13 month old prefers formula to solids

[Anonymous]

Our 13 month old has a strong preference for formula in a bottle. We started DC with solids at 4.5 months and it had been going well up to about month 9 or 10. Now we are lucky if we get a couple of bites. DC is more interested in playing with finger food and trying to control the spoon. Is this common or should we start getting concerned?

[Anonymous]

Stop giving the formula, you can stop after a year. He's not hungry because he's filling up on formula

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why you are still giving formula either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you are still giving formula either.

No OP. She's still giving formula because otherwise baby won't eat. I'm having the same problem but with breast milk. I don't know how to get the kid to take any food even when he's not nursing as much.

[Anonymous]

Keep on the formula and just keep trying. Do not take away the formula.

[Anonymous]

OP do not take formula away. My 16 m old still prefers milk over solids. If I take it away she won't eat. Have tried. Do not want to watch her go on a puff or toe when I have eaten breakfast lunch and dinner. Each kid is different, just keep on trying. Ar done point she will start taking solids. There is always a point. For some reason it has been very difficult to find support on this forum when u are a mother of a meager eater. You get judgement, but no one knows how frustrating your motherhood is. Everyone will write how much their babies gobble down - which makes u feel worst. Try reading the book by Ellen satter - it helped. A bit. Life is a struggle over eating each day. We just sit back and hope it gets better.

[Anonymous]

My 13 month old is like this with milk (we are almost done switching from breast milk to cow's milk, and just starting to move to sippy cups). It's very week by week -- some weeks she is a great eater, eats all kinds of stuff, the next week it's nothing but milk. Teething affects it, for us.

I try to keep feeding the same amount of milk as we used to, although it has crept up a little because I believe my supply (when nursing) is drying up, and just giving water the other times she asks for milk. Also, the big positive change for us was giving baby some actual tasty food, like ground turkey cooked in oil and basil or little bits of chicken-apple sausage. We had been focusing on healthy things like plain peas and plain baked chicken -- which she loves, at least this week -- but it was getting something oily and seasoned that we thought of as unhealthy that prompted her to start eating more.

[Anonymous]

My son was like this. It just took him another few months to get interested. He was happy and healthy throughout! I think he was more interested in his mobility than his diet.

I would start letting the child drive the spoon and all that, but don't worry.

[Anonymous]

OP, definitely talk to the pediatrician and get your child evaluated by infant-toddler to see if you can get services through the county. Sounds like you may need an occupational therapist or speech pathologist to help get your child to eat solids.

[Anonymous]

My son was the same way, and for us I ded have to stop with formula (by switching to whole milk). Having fewer calories in bottles made him hungry enough to actually eat solid food. Barring SN, your kid will only eat when hungry, so make him hungry! Absolutely take the formula away. At least for a few days and see what happens. You can always add it back later if he can't eat solids for some reason. There is no need for an veal at this point -that is more like 16 months and still no true finger foods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, definitely talk to the pediatrician and get your child evaluated by infant-toddler to see if you can get services through the county. Sounds like you may need an occupational therapist or speech pathologist to help get your child to eat solids.

I really strongly disagree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you are still giving formula either.

No OP. She's still giving formula because otherwise baby won't eat. I'm having the same problem but with breast milk. I don't know how to get the kid to take any food even when he's not nursing as much.

The baby won't eat because he's filling up on formula. It's really a perpetual cycle that OP has to actively move away from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, definitely talk to the pediatrician and get your child evaluated by infant-toddler to see if you can get services through the county. Sounds like you may need an occupational therapist or speech pathologist to help get your child to eat solids.

I really strongly disagree with this.

+1 what has OP done to encourage solids and move away from formula? If they haven't tried to give solids only first for a meal or two, then that's the first step. It's fine o ask your ped, but I think it's unlikely they will suggest therapy if OP hasn't actively tried to change this.

[Anonymous]

Babies and children often have preferences that aren't necessarily good for them. It's your job as a parent to decide what's best and make it happen. I would cut the formula in half and just have food in front of them a lot. It'll work out.

[Anonymous]

My 13 month old also doesn’t eat solids. I’m lucky to get him to eat a small container of baby food a day. I worry about this. Some people tell me how “that isn’t normal” which makes me worry more. It’s nice to know some mothers are going through the same thing. If anyone has any “real tips” to help please inform me. We will be seeing our pediatrician in two days for advice from him. For the time being he will throw up or gag every time we offer him food. We tried to stop with formula and only give him small amounts of whole milk. He still wouldn’t eat food and gags at the sight of it.