9 Month Old Stop Drinking Formula

Updated on April 12, 2012
M.T. asks from Eatontown, NJ
5 answers

my daughter is 9 and a half months and acording to her gastro. dietitian she should be drinking 24-32oz of formula...she drinks about 15oz on a good day. I thought maybe it was because she had a little head cold but she has been over that for about a week now and she still barely drinks her bottles. I have tried giving it to her in a sippy cup and a straw cup that she drinks juice from but she hates it in that. The woest part is that she used to be in the 50-75th percential and now she is in the 25th. She didn't gain any weight in the past two months and I am afraid that she is going to continue to go down hill if she doesn't start drinking her formula. She eats her solids good...most of the time but even that is less than what my older daughter used to eat at this age. I should tell you that she does have acid reflux and a possible milk and glutien intolerance (she has blood work done in a month to find out what food allergies she might have) Has anyone else had this happen? What can I do to get her to drink her formula again? I know in the next couple of months she will start to wean off the formula and the bottle but right now I know that it is still important to her diet. She also sees a chiropractor and some suggestions that she has does help but not always. I just want her to eat!

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So What Happened?

I wanted to answer a couple of questions that were asked. She has been on Previcit since she was two months old. She also has been on elecare formula which is an amino acid based formula also since she was two months old. I have had her on a dairy and gluten free diet for a couple months now. SHe has never had a problem drinking her bottle or eating before this has been since she had a really bad stomach virus about two months ago. WHich brings up another reason she may be so under weight. Two month ago she had a stomach virus that put her in the ER for dehydration because she stopped eating for seven days so she was on an all liquid diet (diluted formula) for a week so I think she probably lost some weight and has not had time to gain it back. I also have a feeling that the nurse did not weigh her right because she had been weight four days before at her peds office and she weighed almost 20lbs but then at the gastro she was screaming and flalling on the scale and they said she only weighed 18 lbs. Although she still is a little under weight at 20 lbs and I am still concerned about her not taking her bottle I do think there are some underlining reasons why she is "under weight". I think that she is being difficult and just doesn't have the bottle or formula but I know how important it is for her to get it so I promise you that I am trying everything I possible can to get her to take it I was just looking for some suggestions of possible things that I have not tried. THank you for being so concerned

More Answers

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

Has the specialist told you that she has a possible milk and gluten intolerance? Is the formula she is drinking specifically for this intolerance?

My thinking is, if it's FOR babies with milk/gluten intolerance, maybe she hates the taste.

If it is NOT for milk/gluten intolerance, maybe it hurts her belly and she doesn't want it.

You mention juice. Juice is full of sugar/empty calories and you shouldn't be giving her any juice right now. She wants it instead of the milk. Water, yes, Juice, no.

Start fixing solids that have formula mixed in it. (Formula that is for babies with intolerances.) She won't taste the formula through the food, most likely. That might help put weight on her. You could try giving her "smoothies" - using the formula as a base.

I would want to make sure you have a fecal test done to check for blood in the stool. (Just because you can't "see" blood in the stool doesn't mean there isn't any.)

Please talk to the doctor about this. Falling from 75th percentile to 25th is dangerous. And you want to document everything your daughter is eating and give it to the doctor. The last thing you want is for the doctor to call social services, pointing a finger at you because of failure to thrive.

Good luck,
Dawn

3 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

is she still congested?? if so it may be hard to drink. i would only offer 4 oz with meals then for naps do 6 oz. and same for bed. maybe cut back the baby food a little till shes drinking more formula.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I would say she needs to change formula. It may be that she needs soy or some other substitute. Also, she may be eating too much. She should be getting her proper nutrition from her formula at this age. I know we tend to think they need more food and stuff them full of it but in all truth they need the vitamins and added/concentrated nutrition from the formula first.

Food is to supplement formula. Not replace it. They get minimal vitamins and nutrients from food. It passes through them too quickly and they don't get half the ingredients to stay long enough to sustain them.

So, change the formula to one the doc thinks would be better for her and stop feeding her so much. She is starving for nutrition and it needs to come from her formula, formula is complete nutrition all by itself.

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

At 9 months solids are just to get her introduced to them and not for primary nutrition, that comes at a year. Give her the formula to drink before any solids. Also, stop giving her juice which is full of sugar (even though it may be natural) as it is empty calories simply filling her up and not good for her. Give her water to drink, but after her formula.

Dropping that drastically from 50-75% to 25% would have me alarmed, it's not normal for a 7-9 month old not to gain anything. I would have her at the doctor's, and I wouldn't wait until she has her blood work next month.

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L.P.

answers from Pittsfield on

I have a couple of questions- is she on meds for the reflux? and what kind of formula is she on? Are the foods you are giving her gluten and lactose free?

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