Decreased appetite - Help?

[KenReeves]

My DS is 7 months old and was a pretty good formula eater up until 10 days ago -- we used to feed him a bottle 5x a day and had no problem getting 6-7oz in each feeding. We've mixed in solid foods the past month or so (eats about 3 solid food servings/day (about 1/2 can each time). Over the past 10 days, we can't get him to eat more than 24oz in a day (gone are the "easy" 7oz feedings)

Any one else experience this? Note, he doesn't have a fever although he was diagnosed with 2 ear infections about 2 weeks ago -- he is off the antibiotics and was a good eater during the initial days of the ear infections. We are at a loss....any advice/suggestions are welcomed.. Thanks

[Melaine]

So, he is taking a couple ounces less per feeding? I think it is pretty normal for a baby to take a little more or less as growth spurts come and go. At that age when he is starting to eat more solids, he probably will cut back a little on formula. As long as he doesn't decrease significantly, I don't think there is a reason to be worried. 24 oz a day plus 3 meals of solids sounds about right to me.

[Katigre]

24 oz per day is fine - as long as it doesn't drop much below that until he's about a year old I wouldn't worry.

[arivecchi]

So, he is taking a couple ounces less per feeding? I think it is pretty normal for a baby to take a little more or less as growth spurts come and go. At that age when he is starting to eat more solids, he probably will cut back a little on formula. As long as he doesn't decrease significantly, I don't think there is a reason to be worried. 24 oz a day plus 3 meals of solids sounds about right to me.:yeahthat: They drink less formula once they start eating solids. Ask your ped how many ounces are the norm with 3 solid food feedings at 7 mos. I would only really be concerned if he significantly decreased his formula feedings and had less than 4-5 wet diapers a day. Again, ask your ped what is normal for this stage.

[Dr C]

If he otherwise seems fine, I wouldn't be too worried. But if this pattern continues and you are concerned, you can always bring him into your ped's office and get him weighed.

[SnuggleBuggles]

3 solid meals at 7m sounds like the high end for that age. Perhaps you could try scaling back to 1-2/ day and see if that changes formula input. Formula offers much more valuable nutrition than the solids do (good fat, vitamins...) so you don't want to replace the formula yet.

Beth

[WatchingThemGrow]

3 solid meals at 7m sounds like the high end for that age. Perhaps you could try scaling back to 1-2/ day and see if that changes formula input. Formula offers much more valuable nutrition than the solids do (good fat, vitamins...) so you don't want to replace the formula yet.

Beth
I was thinking that sounds like a lot too. Our 7mo is having 1meal/day. Today we gave him yogurt at lunch as a start of a 2nd meal, but we were out at dinner and didn't have anything, so he ended up getting just that one meal afterall. Look in the Baby 411 book and it has a chart (IIRC) for how much formula a baby should be taking at different ages.

[DrSally]

3 solid meals at 7m sounds like the high end for that age. Perhaps you could try scaling back to 1-2/ day and see if that changes formula input. Formula offers much more valuable nutrition than the solids do (good fat, vitamins...) so you don't want to replace the formula yet.

Beth

:yeahthat: You might want to ask your ped how much formula he/she wants your DC to have per day. Some kids love solids so much, formula can be displaced, and it's important they have a certain minimum amount per day (not sure what that is).

[KenReeves]

thanks all for your input!