Author Topic: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup  (Read 3887 times)

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Offline samIam

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14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« on: January 07, 2012, 06:07:33 am »
I still BF my 14 mo DS 4 times a day. He use to take a bottle of EBM between 2-5 months a few times a week. Then he went on a bottle strike and we haven't been able to overcome it since. We're now trying to get him to take a sippy or straw cup. We offer him water, cow's milk and EBM in it, but he won't drink any of it. He only plays with the cup. I don't mind BF, but I would like the flexibility of giving him a bottle or cup. I also worry that he's not getting enough fluids.

Would it be better to try to replace a BF with a bottle (should we go back to a bottle instead of a cup)?
Has anyone tried the method in BWSAYP of only offering a bottle for an entire day (no BF at all) at this age? Does that mean also withholding solids for an entire day?
Any other suggestions on how to encourage him to take a bottle or cup?

Offline ZacsMumme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2012, 07:51:00 am »
Have you tried a straw cup rather than a sippy?
A lot of BF babies find it easier to suck through a straw.

Something like this if you want them to suck to get the fluids on tipping the bottle
http://thewisemommy.com/reviews/2007/11/15/nuby-straw-sippy-cup/
Or you can go for a free flow...

There Are also bottles like Tommie tippees closer to nature that are meant to be similar to the breast...

It does take time for them to get used to anything new. It took my DS months to get the hang of water from a sippy and I started at 7-8 months ;)
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Offline Lolly

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2012, 08:43:29 am »
At this age I wouldn't bother with a bottle as even bottle fed babies are encourage to be off them by 1. I would concentrate on a straw cup like Sara suggested, or a free flow sippy (the non-spill valved ones can be really tricky) or even just go to an open cup like a doidy cup http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_5?url=search-alias%3Dbaby&field-keywords=doidy+cup&sprefix=doidy.

What ever you choose keep offering it, let him play with it and he will get the hang of it.

Laura


Offline samIam

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2012, 05:13:22 am »
Thank you, Sara and Laura.

We have tried a straw cup, but not consistently enough. We'll try offering it at every meal and snack. Do you think it matters what I offer at this point...water, diluted juice, cow's milk, EBM?

Should I be concerned that he doesn't take in any fluids other than BM 4 times a day? Our pediatrician made it seem like we really should get him to drink cow's milk. I do give him yogurt every morning, so he does have a source of calcium.

Offline ZacsMumme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2012, 07:24:27 am »
Personally I would offer water, but then I am not a fan of my son drinking juice at this age except for special occasions. offering cows milk is also a good alternative, but if you want to keep BF and offer lots of other dairy you don't have to.

Yup just offer it all the time, eventually they get the hang of it.
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DS2 Our cheeky chipmunk. Reflux, MSPI.

Offline samIam

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2012, 06:49:06 am »
I'm afraid I might need a quicker fix...I think my milk supply is dwindling. The past few nights at BT, my DS does not seem satisfied, pulling away and whining. I go into the office two days a week, and recently I can only pump 2 oz combined from both sides. Over the past six months, the amount I pump has consistently dwindled, from 4-5 oz down to 3, now down to 2.

Do you think the BWSAYP method of offering only a bottle every hour for an entire day would work at this age? And would I also withhold solids for the day? And if I do have to replace BF, especially at BT, should I offer a bottle or still stick with the straw cup?

Offline ZacsMumme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2012, 06:55:16 am »
At is age your LO should be firmly on a solids diet with milk as additional nutrients. I wouldnt withhold solids. If anything do you think he is getting enough solids during the day to be full?

Do you want to post your E part of EASY with solids and milk. I will see if I can get some more eyes on this for you Hun :-*
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Offline creations

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2012, 07:20:40 am »
I totally agree with ZacsMumme that solids is now the priority.
Just looking at the amounts of milk, if you are able to express 2oz then LO is likely getting more than this at the breast, this 4 times per day is roughly the right amount of milk at this age.  Add to that any dairy solids too.

With regards encouraging a sippy or straw cup.  Tracy describes how to sit with your LO on your knee, facing away from you, place their hands on the cup along with your own and help them bring it to their mouth.  Now my DS was NEVER willing to have anything put in his mouth other than his bottle of milk (no paci, no spoon feeding etc) but if you focus on a 'teaching' session a couple of times per day, just for a few minutes, not forcing but encouraging then it is really beneficial.  Tracy suggested just 'offering' the cup wasn't enough but help and encouragement was needed.  My personal experience was that once I made it a priority for DS to learn so use the cup, he caught on very very quickly.  Another thing I did (only twice) was put my own drink in one of DS's cups and made sure I picked it up with two hands and let him watch me drink from it whilst he sat in his high chair with his drink.  They love to copy so take advantage of that.


