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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Idiot baby won't drink (anything!). Can you make formula icecream? or EBM milk jelly?

29 replies

dotmum · 07/02/2009 20:13

My exasperating bf DD 9m will not drink anything at nursery! She will, however eat icecream (ordinary vanilla), yoghurt, runny food etc and seems not too droopy when I pick her up. Once or twice she has sipped water from a Tommee Tippee beaker. But she is in nursery for a long time (4 long days) and I have vague ill defined worry that she may be missing out on something - like iron or calcium or basic fluid - if she doesn't have some milk sneaked into her. She won't even drink EBM.
I would like someone to tell me that all will be well, that their baby never drank water, formula or cows milk, and gave up bf overnight at 10 months, switching to water in a beaker and fromage frais? Please anyone?!

OP posts:
smellen · 07/02/2009 20:22

If she's weaned she should be OK from a nutritional perspective (if she gets cheese/yoghurts/porridge or custard made with cow' milk, she'll be getting the same nutrients she would from drinking the stuff - but before 12mths BM or formula would be preferable). Of course you wouldn't want her to become dehydrated, so I would ask the nursery staff to make sure she access to a beaker of water most of the time, and to make sure they offer it to her. I think most babies take a while to suss out how to drink from beakers or cups, but don't give up.

Have you tried different types of beakers? My 13mo prefers BF to anything else, but I've had some success this week with a beaker that has a fake straw in the top. However, I try different types of drinking vessels, including doidy cups and tommee tippee first beakers, as I'm sure he'll get the idea at some point. I think exclusively BF babies might find it harder to move from breast to beaker/cup, but if they are thirsty they'll probably give it a go.

FWIW he was BF once or twice a night until 12.5mths - it's only the last two weeks that I've managed to wean him overnight, but he gets 3-4 BFs a day, so if you are working, it might be that she needs a feed overnight to get the fluid she needs. I know (from experience) that it is exhausting, but don't lose heart, things will get better. In the meantime if she is active and producing wet nappies/regular poos, then she is probably fine.

whomovedmychocolate · 07/02/2009 20:24

Try vanilla milkshake - don't ask me why but some kids who don't like milk will drink it.

DD was a little sod and would only drink BM for ages but then suddenly developed a love of cows milk (though she's still bfing at 2.3 - self weaning now though!)

Disenchanted3 · 07/02/2009 20:24

idiot??

idiot baby??

candleskormafor2andcheapwine · 07/02/2009 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

iMum · 07/02/2009 20:27

Nice thread title

Original poster
dotmum · 07/02/2009 20:28

Please don't be disenchanted on my account disenchanted3 - obviously I don't think my baby is an idiot - I adore and worship her - but am a little exasperated by this phase and trying to keep lighthearted and jolly about it. That's all.

OP posts:
LucyEllensmummy · 07/02/2009 20:28

I think the OP means it affectionately!

Original poster
dotmum · 07/02/2009 20:31

Very much so. Thanks LucyEllensmummy. No offence meant . Surely its clear that I spend my entire working day fretting about her?!

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 07/02/2009 20:32

I'd def try a straw - for some reason bf babies seem to find them a much more attractive prospect than sippy or open cups for reasons I have no idea of.

Or how about a strawberry milkshake - just whizz some strawberries (or banana etc) up in EBM or formula and see if she likes that

How long has she been at nursery for ? Normally they soon catch on that everyone else is drinking from a cup and go with the flow - but as long as she gets some fluid in during the day, I wouldn't worry too much about milk during the day

Original poster
dotmum · 07/02/2009 20:34

Thanks - will try milkshakes and straws - not thought of that. Now I'm off to change my chat name after offending you all..

OP posts:
listenglisten · 07/02/2009 20:41

My ds was exactly the same, from around 7 and a half months when I returned to work for three long days. My sister looked after him but after two bf in the morning before I left he wouldn't drink anything until i got home from work and he guzzled as fast as he could (I expressed at work in a cupboard!)

My sister would make his food really runny with water and this is literally all he had each day. He was fine.

By coincidence (referring to your op) he did self wean at 10 months (had hand, foot and mouth though so mouth was propbably too sore to bf) and did begin to drink water from the huge collection of cups, bottles etc I had bought in the vain hope he would drink from one of them.

Original poster
dotmum · 07/02/2009 20:43

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou listenglisten. That's all I wanted to hear! x

OP posts:
smellen · 07/02/2009 20:48

Yep, fruit is good too - full of water.

Don't worry about the title - I think it is pretty clear you adore your LO. I sometimes call my two the little monsters, but I never mean it literally

listenglisten · 07/02/2009 20:51

Glad I could help
I remember being so worried about it. Ds is now nearly 8 by the way.

AitchTwoOh · 07/02/2009 20:53

lol at idiot baby. i called dd2 a little toad the other day and got a row off my mum...

whomovedmychocolate · 07/02/2009 21:11

I called DD an 'odious little wotsit' the other day (to be fair she was hitting me on the head repeatedly with a plastic hammer at the time! She replied: 'I don't smell mummy' so I don't think she's all that damaged by the experience!

TheBurnsifiedEffect · 07/02/2009 21:11

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Message withdrawn

MamaHobgoblin · 07/02/2009 21:23

My DS is frequently 'The Little Skunk' ATM...it never even crossed my mind that your thread title was a bit !

I hope she gets the idea soon - perhaps watching other babies drinking from sippy cups, bottles, etc, will tempt her?

DandyLioness · 07/02/2009 21:38

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Message withdrawn

madmouse · 07/02/2009 21:40

Maybe we can now all accept the op's explanation about the title and focus on the problem in question? Please?

PortAndLemon · 07/02/2009 21:45

No no no. I foresee there are hundreds more posts that can be made picking the OP's parenting to shreda because of her casual use of a lighthearted term.

How long has your DD been at nursery? If only a few weeks she may well start drinking quite soon. Otherwise, will she drink at home (e.g. breastfeeding, if you still are)? If she gets a good feed in the morning and a couple after nursery/in the evening then she will probably be fine.

Original poster
dotmum · 09/02/2009 12:07

Been at nursery 6 wks and no sign of giving in yet. I think we will just muddle through on 7 am and 7 pm (and 10pm and 4am - aaargh) feeds and slip plenty of formula into her nursery foods.. She's obviously thriving so it must be enough. Last week she drank nearly an ounce of water - so maybe there's hope!! Straws and milkshakes not met with her ladyship's approval.
Thanks to all those who can see I'm not a monster mum. Can we move on now please - I promise never to joke again

OP posts:
throckenholt · 09/02/2009 12:14

my ds1 was the same - would never take ebm from a cup or a bottle and would only drink water (from about 7 months) when I went back to work part time.

I used to use ebm to make porridge or mix up baby rice or some such (it was a long time ago - he is now 7). It smells disgusting when it is cooked by the way !

I bf when I was home - but probably only 2-3 times a day - and he stopped at 12 months.

He was fine.

princessmel · 09/02/2009 12:17

Agree idiot baby is not nice and not needed.

BlueCowBackToWondering · 09/02/2009 12:49

Dot - you could always become 'IdiotDotMum' .

I think your baby is far from being alone in not taking a bottle or cup. If you're bf 4x day, that's getting all the goodness into her, and she'll surely get enough liquid from the food nursery give her. I suppose they'll keep an eye on her nappies to make sure enough fluid is going through her.

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