Baby On Strike
At some point in time, babies may refuse to drink from a bottle, whether they’re teething or learning new skills. My nine month old baby is on strike from the bottle/sippy. He’s teething and just wants boobie. Period. It’s a great thing that I haven’t completely weaned him off breastfeeding and my milk just kept on flowing when we started exclusively breastfeeding again.
But it can be worrisome if your baby appears not to want to drink anything, or if you feel that your baby may be getting dehydrated. What are the signs to look for if you are worried that your infant baby is getting dehydrated?
- he appears lethargic;
- he does not have tears when he cries;
- barely has a wet diaper;
- his fontanel [that lingering soft spot on his skull] is visibly depressed.
If your baby has cut on his liquid intake but appears healthy and normal, you may just want to mention your concern to the doctor on his next check up and don’t stress yourself to death! Also remember that as babies start on solid food, they also get fluids from the food they eat. Just make sure that they eat a variety of food from all food groups.
I’m lucky that my baby and I can do breastfeeding on demand but not all moms can, and there really isn’t a magic formula on what to do if your baby is on a nursing or bottle strike. You can try making him drink from a sippy cup, a regular glass, with straw, spoon-feeding, or trying a variety of nipples.
5