Offline Lolly

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2012, 09:44:09 am »
You don't need to get to caught up on giving an amount of milk now either. From 1 year they need 12-14oz to get their needs met but this doesn't have to be liquid milk, all dairy counts towards this intake and there are plenty of calcium rich foods you can offer as well. If he is drinking other fluids from a cup of some kind he won't get dehydrated. I really wouldn't bother with a bottle at this age it's not necessary at all.

Laura


Offline Lemonthyme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2012, 20:43:06 pm »
I'd offer the sippy cup after the breastfeed.  I'd also just offer cow's milk.  Do you warm the milk? 

It might help to post your routine.  Do you BF all day or just morning and night?  I don't know but it might harm your supply if you do start pushing this more, I don't think at this stage it would be as easy to just switch one feed.  I stopped BF at 13 months because I switched the morning feed to cow's milk and my supply dwindled and my son just started to fuss and refuse to feed so I ended up giving up probably slightly earlier than I wanted to.

To get him used to the sippy, I just put a cup just containing water out on a table my son could reach so that he could go up and pick it up when he wanted it.  I found he started to pick it up more and more.
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Offline *Kara*

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2012, 05:29:01 am »
Don't start with bottles now hun...

I would almost wonder if he isn't interested in drinking as he doesn't need any extra fluids given that he BF's so frequently.

I would make the offer of the sippy/cup at the times of day when he is most hungry and more likely to do whatever it takes to get something into his mouth ;)  First thing in the morning and after waking from a nap are good times ;)



Offline samIam

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2012, 05:41:49 am »
Thank you for all your replies and suggestions!

Here's what he typically eats during the day:
6:30 - wu, BF
8:00 - 3oz oatmeal, 3oz yogurt, both with fruit puree mixed in, 2oz pureed prunes
11:00 - wu from nap, BF
1:00 - 4oz toddler meal, 2oz steamed veggie, 1/2 pear
3:30 - wu from nap, BF
4:30 - crackers, sometimes more pear
6:00 - 2oz quinoa mixed w/ 4oz toddler meal, 2oz steamed veggie, 2oz pureed prunes
8:00 - BF before BT

He's always had a wonderful appetite. He just started to eat "real" food a few weeks ago. Until then, he would not eat anything that wasn't pureed. We're trying to slowly phase out the toddler meals, but so far he hasn't taken to eating meat. He is prone to constipation, so we give him prunes every day. He does get calcium from yogurt and calcium-rich veggies, like spinach and green beans.

As you can see, the only fluids he gets the entire day is from BF. I'm just worried that he's not getting enough fluids, but he does have plenty of wet diapers.

We have started giving him a straw cup filled with water at every meal, but so far he only puts the straw in his mouth to bite it...he hasn't tried or figured out how to suck the water out. We have also tried using a free-flow sippy cup, but as soon as we put the spout in his mouth and tip the cup up so he gets a little water, he gets upset and pushes the cup away. I'll try to sit him on my knee a couple times a day with a sippy, maybe as soon as he wakes up, like you suggest, Kara. And maybe I'll even leave a few no-spill sippies around the house (although he'll probably just play with them).

Offline *Kara*

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2012, 05:54:13 am »
It's okay if he plays with them ;)  That's how they learn...

I would bet he doesn't actually need more fluids :)  He is getting a fair bit with the BFing..  are you wanting to reduce the BF's at all??  If so, cut one of the daytime ones and see if he takes more fluids with the meal around the same time... just be warned that it might take a few days for him to make up the fluids he loses from the BF you stop...



Offline Lemonthyme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2012, 08:40:51 am »
I'd say 4 bf a day is plenty fluids and if you're happy with that, there's no problem.

I'd try again with the sippy but let him control it.  Give it to him with a small amount of water in to play with, alternatively you could try an open beaker at this age but you will need to hold it for him. That said some people have babies who manage with doidy cups at a similar age.
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Offline creations

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2012, 09:15:17 am »
Give it to him with a small amount of water in
This is a really good point when starting with a cup.  Often too much liquid is put in and LO finds it difficult (and heavy) to manoeuvre.  Starting with a small amount is really helpful.  Later on you can give nearly a full cup.


Offline Lemonthyme

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2012, 11:03:30 am »
Ha!  I was thinking to limit mess but if I'm being credited with a good idea, I'll take it!
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Offline creations

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #16 on: January 15, 2012, 06:46:39 am »
I'm pretty sure Tracy mentions this in one of her books.  From memory I think she said start with an oz so it is a manageable weight and easier to control :)


Offline Lolly

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Re: 14 mo old still doesn't take a bottle or cup
« Reply #17 on: January 15, 2012, 08:40:01 am »
^^^^^ Yup!!

Laura