Quick question about weaning a formula-fed 6 month old

[thisxgirl]

DS is 6 months on Friday so have started weaning him.

At the moment he has formula milk for extra hungry babies - about 7oz. five times a day. I've just slotted in a mid-morning solid 'snack' of firstly a couple of teaspoons of baby rice, then carrot and now banana, without modifying the type or amount of milk he has alongside it.

Should I now change to a different type of milk - a follow-on formula? How will I know he's getting enough nutrients?!

no need to switch formula
so long as you still give milk on demand he will be getting all the nutrients he needs - he'll cut back on milk feeds himself as and when he's ready.

NB as he is 6m there is no need to fanny about with baby rice or purees if you don't want to - he'll be fine with finger food eg cooked carrot sticks, toast etc.

No, no special milk needed. Normal formula. From 6 months you introduce solids alongside milk and milk remains the main source of nutrition.

You can give normal food and if he's still taking a normal amount of milk and being introduced to solids at his own pace, there'll be no worries.

Those follow on milks are just a way of getting round advertising laws. Your baby doesn't need them and in fact they can just make your baby constipated.

Better off aiming to build up a healthy balanced diet.

MrsB - Thanks. I tried him on the baby rice a couple of weeks ago, he got used to the texture but wasn't very keen so I left it. Then tried carrot the week after - slightly more keen. Banana this week was very popular! So I've got butternut squash and sweet potato, apples, parsnips and things in - things I could puree. But I could incorporate some finger foods too...I'll do a bit of BLW research!

Show - I thought that follow-on milk may be a bit of a marketing ploy...I was just concerned that a heavier "extra hungry" formula like the one my DS is on now may be too much alongside solids and he'd end up constipated that way.

Mine has ended up constipated without dropping any milk and drinking water on top of foods and milk too. If they're going to get constipated, they're going to get constipated, I think. Bit of orange juice (well diluted, obv) sorts her out, though.

Yeah, my DS has had hard stools for the past two days...I may just switch to 'regular' formula, not the extra hungry one. His appetite should be satiated by the solids I'm introducing, I guess.

The hungry baby milk doesn't have anything 'extra' nutritionally in it, it's manufactured to be harder for them to digest so extends the time between feeds that way. It's more difficult to break down. I would imagine that starting to digest solids on top of a difficult to digest formula might have that effect. Regular formula would be fine and provide everything needed.

Of course constipation does just happen in some cases. But those follow on milks have a very, very high iron content. Far more than a baby could ever absorb and if you've ever taken iron tablets, you know what it does to your digestive capabilities!