“What do I do if my baby doesn't want to drink milk?”
My baby is 2 weeks old. I want to know what can I do if my baby doesn't want to drink milk?
4 Answers
What milk are you giving to baby? They have to drink about 2.5 oz of breast milk or formula every 2-3hrs. I would talk to your Pediatrician if they are not feeding properly. They have to gain 0.5-1 oz a day. Thanks!
A 2-week-old infant should only be drinking breastmilk, breastfeeding, or infant formula. Nothing else. It is extremely important that your baby get proper and adequate nutrition in these early days of life. See your pediatrician immediately if s/he is not feeding at least 15 min at breast or 2-3 oz of expressed breast milk or infant formula every 2-3 hours or more.
Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP
Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP
Offer alternative milk with alternative way.
Hello,
Thank you for your question, "What can I do if my (2 week old) baby doesn't want to drink milk?"
As you may know, 2-week-old infants and more specifically, all infants under 12 months of age, should not be offered cow's milk. I am sure you've heard that breast milk is best for babies, but if you have chosen for personal reasons not to breastfeed your baby, infant formula is the best alternative to breast milk for infants. Formula has been developed to simulate the nutritional value of breast milk.
Newborns following home birth or discharge from a birthing facility are usually asked to see their pediatrician or primary physician in the next few days, usually by day 5 of life. If the baby's weight loss has stabilized and all is well otherwise, the baby is next asked to return at 2 weeks of age to confirm healthy growth and nutrition. Sometimes infants are not asked to return until one month of age for their first well checkup appointment.
Since your infant is 2 weeks old, you are just at the right age of life to discuss your baby's nutrition and feeding with your baby's doctor. If your baby is sensitive to the formula you offer and is rejecting it, your doctor could recommend alternative formulas to try. Sometimes a baby will have issues with sucking and swallowing, having nothing to do with the formula being used. In this case, if suspected, the doctor can refer the baby to an infant feeding specialist, usually a pediatric occupational therapist or a speech and language specialist (SPL). Yes, although SPL specialists may seem an unusual choice for swallowing problems, they are often expert in mouth and muscle function and coordination, and can be helpful in treating
swallowing problems.
Treating infant swallowing problems presumes an otherwise normal exam and normal anatomy from mouth to abdomen. Sometimes a special imaging test is required to observe the baby's swallowing and passage of formula to the stomach - a barium swallow X-ray. This can be done with minimal radiation to the baby and confirms normal anatomy.
A feeding expert can be very helpful in teaching the infant proper swallowing habits to ensure normal nutrition and growth. My recommendation is to bring your concern to your baby doctor's attention. Be sure the baby's weight is doing well according to your doctor's growth measurements. Take note of how often your baby urinates and poops and share this information with your doctor. Expect to see the doc every few days until the issue is resolved and good growth is confirmed.
If you are offering your baby cow's milk, please do discuss this with your doctor. Cow's milk is perfect for baby cow's, but not for little humans. I recommend this information to you:
1]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/The-First-Month-Feeding-and-Nutrition.aspx
and
2]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Signs-of-Feeding-Difficulties.aspx
and
3]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Forms-of-Baby-Formula.aspx
and
4]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Why-Formula-Instead-of-Cows-Milk.aspx
Best regards,
Dr. T
Thank you for your question, "What can I do if my (2 week old) baby doesn't want to drink milk?"
As you may know, 2-week-old infants and more specifically, all infants under 12 months of age, should not be offered cow's milk. I am sure you've heard that breast milk is best for babies, but if you have chosen for personal reasons not to breastfeed your baby, infant formula is the best alternative to breast milk for infants. Formula has been developed to simulate the nutritional value of breast milk.
Newborns following home birth or discharge from a birthing facility are usually asked to see their pediatrician or primary physician in the next few days, usually by day 5 of life. If the baby's weight loss has stabilized and all is well otherwise, the baby is next asked to return at 2 weeks of age to confirm healthy growth and nutrition. Sometimes infants are not asked to return until one month of age for their first well checkup appointment.
Since your infant is 2 weeks old, you are just at the right age of life to discuss your baby's nutrition and feeding with your baby's doctor. If your baby is sensitive to the formula you offer and is rejecting it, your doctor could recommend alternative formulas to try. Sometimes a baby will have issues with sucking and swallowing, having nothing to do with the formula being used. In this case, if suspected, the doctor can refer the baby to an infant feeding specialist, usually a pediatric occupational therapist or a speech and language specialist (SPL). Yes, although SPL specialists may seem an unusual choice for swallowing problems, they are often expert in mouth and muscle function and coordination, and can be helpful in treating
swallowing problems.
Treating infant swallowing problems presumes an otherwise normal exam and normal anatomy from mouth to abdomen. Sometimes a special imaging test is required to observe the baby's swallowing and passage of formula to the stomach - a barium swallow X-ray. This can be done with minimal radiation to the baby and confirms normal anatomy.
A feeding expert can be very helpful in teaching the infant proper swallowing habits to ensure normal nutrition and growth. My recommendation is to bring your concern to your baby doctor's attention. Be sure the baby's weight is doing well according to your doctor's growth measurements. Take note of how often your baby urinates and poops and share this information with your doctor. Expect to see the doc every few days until the issue is resolved and good growth is confirmed.
If you are offering your baby cow's milk, please do discuss this with your doctor. Cow's milk is perfect for baby cow's, but not for little humans. I recommend this information to you:
1]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/The-First-Month-Feeding-and-Nutrition.aspx
and
2]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Signs-of-Feeding-Difficulties.aspx
and
3]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Forms-of-Baby-Formula.aspx
and
4]
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Why-Formula-Instead-of-Cows-Milk.aspx
Best regards,
Dr. T
