Why is my 5 month old doing this and do you have any suggestions?

Question

My son has recently decided that he does not like to eat in the morning and into the afternoon. He is breastfed and will only snack until about 230 in the afternoon. He is still gaining weight and wetting enough diapers but he is now making up the calories throughout the night where he used to sleep 9 hours straight through. This is totally foreign to me and I don't know how to get him to consume more during the day again. We have not started using rice cereal yet just because I was just going to wait and put him on solids in another month. Do you think rice cereal would help and how would I implement it, when, and how much?? Thank you so much. I am just a little baffled. Oh, he's teething too!

Answer 1

You should ask your doctor. Most babies start rice cereal between 4 and 6 months, so he may be ready for that! It usually says on the package how much you should give the baby when you are first starting out... or a lot of mothers put an ounce of rice cereal in a bottle with formula/pumped breast milk for the baby to get used to it.

I hope that helps a bit!

Answer 2

Hi there! My girl is four months but pretty large so she acts more like five. :) She is doing exactly the same thing. I really think that she is just so excited during the day, wanting to play and get a lot of attention, that she forgets to eat. So she makes up for it at night. How fun for us, right? I find that if I go into a dark room and face into a corner, sometimes I can calm her down to eat. Also, if you can get him to take a nap and then feed him when he is just on the verge of waking up that might work. I love to nurse her while we're lying on the bed. Do you nurse your son lying down? I think that helps my girl calm down. From what my girl's ped has said, I wouldn't start rice cereal just to get him to sleep better - my understanding is that it can actually keep them up more as their tummies get used to it. Definitely talk to your boy's ped about solid foods though.

Oh please don't try to put him on a schedule or something. Some people will say that the baby is controlling you or something like that. I really believe, from watching my little girl, that she is doing the best she can, just like I am. A baby this age is not engaging in power struggles or something. A routine is good, but I think the best thing to do is feed the baby when he is hungry, and just have a good book and a nightlight, and nurse the baby in bed so the nights aren't so awful. I don't like to judge different parenting styles, but it really doesn't seem possible to me that a 5 month old baby is being passive-aggressive or trying to manipulate you.

I also think that as they get a little older and start realizing that they are separate from us, they need that closeness from nursing during the night even if they had been sleeping through it before. And of course teething with throw everything off!

Good luck!

Answer 3

It sounds like he got his night and days mixed up. Try to keep him a wake more during the day so he will sleep longer in the night and when he gets up in the morning he should be ready to eat. Yes I would start trying rice cereal and when he gets old if he drink also the bottle add a little rice cereal with a baby fruit in the bottle and it will fill him up well at night.
For the teething find him something he can rub his gums on also teething cookies they just make a big mess lol...

Answer 4

He's getting active/distracted and not wanting to take time out to eat - or your distracted and not realizing it and he can tell and cutting it short. My opinion is it's him. Even at this age kids see what they can get away with.

If he wakes 3 times at night, for a few days feed him very shorted meals, or try a pacifier (if you have not already). Then if he still wakes 3 times, feed him the first two times very shorted meals, and comfort him for the third time. Depending on how fast you want to go he could be switched back in a few days to 2 weeks.

And depending on how big he is, he could be ready for food, and not just rice cereal. You could start him on anything that is smooth and thin enough. Try it a night and see if it helps.

When starting solids, you'll be lucky if he eats a teaspoon full. First he has to learn how to get the food in his mouth and down his throat (that's why in the beginning so much keeps coming back out). Keep to one thing for at least 3 days before adding something else. Unless you have many allergies in the family. Families with many allergies should go 5 or more days on one thing before moving onto something new.

I have three boy, girl, boy. My first wanted nothing to do with solid food and was 'late' to start eating and he is still a picky eater. But he slept through the night. Little girl went on schedule. Our last (nicknamed chunky) passed cereal and baby food and went to table food ASAP. He tries just about everything and at 2 yrs sometimes out eats his 9 yr old brother. All are health and happy. Take care, you'll do great!

Answer 5

It's probably the teething. And yes you should definately be giving him solids. Start out with a little cereal,spoonfeeding is best, and a couple of tablespoons, if that for the beginning. You can mix it with a little fruit to make it more desirable. My son would never eat the cereal. I just moved right on to fruits and veggies. Shortly after that I added the meat entrees. Gerber make some good ones. If anything makes him gassy, you can give him some gripe water, or infant gas drops. If he gets constipated then put a little dark kayro syrup in his bottle with either breastmilk or a little warm water. Strive for three meals a day just like you even if it's just a little. They start eating more and more really fast.

Answer 6

My son was sleeping through the night at 2-1/2 weeks old...he would go down at 9pm and wake up at 8am. MY Dr told me when he stopped sleeping through the night to start giving him a tablespoon of rice cereal before bed. I did, and gave him a good nurse afterwards, and he went right back to sleeping through the night. That started at about 4-1/2 months.

Answer 7

the teething probably has something to do with it. It is up to you when you start him on cereal, just mix it with breastmilk or formula, start with a tablespoon or two a day (dry) and increase a little bit everday.You could also try to make him wait 3-4 hours between his "snacking " episodes to see if he will eat more during feedings.

Answer 8

Every child is different, but I would discuss your concern with your pediatrician.

After I stopped breastfeeding, (13 months), he didn't gain weight that well, and did not like eating.

My son, is almost 2 and isn't even on the chart weightwise. He's below the 10th percentile. He's happy and healthy. And has wet diapers and stools everyday.

We've done all kind of tests, and he just doesn't like to eat. My sis and I were the same when we were little.

I supplement his diet with Pediasure, and just make sure he takes his multivitamin.

I would speak with your pediatrician just to be safe though.

Answer 9

He's starting power-plays with you. This is where the child pushes the parent to see what he can get away with. Congratulations, he's winning.

A schedule works. Schedule - and when he wakes in the middle of the night, he doesn't get a full meal. He will eat when he is hungry. I know, it sounds horribly mean, but he will NOT starve by holding out on him in the middle of the night.

When he wakes up, leave the light off... don't talk to him... just walk in, comfort him and lay him back down. It isn't the time for play, conversation or eating... it's time for sleep.

When I introduced cereal to my daughters, it was primarily liquid - just a bit of cereal for substance. If introduced slow enough you don't risk constipation.

Answer 10

Start the rice cereal. I think when they start getting teeth, they can even eat the step 1 gerber foods as well.

Check with your pediatritian for portions, but I would reccomend starting the cereal.