My son is 10+ months. He drinks and eats everything - water, breastmilk, juice, formula, food (solids), the works. Have not tried whole milk as yet but he will take yogurt. He breastfeeds exclusively at night and refuses to take anything else at night. I work full time 5 days per week, and he is between a sitter and my mom. He will not take the bottle with formula or breastmilk from me but he will take juice and water. Sometimes my breastmilk is low like in the mornings and he won't take the juice or the bottled breastmilk. He gets anxious, may start crying and I know he wants milk. He usually refuses everything else (liquid and solid) at this time.However, is there anything else I can tempt him with at these times at his age?? I've been told that it is because I still have breastmilk he can smell that he is refusing me, but it is frustrating. Is he too young for Pediasure? Once when he was fussy/hungry like this, my mother came to visit suddenly. He drank the bottle of formula to the bottom as soon as she gave him. I felt so low! I am a single mom so these feeding times can be hard, and given the commute I don't want him to wait hungry during a drive to get to the sitter or my mom in order to be fed. I Anyone have any suggestions?
******** I do feed him in the morning but my supply seems to have gotten lower as he's hungry again with 30-45 mins. i wnted to supplement with something else. He just won't take it from me.
Little one has turned a year and situation remains the same. I can still feed him anything except milk, formula or anything looking liquid white such as Pediasure. As soon as he sees it in my hand or drinks it if I give it in a non-tranparent cup, he refuses. Apparently, real (breast) milk only comes from mommy , no other milk substitutes acceptable. Go Figure!
Im in the same boat, my 6 month old doesn't won't drink but water.
sorry I don't have any advise but keep trying I mean if he get really hungry hes going to eat !
I would try a sippy cup or regular cup. I think Pediasure is OK to give him, I think it has a lot of the same ingredents as formula.
Are you nursing him on both breasts in the morning? That may help. Also, trying a cup with milk/formula in the car might work, too--you won't be "giving" it to him so he may be more interested. But don't worry, if he is truly hungry, he WILL eat!
Can you feed him some oatmeal with breastmilk or formula in it?
Sorry, no suggestions other than trying to increase your breastmilk production. But I"m thinking that if he isn't taking the formula or juice from you he probably won't take anything else either.
I know how stressful this is, cause your a concerned mom. My 2 babies didnt take the bottle and i work. My first is now about to turn 5 and my 2nd will be 1 in a couple of weeks. Both woke up during the night to nurse -- my eldest finally started sleeping through the night once i weaned her off when she was 18 months -- i;m hoping to wean off my 2nd around one - but i have my reservations.
BUT, my eldest never cried herself to sleep (didnt have the guts to do that to her) and she is well rounded, very social, great coping skills. So she has self-soothing strategies in place, eventhough i was her "safety blanket" as a baby =)
I would still nurse him in the AM, if you have time, eventhough you feel you have low supply. Your body will adjust to the supply and demand, esp. if done daily. That's how our body works -- at least I am told.
Good luck, and i dont know if your tried sippy cups? My almost 1 has used sippy cups since she was 6-7 months for everything, cause she didnt like the bottle. =)
Updated
I know how stressful this is, cause your a concerned mom. My 2 babies didnt take the bottle and i work. My first is now about to turn 5 and my 2nd will be 1 in a couple of weeks. Both woke up during the night to nurse -- my eldest finally started sleeping through the night once i weaned her off when she was 18 months -- i;m hoping to wean off my 2nd around one - but i have my reservations.
BUT, my eldest never cried herself to sleep (didnt have the guts to do that to her) and she is well rounded, very social, great coping skills. So she has self-soothing strategies in place, eventhough i was her "safety blanket" as a baby =)
I would still nurse him in the AM, if you have time, eventhough you feel you have low supply. Your body will adjust to the supply and demand, esp. if done daily. That's how our body works -- at least I am told.
Good luck, and i dont know if your tried sippy cups? My almost 1 has used sippy cups since she was 6-7 months for everything, cause she didnt like the bottle. =)
I'm confused...is there a reason you don't also nurse him in the morning?
It's hard to tell if he is eating all night long or he eats in the evening before bed. Not clear but a child of that age should not be getting fed at night. If he is, then you are regulating him and he is not learning self-regulation leading to the problem you are describing which later turns into much bigger issues. If you don't feed him at night, you will have milk for him in the am. Teach him to self soothe and not use you. If you can't then wean him because all those feelings of rejection and trauma are being recorded and remembered by his body.
have you tried giving him the formula/breastmilk in a cup?
It is strange that your breastmilk is low in the mornings. Normally, you should be full from him not nursing for awhile - is he up all night nursing and this is why you are low? I usually nurse as soon as I get my son up (I also work and yes, I have to wake him to get to work/daycare on time.) Then within a 1/2 hour, mine is hungry again also but this time he gets cereal. I figure it is the same as if I have a drink when I first get up but am ready to eat within a 1/2 hour. My son doesn't get milk again when he has his cereal and it is usually oatmeal. He gets a mixture of formula / breastmilk during the day and then we nurse again in the evenings.
It is pretty normal for supply to lower once your baby starts to eat more and drink less. Around one year of age, a baby would normally lower their milk intake and will tend to get more calories from solids.
Hope this helps. C.
