My baby girl is almost 4 months old. I always put expressed breastmilk in the bottle and she has no problem drinking it (I only nurse for a copule of time in her first month). However, around 6 weeks ago she started to fuss and cry during feeding. I look around for nipple, and change to next stage with faster flow. She settled for a few days. However, she started to scream and cry again 2 weeks ago. Even worse is that recently few days she refuse to open her mouth, refuse to latch and refuse to suck. I keep trying, but can only get 0.5 to 1 oz in an hour. She can skip 1-2 feeding (6 to 8 hours) without crying for hunger. I feel very heartbreaking and frustrated to see her crying. I'm worried that she may lose weight if she continue to refuse her bottle. Why does she refuse the bottle that she uses to love?? What can I do??
2007-02-23 18:42:55 · 25 answers · asked by Happy B 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Starting yesterday I tried to use a medical dropper to slowly squeeze some milk into her mouth. Though I'm able to get milk into her stomach, she seems upset and I'm afraid to chok her. Do anyone have similar experience??
2007-02-26 09:02:19 · update #1
My daughter was off the bottle at about 3 weeks, she would not take a bottle. Try spoon feeding, mix some baby cereal with her milk or formula, it worked for us. If she will not eat any better take her to a doctor.
2007-02-23 19:37:30 · answer #1 · answered by Fab 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should first bring her to the doc to see if there is something - sores, yeast, etc... in her mouth that is making it uncomfortable to eat and latch on. It could also be an ear infection and the sucking is causing her pain. See the doc right away, and go from there. If that is not it, then keep trying different bottles and nipples. Some babies change nipples pretty often - there are all different shapes, flows, textures etc.. If there is no medical reason them keep trying .You can also start trying a sippy cup with her. Just make sure you are regulating how much milk she gets in her mouth at a time, and keep track of ounces just like if it were a bottle! Also, you might need a different formula.
2007-03-03 08:34:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't have an answer but I'm in the same situation. My daughter is almost 5 months ( 8 really but she was born 3 months early) and has been refusing her bottle for about a month. I can only get her to eat it in her sleep. I know it sounds weird but I puty her to sleep and put the bottle in. Rub her face and move the bottle around. Sometimes it takes a few min, and it's frustrating but she will usually eat an ounce or 2 at a time this way. All together she is eating 14 or 15 ounces a day. At about 3 months her Dr told me to start her on rice cereal. I mix it with formula. Lately though I feed her whatever she will eat. Her Dr isn't much help at all. He told me to try a sippie cup. Didn't work.If you get any ideas I would love to hear it. I hope your little girl is doing better though.
2007-02-26 14:21:55 · answer #3 · answered by Sabrina G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At 4 months, she's old enough for cereal. See if she'll eat that. If she does, her aversion is to your milk and not to eating in general. Have there been any changes to your diet or hygene (perfumes etc) that may cause the taste of your milk to change? Try letting someone else feed her the bottle and see if she accepts it better. I would certainly ask your pediatrician and I'm a big fan of breastfeeding, however, you obviously cannot continue to feed her around the clock will no results. If all else fails, try formula. Also, if she responded well for awhile when you switched to faster flow nipples, try another bottle altogether. Maybe she will prefer another shape. Good luck to you.
2007-03-02 13:58:11 · answer #4 · answered by Jennifer L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look into her mouth and see if there are any white patches inside, especially on the roof of her mouth. If so, she has Thrush, and that is a very painful condition, which makes it hard for a child to feed. I would definately call a Dr. ASAP. She could be developing some sort of food allergy or aversion to it. Irritable bowel syndrome comes to mind. Either way, she is way too young to refuse to eat just to refuse it. She is showing signs that something is wrong. Get that baby checked out immediately!!! Keep us posted...
2007-03-03 12:09:24 · answer #5 · answered by Carrie C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had this problem with my first baby i breast feed her at first but then i wasn't making enough so i went to the bottle and she refused. But my mom knew what was wrong she went out and bought the playtex disposable bottles you know the ones with the liners. And see took it with no problem but then she started crying again. A friend of mine told me to cut a hole in the nipple in the bottle and put some infant cereal in the bottle with her milk. 3 or 4 oz of cereal with 8oz of milk or 1 to 2 oz of cereal with 4 oz of milk you know depending how much she takes. Maybe that helps.
2007-02-23 19:57:02 · answer #6 · answered by trying 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My baby had/has the same problem. It started when she was three months old. Id hold her and try and feed her and she wouldnt eat. I figured out why, shes to distracted to eat when I feed her. Ill tell you what solved the problem proppign her in her carseat with a blanket to prop the botle in her mouth and she would eat the whole bottle then. Now since she was four months she prefers to feed herself. She doesnt want anyone to feed her. SHes 5.5 months old now and pretty much only feeds herself. She can put her bottle in and out of her own mouth and she will eat contentedly that way. She wont eat well if anyone tries and feeds her.
2007-02-24 06:51:37 · answer #7 · answered by jennyve25 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she could have acid reflux, or gas which are a result of feeding, and she at an early age associates the two, try switching her to gentlease formula, rub her tummy in a clockwise motion when facing her, and giving her mylecon drops. That helped my daughter. the formula is great. Don't be discouraged or feel like you're being a bad mom for giving her formula. Many of children are good with formula.
2007-03-02 07:30:14 · answer #8 · answered by brandyswilkes 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may want to have her checked out by dr. Sounds like an ear ache or some oral motor problem. I had this problem with my daughter she is now 6 mths old and still is not crazy about the bottle. We had to change bottles and nipples about 4x until we found the soothie brand sold at walmart. good luck
2007-03-03 13:03:41 · answer #9 · answered by gunter04@verizon.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It reminds me of my daughter. For me it was because she was lactose intolarent. But it could also be that she doesnt like the nipple on the bottle or it could be something you ate. Having things with too much pepper on it can cause a problem, Or eating too much of a certain food or ingriedient! My source is WIC You can always call and ask them instead of waiting to get in to the doctors.
2007-02-23 21:53:03 · answer #10 · answered by somegirl22 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