Baby won't drink milk

[Tweetz]

Desperately looking for advice, my daughter was exclusively breastfed for 6months after she turned 6month we started weaning (baby led) and introduced formula as I was exhausted with night feeds and due to go back to work, I can't get along with expressing so that was never an option best I could express was 3oz in half an hour just ridiculous tbh.

Issue I have is she will only ever take between 2 to 4oz of formula ... I still breastfeed her before bed and at 4am when she wakes... I then try and give her formula in morning and I'm lucky if she takes 2oz ... I give her aptamil porridge as it's full of vitamins hoping it somewhat makes up a little for the lack of morning milk .. she then has a nap and I try her again 3 or 4 hours later she might take 4oz if I'm lucky and then again tea time 3 to 4oz... I don't feel I can drop the bedtime feeds as I just feel she isint taking enough milk ... I'm at my wit's end now, shes used the mam bottles before when I expressed so she knows how to use them but she will literally suck it then mess with it then suck it mess with it then point blank either refuse or spit it out ... I've also tried the tommee Tippie bottles she won't even suck these ... I've changed the flow with both brands after HV advised ... Still nothing ... She has wet nappies and poops but I'm worried as my milk is drying up and she just doesn't seem interested in her milk she's currently just under the 50th centile and was below 25th at birth ... Will get her weighed on Tuesday but till then any advice would be amazing

 

[HLx]

What milk is she using? I'm guessing Aptamil? Also how much does she take over a 24 hour period? My only guess is now having some solids her milk intake has lessened, but does sometimes happen. Do you give milk before the solids or after?

 

[Tweetz]

What milk is she using? I'm guessing Aptamil? Also how much does she take over a 24 hour period? My only guess is now having some solids her milk intake has lessened, but does sometimes happen. Do you give milk before the solids or after?

Hey I give her milk always before solids ... I would say I usually get about 7 to 10 Oz of formula in her a day and two breast feeds also ... Yes she is having aptamil she drinks it all be it in a bizzare way but won't take anymore then small amounts at one time

 

[Rags]

Would you try giving her solids first? It may encourage her to eat more - she won't already be full of milk, and if she's getting her nutrition from food (maybe some food made with full fat milk) then she wont need the formula at all - especially as she's still having some breast milk. Try the milk in a tippy cup with or after her food so that it becomes more about hydration. My friends daughter went off of all milk very quickly after she started on solids, she just wasn't interested in it much preferring food. Good luck

 

[Tweetz]

Would you try giving her solids first? It may encourage her to eat more - she won't already be full of milk, and if she's getting her nutrition from food (maybe some food made with full fat milk) then she wont need the formula at all - especially as she's still having some breast milk. Try the milk in a tippy cup with or after her food so that it becomes more about hydration. My friends daughter went off of all milk very quickly after she started on solids, she just wasn't interested in it much preferring food. Good luck

Its just the calcium and hydration that worrys me to be honest have bought some nuk teats so will try these x

 

[Rags]

If she's having milk in porridge, cheese, yogurt, she'll be getting the calcium - also the fortified milk alternatives (oat, soya etc). There's an awful lot of money that goes in to convincing parents that they need formula and follow on milks past 6 months, it's become a very big thing in the last 10/20 years, before that once they were on a solid diet then it was only that and some full fat cows milk that babies had.

 

[Tweetz]

If she's having milk in porridge, cheese, yogurt, she'll be getting the calcium - also the fortified milk alternatives (oat, soya etc). There's an awful lot of money that goes in to convincing parents that they need formula and follow on milks past 6 months, it's become a very big thing in the last 10/20 years, before that once they were on a solid diet then it was only that and some full fat cows milk that babies had.

Thanks for your replies, yes I suppose so we have grown in a world where babies must have milk and lots of it ... So when they don't have a big appetite for it you instantly worry. I did read that babies only tend to drink 3 or 4oz of breast milk so I wonder if that could be why she's not interested in more formula then that. She had a slice of toast with dairylea on and some grated cheese that she devoured so will keep introducing diff calcium rich foods ... Gosh I don't remember any of this with our 9 year old haha

 

[Rags]

Thanks for your replies, yes I suppose so we have grown in a world where babies must have milk and lots of it ... So when they don't have a big appetite for it you instantly worry. I did read that babies only tend to drink 3 or 4oz of breast milk so I wonder if that could be why she's not interested in more formula then that. She had a slice of toast with dairylea on and some grated cheese that she devoured so will keep introducing diff calcium rich foods ... Gosh I don't remember any of this with our 9 year old haha

Lol lots n lots! My Ds is 9 too, I went from breast to food + goat's milk to drink after food + breast if he wanted it, I desperately tried to do the whole milk, because that's what you're told to do, but he'd vomiting every time he had it, I tried the semi skimmed and he was fine, tried re introducing the whole fat because I thought I should but he never tolerated it so in the end I stuck with the semi. We are veggie so I'm quite aware of what he might be missing out on and kept a reasonably close eye on his protein, calcium, b12 etc. He's a really healthy wee boy and has never touched fortified follow ons.
Remember to trust yourself, you've done this before so don't panic (and dont fall for all the money making hype)

 

[noon_child]

Sounds like you tried to swap breastfeeding for formula so as to get a break at night, but have ended up still breastfeeding at night. The worry is, I suppose, that if she doesn't take to formula during the day she might end up waking at night for more breastfeeds than she was having before...which wasn't what you intended.

