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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

1 year old still wont drink anything...and has dropped breastfeeds

29 replies

Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 19:33

I've posted before when DS was younger but now he is 12 months old I am getting really worried about him not drinking. He only sips water very occasionally through the day so probably 50ml total max in 24hours. Otherwise he bfeeds at breakfast and bedtime.

He refuses any type of bottle and I have tried EVERYTHING. He will sip what little he has from a baby cup.

His fontanelle is slightly sunken all the time but he seems well in himself. Do you think I should get external advice now that he has dropped the day feeds?

OP posts:
Jackshouse · 17/10/2018 19:34

Yes.

Have you tried a sports bottle or an open cup?

Jackshouse · 17/10/2018 19:35

DD would drink lots in the bath from a toy tea pot. We spend a lot of time in bath encouraging her to drink the water.

BendingSpoons · 17/10/2018 19:41

Will he eat wet foods, like fruit or cereal with milk? We can get most of our fluid intake through food. I would get professional advice too though.

yorkshireyummymummy · 17/10/2018 19:46

I’ve just done a quick online check and it seems that a one year old should take on 1300ml of fluid per day.
20% of this will come from food. That leaves 1040ml from milk , water and juice.
I have no idea at all how much breast milk a one year old will take on if they feed twice a day - and in fairness, neither do you .
But, I would guesstimate that your son needs at least 500ml per day from sippy cup drinks.
He sounds like he could be chronically dehydrated - this would worry me dreadfully.
I would be making an appointment with the doctor ASAP.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 19:52

OK thanks

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Bythebeach · 17/10/2018 19:54

In the short term can you offer/reintroduce a breastfeed early evening in addition? And keep yourself really hydrated!! I struggled with this with DS3 but although we kept offering milk/water in other ways, he kept up a 3 breastfeeds a day for ages and was perfectly happy to wait it out for the whole 10 hour day I was at work!!

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 19:55

He eats porridge made with milk and fruit yes but I expected him to take on water as hes dropped feeds but he hasnt. O will ring tomorrow

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Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 20:00

@Jackshouse yes he will only sip from a baby cup which is an open cup (just tiny)

OP posts:
Jackshouse · 17/10/2018 20:08

Definitely ask HV for advice but keep offering drinks, plenty of water heavy food (water melon, strawberries etc) and try ice lollies too.

Fabuleuse · 17/10/2018 20:10

Have you tried juice?

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 20:13

I tried juice a few weeks ago with a real straw but no luck.
I am struggling to find sports cap bottles suitable for 12month + anyone know of any?

I have brought 16 beakers Confused

OP posts:
Emma9876 · 17/10/2018 20:16

Have you tried a Doidy cup, my breast fed baby isn't a fan of beakers but will drink out of one of those?

toasterstrudle · 17/10/2018 20:19

DS rejected lots of cups but loves his 360 cup (they've got a rubber seal in the middle but can drink from any part of the cup, it's fab)

TooMinty · 17/10/2018 20:28

Don't just try cups for his age, younger and older might suit better. The basic Tomee Tippee worked well for us, think it is 3+ months but still used it 12+ months.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 20:32

I've tried the basic tommee tippee and the 360 munchkin and nuby, straws, doidy....

Literally our only success so far is a babycup but its just not enough. Tbf its like he doesnt like water. Perhaps i will try diuted apple juice again

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helpmum2003 · 17/10/2018 20:36

We had this with my DD. Once she stopped breastfeeding at 11 months I think she got most fluid from yoghurt and strawberries. She was very constipated not surprisingly.

Once she was older and understood we were able to get her to drink more. When she did drink it was juice.

While it's not ideal as long as nappies were wet we just had to assume she was getting enough.... Before it happened I wouldn't have believed if someone had told me the same story....

Good luck! Lots of fruit and yoghurt...

TooMinty · 17/10/2018 20:42

Also try ice lollies. Frozen liquid is still hydration!

Fabuleuse · 17/10/2018 21:30

I'd be giving anything he'll drink until he's used to drinking out of a cup. Then you can water it down. Different juices, smoothies, even strawberry milk. I know they are all sugary, but not drinking is a more pressing concern than a bit of sugar.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 21:57

OK thanks. Its only in the last week hes dropped the day feed. He does eat alot of grapes, strawberries, blueberries etc but I think I need to see him properly drinking from something (I am beyond caring what tbh).

I appreciate all of your advice. I will have another prowl for bottles

OP posts:
WheelyCote · 17/10/2018 21:59

Not sure if this has been asked already but is your little one still having plenty of wet nappies and opening bowels?

WheelyCote · 17/10/2018 22:04

And again apologies if you've tried this already but thicker liquids might be worth trying.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 22:31

He is having wet nappies and I do check him frequently, albeit sometimes they are dry for longer than I like - I panicked a few days ago it was dry after about 5hours but then 10min later it was sagging all over the place. I will keep a close eye on this.

Bowels yes defo. With the exception of 48 hour nightmare following his jabs last week he has been eating like a horse out of the blue which is brilliant as we have always struggled with his weight gain. He was having one dirty nappy a day in the morning but the last few days its been 4+ a day with only 1 that looked 'solid'. The rest are typically mushy (sorry tmi). He loves fruit and veg hence the little weight gain so does eat healthy.

He was getting good at one point at pointing at his cup for water and having a few sips but its never amounted to anything. Tbh I think it was more a game for him to do it. I try every 30mins or hour to get him to have a sip and of course at every meal but its tiny tiny amounts. Sometimes he just blows bubbles.

I have also tried full milk, cold and warmed.

He absolutely loves playing with evian bottles and fruit shoot bottles. He knows what they are for and instinctly puts them to his mouth to mimic me. I haven't allowed him to drink from a fruit shoot bottle as I was concerned about his teeth (this was pre dropping feeds) so perhaps a sports bottle could work. I could refill a water bottle (evian) with tap water I guess.

I would love him to take to a bottle tbh as its a pain offering an open cup in the night etc as if he bats it away or acts silly with it it soaks him - i still try offering it at every wake up though.

I also thought I was pushing him too much so tried leaving lots of different bottles/cups about so he may play with them and figure it out himself but after a week of drowned carpets and absolutely no water swallowed I haven't repeated this

OP posts:
Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 17/10/2018 22:32

Thanks all for your suggestions I really appreciate it

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Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2018 19:43

Just as an update and in case anyone else is struggling.... Today whilst shopping I brought DS bottle number 17. A systema twist n sip. Clearly for much older children but it mimics a sports bottle of evian. DS drank about 150ml at dinner! Fingers crossed this is a turning point...

OP posts:
TooMinty · 19/10/2018 21:43

That sounds promising 🙂