DD dislikes milk and ahtes being spoon fed. tryning BLW worried DD not getting anough to eat!

[littlegracesmum]

Stressed mummy worrying as dd only takes between 12- 16 ounces of milk per day....will NOT take any more but will happily take a beaker of water! Also Spoon feeding not going well. Started ok for one month then started refusing now only takes 2 -3 baby spoons then refuses anymore...don't want to force her and end up with real feeding problems.Spoon feeding preblems going on now for 2 months and no sign of any eeth yet?! DD only 7 months so been trying BLW but DD only eats tiny tiny morsels of bread stick or cheese and never touches any fruit of veggies I prepare! Dd is on 25th centile and quite skinny but full of energy now trying to crawl and never stays still for 2 minutes! Is it possible Dd just has a tiny appetite?? Is this normal at this stage? Please can anyone help stressed out mummy?

[Elasticwoman]

What makes you think she should have more than 12 - 16 oz milk a day when she is on solids as well?

Surely blw is about letting the baby tell you how much they need. Is she wasting away or sleeping badly?

[littlegracesmum]

HV told me should be on at least 500mls per day which is 20 Oz and also gets me to keep close tabs on what she is eating and always always asks me what exactly she is eating now so makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong and not feeding DD enough as she rarely gains weight ...although hasn't lost any either! How much solids is it usual for a 7 month old baby to eat anyway? DD seems fine....although lately started waking at 4am and needing more milk...although refuses more during the day. We just feed her when she wants if she wakens in the night. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

[AitchTwoOh]

yes and no, i think. does the 12-16 oz count the night feeds?

[littlegracesmum]

yes..the 12-16 oz includes the night feeds. However today she has taken 500mls so far feel a bit happier. Is DD really taking too little?

[Elasticwoman]

I wonder what makes HVs arrive at the arbitrary figure of 20 fl oz a day. Is that 20 oz for every baby, large or small?

At 7 mos, milk is still the most important part of her diet so as long as you are offering it frequently and she's not filling up on something else, there is no need to worry unless she seems unwell or is failing to thrive.

However, it would be an idea to try and tempt her with some high calorie food - have you tried banana or avocado pear? Both are high fat and if dd doesn't want to be spoonfed, just give her little bits to hold. Yes I know most of it will be smeared all over her face, high chair etc. Also bread and hummous was something mine ate a lot of. In fact you can spread the bread with whatever you like, but be aware of salt content.

Now is the time to try all sorts of different weaning foods, but if she still doesn't eat much and doesn't accept much milk, well maybe she just doesn't need it until the next growth spurt.

[AitchTwoOh]

if she's on 15fl oz then that's not so different from 20, really. it must be stressful for you, though. am i being ridiculous in wondering if you've tried more than one milk? or indeed if you've changed over to the 6months plus stuff recently? i stuck with the 1-6 stuff in the end as dd seemed to liek it better.
i think that some babies just don't like it that much, though, so presumably as long as she's getting calcium and fats then she shoudl be okay. what does she think of greek yoghurt, that's quite fatty for a yog.

[redbeki]

why not try really soft fruits like ripe melon or pear.Just keep putting pieces in front of her.If she doesn't eat them don't worry,she will eventually.
Babies are so curious for new anything new at this stage.

[AitchTwoOh]

true, redbeki, but she could also try something like cauliflower cheese in cooled-down pieces, perhaps to get some extra calories in there. i do think the avocado idea was good as well, things like that.

[littlegracesmum]

thank you for your ideas I shall give them a try tomorrow. DD had great diff with melon and other soft fruits...couldn't pick them up as too slippery and when she did briefly hold a bit of melon she just droppped it again! Will try the avocado and cauliflower cheese though. I really do think that dd just doesn't like milk that much though as if I offer cooled boiled water she'll drink plenty of that so she obviously feels thirsty but if I offer the milk she refuses it most of the time....its really quite frustrating. However dd seems quite alert and happy and very active despite taking such small amounts so I keep telling myself that if she wanted it or needed it she would take it as she won't completely starve herself! ....surely a baby that is offered food but refuses it won't actually come to any real harm?? What do you think?

[Tickle]

I'm sure she's fine Gracesmum - is she very hungry when she gets up? Mine polished off lots more at brekkie than later, so maybe try some high calorie yoghurt, banana etc for brekkie?

Good luck!

ps mine have always loved frozen peas

[Tickle]

...altho she may need to be older to pick them up easily

I assume it's formula milk, so maybe try another brand... I think they taste quite different. There are also some higher calorie ones around, can't remember the names.

[mistypeaks]

this is spooky. I've come on to ask the same question (dd is 8 months and called grace - something in the name perhaps!!!) She just screams if you try to offer her milk, but will drink water. Only takes milk when she wakes up at 4 am altho last night I gave her a bottle of water as an experiment and she drank that and went to sleep. I've tried making food with milk in it but she sees thru that and refuses to eat it!! She'll happily munch cheese spread triangles, banana, rice cakes, bread with whatever spread on it. Its driving me insane. She too will only accept a few mouthfuls from a spoon unless she's holding the spoon so I put her food on her own spoon and hope for the best (messy, but some of it must be going in there!!!) Her big sis was similar as far as milk was concerned, but not quite as bad as this. She's a very healthy thriving young 'un so it can't have done her any harm. It just seems to me as little as they are they know they're own minds and won't be told otherwise!!! I'm off now to make some cauliflower cheese!!