements because formula is fortified with certain nutrients and no other supplementation is require"
So i guess it slightly depends where in a weaning journey people are?

Sorry, you’re right [smike]

My little one is 28 weeks has three meals a day 3-5 oz bottles in between. 8 oz at bed time and two 7 oz night feeds. The HV has told me to only give him two bottles of milk a day and to stop night feeds? Is this correct? He gains weight rapidly then settles down for a few weeks and has done this since birth! Theres never been a pattern as such! He goes to bed at 6.30 every night and the times he wakes up alternates but he always drinks all milk at night. I put him down still awake! He screams until we feed him. I'm assuming he's hungry but the HV says he's doing it for comfort? I'm unsure? Any advice would be great! Thanks.