9 Month Old Won't Drink More than 10 Oz Formula/breast Milk a Day

We went through the same thing. and trust me it is INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING, but only for mommy. He will eat when he is hungry!!As long as hs urine otput is good try not to stress to much (yeah right) Try a sippy cup, I started giving mine a bottle first thing in the morning before breakfast. then at bedtime. and usually befor his afternoon nap. I also try before his morning nap. I also let my son have a sippy cup with water in it during the day. It is still more of a toy (and great teether) but he does get some fluid that way too. Best of luck to you, I feel your pain. Hang in there. I was also told by my pediatrician that at about 9 months it is common for them to become finicky eaters and that they willgo in spurts.

Have you tried giving him milk in a cup rather than a bottle? I prefer a regular cup over a sippy, but either will work. It may just be an issue of him not wanting to lie down and drink. (Has he had ear infections? That can cause pressure making him not want to drink lying down)

I have heard this lots about 9 mo olds from several friends as well as my own. It's a big milestone and growth change age I think. If you look up "nursing strike" you will see that it seems to occur around certain ages, and mine followed the pattern. Just keep offering. You could either wean him now and just do formula in a cup or whatever or, chances are, in a few weeks he will switch back to something similar to his old feeding patterns. I wanted to nurse longer for the health benefits so I kept offering. And make sure to keep offering foods that are similar in nutrients to milk- dairy and broccoli are both excellent.

I wouldn't worry about the weight gain either, it goes in cycles, not slow and steady. Mine is small so it was always very apparent. His pattern was this: voracious appetite, big growth spurt, milestone reached, no appetite at all, no weight gain for a while, then back to a huge appetite again. If my appointments hit at the plateau piont, there would be no change. I wouldn't worry unless there is no change in a couple mos as well.

Good afternoon,

I do not think you should be worried. By 9 months they do not "Need" formula or breast milk to get the nutrients they need these days. It is still the optimum thing, but if they have started weening themselves, then they are getting all they need from what you are doing. I had 1 of my children who would not stop throwing up formula or breast milk, so by 8 months the doctor put her on just foods and whole milk. She has never had any problems and is a healthy eater.

I also had a set of twins who I gave formula to until they were 2. They have always been thin children at the bottom of the weight chart and higher ends of the hight chart. They eat and just do not gain weight easiy.

Every kids has their own growth patterns and desires for food intake. Your child sounds like he is just over the formula/breast milk thing and likes his other food sources better. As long he is happy and he is eating a required minumum of fruits and veggies and like you said bread and some breast milk, I would not worry at all.

Have a great day.

It is ok. Give him more table food. I would say bottle in the morning, bottle in the afternoon(maybe even try a sippy), and bottle in the evening or breast. Offer him water throughout the day. At 9 months most ped's state that they should be on all table food(few bottles).....still till he is a year old, formlua/breast milk should be taking in at least 20oz

We are going through something similar at 12 months with the transition to milk. It worries me too, especially when my son lost about 1/2 lb since his last appt and now is only in the 2nd percentile for weight! The Dr. suggested offering higher fat foods, like whole milk yogurt, high fat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and offering water to drink in between meals (for the constipation that may result as a consequence of drinking less milk). I found some cheese that was 25% daily calcium in one slice, so I feel ok about it now, and he loves the high-fat yogurt (yo-baby). Anyway, be creative. This is just a phase of course (as I keep reminding myself).

Relax!....This is normal , infact 10oz/day plus food seems alot to be honest. As for the weight gain , once babies become more mobile by either crawling/walking then the weight gain does slow down , they can't continue to gain weight at the rate they did in the early months as they would be obese! Over the next few months you will start to see what kind of build your child is going to have. At 9 months it is also very common for them to go off of baby food/jars as they are just too sloppy and they want more finger type foods.