I'm worried my nine month old baby isn't drinking enough milk, also recently he has a loss of appetite!?

Question

My nine month old son has been on solid food for a while now and doesn't seem to appear to have a problem with it. I am breastfeeding him, but since he was 4 months old he breastfeeds less. It seemed he started to be curious with his environment then and would not stay still to nurse. The only time he would sit still is if he is tired and wants to sleep (yes, he associates nursing with sleeping). For months I've tried to give him his milk through a bottle but he mostly refuses it. I tried giving him a sippy cup without much success. I recently discovered he will drink from a straw. Still, he will only drink a bit and then he will push it away. For a while he was finishing his milk (though it took quite a while) now he is refusing it. Most of the time I have to distract him with a toy before he will drink a sip. He is a nosy baby and doesn't like to sit still and always wants to do something. He is also teething for a while now and I've noticed a loss of appetite even with solid foods. I'm worried he isn't having enough milk, or eating enough solids. What can I do? He still nurses at night when he sleeps.

Answer 1

Are you offering him the milk before giving him solid foods?  If not, try that to make sure he's not getting full of food beforehand.  Does he drink juice or other liquids?  he needs the milk for his iron, so if he's starting to prefer juice or other sweet drinks then you should probably cut back on those and try to offer him milk first. Obviously if you think the problem is worsening you should call the pediatrician.

Answer 2

Loss of appetite could be from the teething. Try feeding him in a room that is quiet and free from distraction. If you're still worried, talk to your pediatrician.

Answer 3

My daughter is also nine months old right now. She's also been breastfeeding less and less (though since 6 months, not 4). She mostly just breastfeeds at night now as well. As long as he's still getting adequate hydration--whether through the breastmilk he does get or water/juice--he should be fine. I highly recommend adding a little bit of juice to the water, as that little bit of sweetness may be enough to encourage him to drink it. And if a straw is the only way he'll do it, so be it! Here's another trick: try freezing that mostly-water and juice mix into little popsicles. Obviously, supervise him as he eats it, but it may serve the dual purpose of hydrating him and relieving his aching gums. My daughter LOVES her popsicles!

Right now they have better things to do than sit down and nurse or be fed. They're exploring their world and that comes first and foremost in their minds. Since you know better than he does and know that baby cannot live on curiosity alone, give him the opportunity to feed himself. Even if he doesn't have teeth yet, he may be ready for cherrios, squished-up peas, tiny cubes of cheese, and the like. Just keep a close eye on him, and you may be surprised. He may be more interested in food once he realizes he can give it to himself!