What to do about a 6 month old BLW baby who's suddenly not interested in his milk???

[TheIceQueen]

He's had a nasty cough for a couple of days - but is now better, however, he's not interested in his milk. He had 4oz at 1.30am this morning, woke up at 7.45 and didn't want to know until 10am when he had another 5oz.

He's not really eating much yet (tbh we haven't really been offering him much ) so nutrition input currently virtual non-existent.

Should we try and "push" the feeding - offering more food more often, or keep it limited to try and encourage his milk intake back up again (his "normal" milk intake in any 24hr period is 40-50oz!).

We've tried a beaker - but he hasn't go the knack of it at all - preferring to try and chew the bottom of it rather than drink out of the top.

He's very happy and cheerful though......

[TheIceQueen]

anyone??

[TheIceQueen]

please???

[Jojay]

My ds always takes a while to get his appetite back after he's been ill.

If he's happy and cheerful there's not too much wrong.

I would offer him milk and a selection of food you know he likes, at your usual meal / feed times, and I'm sure he'll soon be back on track.

If you get worried about dehydration, my doctor recommended feeding teaspoonfulls of water / milk every few mins - it sounds a bit bizarre but if he'll take a bit from a spoon, it will get fluid into him without overloading him, and he mihgt not be so resistant to this unfamiliar way of feeding.

HTH

[TheIceQueen]

he's just refused a bottle (intially) so a popped him in the high chair and he's just attacked a corner of bread crust (at last I've found a use for the ends of the loaf that we never use ), and a piece of cheese....MORE than happy to have at go at "eating" (I use the term loosely of course ) them.........he has since followed up with 3oz of milk......

He's not really feeding from a spoon as we're mainly BLWing him.

[Jojay]

Well that sounds promising.

I'm sure he'll be back on track in a day or two!

[TheIceQueen]

I'm not sure it is knowing him, 9oz since 1.30am this morning is nothing for him - and he's really not that interested (I think he only drank it because I let him get really cross and frustrated first - if I offer it to him when he's "ready" for milk, but happy he doesn't want to know)..

Should I try and offer more food until he gets his milk intake up again, or should I try and limit the food offered to encourage him to drink more again???

[PrisonerCellBlockAitch]

i don't think a few days of this will kill him, though, will it? the most important thing is the milk, no question, but it does sound as if he's on a preternatural amount anyway. i'd keep offering everything (milk first, obv) and then re-assess on Monday, say.

[PrisonerCellBlockAitch]

oh, and maybe things like broccoli ad carrot rather than bread, if he's goiing to fill up it might as well be vitamins.

[Jojay]

How is he Icequeen??

[WeaselMum]

I had exactly the same thing with ds when he was about 6.5 months - at Christmas last year, in fact, after he had a cold and cough. He would drink a couple of oz here and there and refuse the rest. I think we offered him food (after offering milk) about three times a day, mostly things like veg, avocado and banana. He ate very little of that too, whether offered on a spoon or as finger food, but like yours was v happy and cheerful with it!

It lasted for a couple of weeks and he didn't put on any weight for a month or so but then he just gradually started taking more milk, eating more again and everything was fine. I remember we were visiting my mum at the time and she had loads of her friends round and every one of them said that their own dcs had gone through a similar stage and that I shouldn't worry. Was exactly what I needed to hear!