Fluid intake issue

[Aking]

Hi there,
I wrote a while back regarding my 15 month old son who barely drinks AT ALL. I'm actually worried about it now. At first I tried to say 'dont' worry, he'll drink when he's thirsty, etc'. However, I'm stopping breastfeeding and down to one breastfeed at bedtime. He probably isn't getting much milk anymore as my production has slowed right down. I wish he WAS still getting a good feed at bedtime as throughout the day he is barely drinking a thing!
I have friends that say, oh yeah my daughter is like that as well, but then I find out she drinks an entire bottle 8 or 9oz in the morning. My son maybe intakes 2-3 oz per day of fluid. I have tried everything. Milk cold, milk warm, cow's milk, almond milk, goat milk, water (is the only thing he drinks), water with juice..... I just don't know what to do. He is still peeing, but it's hard to say how much of course.
He is REALLY sick with a cold right now as well and it's been about a week now. I'm stressing out as fluids are important for him esp with a cold and I just can't get them down him and I can't force it.
I have tried all kinds of cups. Regular cups, sippy cups of all nipples, bottles (though I haven't tried that in a while now), cups with straws, etc.

I don't really have a routine for him as far as fluids go. When he wakes I try to give him a bit of milk with his breakfast. He won't ever have the milk so usually his breakfast is oatmeal with milk, yogurt with fruit or cereal with milk (obviously trying to get the fluids in some where).
I offer him water in a sippy cup all day. Sometimes he will take some good sips (2 or 3 is good sips) and sometimes just one at a time. I have it with me all day so that he will sip here and there but its worrisome to me.
I tried a popsicle but he didn't want to suck on it so I broke off little bits. I still have yet to make my own because I'm not going to give him pure sugar to drink.

I'm now thinking I may pump my milk in desperation to get enough out to mix with the milk (been a while since I tried that and I never really gave it a good go because my milk is totally slowed down and I probably can't get enough).

I know he gets fluids from fruits and I give him fruit daily for sure but he's not getting nearly as much as my friend's kids and I worry that he'll become dehydrated.

Thoughts and advice would be much appreciated. Should I start again with a warm bottle in the morning? He was never a formula baby or a bottle baby as I breastfed him (he took bottles here and there, but not often).

Thanks.
AJK

[Lemonthyme]

My son has never been a huge drinker but one thing I do is put a cup (originally a sippy cup) of water out on the side where he could get to it when he was playing.  Because it was water, it wasn't going to hurt his teeth.  I could often get another half cup in him that way.  I do empathise though.  My son at 3 is still not a big drinker and it sometimes makes him constipated.  I've finally relented and allowed some watered down juice at mealtimes as a result.

[creations]

If he is still weeing and pooing ok then I would try not to stress it and trust that he knows his own needs.

Mine doesn't drink a huge amount either although I half suspect he drinks more now that he has started eating some meat than he did when he didn't eat meat, fruit and veg do have quite a lot of water in, perhaps sauces or gravy on meals add fluids too?  Does he eat adult type solids now (as opposed to puree foods)?
I was astounded when I saw a kid the same age as DS glug down a half pint of diluted juice in one go and then ask for more!  Mine has a few sips of water here and there, even when he chug-a-lugs it's only an oz or two (he does have a cup, 4oz milk in the morning too) but he has a lot of 'wet' fruit for snacks (like grapes) where as some other children have biscuits.  I've recently come across a LO IRL who drinks 2 litres of diluted juice between WU and lunch as she sucks on a bottle for comfort and I know another who was drinking at least 2 litres of cows milk per day - you have to be really careful who you compare your child with as some children drink in excess through habit or through liking the sugar or fruit sugars or because their parent hasn't switched their milk drink to solids snacks and main meals.  I think the key is to look closely at your child and see what his personal needs are and if he is doing ok self regulating.

I think 6 wet nappies is a sign of being hydrated enough to wee, and with poo it doesn't have to be every day but shouldn't be hard as rocks.