Baby/toddler questions
I feel like I've never done this before, but I am having a hard time remembering the transitions we made around the 1 year mark with Luke. Shawn will be 1 next week, and I have a few questions.
1. Is the boxed Gerber Oatmeal cereal the same thing as regular oatmeal, just more ground up? We only used rice cereal for Luke, but I bought oatmeal today for Shawn, and I am now remembering how pricey baby cereal is! Just wondering if running regular oatmeal through the blender would be the same as Gerber oatmeal in the box?
2. How old were your kids when you switched from formula/breastmilk to whole milk? I asked our dr. about switching him a week early, and I got the "if you have to, but we prefer to wait until after their 1st birthday." I stocked up on formula couple of months ago, and I'm on my last can, and I'd hate to go buy another week's worth because we are so close to his birthday.
3. Has anyone ever had issues with your babies suddenly refusing formula? Another reason I want to start switching him to whole milk....it's really becoming difficult to get 32 oz. of formula down him every day! I've tried bigger nipples on the bottles, new sippy cups, different temps of milk....nothing seems to work. After only an oz or two, he tosses the bottle on the floor and gets very angry when we offer it back to him. For awhile, we have managed to get his formula in him by turning on Baby Einstein, but that's not working anymore. He doesn't want to sit in his high chair and he doesn't want to be held. He just plain doesn't want to eat!
Maybe answers....
1. Not sure on this one but I wouldn't see how much difference there would be if you just took the regular stuff and ground it up a little more.
2. I started to switch Jacob over to whole milk a week before his birthday by doing 3/4 formula and 1/4 milk for a day then decreasing the formula and increasing the milk each day until he was taking only milk by his birthday. My doctor said it was fine as long as he wasn't reacting to it and said the difference in one week is not going to make any difference when they get to be 'this age' (referring to being 1). You should always go by what your doctor says, but in this case, I don't think there would be a problem if you did it a week early (I could understand if you were thinking a month or more, but what is a week going to do?)
3. We are having issues with this right now. Jacob turned 1 at the beginning of April and since his birthday he would only get a bottle in the morning when he woke up and one at night before bed. These past couple of days, he has been taking his morning bottle and drinks about a 1/4 of it (8oz. total), turns his bottle upside down and empties another 1/4 of it onto his tray to make pretty pictures and then throws the 1/2 that is left onto the floor. I think I'll just start giving him Gatorade in morning so he's still getting nutrients, but as for the milk, he's just not interested in drinking it at this point. He has upped his nighttime intake of milk from 6oz up to 10-12oz. Don't know if it's just a phase or what.
Hope this has helped a little.
I'd switch him
hi Jessica,
I wouldn't go buy another can of formula since he'll be 1 yr old in a week. I'd just switch him. I totally went from formula to whole milk with both kids.. no transitioning. I'd heard both: 1/2 forumla and 1/2 whole milk OR just completely switching to the whole. My understanding (and this is how my kids were) is that it's not unusual that the little one will decrease the formula intake as he/she gets closer to the 1 yr mark, because he/she will be eating more actual food. I think Jenna was down to approx 8-10 ounces of formula a day by the time we switched her to whole milk (a week before her 1st birthday). I'd just go with what Shawn is "telling you" (not wanting the full 32 ounces). Since he "should" be eating more foods, it makes sense that he would want less to drink? ??
Just me 2 cents
Patty
Hope this help!
#1- I asked my doctor couple months ago and she told me that the oatmeal baby cereal as more iron and other vitamins that a child needs and easier for digestion then our oatmeal. I agree with you for the price!
#2- I switched my son 1 week before his 1 yr b-day and mixed it with the rest of formula that I had left. I don't see why you should buy another formula can if your son is ok with the change directly.
#3- My son did that to us couple months ago and switch him for a "cheap first year" sippy cups and it work but now he's eating much more everyday and 24oz are getting harder for my 2year old (next month) and now I don't know what to do again!
Hope you are all having a wonderful long weekend : )
Formula versus milk
We went through a similar issue last year. Two weeks before my daughter was turning one, we were going on a week long camping trip. I did not want to have to mess with formula, plus, I was finishing my last canister of formula. I called my doctor and she said switching to milk isn't just based on age, but also weight. My daughter was fine on weight and was eating enough solids foods that she said it was fine. Also, my daughter did fine with switching without having to wean her from the formula. I think it helped that she had an older brother drinking milk. Good luck and happy first birthday!
one year olds
Raising kids keeps us on our toes,for sure...The minute you figure them out, they go ahead and change on you!
#1 I also believe that the baby oatmeal has more iorn than regular, but I rememeber my kids losing interest with it at a year, so we stopped giving it to them and switched to more exciting fare.
#2 My kids were all 12 months when we switched to whole milk. Our doc recommended that for us, but I think we even cheated and switched our middle daughter at 11 months. She totally lost interest with formaula after many adjustments, like new cups,etc.
#3 Feeding a toddler is so fun, isn't it?!?!? It sounds like he's ready for the switch...He's probably ready for something different, and he's eating more food now, so he's going to need less milk. I would try offering the "new" milk in a "new" way..the open cup. If that's how big brother drinks his, be more apt to get his milk that way...the power of modeling... works wonders!
Trust your instincts...Follow his lead...and he'll let you know.
Good luck!
Thanks!
Thank you all for your ideas and advice! We did make the switch this weekend to whole milk, and he has done great! We've been struggling to get 32 oz. of formula in him for weeks, and it's much easier to get 20 oz. of milk in! I'm really hoping we can get rid of the bottle and move to a sippy cup soon! I'm sure this was his way of telling us it was time to make the switch :)
For the oatmeal, we will stick to buying Gerber oatmeal. I do remember now when Luke was a baby that Gerber cereals have the iron babies need.
Thanks so much!
Jessica
~ Mommy to Luke and Shawn