5.5 Month Old Barely Eats - Help!

Cereal has no nutrition in it. It is empty food. All food at this age is to teach a baby to chew and swallow. So please try to breast feed exclusively a bit longer. She really needs the nutrition from you first.

It's very common for babies to become very efficient at the breast by this age. They can suck it down really fast. Also, you really don't feel "full" like you did when you were first breast feeding, so it's harder to tell how much she's eating. She could be doing great!

Also, 14 pounds at 5 months sounds pretty good. Isn't the rule of thumb that babies should double there weight by 5 months? Is she was around 7 pounds at birth, she's right on track!

You can't judge how much your daughter has been taking in while nursing even if it's "only a few minutes." Some babies are very, very efficient at nursing and getting all of the milk that they need in a very short amount of time. They're far more efficient at getting milk than pumping or expressing, and whatever you pump or express would never be equal to what she's drinking directly from you.

The fact is that she is gaining weight. There's no way to tell how big she'll be yet. As long as she's healthy, happy, gaining weight, and satisfied when she's done nursing. She's just doing it all at her own pace. The fact that several professionals INCLUDING lactation consultants have essentially given you the same reassuring advice is a good thing. I don't understand why you want there to be something wrong. Do you believe that babies are supposed to always be fat and pudgy and weigh 20 lbs at only 5 months old? Your baby is a healthy weight for her age. She's gaining weight and height steadily. Her eating behaviors are normal as a breastfed baby.

I suggest that the issue here is more yours than the baby's and the doctors'.

Hi, D.,

I agree with several of the other moms. The time she spends eating does not necessarily mean that she isn't getting what she needs. Both of my babies were exclusively breastfed. Both started in the beginning with 30-45 minute feedings (With each child I chose to do only 1 breast at a time....so right side at the 6:30am feeding, left side at the 9:30am feeding, etc.). By the time they were each probably 6 weeks old, we both had figured out our system well, and baby was completely done nursing within about 5 minutes. That's a huge difference from 30-45 minutes. It can actually be a really great thing to know that things can be done that fast (you can always cuddle longer during the burping session). It sounds to me like your daughter has just reached that point where she is very efficient in her nursing. Also, she may have a longer feeding in the middle of the night, because she is half out of it with sleep.

Around the time that my children became really efficient nursers, I also noticed the change in my breasts. They didn't feel so full all the time. Remember that as you settle into your routine, it is not uncommon for that major fullness to go away, because **your body has finally adjusted to the needs of your baby, and it is creating the perfect amount of milk to meet your baby's needs.

I happened to be working on updating baby books and so I have them sitting right here. My son was almost 8 lbs at birth and weighed about 16 lbs at the 6 mo appointment. My daughter was right under 7 lbs when born and weighed about 15 lbs at her 6 mo appt. What is your daughter's birth weight? Double it and I would expect her weight at her 6 month appointment to be close to that.

Both of my children were on a *flexible* schedule. By 6 mo of age, here was the schedule.

Feedings at:
6:30am
9:30am
12:30pm
3:30 pm
6:00 pm
8:30 - 9ish *Usually Last Feeding.

As we all know, babies go through growth spurts. Sometimes we would end up doing a 6, 8, and 10pm feeding.

If your baby was not getting enough of what she needs then you would know it. She would not be a happy baby. As long as she is gaining weight and happy, back off and let things go as they are. We all worry about our children...it's normal.

Last thought about the naps...It is normal for a baby to fuss/cry out about 30 minutes into a nap. This can signal a change from one sleep state to another sleep state. When this happens, I would encourage you to resist from going to get her....set the clock for 5 minutes. She may settle into a deeper sleep before the 5 minutes is up. Make yourself wait for the 5 minutes to be up. Many parents make the mistake of running in there too quickly, and it actually will fully wake the child (thus ending the nap). Resist that urge to rush in! :)

My daughter is small. She will be three in 2 mos, and weighs 25 1/2 lbs. Like you, I was worried when she was younger. My pediatrician says that she's fine, is hitting her curve, and for me not to worry- a malnourished baby doesn't hit milestones. When she asked me if I was small growing up, I realized, yes, I was always smaller than my friends. She just smiled and said "Well, there you go!". Now that she's a petite 2 1/2 year old, I don't worry anymore. She's happy, healthy, and smart as a whip.
So don't worry. She'll eat when she's ready. And as long as she meets her own curve, all is well.

She sound fine and normal. All mine were like that. I only nursed them for like 3 minutes. They just sucked it all down super fast. At night they took their time more, but regardless they were all gaining weight but they were all skinny minnis. Now they are tall and super thin. It's just how they are.

Is she just fast? My DD was a dedicated nurser. A few minutes and she was done. I would worry more about her output than anything. That will tell her about her input. Rice cereal is simply filler. I would focus on nursing more than cereal, as it will fill her up without the nutrition of your milk. Make sure she is being judged on a breastfed baby growth chart. If she wakes up in the night to nurse, then maybe she's reverse cycled on you and I'd just nurse her on demand. I am not sure what the concern is. I would not force her to eat more if she's otherwise healthy.

Kellymom.com has more breastfeeding tips.

If she is gaining, she's ok. Some babies suck like vacuum cleaners and can pull enough out in a very short time. Ask your lactation consultant to weigh your baby before and after a feeding. That will tell you how many ounces she is getting when she eats.

