5-6 month old going 13 hours in between feedings?

Question

My son has recently started refusing to eat in the mornings and I'm just wondering how common this is or if there's anything I should worry about. He does drink 32-36oz of breast milk & formula in a 24 hour period but he drinks most of that late in the day and in the evening. He has his last bottle of the day around 8pm and recently started refusing his morning bottle until around 9am. He will be 6 months old in 2 days and he's been doing this for about 3 weeks now. He just seems too young to go so long in between feedings. Am I wrong? He does have some oatmeal in the evenings on occasion but he still goes this long in between feedings when he doesn't eat his oatmeal or any other solids so I'm not convinced that is the cause. My oldest son always wanted that morning bottle right away and, even at the age of 3, he still wants his cup of milk or orange juice as soon as he wakes up so I'm not used to this (and we don't see his doctor until next week). Thanks!

Answer 1

he is getting plenty of milk, my oldest son was going 14 hours when he was 12 weeks old (he slept form 7-9).  I really wouldn't worry about it.  My 6 months old only drinks about 20-25oz a day and he is growing just fine.

Answer 2

It is normal.....Emma started waiting for her morning bottle around five months.  She now does not have it until time for her morning nap (she is nine months).

Answer 3

If he is gaining weight, not crying and is happy I think he will be just fine.  Maybe if you try a sippy cup or something other than formula in his bottle he will drink.

Answer 4

My daughter is very similar in the mornings, though she does usually wake once during the night to eat.

At 5 or 6 months old, children are old enough to know when they are hungry. If he doesn't want to eat, he won't. Also, you said that he is eating 32-36 ounces a day which is great. My daughter eats about the same amount during the day. As long as he is growing properly and seems to be happy and healthy, I wouldn't worry. Good luck!

Answer 5

I've noticed that Johnny's been doing the same thing for about a month.  However, he's only drinking like 16-20 oz of formula a day.  He drinks maybe 3 oz in the morning before we leave the house.  Then thru the day while at daycare, he only has maybe 6 oz while he's there.  His teacher says he just plain refuses the bottle.  He'll take his sippy cup w/juice, but no bottle.  Then in the evenings, I'm lucky to get him to take a whole bottle.

When we went to the doctor last week, I spoke w/him regarding this and he says it's pretty normal in all babies to do this.  He said especially w/Johnny teething, but as they get older, they tend to go longer between feeds.

Answer 6

I don't think that it is unusual.  My son began going 12-13 hours between feedings at about 3 months.  He would nurse around 7 pm and not again until 8 am.  Even at 10 months, checking out his toys has become his first priority in the morning, once he's done that he's ready to eat.  I would look at it as some adults like to eat as soon as they wake up in the morning, others like to shower watch the news/read the paper before they eat.

Answer 7

As long as he's getting enough in the day and I say 32-36oz in a 24 hour period is fine, also if he has wet diapers still I say it's fine if he doesn't want a morning bottle. Since he's pretty much 6 months maybe try giving the cereal in the morning or trying some fruit (my daughter loves apple sauce, or pears) so he still gets some nutrition in the mornings.

Answer 8

It is totally fine to go about 12 hours without eating.  Most babies do want to east after waking up in the morning, but it sounds like he is just fine. He is getting plenty of fluids and nutrition (and if he is content/happy - it's a great sign). The mothers that have babies sleeping through the night at 2 or 3 months, their babies go 12 hours without eating.  Take a deep breath and enjoy your mornings :-)  

Answer 9

Riley is starting to do that too, but with food instead of formula. Lately he doesn't want to eat his baby food--maybe 2-4 spoonfuls & then he starts blowing/spitting it everywhere. Maybe it's a "stage" they're going through. I know it seems young to be going through stages but ya never know. He's still getting the recommended amount of formula/breastmilk each day so I wouldn't worry much about it. Maybe he figures "hey mom, I haven't played in a long time so I want to play first!!".