My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

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

Infant feeding

Struggling with 7 month old..

5 replies

HopefulBeckie · 30/05/2023 21:01

My son is doing so well with solid foods that he is now having 2 meals a day (breakfast & dinner) with plenty of fruit and veg. He also has a sweet tooth like me 😅
However, there’s two things I’m struggling with. One is getting him to drink any water. Now the weather is getting warmer I know he needs at least a little bit of water. I’ve tried everything I can think of. Using a beaker cup, giving it to him in a bottle, using a different bottle so he can recognise its water and not get mad when it’s not milk. I’ve also tried squeezing some of his favourite fruits in there. He just cries and spits it out.

Another thing is that he is so obsessed with his milk that he is refusing to drop his night feeds. He is having 5 milk feeds in 24 hours so I know he is getting more than enough alongside his food intake. It just seems to me that the bottle is more comfort than filling him up at nighttime and I’m a super tired momma who just wants a bit of relief 😢

OP posts:
Report
Kcheey · 01/06/2023 22:05

You didn’t mention how old he is? I wouldn’t worry to much about the water just keep offering it to him, he’s getting all the fluids he needs from his bottles. I’m sure you have already, but make sure he sees you and anyone else around you drinking water as much as possible. Don’t stress about it 👍babies are surprisingly good at knowing what they need. Sounds like he just knows what he likes lol. When you say night feedS how many is he having. It’s super common for babies to feed for comfort unfortunately as exhausting as it is, babies do what the hell they want with no concern for our distress 😂 wish I had some super amazing advice to give you but sadly I don’t. You could try stretching the bottles out waiting an extra 15mins over a period of time moving on to half hour etc.

Report
Kcheey · 01/06/2023 22:29

Just to add to the water. I work in a preschool with 0-5s and it’s strangely really common when children are settling in to refuse to eat or drink. We always keep the water around where they can see it ie in a basket on the floor. I will offer them the water and if they refuse I say ok, I’m going to have some of my water and exaggerate how much I enjoyed it 😂 drink my water and then offer their friends some water, hopefully they cooperate and
drink again I exaggerate how well they’ve done drinking their water, then I will offer that child again and usually they will say no again but then one day they do. I’m not sure how old your little one is but you can bring water into daily play offering their toys, singing songs try and make the sound of water really fun if that’s possible.

Report
TeaKitten · 01/06/2023 22:31

Kcheey · 01/06/2023 22:05

You didn’t mention how old he is? I wouldn’t worry to much about the water just keep offering it to him, he’s getting all the fluids he needs from his bottles. I’m sure you have already, but make sure he sees you and anyone else around you drinking water as much as possible. Don’t stress about it 👍babies are surprisingly good at knowing what they need. Sounds like he just knows what he likes lol. When you say night feedS how many is he having. It’s super common for babies to feed for comfort unfortunately as exhausting as it is, babies do what the hell they want with no concern for our distress 😂 wish I had some super amazing advice to give you but sadly I don’t. You could try stretching the bottles out waiting an extra 15mins over a period of time moving on to half hour etc.

The title of the thread is ‘struggling with my 7 month old’

Report
Kcheey · 01/06/2023 22:49

Sorry I’m also a very tired mummy

Report
JeandeServiette · 01/06/2023 22:55

He will drink more water when his milk intake drop. Concentrate on cutting the milk down and he will be thirsty enough to want water.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.