My 8 1/2 month old son could really care a less if he gets a bottle at all. He eats solids just fine and is not picky at all. It's not that he doesn't like his formula, he just doesn't seem too interested in it. I have tried giving him less solids to make him hungrier for his bottle, but that hasn't really worked. He takes an average of 12 ounces a day, which I know is not enough. He will drink a bit of water from my water bottle and his sippy cup, so he is not dehydrated. I am just worried about him getting the proper nutrients. Maybe it is just a phase, but I thought someone out there might have had a similar experience and may have some ideas for me. Thanks moms!
See if he'll take the formula in a beginner sippy cup -- maybe that'll help? Good luck!
If he's eating solids and drinking from a sippy cup, then there's no reason to keep him on a bottle. Be glad that he's off of it without a huge fuss. Most parents have to beg and bribe their kids to give up their bottle.
My daughter (who is now five) was the exact same way. I would just focus on solids and whatever formula he takes, he takes. He won't let himself be hungry. I think it is his way of weaning himself off. As long as he growing and developing fine according the pediatrician and charts (my daughter was), don't worry about it.
After all, weaning off the bottle and onto solids in the goal in the end. I remember I was trying to get her to stay with the bottle until she was twelve months, and I gave up at eleven months. There was a period where it felt like she wasn't eating much of anything. But she developed fine and has always been very healthy.
In contrast, was my son (who is now three), who I had to really work with to get off the bottle. So in some ways it is a blessing that your baby hasn't attached to it and is weaning himself off.
Hope this helps.
A.
According to my pediatrician (we had this issue come up), babies will dictate to you what they want. Usually they will either prefer formula/milk OR solids. Solids usually win. I started the sippy cup at 5.5 months and my daughter drinks water with lunch but she has approx 12-16 ounces of formula during the day. I give her 2-3 ounces with breakfast and dinner (before I give her solids or she even knows they are available) and she has a bottle at 10am and 3pm and 7pm-ranging from 2-6 ounces.
They know what they want and like, just go with it is what I was told to do.
Lastly, I was also told by other mothers and my dr-don't give juice (empty calories and damages teeth), feed a bottle in bed (really hard habit to break) or put formula in sippy cups (only regular milk after 1 year). Start good habits from the beginning.
Another thing-he may not like the nipple on the bottle or it may be to slow and it frustrates him. My daughter likes Avent and she has been on #4 for about 2 months (she is nearly 8 months now)
My Daughter was given her 1st sippy cup at 6mnths old as a trial for 3 days afterwards her babysitter & I could not get her to drink from her bottle finally we tried the sippy cup again. She took right to it but would never use a bottle. Try just giving him the sippy cup. It was nice not having to break my daughter from the bottle.
I don't understand why you would want to keep him on the bottle, when he eats solids and drinks from a cup? I guess it is a mom's job to be paranoid about proper nutrition (I thought my son was malnourished because he had a big round belly......the Dr told me he was just fat!!! LOL).
Maybe just start him on the baby food, veggies, fruits..etc. Maybe make your own if you are worried about it in a processor so you know exactly what he is getting. Ask your Dr. about it.
