Hello!

My daughter is 10 months old and has just started refusing a bottle. She usually has 3 a day between 180-240ml each, but she’s only been drinking about 60ml each time. She refuses purées and mash but will happily feed herself solids and drinks LOTS of water. Should I replace her bottles with solids or should I keep trying to give them to her? Or is it ok to start offering small amounts of cows milk? Many thanks.


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  • Milk should be the main food until 12 months and cows milk not until after 12. Cut back on the solids so she’s hungrier for milk


  • I’d double check with your maternal health nurse but I think if they are getting enough variety of food and drink it should be ok. Maybe you could try the milk in a sippy cup?


  • My eldest started drinking milk around that age as she refused bottle milk. She’d eat plenty of vegetables, fruit etc so I wasn’t worried about her not having enough vitamins etc. You can buy supplements that can be added to food or milk.


  • I don’t think cows milk is supposed to be the main drink until after 12 months. Same with water – from things I have read, it is meant to still be breastmilk or formula. Can you give your GP a call to check what they would advise?


  • I’d check with your GP. I don’t think milk is recommended till after 12 months, but these things change so often…


  • Is there a nurse at the same place as your GP? They are usually Registered Nurses that check babies for some things and can give advice on things like this. Your baby is possibly self weaning the same as some breastfed babies do? Does you baby like cheddar or similar cheese? You could try giving a small amount if milk is rejected completely. Provided your baby is drinking or eating food containing calcium to maintain healthy bones, teeth etc. it might not matter if milk is reduced. I suggest you seek medical advice as there may be a medical problem involved


  • As long as bub is eating, it’s healthy and she has a drink to replace milk….don’t stress. If you use formula, you could mix small amounts into whatever she’s eating, for extra nutrition. Small amounts of cows milk should be ok too. I used to water mine down at the start, just to make it easier to adjust to


  • I wouldn’t be too concerned when she eats a good variety of good nutritious foods and drinks plenty of water and some milk.


  • Can you talk to your MCHN?
    I would drop the bottles to 2 and see how you go or just reduce the amounts. As long as she is getting sustenance that’s a good thing. Best to talk to MCHN or GP though


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