Tweet
I have a 6 month old in care who drinks breast milk. He wants to eat ALL THE TIME! Not only here, but mom says at home as well, except even more frequently at home. He is with me from 8am-4:30pm. He sleeps from 8:30-11/11:30 most mornings. Between 11:30-4:30 he usually drinks an average of 16 ounces here each day. I offer 4 ounces at a time, because mom has told me that is the most she wants him having per feeding. He eats about every 1- 1 1/2 hours here. He takes one shorter nap in the afternoon. Mom said at home, starting around 5, he will eat every half hour until bedtime at 9:30. He wakes anywhere from 2-4 times at night to eat as well. She solely breasfeeds at home. He weighs 20 pounds already. Mom does not want him having any grains until he turns one. He has not started with any solids yet. He always drinks the full bottle and sometimes continues ****ing once it is gone. To me, it seems like he is eating way too much/often? Does this seem unusual to anyone else?
-
-
Every half hour?!
Maybe she needs to feed him more than that each time, the 4 month old I watch drinks 6oz each time.
Perhaps his mom needs to take him to a doctor -
Sounds like an oral fixation. Does he have a soother?Comment
-
I know with my oldest who was 22lb by the time he was 6 months. In total he ate between 24 to 36 ounces per day (mix of pumped milk and formula). But he was eating 6 to 8 ounces at a time. Sleeping threw the night and doing 2 to 3 naps per day.Comment
-
It doesn’t sound like he is eating enough per bottle. He may just need an extra ounce to hold him over a little longer. And why is she against grains until one? When does she plan on starting solids? I know there is a saying In the breastfeeding community “food before one is just for fun” and it’s completely false. She may have that mentality. If he’s drinking that often, it sounds like he needs to start solids soon.Comment
-
Her chiropractor told her that infants can't digest grains?, so she wants to hold off on giving him any until he turns one. I have never heard of this!
I also know, as she has told me, that she is having trouble pumping enough to keep up with his needs here. I'm guessing that is why she only wants me offering 4 ounces per feeding.Comment
-
Infants to lack the enzymes to digest grains in the first year. That's why cereal is no longer recommended as a first food or required by the food program.
it's just filler with no actual nutritional benefit and only constipates them.
Some kids are just little chunkers,
. My first two ate constantly the first year. Increasing the amount per feed only caused spitting up, not less eating.
Comment
-
I'm all for breastfeeding moms, but seriously? Does she just put him in a carrier and have him latched on all night? Come on. That poor baby is hungry. I would feed more per feeding and tell her it's just not fair that he's upset because he's hungry while with you. When does she want to introduce non-grains?Comment
-
Exactly this! My own baby was super chunk and wanted to nurse all the time and would barf if I fed her more. It was a comfort thing and an oral fixation thing. Pacifier saved me.Infants to lack the enzymes to digest grains in the first year. That's why cereal is no longer recommended as a first food or required by the food program. it's just filler with no actual nutritional benefit and only constipates them.
Some kids are just little chunkers,. My first two ate constantly the first year. Increasing the amount per feed only caused spitting up, not less eating.
At 20lbs this kid does not need more food!Comment
-
At 6mos, grains will give him a false sense of satiation and he won't take in the nutrition he needs. Standard practice now is meats and vegetables for first foods. I gave my kid an avocado as her first food since it's already baby-food consistency and has a high fat content. Pureed chicken, canned sodium-free carrots, and other mushy foods are great for kids who are transitioning onto solids, but I only offer a food after the parents have tried it first, in case of an allergic reaction.
But that's on the advice of pediatric nutritionists! Geez; who gets their feeding advice from a chiropractor? :confused:
I agree that there is something going on -- either he's soothing with the nipple, or he's starved because she won't let him fill up in just a single feeding, or both, or something else nobody's thought of yet.
Do you guys feel like this 4oz. rule is in violation of daycare rules prohibiting withholding food? I haven't had this situation so I don't know how it applies.Comment
-
What!? I'm pretty positive the food program here requires cereal once a day. I need to double check my paperwork... I'm not a huge fan of cereal as my pediatrician favors eggs and veggies/fruits but I thought I HAD to for the food program.Infants to lack the enzymes to digest grains in the first year. That's why cereal is no longer recommended as a first food or required by the food program. it's just filler with no actual nutritional benefit and only constipates them.
Some kids are just little chunkers,. My first two ate constantly the first year. Increasing the amount per feed only caused spitting up, not less eating.Comment
-
It very well might but it can cause constipation since babies cannot make their own Amylase which is the enzyme found in saliva too break down starch. I woukd recommend mixing cerals with banana or pineapple as they both contain Amylase so it helps with digestion.
I fed my own two kids cereal but not baby stuff out of a box. I soaked regular natural sugar free cereal like amaranth and buckwheat etc in breastmilk and mashed in banana. Nature’s Path has some good plain flake cereal.Comment
-
Compare "previous" to "updated" recommendations here from the USDA. You can see the major change from "just milk and cereal" to "milk and a ton of whole foods and/or a little bit of cereal." Hopefully your food program is keeping up with the current mode of approach.
Comment
-
I'm actually more concerned with his sleep. A 3 hr nap in the morning, plus a short afternoon nap, bedtime at 9:30(eating every half hour so not sleeping), plus waking numerous times at night is just a recipe for a cranky baby who need to be soothed all the time. And food has become his soother. I wouldnt let him sleep that late in the morning. Bottle at drop off or fed before arrival, nap from 9-10:30, bottle, awake and playing, second nap from 1-3, bottle, play, go home. I would make 6 oz bottles and sit him up a bit to slow down his suction by not making him too comfortable. Think of being snug in your bed with a bag of dorritos... you may eat the whole bag. I prefer kids save that for their parents. Here, we eat and get back to the business of playing. I never did grains or baby food jars, because I was lazy. we just smooshed up our food and fed it to them, prob starting around 6 mon or so.
Comment
Comment