[JKC81]

My 6 month old seems to just want to eat and eat. He loves finger food, but I am worried he may be addicted to food can this happen? He no longer seems to want breast, I offer it before and after I offer food but he doesnt want it and sooks until he gets food. His acting like he wants to eat all day, could it just be a growth spurt? Up until a few days ago he was only on 1-2 meals a day and wasnt sleeping at night but now that his eating stacks more his sleeping way better. If he is self weaning do I just have to deal with it? Do I have to give formula? Will I lose my supply? He loves water and will happily drink this rather than have breast

[cherubcheeks]

Hi

How much is he actually eating? What sort of finger food are you giving him?

My DD just seemed to want to eat and eat too....she is now 5 and she still has a massive appetite.

Maybe he is just playing catch up on food and will take his fill and then slow down.

Good luck xx

[Escapin]

My 11mo DD would have close to the same caloric intake as I do!! Don't forget, babies have to grow, not just maintain body size So, no, I don't think babies can get addicted to food!

[JKC81]

for each meal he has around half a bowl of food plus finger food. We offer him things we are eating. Breakfast is usually rice cereal with some weet bix mixed in and a little bit of yoghurt. Lunch is usually fruit might be half a banana, or tinned fruit that I tip into a bowl then use the bar mix on it. Once he has finished what I am feeding him he then has finger food offered such as cut up banana, slices of mango, grapes cut into thirds or pieces of fruit from a tin. Then dinner is meat (such and little pieces of chicken) and veg. Which depending on what we are having. Peas, corn, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin. He has a wide range of foods offered and is just loving it. Guess I am just a bit upset that he seems to be self weaning wasnt expecting it so soon

[Majeix]

I wouldn't assume he is self-weaning just excited about food maybe, or prehaps something else going on. I would encourage the milk as much as possible as he is only 6 months. Can you feed him at different times, different places so he doesn't think your holidng out on him. If you don't have one can you add in a feed before bed or first thing in the morning.

This post has been edited by Majeix: 01/03/2012, 11:00 AM

[laridae]

I would drop the spoon feeding of food and just continue with the finger food. At that age they are still supposed to be having mostly milk. Finger food doesn't get eaten quite as fast so he won't fill up on it quite as much, and he'll be able to listen better to his body telling him when he is full. Make sure BF (or formula) is offered first.

[JKC81]

he was drinking better this morning, so maybe after he get over the excitement of food he will drink more. I offer breast (will have a small feed, but not a proper one) then try and hold out for an hour before offering food, then I offer breast after food as well, but he will normally refuse and sook until offered water. He is still having a breast feed at 10pm, 2am, 5am and sometimes a small 7am feed

[JKC81]

if I dont feed him the amount I am then he still wont have proper breast feeds and he just ends up starving at night, feeding pretty much non stop all night

[JKC81]

also maybe I should add that at his health nurse check a week ago he was in the 25th percentile for his length and head and only in the 10th percentile for weight so he could do with a little fattening up lol

[elegie]

I would drop the spoon feeding of food and just continue with the finger food. At that age they are still supposed to be having mostly milk. Finger food doesn't get eaten quite as fast so he won't fill up on it quite as much, and he'll be able to listen better to his body telling him when he is full. Make sure BF (or formula) is offered first.

What laridae said. It sounds like your DS would do really well with baby-led weaning. If you aren't spoon-feeding him, he won't fill up so quickly on food, and will leave room for the more nutritious milk.