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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Baby refusing milk but hungry

13 replies

Fletcher567 · 16/05/2025 03:39

Hi all, I have an 8 month old who has been on solids from the 6 month mark (combination of BLW and purées to start). She is now on 3 meals a day and regularly sips water throughout the day, particularly alongside meals. Since weaning however, she has absolutely no interest in milk, to the point she will simply go all day without it. Prior to weaning, there was never any issue with feeding but it’s like she just doesn’t like the taste as she initially will entertain it and as soon as she has a couple of sips, rejects it. I have tried offering it her in a cup instead, changed teat size, gone in a dark room, all the usual and still have no joy. Whilst I am happy with her progress in weaning and know she is getting a variety of nutrients from her food, I still don’t feel that it’s enough to warrant no milk so early. I have resorted to letting her go to sleep at night and feeding her in her sleep (this doesn’t work in the day!). To make matters more difficult, she is waking in the night hungry and so will take a bottle then too. She is currently getting about 20 oz in total but I am conscious this is given whilst she is asleep. Any tips on how to break this cycle or should I just go with it?

OP posts:
heavenisaplaceonearth · 16/05/2025 07:41

Stop feeding her so much solid food in the day. She needs formula or breast milk till one.

Original poster
Fletcher567 · 16/05/2025 11:47

Thanks for you reply, I did also mean to say, regardless of how much food she has in the day, she still doesn’t want her milk.

OP posts:
AlorsTimeForWine · 16/05/2025 11:48

She needs the milk ideally.
Mix milk into the food.

Breakfast porridge or wheetabix with milk

main meals
Mac and cheese (made with milk)
Mashed Potato (butter and milk)
Risotto I make it quite dry then finish with milk

I'd get 300ml or so in each day easily

Original poster
Fletcher567 · 16/05/2025 23:52

@AlorsTimeForWine thanks for this, I’ll admit I’ve been using cows milk whenever I’ve needed milk as part of a recipe but this would be a good way to continue to get the nutrients in from her formula so will definitely do this. Do you think it’s okay for that reason that she completely skips her day bottles? I think my concern is the fact she is still rousing hungry in the night and happy to accept the bottle then, but won’t accept a bottle when hungry in the day. I guess I’m just hoping to up her intake in the day to eventually stop those night wake ups!

OP posts:
SeaToSki · 17/05/2025 00:09

Have you tried giving her milk in a sippy cup

TumbledTussocks · 17/05/2025 12:23

As I understood when mine were small you didn’t give water really before 1.
I’d try stopping water or limiting it.

Also keep a log of heavy nappies in case you want to see a go/ hv etc.

BunnyRuddington · 18/05/2025 15:19

I don’t think that you need to make her food with formula. If she slips under 20 Floz a day then you’re meant to give her a daily vitamin anyway.

I would try and feed her during her daytime naps, might be slightly easier for you than feeding her at night.

Once she’s 10 months the recommended amount goes down to 400 ml anyway.

If she’s having 20 Floz now you don’t need to worry about nutrients but if she does start to have less then think about replacing the fats as well as the calcium. So things like having oily fish twice a week or adding olive oil to foods.

heavenisaplaceonearth · 18/05/2025 15:46

It’s getting warmer so she will be thirsty. I’d take advantage of that and offer milk as the drink. If necessary reduce the solids. Babies get very little from solids to start with so skipping her bottles is a bad plan.

BunnyRuddington · 19/05/2025 19:44

How are you both getting on today @Fletcher567?Flowers

Original poster
Fletcher567 · 20/05/2025 12:26

@BunnyRuddington so after posting, I thought I’ll try again feeding her whilst asleep during the day to make sure she’s getting plenty of milk and this worked. She’s generally quite a hungry baby, I think people perceived my post was that she’s having that much food and water she’s ignoring milk and this isn’t the case. It’s like she is hungry for milk but simply won’t receive it consciously so I was looking for tips to break this cycle of feeding whilst asleep or wondering whether to just accept that this is how I’ll get the milk down her for the next few months.

OP posts:
Mum8944 · 23/12/2025 22:28

Advice please. My baby is refusing bottles at all times near enough. She's had her meal. Lamb potatoes and veggies mixed eith formula. Then at a a push at 8 pm she takes 2 oz of a bottle. Them at 9.30pm she wakes hungry but refuses a bottle and I have had to make porridge with it as a bedtime feed. How can I get her to just drink the milk. She always settles with breadt but she is feeding every 2 hours through the night which as a dingle parent is exhausting. She is 8 months now. Giving porridge at 9.30 pm is a first tonight. But I have not succeeded any other way to get her to sleep longer than 2 hours and she only take 1 and half oz a time at night the past week!

Smiless · 23/12/2025 22:30

heavenisaplaceonearth · 16/05/2025 07:41

Stop feeding her so much solid food in the day. She needs formula or breast milk till one.

This is completely true. Feed the bottle first and then offer solids.

BunnyRuddington · 23/12/2025 22:44

Mum8944 · 23/12/2025 22:28

Advice please. My baby is refusing bottles at all times near enough. She's had her meal. Lamb potatoes and veggies mixed eith formula. Then at a a push at 8 pm she takes 2 oz of a bottle. Them at 9.30pm she wakes hungry but refuses a bottle and I have had to make porridge with it as a bedtime feed. How can I get her to just drink the milk. She always settles with breadt but she is feeding every 2 hours through the night which as a dingle parent is exhausting. She is 8 months now. Giving porridge at 9.30 pm is a first tonight. But I have not succeeded any other way to get her to sleep longer than 2 hours and she only take 1 and half oz a time at night the past week!

Sorry I’m confused @Mum8944. Are you Combi feeding? How often does she have milk during the day?

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