14 mo gone off milk & become very fussy eater

[_newmom_]

Hi - my DD seems to be going through a big change as she is

1) refusing to drink milk.  I used to give her a bottle after breakfast & a bottle before bed which she would always finish.  A couple of weeks ago she started getting fussy, so I started trying to give her milk with breakfast & lunch, but no luck.  Also tried using a sippy, open cup, cup with straw, but still no luck.  Now she just plays with the cup/bottle for a minute and then wants to get out of my lap. 

2) more fussy with her solids.  I can barely get her to have any veg & fruit now.

I thought it might be the molars, but can't get a good look, and can't feel anything yet.

What should I do?  I can work around the solids by camouflaging veggies, but I'm worried about the milk intake.  I try to make up for it by giving milk in cereal, cheese, yoghurt & will also start making more cheese/white sauce with her meals, but this is no way close to the 400 ml recommended daily.  Anyone out there got any tips?

Anita

[Clarepie]

Hi Anita,
Hope I can offer some words of reassurance.My DD,now 18 months went off milk at Christmas,she was also having a bottle before breakfast and before bed.She gradually started having less and less,until she point blank refused to touch it.I think she was possibly teething at the time,and she had a very bad cold over xmas when she hardly ate or drank anything so everything coincided at once.I gave it a couple of weeks then spoke to a health visitor who said not to worry,and that aslong as she was getting plenty of calcium in other forms eg milk on her cereal,yoghurt,cheese etc then she should be ok.I really worried at first and I still try to get her to have some milk in a sippy cup or straw cup.She'll have a few sips,then leave it.I've just come to the conclusion that she's gone off milk,as some children do.I can see thats she's putting on weight and she has a healthy appetite otherwize,so i'm not going to agonize over it.I hope this reassures you a bit.Keep offering it to her,but there is calcium in alot of foods,and milk can be used in lots of forms.Have you tried offering her milkshakes or smoothies now and again,made with natural yoghurt.It is difficult not to fret over it,but i'm sure she'll be fine.

Good luck

Clare

[RyansMum]

My only suggestion would be to make up smoothies. Use yoghurt and/or milk, bananas, any sort of fruit your LO likes, a bit of honey for sweetness if needed to help get the cals into her and the calcium. This way you are killing two birds with one stone, fruit and milk.

Also is it formula or cows milk you are giving her? Perhaps if its formula she would prefer the taste of cows?

I also agree with Clare.

Plus they do go through phases of not wanting to eat or eat certain things, but they will never starve themselves and if you continue to introduce the same things she may eventually find she likes it!

HTH!

[_newmom_]

Hi Clarepie & RyansMum!

Hope you get this message - sorry it's taken me a while to reply.  I went back to work full time on 25 March, and I won't begin to describe my rollercoaster of emotions about being apart from DD all of a sudden after having been with her practically all the time since she was born!

Anway, thank you so much for your replies.  I'm only giving her cow's milk these days, and fortunately her appetite for milk & most foods is now fully restored.  Turns out it was her teeth - she has 2 bottom teeth (either side of first 2) + 2 molars currently cut through + I saw molar no 3 lurking under swollen gums today.  Fortunately since the first one cut through, she doesn't seem to be that bothered about the others, so she's back to taking her 2 bottles of milk.  Great tip about the smoothies - will definitely remember that for future milk strikes!

Thanks again for the tips - I love this site!
Anita

[RyansMum]

Great news Anita but your poor lo, teeth can be tough!