My 8 month old won't drink his formula!!!

[Janene2005]

My son is 8 and 1/2 months old and for the last month or so he's been refusing to drink his whole bottle. He'll maybe drink 2oz with out a fight and if he's really hungry he may drink as much as 5oz, but that's rare. I took him to the dr and she said that I was feeding him to much and to give him less so instead of 4, 7oz bottles a day I switched him to 4, 6oz bottles a day along with his solids of course but nothing changed. He hasn't lost any weight and he seems perfectly happy so I don't think he's sick. He is teething but I don't think that's the cause because if he really wants his bottle he'll drink it no problem. I've been force feeding him and I know your not suppose to do that but he was getting dehydrated. I've tried giving him water and switching to a sippy cup but he refused both. He also is being difficult about eating his solids but it's not as bad. It just seems like he doesn't have the time to eat because he wants to play. Does anyone have any advice? I really need some help.

 

[donnalou]

Whats your feeding routine?
Do you offer him a full bottle first thing in the morning? I give my LO a full bottle then 2 hours later she has her breakfast.
She has her dinner at 4pm then a full bottle at 6pm. She only has two bottles a day now (18oz) she dropped the other two bottles herself. That's what works for us but everyones different.

 

[liz1985]

My LO is getting similar. They need around 20oz of milk at this age, could you try adding the milk to his food so he is still getting it but not having to drink it?

My LO also seems too busy for his formula, he'd rather be exploring, I've changed his routine now so he only has two bottles a day, first and last thing which are the two he was most willing to drink, he has 7oz in those two bottles and I try and add the rest to his food.

Also about the not wanting to eat because they want to play, I've started putting all his toys away at meal times, turning any tv, radio off etc, and facing his hair chair to the most boring part of the room lol this way he's not so easily distracted.

 

[Bumblebee117]

My twins are on 3 meals a day now and have some dried apples and mango for snacks, sometimes the heinz baby biscuits. they hardly drink any water or diluted juice but refuse their bottles of formula.

In the morning they have about 4-5oz each and in the evening, if lucky, they drink 6oz. I force down 3oz around 11.30 before they have their lunch. for me it works by switching the tv on so they just watch and drink without really noticing it.

so on a good day they drink about 16oz and on a normal day only 14oz. is that a reason to worry??

 

[nmiller]

We were having the same problem with our 8 month old boy. He'd drink 2 to 4 ounces then refuse the rest. Once in a while we could get him to drink 5 or 6 ounces. After that all bets are off.

What worked for us is first cutting back on his food around his "fussy times" (mostly at night). Next we were sure to get him to drink his bottle BEFORE he showing signs of hunger and sleepiness.

Now he drinks 7 to 8 ounces every time. Good luck!

 

[MrsHumbug]

My 8 month old is exactly the same sO I will be stalking this thread - in fact I just posted the exact same question!!