Feeding FAQ: 9-12 months – Formula Feeding

Is there anything I can do to increase my 10mth daughter’s fluid intake?

My daughter is 10 months old and has very little interest in drinking fluids. However I have tried everything to increase her intake, but can’t get her to drink more than 10-11 oz a day. I have tried different teats, bottles and cups but nothing makes a difference. I offer her water from a beaker but she doesn’t have as much as half an ounce a day. She eats well and enjoys her solids. She was weaned at five and a half months and is now on the 9-12 month feeding plan. Her meals are all home cooked and recipes are from either Gina’s weaning book or Annabel Karmel’s. The amount of solids she eats are consistent with the recipe advice.

My daughter rarely has any interest in breakfast and will only take a couple of mouthfulls of weetabix or porridge (though she’ll happily eat a Organix fruit puree – is she just being fussy?). It makes no difference whether I offer her milk before or after her tiny breakfast, in fact I’ll offer her milk pretty much on and off throughout the day (before and after breakfast, before and after her mid morning nap and after her lunchtime nap). However she’ll only take a max of 3 oz over the day. She has her protein meal at lunchtime at noon followed by yoghurt or fruit puree (she tends to suffer from constipation, so I tend to give her at least one Organix fruit puree a day). She has her tea at 5, something like lentil soup or corn chowder followed by a yoghurt or fruit puree. At 6.45pm she starts her bedtime milk but I will have to keep going back into her nursery and offering her a little more. Most of the time she will drink the remaining milk when she’s asleep anytime from 7.00- 7.30pm. Doing it like this, she will always have 7oz. I’ve tried giving her a top up at 10 or 11pm but she doesn’t usually want it and I’m always conscious that it may put her off her breakfast – but in fact it makes no difference either way. She is gaining weight regularly but it worries me that her fluid intake is so low. Sometimes she’ll only have 1 oz of fluid all day until her 7 oz bedtime drink. My daughter is probably making up the difference with her 1 yoghurt and milk in her food but her resistance to drinking does make her prone to constipation. When she drinks from a bottle with a teat she will have a couple of sucks and then pull away . I have to repeat the process constantly, often putting her down and trying again a few minutes later. I’ve been to the doctors about it but he doesn’t seem concerned. Can you please give me any advice that might help. Her drinking has become rather a preoccupation and I don’t want it to get any worse. She does have approx 3-4 wet nappies a day, though they are very, very light except first thing in the morning.
7.30am 1oz formula, 7pm 7ozs formula. 10pm 3ozs formula[ not always taken]. She weighs 20lbs 6ozs.
My daughter naps at 9.30- 10.15am and 12.45-2.30pm

Although the amount of milk your daughter drinks during the day is small her overall intake, including yoghurt, milk used in cooking and on cereals is at least the 12oz minimum for her age. A 125gr yoghurt is equivalent to 7ozs of milk. But the overall amount of fluid she takes does seem to be small. Finding ways to get her to drink a little more, and using food as a way to get fluids into her, should help.

Although she is only ten months old, you may find she will drink through a straw. It is worth trying as a lot of babies and small children who are resistant to drinking from beakers will happily suck from a straw. Before buying a cup, try a small box of juice which has a reusable straw and see if she is able to cope. It may take her three or four attempts to work out what to do. Just offer it to her once a day, rather than trying to push her with it throughout the day. If it is unsuccessful, take the drink away and try again the following day.

Offering her a drink in a proper china cup, putting a very small amount at the bottom could also help. Show her how to lift the cup to her lips and sip at it. Keep offering her water and well diluted juice in the day, but try not to make an issue of it as even babies of this age are well aware of the tension they can cause in refusing something which is being constantly offered to them.

Look at ways of including fluids in her diet. At her age she needs about 1 1/2 pints overall. This is an average, Some babies are fine with less, providing they are not showing any signs of dehydration. Her milk intake of 10-12 ozs is about 1/2 pint.

There is fluid in vegetables and fruit as well as purees, soups, mousses and jelly. Offering her homemade fruit jellies and fools, fruit purees and soups will all help the daily intake, even though you are aware she actually drinks very little. Continue to offer her fluids through out the day, but remain calm about her lack of interest. Many babies and small children sip throughout the day rather than drinking larger quantities. Place a beaker near her, using one without a valve in the lid and see if she helps herself from time to time.

Providing her urine is clear or light in colour, rather than dark and strong smelling she will be taking enough for her needs.