Really need help 16 week old not eating

[Syeda]

I was exclusively on breastfeeding until 12 weeks then he suddenly stop taking my feed while he’s awake and taking feed only when he’s asleep. Slowly he was resisting my breast in his sleep too so I started formula milk so that he should get milk either its mine or formula. Now he just doesn’t take my breast milk and whenever i try to give him formula milk he sometimes drinks it and sometimes he wakes up and stop drinking. As he doesn’t eat anything while he’s awake. I’ve struggled so much even gave him my expressed milk in bottle but he refused to take anything while he’s awake. Really so much upset because of him. Please Help

 

[WinterWolf]

I went through this with my bub at the same age (plus a few more times). It's part of the 3-4 month sleep regression/leap. Some babies eat 10x more, some barely take anything in. All you can do is keep offering milk every 3hrs and keep an eye on him for signs of dehydration. If he's dehydrated he won't be wetting nappies and the soft spot on his head will look a lot more sunken in. My daughter always got over it after 2-4 weeks, but it was really stressful. She's 15mo old now and still not a big eater.

Edit - also make sure he's not constipated! A constipated baby won't want to eat anything.

 

[Kitana]

Have you had it checked out by a doctor? He might have a thrush infection which makes drinking painful, or an ear infection which also causes pain.x

 

[Syeda]

I went through this with my bub at the same age (plus a few more times). It's part of the 3-4 month sleep regression/leap. Some babies eat 10x more, some barely take anything in. All you can do is keep offering milk every 3hrs and keep an eye on him for signs of dehydration. If he's dehydrated he won't be wetting nappies and the soft spot on his head will look a lot more sunken in. My daughter always got over it after 2-4 weeks, but it was really stressful. She's 15mo old now and still not a big eater.

Edit - also make sure he's not constipated! A constipated baby won't want to eat anything.

Its been 5 weeks he’s doing this i was hoping he’ll get through this but still no progress. I’m feeling like with the time he’s getting big he will resist taking feed even in his sleep by waking up. He’s not constipated but yes he’s gassy which makes him uncomfortable. How long it can take because it’s definitely more than 4 weeks? I even practiced cup feeding, syringe feeding every 2,3 hour but looks like he doesn’t like eating. Yeah it’s really very stressful he was really good in feed before which kills me inside plus he stopped breastfeeding

 

[Syeda]

Have you had it checked out by a doctor? He might have a thrush infection which makes drinking painful, or an ear infection which also causes pain.x

Yeah I’ve checked with GP he said he looks fine and active. Could be a changing habit. But due to this pandemic situation can’t go to GP as they’re not seeing anyone physically. There’s no sign of ear infection, thrush or silent reflux.

 

[WinterWolf]

If he's healthy (good idea to get a GP to look at his ears, there's often no signs of an ear infection except lack of eating. They'll see a baby that's not eating) there's really not a lot you can do except keep offering milk (you could change to a sensitive formula or anti-colic bottles to help with gas) and don't stress. He's obviously taking enough to keep himself going. x

 

[Paige Evans]

Hi OP, I suppose baby got over this phase? Can you tell me how you handled it? I'm kinda experiencing this right now.

 

[Kitana]

She hasn't been online in 20 weeks @Paige Evans, I don't think she will return. My DD2 doesn't want to take a bottle no matter how hard I try. I had been trying for 2 months until I gave up trying to give her a bottle (she was about 24 weeks old when I tried to introduce the bottle). She refuses formula as well. But she does drink my milk from a Miracle Cup. I don't get it! It's not the easiest way but at least she gets milk from the childminder when I'm not around! How old is your baby?x