Perhaps seeing what the difference is between the nighttime and daytime feedings. Maybe she needs quieter darker time to nurse?

Updated

If she is gaining, she's ok. Some babies suck like vacuum cleaners and can pull enough out in a very short time. Ask your lactation consultant to weigh your baby before and after a feeding. That will tell you how many ounces she is getting when she eats.

Perhaps seeing what the difference is between the nighttime and daytime feedings. Maybe she needs quieter darker time to nurse?

I think it was around 5 months that my oldest started to eat more at each sitting. He was still napping like yours is. It wasn't until he was 7 or 8 months that he really started sleeping longer stretches. I remember my sister asking me if he was down to just 3 naps a day. Nope! Not until 7 or 8 months. I guess most babies are down to 3 naps a day by 5 months.

I would say hang in there and give her time. As she grows and matures, she will begin eating more at each setting. She will also begin sleeping less often and for longer stretches of time.

You got some really great advice from the other moms here! I would reiterate the weighing before and after a feeding, just to get an idea. I would also reiterate nursing her in a dark and quiet environment. It does wonders for curious babies. I didn't have to start this with my 9 month old until about a month ago, but boy, do we have to do it now! If there is ANYTHING more exciting than my boob in the room (lol), he is looking at it and trying to wiggle out of my arms! Sometimes he only nurses for 2-3 minutes on each side, and that's it for 3+ hours. Other times, he relaxes, is sleepy, and will still nurse 15-20 minutes per side.

I'm sure she's fine, but keep an eye on output, and I wouldn't add the rice cereal right now. If you fear that she is not getting enough nutrition, then that's NOT the way to go. Formula would be better if you are trying to supplement with something other than breastmilk.

A little rant here about growth charts that get so many great parents upset. This is not test scores where a 95% is better than 5%. Each can be perfectly fine for that particular child. 14.5 pounds at 5.5 months is what your daughter is supposed to be at. You have been providing breast milk when and how much she needs and she is happy, healthy and developing. So you can relax now mom and enjoy your baby.

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All kids are built different my son hit 20 lbs at 4 months. He was huge! He only weighed about 25lbs by his first birthday though. My second is tiny she is 4.5 and weighs 26lbs. She doesn't gain weigh quickly but is perfectly healthy and very smart. As long as she is gaining weight and hitting her milestones and is happy I wouldn't worry. I also agree with previous responses about the cereal. I never gave it to any of my babies. They don't need it and you don't want to fill her up with anything other than breast milk. When I started feeding my kids food I started with fruits and veggies, I figured why would I want to give them a taste of processed food when fruits and veggies are healthier.

My babies were born at about 9 lbs, and both were 19 lbs at their 1 year appointment - so that's less than a pound a month in weight gain - and they were (and are) very healthy boys. Since none of the medical professionals are worried, I think you need to try to relax about this. Your baby is fine - Yay!

As for the quick nursing, if she's getting to an age where she's easily distracted, you might keep her nursing longer by taking her to a dark, quiet room for all her feedings. You could also add in a dream feed if you want to get an extra feeding session in.

I also generally agree with everyone else though that your baby may simply be a very efficient nurser.

My sons both weighed about the same at that age. My first son would nurse for 20 minutes a side at each session. Talk about exhausting! My second son nursed for about 2 minutes per side each session. Much easier! We just went to my second son's one year doctor's appointment. He was 19 pounds 7 ounces. Only 8 ounces less than his older brother in spite of how short his nursing sessions were. And both boys are happy, healthy, and hitting their milestones.
I was really freaked out about my first son's weight, because that's what you do (pointlessly) when you're a new mom. One thing that helped me was when I brought him in to the lactation nurses at the hospital. They weighed him on a really sensitive scale before and after I nursed him. I could not believe how many ounces he drank while nursing! I also felt less pressure after he started eating regular food, particularly whole milk yogurt. But again, all that worry was really for nothing! Some babies are just small and cute for longer than others :)

I do not know how much your baby should be growing, and if your Pediatrician is not concerned, it may be fine. It's great that you are beginning to try new textures with your baby, as that is very important to your child's feeding development. But, if this continues and you become very worried, there are Speech Language Pathologists that work as Feeding Specialists. You can ask for a referral from your pediatrician or look one up yourself. They will evaluate your child's swallowing, and feeding habits and determine whether there is clinical evidence of a problem. They are not able to make medical decisions like dietary changes, but they may be able to suggest new feeding techniques or if everything looks good, they may just ease your mind about your child's feeding. Not every SLP has the experience to work with pediatric feeding and swallowing, so please find an experienced clinician who has decided to specialize in this area (they are often at children's hospitals).

she sounds fine to me.. my daughter was 6 15 at birth and only weighed 17 pounds at he 1 year check up.. so if your girl grows just 3 pounds in the next 7 months.. she will be bigger than my daughter..

people come in different sizes. some are large some are small.

if she is gaining.. is happy.. do not worry.. she is fine..

my daughter did nto gain much weight till she was over 2 and started eating table food.. she didn't care for baby food.

I've had babies with feeding, eating, and weight gain problems, so from my persecutive, you have nothing to worry about. She may have a very efficient suck and get all she needs in a short time. Mine sometimes did a two hour feeding and always over an hour and was loosing weight! Time at the breast isn't the best indicator. Turns out mine had an inefficient suck and expended more energy trying to nurse than she could get calories. Trust me, you don't have a major problem on your hands.