so worried

[millsy]

My ds is 5 months old and has been weaning for one month. He has three small portions of puree a day but he is not drinking. I offer him milk prior to a feed but he will only take 2-4 oz. I have tried water in a cup and bottle and he refuses both. I do try to mix some leftover milk into his puree bit I don't think this is helping him to appreciate different textures of food and develop with weaning. By teatime, I am lucky if he has had 8oz fluid. I am so worried he will become dehydrated. How much fluid should a baby this age ideally have. I know he is teething and this probably isnt helping but he rarely having over 18oz fluid in a day. His skin is really dry lately and I am out of my mind with worry. Please can anyone offer any advice before I cart him off to my GP tomorrow morning.

Millsy x

I think I'd cut out one meal for a week or so. Have him take 2 slightly larger meals and then milk in between. Water isn't really necessary as a drink this early unless weather is hot.

dd was never a great drinker - was lucky if she'd take 4 oz at a time but as she was b'fed at this age couldn't say whether it really tailed off at weaning. It took both of mine a while to get used to a cup and then best started with a free flowing one.

hth

Firstly, don't go out of your mind with worry. Be concerned, yes, that is your maternal instinct, but speak to your health visitor to reassure yourself.
Here's one possible solution. He probably doesn't much like the taste of water, so sweeten it up a little with some baby juice. You really only need to cover the bottom of a bottle/cup, and then use your normal (sterilised) water. As he becomes used to that (you may need to use more to start with) then start reducing the concentration and he will be on water before you know it. But don't worry if it takes a few weeks. If you can, it is best to use a cup. (As a bit of an aside, I think there is an agonising choice of first cups around now - there simply wasn't that much when ds1 (now 5) was small. Bear in mind that a baby this young is not going to want to shake it upside down, so there is no need for "Anyway up" or a valve of any sort. Heinz certainly used to do a very good freeflow one ("baby basics" which allows the liquid to flow easily without the child having to make too much of an effort - in fact it is a little too fast for the first few attempts but they get the hang of it very quickly - far more quickly than having to suck really hard which just frustrates them.) Do hope this is helpful - let us know how you get on.

there's not meant to be a wink in there, but a close bracket!!!

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Hi Millsy

Sorry I can't help as we have the same problem with DD,who is now 27wks.She started refusing milk at about 21wks,although has never been a big drinker.She now takes about 16-20oz a day if we are lucky,but will eat solids like shes been starved for weeks.

We did try stopping solids in the hope she would drink more,but it made no difference,apart from her waking at night again.

She won't drink water or juice now either & I went to my GP who said that she was fine & not to worry,but I still do.

Anyway,sorry to waffle on,my whole point of posting was to say that there is a thread devoted to non milk drinking babies on the 'Breast & Bottlefeeding' forum,it seems there are a few of us with the same problem.

Hope you GP can put your mind at rest
Mirage

if your worried do a couple of tricks i did first when blending food down blend it with the cooking water your ds will get fluid there also i put half a oz of baby juice to 9oz of water just gives it a bit of flavour also if giving homecooked meals make the puree a bit sronger flavour instead of bland foods and add baby rice mixed with formula in that to bland down the taste a bit but also giving the formula where he dont realize it another one we had to do was change the teats maybe hes finding it hard to suck on the bottle because its not flowig quick enough
but please remember you just counting the fluid he gets in a cup or bottle you would be surprised how much fluid hes also getting out of his foods as it has to have some kind of water base to blend down to a runney puree like most veg
well i hoped this helped and if im wrong could someone please tell me because thats what we done when we had the problem and now my ds is eating like a horse so we dont think there is ever enough room for more drink on top eventhough we offer it
oh and nearly forgot you can get rehydration tablets for babys as a tempory solution until his fluid intake goes up

Thanks all of you for your advice. His fluid intake seems to have picked up a bit over the last couple of days, he's typically having between 22 and 25 floz milk now. I'm afraid I also gave in and offered him very well diluted baby juice and he took a few sips of that from a cup. I never thought of considering the fluid from his food. I always blend his food with the cooking liquid and try to add milk when he has refused his bottle, so I guess he is getting more than I thought.
Thanks so much for all your advice, you've put my mind at rest!

Millsy

millsy thats great news glad he's feeling better now and i know as aparent we dont look at the obvious when our little ones are ill because dont matter how old they get there still our babys