Started solids - no longer wants as much of the bottle

[L'sMommy]

Anyone had an experience where you started solids and your baby decided he/she no longer liked the bottle as much? DS started solids a month ago and is drinking 10 less oz. of formula/day. Is there a standard for how much fluid they need/day to stay hydrated?

[egoldber]

How old? For a baby under 1 year, solids should be in addition to the bottle and not a replacement.

[L'sMommy]

5.5 mo. yes, i know it is a supplement rather than a replacement. ds has decided he doesn't want as much formula and i can't force him to drink it if he doesn't want it. that is the issue.

[Snow mom]

5.5 mo. yes, i know it is a supplement rather than a replacement. ds has decided he doesn't want as much formula and i can't force him to drink it if he doesn't want it. that is the issue.

I'd cut back on the solids and only offer solids after formula.

[poppy]

My DS drinks very little but loves to eat solids/snacks. I give him formula first but he won't take it. So, I started feeding him solids first and giving him those Happy Baby Organic Puffs, which get him thirsty which makes him more willing to drink his formula. I also started feeding him more in the stroller and carseat, where he will drink really well. But he won't drink much at home. No idea why. He just loves being outside.

[jren]

It's okay for them to drop a little. Prior to solids, they're taking close to 40 oz. of formula. By age 1, they are down to 24 oz. on avg. So it's a gradual reduction over the second 6 months. Not just due to eating solids, but growth slows down as well.

DS is 7.5 months and is drinking the same amount, but he never got to 40 oz. and isn't big on solids yet. So I'm sure it varies by child. My DD drank over 40 oz. and we started solids late. She did drop in # of bottles pretty quick then.

[Momof3Labs]

At 5.5mo, he doesn't need solids, but he does need the formula. I'd cut way back on solids - and if necessary, stop them altogether - until his formula intake returns to where it should be (I have no idea of the exact number as my kids were bf'd at that age).

[L'sMommy]

The puffs are a good idea. now that he knows there is cereal and fruit coming after the bottle, he is less willing to have all of his bottle. he still has most of it but not as readily as he did before solids. i've thought about cutting back on the solids, maybe I will try that. from birth, he has not been drinking what he should be. he's not a great eater when it comes to BM/formula, but he LOVES solids, although i know they don't need solids at this age.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I would stop solids altogether, personally. I wouldn't want my dc to miss out on the formula or breastmilk at this point. Plenty of time in life to eat solids that I would just back off.

Beth