How did you get your LO to drink whole milk?

[Baby Mama]

This question is specifically regarding LO's who've refused to drink expressed breast milk and formula: How did you get your LO to drink whole milk?

So far it's been difficult to get our LO to even drink water or dilluted juice from a bottle or sippy cup. We've been given the go ahead from our MD to allow our 9month old dd to drink whole milk but are still having great difficulty getting her to drink it. We're feeling optimistic though because, unlike with expressed breast milk or formula, she isn't gagging, (i do breastfeed btw). We are really trying to find a way for her to drink milk because, while with the nanny all day, she isn't drinking much but is eating all kinds of solids and we are concerned about hard poo and mild dehydration.

[pbjmama]

Have you considered using a straw?
http://www.mother-2-mother.com/cups-older.htm

I see you are under the care of a doctor...but have you considered giving her water vs. whole milk? If your main concern is constipation whole milk probably isn't going to help. Does she have issues gagging on other things? Have you considered an OT feeding evaluation?

[Baby Mama]

Originally Posted by pbjmama

Have you considered using a straw?
http://www.mother-2-mother.com/cups-older.htm

I see you are under the care of a doctor...but have you considered giving her water vs. whole milk? If your main concern is constipation whole milk probably isn't going to help. Does she have issues gagging on other things? Have you considered an OT feeding evaluation?

She isn't keen on water all that much. Our main concern isn't so much constipation per se but has more to do with trying to get her to drink a liquid during the day and we're hoping for a milk for the calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. Also, she doesn't gag with anything else; just expressed breastmilk (there is no lipase issue btw) and formula (and we've tried every formula, including soy-based ones).

ETA: I haven't tried the straw; hope it works!

[pbjmama]

I think I misunderstood a little before - so she gags on breastmilk and formula but not other liquids like water and juice, she just doesn't seem to like those? In addition to trying the milk, how about giving her lots of foods that have a high water content - watermelon, grapes (in quarters), other fruits and veggies that are high in water and fiber?

[LadyCatherine185]

Your breatfed 9 month old really does not need cow's milk. For us, getting DS to drink had more to do with the type of cup than what was in it (he loves water, never drinks juice, etc). I would focus on getting her to drink water or expressed breastmilk if there is a constipation issue, and let her eat foods that are nutrient rich, and high in water like a PP mentioned.

[Baby Mama]

We've tried water for a while but want her to drink something nutritious. We've started off with goat's milk which my husband and i both can't stand but think dd is ok with it. We've been giving her foods with a high water content and purees with water added. However at her age she still needs more liquid in her daytime diet.

[stephanie95]

My DD wouldn't take cows milk or much dairy at all until she was 2. Before that it made her sick. She wasn't ready for it. If your DD is refusing it, there might be more to the refusal. I didn't realize it until someone pointed it out to me. My DH and DS1 have lactose issues so it's not unrealistic that my dd might. I waited and now she's good with dairy.

[hakeber]

The texture or whole milk can be challenging to some people's sensibilities. This could be why she takes the breast fine but gags when it comes in a bottle or sippy cup. when she takes it from the boob it goes right down the back of her throat without her ever having to feel the creamy slippery texture in her mouth.

I think trying to focus on getting her to take milk might be a difficult challenge. Perhaps try sneaking it in by making milky popsicles, like banana and whole milk ice pops, or making milkshakes? Smoothies? That way the texture is changed making it more palatable for her.

You could even do this with expressed BM or formula making it even more nutritious still.

[Baby Mama]

I think i'm being confusing!

To clarify: She gags with expressed milk and formula, but not with water, juice or goat's milk. She's had no bad reaction to the milk and is eating cereal with it and drinking, so far, 1-2 ounces per day (since this past monday). She's able to use both bottles and sippy cups without a problem.

My supply has plummeted and although she drinks well when i get home and throughout the night, i can't seem to get much out when i pump anymore.

I've tried the smoothies idea and snuck formula into all kinds of foods; she gags everytime. We've tried every brand we can get our hands on and have even tried the soy-based ones and have come to the conclusion that it really must be a taste thing, (and we don't blame her!). Oh, and we've even tried dilluted formula even though that's supposed to be bad.

*Sigh* both me and DH are REALLY REALLY REALLY picky eaters. We were hoping that this wouldn't pass down to our LO.

[LadyCatherine185]

At 9 months old most babies aren't even eating any solids, so your DD being "picky" is totally normal. My DS was not interested in solids until 15 months old, and now at 22 months is not a picky eater AT ALL!

I would definitely do Goat's Milk over Cow's milk. Does she like yogurt? Cheese?

If your supply is low, you can take herbs to increase, and I would really work on trying to increase it with added pumping sessions, nursing as much as possible when with your DD, etc. An infant's primary nutrition needs to be breastmilk or formula for the entire first year.

[hakeber]

I guess I don't understand what the problem is then. You just want her to drink more? Maybe she's just not thirsty enough and would rather wait to meet her hydration needs from her mama?

