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Refuses to drink

Hi Everyone, my daughter is 28 weeks and is now on 3 meals a day the problem is she refuses to drink water (or diluted juice) only milk. She has an 8oz bottle at 7am one at 3pm & another at 7pm, but won't take any fluids at mealtime. I've tried her with a beaker and a bottle even tried the beaker without the lid on, but she still refuses. Anyone got any tips? or experienced similar. She is becoming constipated through not drinking enough but other than that is fit and well.

Any advice welcome.

Replies

  • Hi Lisa

    Afraid I haven't encountered this but what I would be inclined to do is start watering down her three o'clock feed. That was she will get more hydration from it and if you do it gradually you might be able to get it all the way to water without her realising. She then hopefully would start taking water as a drink at mealtimes. I would imagine as she is taking a good amount of milk morning and night thta this would be okay and not cause any problems but may want to check with health visitor first.

    Just my thoughts. Best of luck with it.
  • I've been exactly were you are!! lol :\) don't worry it does get better, the main thing is to keep trying it. I know some days it seems pointless but she will get there.

    She seems to be getting alot of liquids from her milk 24oz a day is good tbh! Maybe she's getting constipated from the foods you're giving her? sometimes it just takes a while for the body to get used to the foods.

    Obviosuly you do need her to have a bit of water in the day too to help, when you feed her even if she doesn't drink from it always have a bottle of water. If she really doens't like the beaker yet then at least get her accepting water before getting her used to the beaker.

    Try grapes, melon, cauliflower, tomatoes to help with the pooing.. Keep away from red meats/chicken for a few days then add your meats slowly back into her diet.

    id stay away from red meat completely until her constipation goes away as red meat is hard to digest.

    I started offering daniel a beaker/bottle of water when he was 6 months old, he only started drinking the water when he about 11 months old. he would only drink from a bottle and only started to drink from the spout last month. he's 18 months now.

    he also has mild cp but I don't think this was the reason, kids just do things when they're ready. xxx :\)
  • just another thought.. keep a anyway up bottle/beaker around when she's playing, i found daniel would just pick it up, have a sip then put it down, carry on playing then pick it up again. I found if it was always around, all the time, then he got used to it, so wasn't a big deal etc xx :\)
  • just another thought.. keep a anyway up bottle/beaker around when she's playing, i found daniel would just pick it up, have a sip then put it down, carry on playing then pick it up again. I found if it was always around, all the time, then he got used to it, so wasn't a big deal etc xx :\)
  • I know exactly where you are coming from as my little man wouldnt entertain a beaker,bottle in fact anything that was water or juice,so my hv suggested spoon feeding him the water during his mealtimes and after about 1 week of this he took to the beaker and drinks loads now.
    He has dropped all his daytime bottles now and just has water/juice in the day.I just up his milk intake by cooking with it,i.e cheese sauce,rice pud,porridge.
    Good Luck - it does get better.:\)
  • Thanks so much for your replies. I'm so pleased to know I'm not the only one going through this problem. Wenders you could well be right about the constipation being related to food as I have only just introduced chicken and other meats, so I'll take your advice. Also great tip re spoon feeding the water Alexanders - mum will try that one. How old is your lo and when did he go on to two bottles a day? My HV said aim for 20oz of milk a day but this can inc milk used in foods.
    Thanks so much for the support feel better.
    Lisa
  • Hi Lisa, my lo is 7 & 1/2 mths old & he has been taking 2 bottles a day for a couple of weeks now,tbh it does concern me a little that he wont take the milk but i cant force him & he does eat a very varied diet so hopefully i am doing it right.Its so worrying isnt it?
  • I know what you mean. I just think I've got something sorted eg solids and then she won't drink something else to worry about. I mentioned it to my HV yesterday and she said its very common and to just keep offering a beaker, dispite the fact that she practicaly knocks it out of my hand every time. Ha Ha
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