My 6 months old has stopped taking formula since I started giving him solids. What should I do ?

Question

I do mix his formula with the solids, but worried that he may not get enough water.

Answer 1

How much solids are you giving? You should be very gradually introducing solids to your baby, milk is still VERY important at this stage. Try reducing solids, and see if he takes more formula. If he still refuses, add formula (along with the equivalent water of course!) into his purées. Providing water at this age during his meals of solids is a good idea as well to prevent constipation - but yes, only a small amount! To have a pediatrician says it doesnt matter that your baby isnt drinking formula and only has juice and baby food at this age is actually quite shocking to me. My pediatrician would flip, I am absolutely positive.

Answer 2

Try giving the formula first, before solids. But try in a sippy cup. Your baby may just not want the bottle anymore. Also make sure you aren't giving too much solids and not enough formula.

Answer 3

That is normal when the kiddo starts realizing that there are faster ways to get full besides sucking on a bottle. I moved my daughter to a sipper cup with handles at that age and continued to mix formula with cereal and other solids. Then I would always offer fluids throughout the day and with meal and continuted to give her a bed time bottle for several more months. Be thankful that he is independent and wanting to learn, when he is thirsty he will drink and he will be easy to get off of the bottle when the time comes. Good luck. My daughter took herself off of the bottle completely by 10 1/2 months and became a pro at the sippy cup.

Answer 4

coming from an experienced mother,(especially)concerning meals what your baby wants isn't always what they need.If you don't let them overdo the food it may leave more room in their little belly's for formula.With this idea,leaving the formula for the bottle only may work best. Hope this helps,good luck! P.S. at this age age if you want to give your baby water, only a very tiny amount per day would be necessary if you feel the need or otherwise directed by a doctor.too much water may also leave less room in their belly for formula.If the water flushes everything out of their system too quickly they may be deprived of extra nutrients?Anyway I do stress only a very small amount of water is necessary.

Answer 5

Keep offering it. Give him mre cereal mixed with the formula. Water his juice down. I always give 1/2 juice and 1/2 water to my son since he started with juice, and he is 2 now and I still do it because even the "No sugar added" juice has too much natural sugar in it. Give fresh fruit. They have a little gadget at Babies R Us that I think is about $6-$7 that you can put fresh fruit and and they can chew on it and get the juice. This is also recommended for teething because you can put frozen fruit in it for them, so while they are relieving the pain in their gums they are getting nutirents.

Answer 6

My son went through this when he was about that age and it really worried me. His pediatrician put him on a vitamin supplement to replace what he was not getting from the formula and said as long as he was eating at least two to three jars a day and drinking at least 4oz of juice that he should be fine. He was he is a healthy boy now. Check with your pediatrician and see what the recommendation would be for your child.

Answer 7

I had this problem when i breastfed and i had to give my babymilk or formula in your case first and them feed tthe baby the solid food.

Answer 8

Why don't you give him the formula first, when he's really hungry? Or try giving him a bottle between meals as a snack.