[LadyCatherine185]

Originally Posted by hakeber

I guess I don't understand what the problem is then. You just want her to drink more? Maybe she's just not thirsty enough and would rather wait to meet her hydration needs from her mama?

How often is she nursing at night? Some babies will "reverse cycle" where they will nurse all night and not much during the day. If she is gaining fine and meeting all milestones, that is probably what is going on with your DD. I would focus on nursing as much as possible when you're together, and offering nutrient rich foods and water during the day.

Oh, have you tried a straw sippy cup? A lot of breastfed babies prefer these because the straw goes to the back of their mouth the way the nipple does when BF'ing. She may take breastmilk out of one of those.

[Baby Mama]

I tried to increase my supply without much success...did the feenugreek and thistle thing. I tried to pump but it seemed so pointless because nothing was changing. *Shrugs*

But yes, she eats yogurt once a day and also cheese because our MD told us to wait until 9months of age before introducing milk. As well, we've upped the variety of foods she eats to make up for her lack of formula drinking.

I guess i'm making the assumption that she's a little thirsty because her number of wet diapers during the day isn't good and she's SUPER cranky by the time i get home, and of course, goes right for the boob as soon as she's in my arms. The one day that she drank 3 ounces of milk during the day she had a few good heavily wet diapers. But as the nanny has also noted, her few diapers are so lightly wet, (she's had 4 children so i'm also going by her opinion of how wet diapers should be at this age). Maybe i'm being too sensitive, imagining that my DD is suffering from thirst while i'm at work? .

[LadyCatherine185]

She is probably cranky when you get home and goes straight for the boob because she just misses her Mommy and wants to nurse. Totally normal. Just keep water available to her during the day and she will drink it if she is thirsty. I would also not listen to the nanny so much, she is not a doctor and she is not you. All kids are different in how much they pee/poop. If she's nursing when you're home, at night, and eating solids and drinking water while you're gone, I wouldn't worry. As long as she is still gaining weight.

[lil_stinkyfeet]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

She is probably cranky when you get home and goes straight for the boob because she just misses her Mommy and wants to nurse. Totally normal. Just keep water available to her during the day and she will drink it if she is thirsty. I would also not listen to the nanny so much, she is not a doctor and she is not you. All kids are different in how much they pee/poop. If she's nursing when you're home, at night, and eating solids and drinking water while you're gone, I wouldn't worry. As long as she is still gaining weight.

I agree with this.

[hakeber]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

She is probably cranky when you get home and goes straight for the boob because she just misses her Mommy and wants to nurse. Totally normal. Just keep water available to her during the day and she will drink it if she is thirsty. I would also not listen to the nanny so much, she is not a doctor and she is not you. All kids are different in how much they pee/poop. If she's nursing when you're home, at night, and eating solids and drinking water while you're gone, I wouldn't worry. As long as she is still gaining weight.

Also if she is reverse cycling for whatever reason she may not be making many wet nappies at the nannies, but is making plenty at home...and what is heavily wet anyway? They say on average the baby should be going through 5-6 wet diapers a day (that's disposable of course). How many does she go through at night when you are home?

[Baby Mama]

Well...she hasn't gained any weight since she was 4months old (she's 22lbs) but i'm not too worried yet because her wrists and ankles still look like sausage links and she still looks like a chunker overall, and a weight plateau is normal for this age. She's definitely lengthened since then however and is something like 85th percentile so, phew, she's growing still.

I thought that maybe for a while she was reverse cycling because she started to nurse so frequently at night. But after a couple of weeks she went back to her old schedule of nursing twice before bed then about 2-4 more times at night. So compared to before i went to work, she's definitely getting a LOT less liquid. Also accompanying that are noticeably drier diapers (and we haven't changed the number of times we change her).

[LadyCatherine185]

22 lbs is pretty big for a 9 month old!

Once starting solids, you are going to notice less wet diapers. While they are exclusively breastfed, all of their calories are coming from liquid so they are going to have a lot more pee than when their calories are split between solids and liquids.

[wombatclay]

I agree that as long as the kiddo is healthy, growing, happy, meeting milestones etc then a parent's "job" in terms of nutrition is to make sure things are available... not necessarily to make sure your kiddo is actually eating them.

As long as there is no specific "need", just offer a variety of water rich fruits and veggies (my 10mo adores "popped" blueberries and watermelon, squished apples, yogurt, homemade slowcooked oatmeal, etc). As long as a variety of foods are being offered and they are still nursing once or twice a day, your little one probably doesn't need any "extra" nutrition.

It sounds like you're doing a great job btw!

[Lauren31]

Originally Posted by Baby Mama

Well...she hasn't gained any weight since she was 4months old (she's 22lbs) but i'm not too worried yet because her wrists and ankles still look like sausage links and she still looks like a chunker overall, and a weight plateau is normal for this age. She's definitely lengthened since then however and is something like 85th percentile so, phew, she's growing still.

My doctor told me that my baby will probably plateau after this month- she was 18lbs at 4 months. He said it is quite common for bf babies to peak and then plateau If she seems happy then I say let it be. I would not sub my milk with a cow's milk personally...