How to encourge a baby to drink?

andycarmi

Hi my DD just nine months is bf. From around 8 weeks I offered her water in a bottle and she never took it. I have tried to give her a formula (soya) in a bottle but she will only have BF or BM in a bottle.

From 4 months I offered her water in a cup. Now 4 months on and three cups later she still wont take any water from a cup. I used an anyway kind of cup, a doidy cup and a free flow.

I really only wanted to give her water but feel that juice is better than drinking nothing! Tried her with some and she wont have that either.

Has anyone else had this problem? What did you do? any ideas?

I asked my HV and she thinks its fine. But I don't.

Sagaris

Well I was always told that breast fed babies don't need any other drinks - I'm assuming if she was thirsty she would take it if she needed it?
If your HV says she's fine and you're not happy, is there anyone else you could ask - another HV at the clinic, or your GP?

andycarmi

That what I was told them not needing any other drink, but she only has 4 feeds a day now. The HV said is she having wet nappies and she is but not much.

giraffe25

Our DD was exactly the same we ended up buying 7-8 different cups in total but still didn't drink only 3 BM bottles a day, we even thought about juicy oranges just to get fluid into her.
Our health visitor said that babies are designed to drink when they are thirtsy, so don't worry, but we still did and as long as her nappy is wet, everything will be ok.
Now our DD is 2 1/2 and she drinks loads of water and milk everyday

tracy1_2

have you tried to spoon feed her fluids?
this is also useful for litlle ones who are poorley and won't drink eg sore throat

andycarmi

giraffe25 wrote: »

Our DD was exactly the same we ended up buying 7-8 different cups in total but still didn't drink only 3 BM bottles a day, we even thought about juicy oranges just to get fluid into her.
Our health visitor said that babies are designed to drink when they new to so don't worry, but we still did and as long as her nappy is wet, everything will be ok.
Now our DD is 2 1/2 and she drinks loads of water and milk everyday

Thanks for that. :j

bandraoi

My sister wouldn't take a bottle for a while. She was breastfed and bottle fed from birth, and at about 10 weeks, one day a bottle made her sick. She refused to take a bottle for a month afterwards, no matter how hungry she was, even if it had breast milk.

As my mother had to go back to work, and couldn't keep breastfeeding we persisted and eventually she took the bottle. For a while she would only take the bottle in her mouth without drinking. I'd say just keep trying. She'll take it eventually.

andycarmi

tracy1 wrote: »

have you tried to spoon feed her fluids?
this is also useful for litlle ones who are poorley and won't drink eg sore throat

I can't believe I didn't thinl of that!:o

andycarmi

I keep offer it to her every meal time and once in between meals. When she wont take it I just take it away.

Rachie_B

i'd continue to offer the cup,she will take it ....eventually !

just make sure she is having lots of liquids in meals in the meantime

watery / juicy fruit & veg etc

as she is breastfed she will be getting her thirst quenched by the first bit of the feed

are you still feeding on demand ??

andycarmi

Rachie_B wrote: »

are you still feeding on demand ??

Yes I m. She tents to have breast feeds arount 6am, 10am, 3pm and before bed.

I m going back to work in September and she will be one then. How much milk do babies tent to have at one yrs old?