I agree with what others have said about breastfed babies not always wanting more than 3-4 ounces per feed, as that's what their tummy is used to. However I would expect her to feed at a similar frequency to when she was breastfeeding. If she is having small bottles at the same time as she would breastfeed it may be that she is getting all the milk she needs.

Can I ask, what was the plan for reducing night feeds? Was someone else supposed to be helping you by giving bottles at night? Or was formula during the day supposed to encourage her to sleep through? Unfortunately all the studies show that (healthy, growing babies) don't sleep through any quicker when drinking formula rather than breastmilk, so if you don't have someone prepared to help you at night, it may be that giving up breastfeeding is shooting yourself in the foot.

How would you feel about offering more breastfeeds during the day again? Are you happy to be finishing with it, or was it supposed to make life easier but hasn't worked that way?

 

[MissMarpleFan]

How old is she now? It is a lot less milk than my daughter drank/drinks, but if she is continuing to gain weight well then it must be enough for her.

 

[Tweetz]

Sounds like you tried to swap breastfeeding for formula so as to get a break at night, but have ended up still breastfeeding at night. The worry is, I suppose, that if she doesn't take to formula during the day she might end up waking at night for more breastfeeds than she was having before...which wasn't what you intended.

I agree with what others have said about breastfed babies not always wanting more than 3-4 ounces per feed, as that's what their tummy is used to. However I would expect her to feed at a similar frequency to when she was breastfeeding. If she is having small bottles at the same time as she would breastfeed it may be that she is getting all the milk she needs.

Can I ask, what was the plan for reducing night feeds? Was someone else supposed to be helping you by giving bottles at night? Or was formula during the day supposed to encourage her to sleep through? Unfortunately all the studies show that (healthy, growing babies) don't sleep through any quicker when drinking formula rather than breastmilk, so if you don't have someone prepared to help you at night, it may be that giving up breastfeeding is shooting yourself in the foot.

How would you feel about offering more breastfeeds during the day again? Are you happy to be finishing with it, or was it supposed to make life easier but hasn't worked that way?

Sounds like you tried to swap breastfeeding for formula so as to get a break at night, but have ended up still breastfeeding at night. The worry is, I suppose, that if she doesn't take to formula during the day she might end up waking at night for more breastfeeds than she was having before...which wasn't what you intended.

I agree with what others have said about breastfed babies not always wanting more than 3-4 ounces per feed, as that's what their tummy is used to. However I would expect her to feed at a similar frequency to when she was breastfeeding. If she is having small bottles at the same time as she would breastfeed it may be that she is getting all the milk she needs.

Can I ask, what was the plan for reducing night feeds? Was someone else supposed to be helping you by giving bottles at night? Or was formula during the day supposed to encourage her to sleep through? Unfortunately all the studies show that (healthy, growing babies) don't sleep through any quicker when drinking formula rather than breastmilk, so if you don't have someone prepared to help you at night, it may be that giving up breastfeeding is shooting yourself in the foot.

How would you feel about offering more breastfeeds during the day again? Are you happy to be finishing with it, or was it supposed to make life easier but hasn't worked that way?

Hello sorry I don't think I was clear, switching to formula isint about getting her to sleep through she only wakes once in the night since starting her on solids anyways, our reason is because I work night shifts so would need my partner to be able to give her bottles before bed and during the night if needed

I have been mentally exhausted with it as unable to have a social life because I can't express and leaving her for more then 3 hours is a huge no no. I've also had to put up with minor ailments that I can't treat due to the medication not been suitable for breastfeeding mothers and god forbid me and my partner have a glass of wine together or go for a nice meal ... I also feel our son is missing out on spending time with me as my 6month old has constantly been attached to me ... I've had a rough time breastfeeding but I stuck it out till gone 6months

,however yesterday we had a breakthrough and she started drinking them like a pro... Could not believe it ... It was also the first night she slept from 6 30pm ill 7am straight through, I know research may say diff but my experience is that solids and formula keeps her satisfied for longer she didn't need food at 4am and woke up happy and not screaming ... She had porridge this am and polished off 5oz before her nap so we are defo on to something here ... It's the stupidest thing aswel all I did was removed her nappy when feeding her and she just took it ... No idea why ... But whatever works.

I'm still going to feed her before bed this week and if she wakes in the night ... But hoping to drop the bedtime feed in a couple of weeks ...

 

[noon_child]

Wow, so glad you've turned a corner with it all! Breastfeeding can be such hard work and it does feel like a sacrifice sometimes. This was made worse for me by my doctors not having accurate info on medications and breastfeeding - most are safe and if not there are usually safe alternatives. Of course I only found this out months too late!!!!! Drinking is also safe (enough alcohol to pass to baby in milk would mean you were too drunk to care for a child anyway!). Sometimes though there isn't "this reason", or "that reason", it's just time to move on and I'm glad you are finding a way to do so that works for you.