Why won't she finish the bottle??

[Hazel]

Connie is hungry but won't finish her bottle . She gets easily distracted then turns her head away when she is not hungry but not full either. Any suggestions please as I'm now feeding pretty much constantly but only 90ml at a time, hour rest then another 90ml. If it was a growth spurt wouldn't she be finishing her bottles? I'm nearly at the point now I can't leave the house as there isn't enough gap in between bottles . She is hungry which is frustrating but she won't take enough in one sitting. Just enoughn to be not hungry but not enough to sustain her until the next bottle.

 

[lauramumof2]

The advice I got from my hv at the time I was having this problem was that Joe was liking the feeling of being full all the time so was not giving his tummy the chance to empty but was wanting it topped up all the time. Her advice was to let him go at least three hours between feeds which sometimes was hard but did result in him taking more of the bottle.

He was only about 4 weeks when this was going on though.

 

[Hazel]

She's been like this since she was born, I get her to last longer and take more but then it all goes to pot again. I don't mind admitting I would rather change a pooey bum than give her a bottle because it's driving me mad. I've decided to stay in for the next few days to try and get her to go 3 hours between feeds. We're not getting quality time like playing games together etc because I'm spending most of the time with a bottle in my hand and when she's not feeding I'm trying to make bottles up (about 10 in a 24 hour period ) and do washing etc.

So, if she only takes 90ml then turns her head away when she's had enough should I just try distracting her until the 3 hours is up? I know it's cruel to be kind and people say to feed on demand but I literally feed her, put her in the car drive to the town then have to almost immediately find somewhere to stop and feed, do shopping, find somewhere to feed again before we go home then again when we get in , it's costing me a fortune in parking being out so long

 

[Sandi4Paul]

is she leaving the same amount in the bottle? i mean does she always take 90 no matter how much is in the bottle? Logan always used to leave about 40 mL regardless of how full the bottle was, i think cos of the angle of the bottle tipping when you get close to the bottom.

Sandi

 

[Hazel]

She always takes the 90ml regardless of amount in it. I think it stems from where she was very snotty for the first 10 weeks of her life she couldn't breathe properly so struggled with feeding and her stomach just never got used to taking large quantities in one go. It's a matter of reeducating her feeding habits I think and getting her to take a larger volume in one hit as she's having above the "reccommended" quantity according to the sma tin so she does have a good apetite.

I just don't don't know how to get her to take more. MIL even tried and said she's not easy . Got to try and get her to go longer between bottle, didn't know if anyone had any tips. How about giving her more water or will that just fill her up and defeat the object? I was taking her for a walk up the road to delay her but now the weather is awful I can't get out with her.

 

[pilkers]

Does she burp easily??? I'm just wondering if she feels full because she has trapped wind maybe?

Have you tried changing the teat to a faster flow? Evie used to get tired and bored of sucking but when we moved onto a faster flow teat she would drink more

Thats all I can think of really

 

[daftscotslass]

Have you tried changing the teat to a faster flow? Evie used to get tired and bored of sucking but when we moved onto a faster flow teat she would drink more

Was going to say this too, it worked wonders for us. She was (and still is) a very snacky milk drinker and doing that really helped.

I wouldn't bother with water, it'll just fill her up without the calories and she'll be hungry not long after anyway.

 

[Hazel]

Yep, on the fastest flow teat has been for weeks . She's only had 90ml this morning so we'll see how she goes until 10am. She's more interested in the tv or smiling at me. Going to have to try sitting in a darkened silent room with no eye contact soon .

 

[pilkers]

Yep, on the fastest flow teat has been for weeks . She's only had 90ml this morning so we'll see how she goes until 10am. She's more interested in the tv or smiling at me. Going to have to try sitting in a darkened silent room with no eye contact soon .

Maybe try a variable flow teat...these seem to let milk out faster on the 3rd opening than the fast flow teats to me.

Also I was going to suggest a quiet darkened room with no distractions. I give Evie her last bottle in her cot now with her music playing. It's the only way I can get it down her...otherwise she wants to be off and playing even though her eyes are drooping! Little minx

 

[ToriElla]

I was wondering if she might have trapped wind, but then she'd probably get upset wouldn't she. I think most babies just go through different phases, she might have lost her appetite a little bit. Is she unwell or anything? Any teeth on their way? x

 

[caz2008]

my son has about 130 - 140mls every 4 hours do you think you could get your baby to go that long?? also my son is still very snotty and bunged up..maybe ask your gp for some nose drops if she still has this as it will clear her nose and make it easier to breath,,

hope it gets better for you..i bet you have alot of bottles to wash lol

 

[CH0C0H0LIC]

My lil one struggles to finish his bottle sometimes and it's usually due to being full of wind.... if I'm lucky enough to get a burp out of him he almost certainly finishes his bottle straight after.

I also changed his teats to the variable flow and thats helped a lot as before he used to just let the milk flow out his mouth then whinge when he got a wet neck lol.

With growth spurts my MW told me that babies instinct is to drink more often (so sometimes take less each feed) as when breastfeeding this makes the boobies produce more milk and basically babies don't realise that bottles don't work the same way She advised me to feed on demand and said that he would probably get back in a routine soon enough.

Sarah xxx

 

[Hazel]

With growth spurts my MW told me that babies instinct is to drink more often (so sometimes take less each feed) as when breastfeeding this makes the boobies produce more milk and basically babies don't realise that bottles don't work the same way She advised me to feed on demand and said that he would probably get back in a routine soon enough.

that could be it. We managed to go for 3.5 hours earlier and she finished the whole lot in one go but we were at the beach so she was distracted or asleep. She made up for it this afternoon though and fed constantly . Sod it, just going to have to go with it but it is driving me mad and I want to leave the house without taking a bag full of bottles. I even had to use the emergancy carton I keep in the car today .

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Fluff was EXACTLY the same. Snacking non-stop all day. People would always comment that she seemed like she was always eating - they didn't get that it was little and often! Lol. My HV told me that it is the same as adults - some of us prefer grazing on small amounts to big meals.

What we did was make up smaller bottles and then as she started eating more we filled them more. it did seem like we were forever sterilising! But she did outgrow it gradually

xxxx

 

[sparky]

Isla is exactly the same, always has been, have tried everything.

Swapped her onto the hipp which she seems to prefer, plus you can keep hipp going for 2 hours so its saved me loads of extra bottles.

I feel your pain, i keep saying she'll grow out of it i'm thinking about weaning soon