DownSyn Forum

MommyAngela · Posted: July 27 2009, 10:57 PM Post subject: Couple of milk questions

So...now that Benjamin is on thickened milk, we are completely off the bottle and he is using a soft-spout Nuby with handles. (The short ones.) Which is great except for two things.

1. I am still warming his milk slightly. I know, I know. It's silly. But his breastmilk was warm, his formula was warm, and when he went to milk (this was all pre-thickener), he wouldn't drink it just cold. I mean, would you? LOL So my plan (which worked with Andrew...) was to just slowly wean him off the warming. But I tried that and he doesn't drink nearly as much. And now I am thickening it (b/c of aspiration) and that stuff is NAAAAAASTY, so I just don't know how I feel about weaning him off the warming. I figure, it's already really gross. I can't imagine how disgusting it would be cold out of the fridge.

2. I am still having to hold his cup for him. If, at the start of a meal, when I give him his milk, I just set it on the highchair tray, he will reach for it and bring it to his mouth and suck. But he does not tip it up. If I assist him in the least bit, he lets go. He will not let me hold his hands on the handles.

How do I know when he's developmentally ready to hold his own cup? He's 15 months old and is cruising the furniture and even standing up on his own with nothing but the floor. Gross motor-wise, he's a rockstar. He does pretty well with fine-motor stuff, too. Verbally, we've got zilch. So how do I know? His ST comes in two days and I can talk to her, but I need moms with real experience. LOL

And, what about the warmed milk? No biggie? It does make it kinda hard when we go places with no microwave. I haven't tried it since we've been on the thickener, but when he just had plain milk and I had to give it to him cold, he'd drink *maybe* half an ounce. Instead of five to six ounces. Yikes.

_________________

Angela
Wife to Matthew
Mom to three wonderful sons:
Andrew James--3/24/06
Benjamin Matthew--4/24/08 DS--VSD & ASD repaired 10/3/08, intestinal obstruction repaired 1/13/09, hypospadias & ventral hernia repaired 8/21/09
Thomas Alexander--3/25/10

www.theamicks-angela.blogspot.com

AuntieM · Posted: July 28 2009, 5:55 AM Post subject:

Funny... I think the opposite, that warm milk is more disgusting!! We just went cold turkey as soon as we stopped breast milk. It is a change but he'll get used to it no matter how you transition him!

Many speech therapists discourage sippy cups because they think they strengthen tongue thrust and do not promote the pursed lip position that is needed to make many sounds. So I would recommend you try a straw cup. It doesn't need to be tipped up to drink from, so Andrew should be able to hold it himself. There are several versions that come with thick straws and can be used with thickened liquids. Target (and many other stores) have "Take and Toss" cups that, while the package says disposable, can be used over and over and all parts do great in the dishwasher. There are also some with and without valves (to prevent spills) that have thick silicone straws that can't be bitten closed. We have a couple with valves that we use in the car, but use the cheap Take and Tosses the rest of the time. (Many people start with a Honey Bear to teach straw sucking but we didn't need to. You can push down on the top of a fairly full Take and Toss to force milk up the straw and get a little of the same effect.)

BTW: I love your blog!! I am so not into blogging, but I check yours all the time... you should think about professional writing!! Smile

Yeah, I know, just when would you do that?? And congrats on the new baby. My niece has another one coming in November and we are all so excited!

_________________
Mary, retired Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
Great-aunt to Tarryn (DS, 5 years old)

Courtney · Posted: July 28 2009, 6:27 AM Post subject:

When we switched Lucy from formula to milk, the plan was to stop warming. Lucy did not agree to this plan, and would not drink it cold. She still takes a bottle at nap/bedtime (shhh, don't tell the baby police...she is two, you know!) and it is slightly warmed. Interestingly, if I give her milk in a cup with a meal, she takes it cold.

I should add, however, when she first started taking juice from a cup at meals, we had to take the fridge-chill off that, too. Not warm, just not refrigerator cold.

As for the cup...we started Lucy on the take and toss straw cups, with a bendy straw. You can give those a little squeeze to help get the liquid up (a la the honey bear) until Benjamin learns to manage it himself. We just found a new playtex cup that has a flip-up straw and actually appears to be living up to it's leak-proof claims. I can't remember when Lucy mastered straw drinking, but it was somewhere around a year and a half, I'd say.

Good luck!

_________________
~Courtney
{Lucy, 5, Ds, AVSD repaired 1/08; Brodie, 3}

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one!" -CS Lewis

MommyAngela · Posted: July 28 2009, 6:42 AM Post subject:

Both Benjamin's ST and pediatrician say that the sippy cup is fine. And right now, we really have no other choice b/c he cannot drink the thickened milk through a straw. It is entirely too difficult.

_________________

Angela
Wife to Matthew
Mom to three wonderful sons:
Andrew James--3/24/06
Benjamin Matthew--4/24/08 DS--VSD & ASD repaired 10/3/08, intestinal obstruction repaired 1/13/09, hypospadias & ventral hernia repaired 8/21/09
Thomas Alexander--3/25/10

www.theamicks-angela.blogspot.com

SherryinWI · Posted: July 28 2009, 7:09 AM Post subject:

Yes it is a pain when you travel not to be able to warm up milk. We paid over 18$ to room service in San Francisco when my two older kids were little. Heck they still like their milk heat with Nesquick added and they are no 8 and 9 years old. So no advice. You do what works for your little guy.

I would love Nate to be off the bottle and drinking from the nubby sippy!! We are trying to do this right now. Makes it tough when they will not mouth it. Hard for Nate since room temperature pediasure (very disgusting) is all he will consume period.

_________________
Sherry
Evan 12, Olivia 11, and Nate 8*

Hosted on Fotki

McKaylasmom · Posted: July 28 2009, 10:13 AM Post subject:

McKayla will only take her milk warm. If it is in the slightest way cold she will have nothing to do with it. We have not transitioned yet to cups of any sort, we are still on a bottle. She is just now starting to hold it on her own and it is a hit or miss thing depends on if she is in the mood to hold it.

_________________
Windy

momlorac · Posted: July 28 2009, 11:54 AM Post subject:

I never warmed my kids milk. I did warm Abigails a little when she was tube feed. After that she would drink it cold. My 1st was formule feed and he would drink milk right out of the fridge. With Abigail I would pump store and give it to her out of the fridge. Her st theripist said it may have help to drink the milk when she was learning how to drink. That way she could feel the cold of the milk.

_________________
Carol mom to Adam 6/17/96 ,Emily 8/7/98, Abigail (DS)8/16/04

Me-Shell · Posted: July 28 2009, 2:33 PM Post subject:

Anglea,

Cameron is almost 18 months and I still warm his milk. He will drink juice and pediasure cold but not his milk. He is still on the bottle mostly and when we are out I ask for a cup of hot water and drop the bottle into it. We have tried the Nuby cups but he likes to chew on the nipple and makes a mess. He can also tilt his bottle up a bit, it depends on the bottle. Some of his bottles are heavier than others.

I just ordered the Honey Bear Cup and I am hoping it will help him transitioning off the bottle.

Good Luck
Michelle

_________________

Michelle, Fiance to Wyatt, Mom to Shane (22), Aubrey (19) and Baby Cameron DS (02/06/08 )

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.