This is getting really serious! Help needed!

[MissThing]

Hi girls,

we have a huge problem-Daniel is refusing bottle at all (it started about 3 weeks ago, and went from bad to worse). Basically, he isnt having anything liquid. Not only milk, but also water, prine juice, just juice, anything what is in the bottle. He pushes the bottle away, and if you are trying to force it on him he starts screaming. The only time when you can make him have at least something is when he is asleep or half asleep.

He is on solids, and I had to get from one meal a day to 3 meals, because otherwise he would starve. By the way, he is absolutely fine with solids and loves them!

We tried everything, not giving any food at all, hoping he will get hungry and just eat eat whatever we will give him (didnt work, he went 6 hours with no food, when we offered him bottle, and he was really hungry, I could see it, he did his usual stuff, so I had to give him puree), he was on Avent bottles all the time, since he started doing this we tried Tommee Tippee, Breastflow from Mothercare, ans a cheap one from Tesco, made no difference, still refusing, tried 2 different baby cups (one avent, one tommee tippee with silicone top), result-none. I also tried another formula (He was on C&G comfort 1, tried Comfort 2, C&G just one, Aptamil)-no result.

I am getting really desperate. As I said, it started about 3 weeks ago, but then he was having at least some formula and I could trick him in having liquids, but the last 2 days was a complete nightmare. Yesterday he had 2 solid meals and at most! 9oz of milk, today-since 5am at most 7oz!(he had 4 solid meals though, in the morning porrige with baby fromage frais (i had to get it because I am simply worried he is not getting enought calcium just from purees), in the lunchtime-broccoli puree, as a tea-apple puree, and before going to bed-fromage frais. Before each meal I offered milk-result was screaming, so I just had to give up!

As a note, he is absolutely healthy, no fever, we were thinking it is teething, so we put some teething jel on-still nothing. He seems to be very happy with himself and isnt bothered about anything. Isnt constipated and hasnt got diarreah.

I am just so worried he will get dihydrated. And that he is not having enought minerals without formula (or any liquids).

Did anybody had this? And will it ever stop? And what I can try to do?
I am getting really desperate at this point!

By the way, last night he was waking up every hour, and my guess is that he was hungry, but when I offered milk he refused up untill 5 am, when he evetually had 3oz

 

[smile]

perhaps try him on "liquid solids" like adding liquid to make sloppy purees?

 

[trixipaws]

idk hun, but b4 millie was on solids (excl.BF) if she hadnt poo'd for few days i would try to give her boiled water- but as she wouldnt take bottles back then i would fill an oral syringe and squirt it in. sometimes she would spit it out, but i kept doing it when she was reclined, and a trick i used to have to get her to swallow medicine (she likes medicine now and sucks the syringe so i dont hav to any more) was squirt it in while she was crying- she was then forced to swallow first in order to get another breath for more crying! lol

 

[rusks]

is he off colour/teething. luke went off his food whenever he got teeth thru.

is he having wet nappies? if his nappies are consistantly dry you need to get him to the drs as he might be dehydrated however if he is having wet nappies then its surprising how much fluid they do get from food etc.

hope it gets better soon x

 

[Xena]

try giving him liquids with a spoon.

 

[paradysso]

i was going to suugest giving the formula with maybe weetabix or porridge so hes still getting but in solid form?

 

[Josephine_Beth]

I was watching a program of Sky about 'babies at risk' or something and one of the babies wouldn't take a bottle from the get go, or the nipple. So they tried him on other things and he was more than happy to drink from a cup. ell in his case, one of those little cups the hospital put tablets in.

Maybe you can try that? Maybe he is refusing in a way, because he wants to be more like you?? I don't know, I haven't got to that stage yet but thought I would menton it.

You could try using the lid of one of the baby bottles and but some liquid in there , see what happens?

Good luck though xx

 

[MissThing]

Thanks girls for your replies!

He is having wet nappies and dirty too. So, probably it is a good news.

We will see how he will go today. He seems to like drinking from the glass, but, he doest get much in that way, cos he didnt really mastered "adult way of drinking" yet.

I just hope it is a stage and will pass soon.

 

[newmum]

.

 

[Sammystar]

I would try a sippy cup hun. My girls refused bottles from about six months but would drink from a cup......

 

[maybebaby]

I would suggest a normal cup too, you'll obviously have to hold it for him but if it is his teeth it won't irritate them . Also have you tried different temperature drinks? If you usually try cool milk maybe warm it a little?

Another thought - have you tried a normal beaker (not non-spill)? The non-spill ones take a bit more effort to get the drink out. You could try a free-flow beaker to see if he's just being lazy!

Hope something works for you soon

 

[MissThing]

Gilrs, I tried everything! The only time I manage to get some milk/liquids in him is only when he is asleep.

I am taking him tomorrow to the GP and will ring a health visitor and ask.

He has been crying for about half an hour now non stop, because he is hungry and tired but wont take any milk and cos he is hungry is fighting going to sleep bit.

 

[weenik]

Hope you get some help at docs tomorrow Carina

 

[nikkif]

Aww hun just seen this, hope Daniel starts drinking more soon
Let us know how you get on x

 

[newmum]

.

 

[leckershell]

When Ryan was like this I fed it him in between solid mouthfuls on a spoon so he'd think there was a mouthful of food coming but it was flavoured water

 

[Emmylou]

When Ryan was like this I fed it him in between solid mouthfuls on a spoon so he'd think there was a mouthful of food coming but it was flavoured water

I've done that too, spoon of weetabix, spoon of water....she soon clocked on though, so had to be extra clever then and just give her really watery weetabix

Carina, I've only just seen this, how is he today? I would say that if he has wet nappies, he is getting enough fluid from his solids, try getting a small amount of water down him with every meal but don't worry if he won't take much. Have you tried him with a drinking beaker? We use a Tommee Tippee Nuby as Libby wouldn't take anything from her bottles either, and she has taken to this really well, they have a silicone teat, but they are a different shape to the normal mouthpiece on the bottle teat (rounded rectangle rather than just circular) - will try to find a piccie.

Libby also won't drink any kind of juice or flavoured water, only tap water - but sometimes when she was teething around the similar age to Daniel, she would refuse this too, as long as he is taking in food then don't panic, he will come back to his drinks when his mouth is feeling a bit better.

I hope you are both okay, sending special cuddles

 

[tlc1974]

Hi Carina,

I know how frustrating a baby not feeding is, the first 4 months of Maisie's life was a constant battle to get her to feed and sleep because of her reflux.

I hope Daniel has fed better for you.

How did it go at the docs?

 

[MissThing]

Hi girls!


I thought I will start with the HV first. So rang this morning, left a message and about lunchtime she rang back and told that she is going to come and see us.

So, basically she told, that she cant see that there is anything bothering Daniel and he looks like a healthy happy baby. She also said, that some babies after weaning go off bottles. And, if he has plenty of poo-wee nappies he should be fine (what he has). She also said to give him some baby yougurt and fromage frais to get calcium.

Basically, she had no real advice how to get him back on bottles.

During the day he had his usual solids, and I managed to make him have some water from the glass, what he seems to like.

And...We took him just now upstairs, as usual, with the bottle (this time I put infant gaviscon in it), with not much faith that he will have it! But, he had all of it! With no grumbling or anything!All 7oz of it! I am so very pleased! I just hope it will continue like that! Oh, girls, just pray that it will stay like that!

Thank you all for your advice! These were pretty difficult days! But i am so happy now!
Big hugs for you all!

 

[MissThing]

Sh*t!

After yesterday I thought "ok, we are over it"... But, no This morning the same history!