my 5 month old is refusing to eat?

Question

My 5 month old son has a slight cold and he's had it for about a week now. Well for the past 3 days he's been refusing his bottle. He used to eat 4 hours apart..6 ounces..now he's eating around 4-5 ounces every 5-6 hours apart. And even then I have to pretty much battle an hour with him to get him to drink it. He's 20 lbs and he's always been a good eater. He's also very hateful lately and I'm thinking maybe it's his teeth or it's the cold..anyone have anything helpful for me? I'd really appreciate it =)

Answer 1

Just make sure he is wetting atleast 3 diapers a day. If he has a significant change in wet diapers (alot less) then you should take him to his pedistrician. My daugther always went on strike from eatting when she was teething or had a cold.

personally, I don't eat a lot when I am sick or don't feel good so when my baby is sick I think "How would I" or "What would I feel like". He will be fine as long as he is getting plenty of water/formula/pedialite. Mine would only drink water when she sick/teething and little formula and her pediatrician just had me count how many wet diapers she had. She always got herself back on track and all was fine.

My daughter also liked *SUGAR FREE* popsicles when she was teething/sick. They soothed her as do I when I am feeling icky.

Answer 2

Most likely his teeth hurt and he doesn't want anything in his mouth. I have friends who have used both Baby Orajel or Teething Tablets right before a feeding. They both had mixed results with each. Also, if he's had a cold, his throat might hurt, too, which is a double-whammy.
You might want to ask your doctor if he can start cereal a little early. He won't have to suck the bottle, which would be gentler on both his teeth and throat. .Once we started cereals, we cut down to 3 meals and a snack every day.
A couple days without eating is okay, he'll catch up when he feels better. But take him to the doctor, anyway, so you can be sure it's just the cold and not something more serious.

Answer 3

Well my 2 month old is teething and isn't eating nearly as much as she used to but its okay because she'll eat 12 ounces in the morning and 12 at night and sleeps all night so maybe your baby just wants to sleep. Could be a growth spurt too. I would definitely go see your doc!

Answer 4

Give him a decongestant and tylenol if they are ok to mix. Find out when the decongestant works the best and work his feedings around that. He doesn't want to eat because it's too hard and he is probably "hateful" because he is frustrated. Try sucking on a bottle with your nose plugged, you'd be a little mad too!

Answer 5

My mum was once told by a doctor that in his 30 years of practice, he had never known a child to starve itself to death.

Teething on top of a cold would be enough to put anyone off their food, poor little mite. Just check that he is not starting to dehydrate. Offer electrolyte solution if he is.

Answer 6

start him on some baby food then see what he thinks of that.lol Or put oat meal in a bottle and cut the nipple so it can come out. ask some one whos 50 or so they will tell ya how.

Answer 7

the same thing happened to a friend of mines baby, she brought he to the doctor and they found her throat was full of puss and all red, she had to get an IV so she wouldn't get dehydrated I Strongly suggest you take your son to the doctor if he's not eating, baby's need to eat more frequently then us and if he's not eating at all it maybe something serious

Answer 8

believe me its normal!!!! my daughters now 3 yrs, and i still have trouble with her eating!! its prob the cold, and if he's teething aswell that will make him moody!the only thing i can suggest is calpol and nurofen, they can be taken together, (ones paracetamol, other ibuprofen) good luck, and you can always ask the health visitor!!!!

Answer 9

I would go to the hospital. You're baby is going to die or something I seen it happen.