HELP! How do I get DS3 to eat more food and drink anything other than milk???

[FAQ]

He's 14 months. BLW from 6 months, but only really started being interested at about 11 months (when I started him on cows milk - previously on SMA WHite) - since then he's really improved - and he'll have a try of anything - but still doesn't really eat much.

HOWEVER, he still has 4 (usually 5) 9oz bottles of cows milk a day! I've tried cutting them out/offering less etc - but he just howls and won't entertain the thought of anything other than milk. He often gets upset when he's finished his 9oz's - wanting more - so cutting down each feed has just proved fruitless.

I've tried getting him to drink something other than milk, and I've tried just about every trainer cup/beaker/bottle etc going - but he just won't have it.

I'm sure the reason he's not eating much is because of the amount of milk he's drinking - but I'm at a loss on how to change it.

You could start offering less in each bottle so he gets gradually less and less each day e.g. cut each by an ounce then wait a few days then cut each down again. Its either that or you decide to stop one bottle at a time completely and give a snack, use distraction, etc to get him over the tantrum. If you want him to cut down you will have to bite the bullet and not give in - good luck

just thought - could you try watering the milk down so that although he is taking a lot of fluids he isnt getting the same amount of calories so making him hungrier for solids? just an idea anyway.

I've tried both the cutting out a bottle, and reducing a bottle - but he screams hysterically - distraction, cuddles, crisps (his favourite snack ), any other food, nothing works - he just keeps going.

I've been trying to get him to cut his milk down for months now - and have listened to so much screaming from him that I really can't bare anymore.

I do want him to cut down - as surely by 14 months he should be eating more food, and drinking less milk. But he refuses anything liquid that isn't milk, and just continues to pick at food.

Makes it worse that he's in 18-24 month clothes (plus a few 2-3yr stuff) and could easily pass as a 2yr old if he could talk so I get the constant "he's obviously a good eater"..........no he's freaking not!!

OTOH his older brothers eat like horses and are skinny as rakes (DS3 not chubby btw - just sturdy) and people just say they're tall for their age........

FAQ - I have the same with Lil too.

She jsut loves her bottle cuddle times, and never holds the bottle herself.

We seem to get somewhere with her food, then she gets ill like the other week so goes off food, and just has bottles.

We all enjoy bottle time with her, and am in no rush to take bottles off her completely.

I know it will happen in her time and on her terms. Sometimes worrying about small things like this can make life too stresful?

Like dont sweat the small stuff it will all fall into place in the end

He is fine and Lil is also fine just got there own style!

lil has only jsut started on lumps also, as had a chronic gag reflex...but she has finger food and lumps now, it was jsut in her time.

Is it the milk he wants because he's hungry/thirsty, or the comfort of the bottle itself?

thanks Divvy - glad TK isn't the only one - and Lil is slightly older than him too.

He loves his cuddles with his bottle, and I guess in some respects I'm not really too worried (Tongai didn't stop having a bottle until he was nearly 3!). It just seems he eats so little..........

theinsider - think he does actually want the milk - they're pretty set "times" he has them. - and so when they're approaching I offer him snacks/food first - he will sometimes have the snacks.........but then wants his bottle (and finishes it) afterwards......

I suppose it's quite ironic isn't it - although it would be get him to drink something other than milk - he does at least drink.

I posted a thread earlier about Taf's LACK of drinking

I agree with Divvy - don't worry about it too much. DS1 was very similar, tons of milk (from a spouted cup) and a correspondingly low appetite. I worried somewhat too but rationalised that if I wasn't worrying about highmilk/low diet then I'd only be worrying about something else.

It doesn't sound like it's a problem for him at all. He's a good size, guess he looks healthy etc.

Milk is very good for them. As long as he's getting even tiny amounts of other food groups then he's going to be fine. Decide to put it to the back of mind and reassess whether it's still a problem when he's two (or whenever).

yes he looks very healthy, very happy little boy (apart from when mummy is trying to distract him from his wanting milk with toys or food lol)

Lil drinks very little water, she just wont have it, in any sort of bottle/cup/beaker.

She does think a straw is quite novel right now, but will only take a few sips.

Milk is wet, and if I breast-fed her, she would still be feeding like she does, the bottle is her breast! We have an emontional tie.

ps on the bottle and teeth front.....my older girls have lovely aligned teeth

Give him his milk...happy baby, happy mummy!

• thanks everyone, I shall just carry on as we are - and hopefully as he gets older he'll start eating more, drinking something other than milk, and cut down the milk feeds

• thanks everyone, I shall just carry on as we are - and hopefully as he gets older he'll start eating more, drinking something other than milk, and cut down the milk feeds