10.5 month old not interested in milk (BM or formula) - just food and water

[buliej]

My little guy who couldn't get enough of the boob is now all about his food. I offer him a breastfeed in the morning and he goes for it for a couple of minutes and then wants no more (I offer him a bottle of formula immediately afterwards because I am uncertain of my supply at this point). He eats huge amounts (relative to his size) of food for each meal - I really do wonder where he is putting it. During the day, he rejects the bottle (I no longer BF during the day as I'm working) but will take water - I have even put formula in 1 sippy cup and water in an identical sippy cup and he only wants the water. I also offered him the breast to see if he would take it (to see if it was a breast vs formula thing and he didn't want to go near the breast either). The only time he really takes a large amount of milk (formula) is his pre-bedtime bottle feed of formula - it's a struggle but I can usually get him to take 100-150 mls.

His wake-up nappy is soaked - I mean really wet and heavy. All other nappies have some pee in them but not that much - not compared to pre-solids and only BF. He is a regular poo-er so I'm not worried about that and his diet is really, really healthy - plenty of chicken, different kinds of veggies, eggs, cheese, full fat yogurt, full fat cottage cheese, full fat milk and wheatbix, banana & other fruits, lentils, no sugar or salt. Although he hasn't been weighed in a couple of months, he is clearly putting on weight (those that see him regularly back-up our view as do his clothes).

I keep telling myself that if he wanted more milk, he'd drink - he just doesn't seem to want it - and when he wants liquid, he wants water.

Is this "normal"/OK? Is he getting enough calcium from his dairy foods? What about Vitamin D? do I need to worry about this (my mother said that babies..ie, my nephews...in the US were on Vitamin D supplements and that it's basically routine there).

Thoughts?

[Rowellen]

I think he sounds normal. He sounds like he's healthy and happy & just knows what he wants. Vitamin D actually comes from the sun. Some time in the sun each day is plenty especially in an Aussie summer (I think it's recommended to have 10 minutes - not 100% sure on that though). I think in some places where they don't get much sun, it is more of a problem.

[Kmn]

I think you have to follow his lead as long as he's active and usually happy. If he's constipated then try and get more fluid into him, but otherwise leave it be.

Do you work every day? My DS settled into a pattern of not feeding during the day on the days when I was working but feeding quite frequently over the weekend days.

[Miss.B]

I think he's OK hun. When DS turned 1, the MCHN said that as long as he got 3 serves of calcium rich foods per day he's good. Like one tub of yogurt, one small tub of custard, one cheese stick and so on. My DS loved his solids from about 8-9 months too, and he preferred solids to milk as well. I still offered formula first and then topped it up with solids. As soon as he turned 1, he pretty much was fully on solids, and only had an occasional morning bottle and always the night time bottle. He ditched the occasional morning bottle when he was around 14-15 months, and then he ditched the night time bottle 2 months ago (he's 19 months now), so I give him more cheeses and yogurts now to compensate for it. I'm sure your DS is fine as long as he is getting his calcium. If you think he's missing out on something in the BM/formula, could he take some supplements or something? Just a thought

[buliej]

Thanks for the replies.

MissB - he eats plenty of those types of calcium rich foods, but maybe I'll ask the GP what she thinks (we really like our GP and she has been great in terms of advice with DS). DS amazes everyone with how much of real food he likes to eat, so I guess that is a good thing.

KMN - he's just not that interested in milk - no matter what the source!