[MLBW]

Hi Clowe,

My son's formula consumption varies--the more solid food he eats, the less formula he drinks. His appetite is pretty steady but some days lately he is too busy playing to want to stop and eat much. Generally, I would say he drinks probably between 18-30 ounces of formula a day, depending on how much solid food he's eaten. I've read and been told by the pediatrician that formula or breastmilk are recommended up until at least the baby turns one-year-old.

Even with the amount of food my son is eating, there is probably no way he can be getting the amount of calories his growing body needs as well as the balanced nutrition that formula or breastmilk provide. I know some moms who also start feeding their baby goat's milk between 9-12 months as it's easier to digest than cow's milk.

Oh, and an interesting thing--my son until very recently, detested drinking water--he wouldn't swallow it--whether you gave it to him a bottle, in a sippy cup, in a dropper--nothing. We even added small amounts of pure juice to see if that would make a difference--still hated it. So...our solution was to start giving him small ice chips--he likes to suck on them and he can go through quite a few--that keeps him hydrated and prevents constipation (because he is formula-fed).

Hope you have fun with the feeding.