When weaning my son, how much milk does he have to have still?

Question

My son is 6 months old and i have just started him on solids. Trouble is, i dont really know how much food he is supposed to have and how much food?

Does he still need a full bottle and a little food or (seen as he loves the food!) can he just go straight over to solids???

Answer 1

he needs the bulk of his diet to still be milk until he's a year old. His body, while it does need solids, doesnt digest them properly until after the year marker.

He should still be taking a couple 8 oz bottles a day.

Start the day with a small bottle, and some cereal last. Have lunch with a small bottle and some solids last, and finish dinner with a big bottle that he can work on for a couple hours, (babies at this age still tend to enjoy a good cluster feed before bed). And a bottle at night if he needs it, although he shouldnt be waking up for one at this age, unless he's in a growth spurt.

Thats how we did it. That way we knew the boys were always getting enough formula, but also getting yummy solids.

Some babies just refuse formula after starting on solids. If that happens, put cereal in it, or some fruit juice.

Answer 2

At six months your son should be receiving between 24 and 35 fluid ounces of infant milk formula. This should be divided into four or five bottles. As regards solid food, breakfast should consist of a few teaspoons of baby cereal or baby rice, the main meal should concentrate on savoury flavours - meat, fish and vegetables - followed by a small helping of something like stewed fruit or a yoghurt. Tea time could be healthy finger foods, such as par boiled carrots, cucumber, rice cakes, toast fingers. Your baby's main sustenance at 6 months is still from the milk. Weaning onto solid foods is an adventure into different tastes and smells, but most of the food wont actually be swallowed!

Answer 3

hi,when my children were babies the general rule was that a baby of weaning age(ie on solids),should have around a pint of milk every day.that doesnt have to be in bottle form -i used to use some of a made-up bottle to mix in breakfast ,say weetabix,rusk,or oat cereal,then the rest would be for drinking after finished.
for lunch i would give after dinner usually juices to drink,and a milk-based pudding ,fromage frais or custard made with baby milk or even dinner with a cheese sauce made using baby milk.
at tea-time again i would use some of the bottle in the food if applicable ,and then the rest as a bottle before bed after a bath.
they really do only need around a pint a day ,no less though,and it is easy to work into baby-food if its ready-made up in the fridge.
also take your lead from the little lad if he seems full dont push more on him,it doesnt matter if he doesnt finish his bottles all the time once on solids.yes the milk is important ,but so is a varied balanced diet.
hope you get on okay :)

Answer 4

You will need to give him formula until he is a year old. He needs the iron that it provides. Also make sure that he gets a serving of baby cereal each day as this also provides iron. My son is 11 mths and he is just now starting to wean although he eats pretty much what we do. I still try to make sure he gets at least 18-21 oz of formula a day, most of that is in a sippy cup though, he only drinks a bottle before bed now. I will start mixing whole milk with his formula in another week or so. By the time he is 13 months, I should have him off of the bottle completely.

At 6 mths, your son still needs not only the formula but the comfort and security that snuggling up to you and nursing provides.

Answer 5

When you change them to solids they don't need anything but three balanced meals a day. You can give them milk WITH a meal, but you should never give them just milk. It will fill them up, and they won't be hungry for their next meal. If they're just thirsty try juice or just water. And let him snack a couple of times a day. You may be switching him to solids, but he still has a pretty tiny tummy, so he may not be able to wait til the next meal.

BUT a child should never go to complete solids until around a year old. Six months old is way too young. You can give them solids for one meal, MAYBE two, but they still need about 24 oz of formula or breastmilk every day.

Answer 6

Breastmilk or formula should continue to make up most of his diet for the rest of the first year. Solids are really basically for fun and practice at this age. Don't push them too much. At 6 mos, my kids were just starting solids and didn't even have a solid meal every day.

Answer 7

As he starts eating more solids the amount of milk should reduce gradually. Take lead from your baby. Give him his solids and then top up with milk, let him drink what he wants. You will notice the more he eats the less milk he will drink. Once he is eating three meals a day plus puddings he will only take about 1 pint of milk in total, he will need this amount of milk throughout his childhood to provide enough calcium to grow.

Answer 8

Your son still needs milk for the rest of his life. Milk is good for you. If you are putting him on solids at meal time then still give him milk at nap time and bed time. Plus, don't you like to drink when you eat? Give him sippy cups with meals. He is still very young so you will need to help him but he may like a drink with him food. Water is also a great drink for kids at meal time.

Answer 9

Start slow with the solids to give his little digestive system a chance. He will eat as much as you give him, but you may find he gets quite constipated as a result.

Offer him cooled boiled water every day in addition to all the milk he will drink - babies can get thirsty on solids, and will get quite distressed if they don't have a drink of water sometimes. Don't try to limit his milk intake - it'll gradually taper off as he starts taking in more solids.

Start with plain baby rice, then gradually add in little tastes of new things. If you can puree a little of your own (non-spicy) dinners, it's probably better than packets and jars.

Good luck!

Answer 10

so long as hes having a pint of milk a day, hes ok ,but my kids have all enjoyed food and as long as they have full fat dairy foods they are still getting the calcium they need even if milk is not drunk