Feeding FAQ: 4-6 months – Other

Reduced milk intake after weaning

I think I am doing something wrong. I started weaning my five-month-old ten days ago and he has taken to it really well but he seems to be cutting back on his milk. He is quite happy to take his solids and I am taking it really slowly. So I am not sure what I am doing wrong if anything. He used to take between 25-28 oz formula a day before weaning and after I started, except yesterday he took 20 oz and I think around 22 today. Should I stop offering food if he keeps cutting back?

Answer:

I’m pleased your son is enjoying his first meals, and do be reassured that it is quite natural that your son is cutting back on his formula intake after starting solids – it’s the beginning of a process that will see him gradually increase his food intake and decrease formula/milk intake until he is eating an adult diet of solid food with little or no milk. While babies generally regulate their intake of formula to meet their needs, as a rough guide a five- to six-month-old will have four or five feeds a day of about 180 to 240 ml (6-8 oz) formula each, or four or five breast-feeds. Until two days ago your son was taking this amount of formula – 25 to 28 oz. My feeling is that his intakes yesterday and today are probably a natural fluctuation, and that it may well return to his usual level or close to it. Babies’ appetites do fluctuate and from six to seven months, as the intake of solids increases, the amount of formula required will start to fall – an appropriate level to aim for then is about 600 ml (20 oz).

You are doing the right thing by increasing the amount of food given at meals very slowly – food given before six months of age is really more to get used to different tastes and the process of eating than to provide a large amount of nutrition. If your son’s formula intake does continue to drop, you could try offering formula before food when feeding your son, at least for the next few weeks. As another option, you could keep the food intake at the same level for a few days, rather than increasing quantities. I would suggest this rather than stopping offering food as he has been enjoying it and will now be used to it. If you haven’t done so yet, try adding formula to baby rice and to thin down fruit and vegetable purees. It’s a handy way to increase your son’s formula intake if he’s not drinking as much as he should.

It is always important to monitor your baby to ensure his fluid intake is sufficient, but particularly so when his intake is changing, whether due to illness, weaning, or any other factor – good indicators of an adequate fluid intake are regular and well-soaked nappies, urine that is clear or straw-coloured, and a happy and alert baby.

Good luck with the weaning – and the cleaning up!