13 Month Old Won't Drink Milk. Gone 3 Days with NOTHING to Drink per Dr. Help!

Updated on January 30, 2009
T.K. asks from Aurora, CO
4 answers

This is my first question posted here & I’m really hoping you mama’s can help! I apologive in advance how long this is, but I feel I need to fully explain my situation to get the best advice. My DD is 13 months old & we’re trying to switch to whole milk. Quick precursor: at 3 months old we discovered she was “sensitive” to dairy (not full-blown allergic, just sensitive), so she was on a hypoallergenic formula from then until 1 yr. At 9 months, Dr. suggested we start trying some dairy – yogurt, cheese, etc. She’s tolerated them fine, even likes them a lot, and has had no issues. Seems the dairy sensitivity was over (yeah). Ok, back to my issue today. My DD loves water & drinks it out of a sippy with meals, during playtime, etc. She won’t drink juice at all. About 3 weeks ago (just after her 1 yr. check-up) the Dr. recommended we cut to milk cold turkey (because she's stubborn - Dr.'s words) & offer her nothing but milk. Dr. said kids usually give-in at the end of the 1st day or 2 (max), and drink it up because they’re so thirsty. Well, not my daughter. 3 full days went by & she didn’t drink a drop – not from a bottle, sippy, even mixed with some formula on day 3 for the taste she was used to – just flat out refused! She’d look at her sippy, could tell it wasn’t water & would not even try what was in it. So, I called the Dr. back after 3 days & she said to go back to formula in bottles & water in sippy for a few days to get her drinking well again. Then try the transition method – ¾ formula, ¼ milk in bottle…then move to ½ & ½, then ¾ milk & ¼ formula, etc. This was working fine for about a week and a half & she was about to ½ & ½ mixture when all of a sudden she just stopped drinking from the bottles…she’d just push them away & want nothing to do with them. So for 3 days she only drank water from her sippy. I called the Dr. back again & she said we’re going to have to do the cold turkey thing again…and, yes, since DD held out for 3 days last time, it might take 5 to 7 days. She said to let her even get a little “dry” (slightly dehydrated) so she’ll be extremely thirsty & give-in & drink the milk. Does this seem too extreme? I’m freaked out to let her go that long with nothing to drink. I can’t give her water, as that is what she is holding out for & wants. As I mentioned, she won’t drink juice. So she literally gets offered milk in a sippy (since she won’t take a bottle anymore) and if she doesn’t drink it…that’s all I can try to give her. We’ve tried all different kinds of sippy cups…she won’t try most & pushes it away if you try to put it up to her mouth. Daycare made a game out of it getting the other kids involved and she lifted the cup to her mouth & got a little, but dribbled most of it down her chin & doesn’t swallow it. That was day 1 of this 2nd try at the cold turkey thing. 2nd day DD wasn’t playing that game anymore & drank nothing. We’re on the 3rd day & she’s still not drinking & pretty much not even trying anything you put in front of her. I know she’s not dehydrated yet; she’s getting fluid from foods she’s eating & still crying tears, peeing every 8 hours at least, etc. She is smart & obviously stubborn…and I’ve already seen her manipulate other situations with me. Is she really just THAT stubborn & manipulating the situation (which I know she understands already)? Or could there be some other explanation? She eats yogurt like it’s going out of style & it doesn’t bother her at all to digest. So I cannot imagine what little milk she’s actually gotten over the last several weeks makes her tummy upset, thus causing her not to want to drink it. I’m at a loss as to what to do. I plan on calling the Dr. again tomorrow to discuss a plan before the weekend, even though it will have only been 3 ½ days…but I just have this feeling she’s not going to budge. Did anyone out there have a similar problem??? Anyone I’ve talked to says they’ve never heard/seen a 1 yr. do this/hold out this long. What do I do? Ask the Dr. for vitamins & just give her water for now…then try milk again in a few months time? Wait DD out? I appreciate any advice.

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So What Happened?

Thank you for your responses. We tried V8 in her milk & she seemed to like that, and so started taking sips here & there on day 3-1/2. On day 4 she drank about 4 to 6 oz. of milk/V8. Then on day 5 she drank 6 to 8 oz. of milk/V8. On day 6 I went back to her usual sippy cup type (with straw) and just milk & she sucked 3 to 4 oz. down twice during meals - YEAH! On day 7 she drank 10 to 12 oz. - drank it up like she used to with her water. Thank you, God! Progress....

More Answers

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B.R.

answers from Denver on

Wow! It sounds like your daughter is very strong willed. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make your life a little more difficult. :-) Our daughter is about the same age and at first fought the sippy cup too. We only give her formula in bottles and are trying to cut these down (she still gets bottles before bed and when she wakes up). The doc told us to start with just a tiny bit of milk in the sippy cup and then when she drank that then give a little water or juice as a "reward." Then more milk and another "reward". That seemed to work. BUT it sounds like ours responds more to "peer pressure" because she will drink milk from a sippy at day care with no question. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.K.

answers from Denver on

My sons dad wouldnt drink milk when he was a child/baby... ever. Hated it and from what I can tell, he still wont drink it. His mother is am RN and finally gave him Strawberry Quick in his milk to get him to drink it. Is it the perfect answer? Probably not but it may help some and as long as you are brushing her teeth and dont mind a little sugars (I never did) then all should be well.

Good luck T. and keep us posted!!!

K.

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G.W.

answers from Denver on

I'm not sure why he's so insistent that she drink milk. And IMO it's perfectly fine not to drink juice either because of the sugar! My son breast-fed for a long time and really never drank milk (now he's 5) Daddy drinks soymilk so he goes for that (no allergies - just likes it). And he has never been a big drinker of anything (except breastmilk!).

Maybe you can ask your doctor why he thinks milk is so important? What are the nutrients that he wants her to get from it? The dairy lobby in the US is very strong and lots of people are misinformed about the best ways to get calcium or vitamin D etc. It's fine that you chose not to breast feed but cow milk is really for baby cows (who gain like 300 pounds in their first year - do you really want that?) Formula or toddeler formula is probably better for her (but I'm not a doctor or nutritionist).

But I DO KNOW.. . . you cannot MAKE someone eat or drink, you cannot MAKE someone sleep, and you cannot MAKE someone go to the potty (that will come later for you :)

Let her drink what she wants! I wouldn't want to make a battle out of food (esp. food that she doesn't need to survive) at this young age. You are not talking about wanting to give her milk instead of soda! Water is a good drink! Yogurt is a good food!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Denver on

My daughter HATES milk. She LOVES cheese, yogurt and green leafy vegetables. Our Dr. has never made us force her to drink milk since she was getting calcium from other sources. I will happily give her water, we need it. As for juice, it is one thing that I give sparingly due to the sugar and it is better for you to eat the fruit. Good Luck!

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