Battle to drink milk out of sippy cup

[sampson]

Hi Everyone, I am still having battles with Alec-he simply won't take any milk other than breast milk! He is now on one breast feed a day. He loves yoghurt and has a lot of milk on his breakfast porridge but I am still reluctant to drop this last feed if he is having no cows milk at all. Do you all think it will be ok for him to have 3 yoghurts a day with a big milky porridge meal and no cows milk at all? Please do let me know your thoughts!

[Freya'sMum]

Hello!

How old is Alec? The recommendation is 1 pint equivalent of full-fat dairy until 2 years, so cheese, yogurt, custard, milky puddings such as rice pudding, all count, I just can't remember the formula for how to covert solid quantities into liquid ones for how much cheese = 1 pint milk!!!

Jenn, my reading found that from age 2ish, sucking (dummy, bottle, thumb etc) can damage the soft palette, and contributes to creating mouth shapes that need braces and other dental work later on - that's why I was in no hurry to drop the bottle from age 1+, thinking she'd grow out of it herself in time, especially with her fierce independent streak, I figured she'd want to drink her milk like her big sister - apparently not!

I tried everything today to encourage Eryn to drink her day-time milk, all my usual behavioural approaches (including blackmail as a last resort!!!), as well as modelling, but she's so bloody stubborn, "no milk - water" even when bribed with flapjack !!! I'm so torn between my knowledge that if I cave in, I'll undo any good work I've done, and my anxiety that she's having not only 14oz less dairy each day, but also 14oz less fluid!!! That can't be healthy right ? I don't know what to do feel exhausted trying to work out what is the best thing!

Any advice, ideas, reassurance, collusion gratefully received note the slightly desperate tone

Ax

[lisi's mum]

Alison, maybe I'm in denial - Lisi won't drink milk from anything other than a bottle and dislikes most other dairy. There are a couple things I figure: 2 bottles a day amounts to maybe 8 minutes total with a bottle in her mouth so compared to the 12 hours sleep time with a dummy in her mouth that's pretty small fry. Better the bottle than no dairy (other calcium sources are even harder to get in her), most kids seem to get braces whether thumb suckers, dummy addicts, bottle users or completely viceless - my sister was in infant school and still sucking on her bottle every now and then - she was the only one of us that DIDN'T get braces (ok, ok, I sucked my thumb until I broke my arm aged 9 and couldn't get it into my mouth any more 'cause of the cast and my other sister still sucks hers - but hey!)

I think that more of the issue as pp has said is if the bottle is being used for all liquids or as a dummy replacement.

[lisi's mum]

oh and btw, you need to update a couple tickers 

[Peek-a-boo]

My 2.5 yo ds is intolerant of dairy and after weaning bf at 22 months drank rice milk from a bottle for a bit, then started boycotting that.  Now drinks calcium-fortified not-from-concentrate OJ diluted with water from a sippy.  It actually has more calcium than the rice milk did.  Just an idea if calcium is your main concern.

Agree w/ pp that a bottle 2x/day is no big deal.

 

[Freya'sMum]

Thank you guess I'm just over-reacting! I mean, she won't still want a bottle when she's 12 will she

Ax

[sampson]

Hi Alison
My friends kids are 3 and 2 and both still have bottles-their UK health visitor is not concerned about this at all. Hope that is some consolation! Re Alec, he is one and I am beginning to think he is the most stubborn one year old around! He does love dairy products in all forms, just not milk from a bottle or cup. Our doctors have said "oh just feed him cheese and stuff and don't worry at all that he won't take milk" but this is too vague for me to be really happy. I have been advised to give up breastfeeding for medical reasons (terrible periods that the combined pill will definitely help-I am currently on the mini pill, the only one you can take when breastfeeding). Any advice would be fab. Kirsten x

[nen]

So glad to hear others have this prob - my DS is 14 months, breastfeeds once a day, and refuses cow's milk & breast milk from a sippy, straw, or regular cup.  Never had a bottle.  I am going away in a month & need to drop this last feed but am concerned about his current dairy intake, let alone less....loves yogurt, but not cheese so that doesn't help much either!  Not sure what to do here...Any help would be appreciated!

[sampson]

Hi there! Kirsten, here again. I have just seen a doc about Alec today and he said that as he eats yoghurt after each meal, I have no need to worry. I also try and give him milk sauces with some food and he has milk on his porridge. I am trying to dilute some milk in his water now to see if that helps... Alec also never had a bottle and was breastfed. I have just dropped the last breast feed and - yup, no drinking of milk still! I am trying not to worrry as I keep being told that he will take what he needs to. Do let me know how you get on.