My baby screams at the bottle

[zez]

Toby was bfed  (breast fed) to 19 weeks.  Right from the word go he always did the back arching, screaming at feeds, wouldn't lay flat etc thing.  At first the doctor thought it was reflux, but Gaviscon didn't help and then we tried coleif (lactase drops for lactose intollerance) and he was transformed.  We weaned him off the colief and i thought all was fine.  At 15 weeks he started screaming the the breast and would only bf staning up while i swayed.  At 19 weeks he refused bf alltogether and despite me trying to continue, became a bottle fed baby.

As soon as i started bottle feeding the same problems started so he's back on coleif again.  But all is still not well.  He seems to only take a bottle if he is starving.  I've tried offering more often, water in between, a cup etc but the result is the same.  Unless he is starving he will clamp his mouth shut, wiggle his head from side to side, push the bottle away and scream and cry hysetrically, just when he sees it.  Today he fed at 6am (3oz when half asleep), 11.30(7oz - miracle, took it happily) and then not a drop until 6.15 pm (3oz which he took after a battle) before finally having 4oz at 7.15 (desperatley hungry)and passing out to sleep.  He feeds fine when he's sleepy and loves his solid foods. 

He is 7 months old and I am finding this feeding business a real struggle.  Does anyone have any ideas.

Thank you

zez

[Mum to Ella Rose]

Zez I would probably go back to the doctors. It sure sounds like reflux! We don't get Gaviscon here for babies in Canada but I am pretty sure it isn't enough for some refluxers and a different medicine may be in order. It's worth looking into as untreated reflux can cause damage to the esophagus and definitely lead to eating aversions. {{hugs}} to you and let us know how you get on!

[Lucysmom]

Hi - My dd just woke up so I can't linger but check out this thread:

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=18509.0

Lots of what you said in your post made me think of this thread. 

{{{HUGS}}}

[Mum to Ella Rose]

Good call Melissa, definitely check out that link zez! There is a wonderful mummy who can probably answer more questions called Luke n Me.

[zez]

Thanks ladies.  He's due his 7 month check at the doctors soon, so I'll mention both of those possibilities.  I often wonder if I'm just being paranoid, but none of his friends are like this.  Thanks for your support.

[zez]

Only 2 brands.  He was violently sick on the first and i now use the one my health visitor suggested was lightest for babies with sensitive tummies. Its just a normal formula though.

[lisamichel]

I just put this same answer up on another post,  but maybe it can help.  I know every child is different and this may not be the problem but its worth a try.  My daughter did the same thing,  she would turn her head, cry hysterically and push the bottle away,  It would frustrate me so bad and she just refused to eat!  She would go 6-8 hours without a drop.   So one Sunday I was crying and she was crying and I was just at my wits end and I held the bottle in front of her just out of frustration and she grabbed it and started drinking her bottle holding it herself!   I thought no way could this possibly be the problem!  Well low and behold at her next feeding I decided to just hold the bottle in front of her and sure enough she grabbed it with her hands and started feeding herself!!  I couldnt believe that she would rather not drink a drop than let me hold the bottle- gee    So after that her feedings went very smoothly,  I would have to slip a finger under the bottle occasionally to help her hold it up a bit.   So you never know what they want - give it a try and if it doesnt work then oh well and maybe it is something else.   Hope this helps

Lisa

[ks6]

Sorry if someone mentioned this already, but have you considered a milk protein allergy?  Ds screamed at bf and bottles especially until we switched to Nutramigen.

[chezzie8]

My daughter has a milk protein allergy, and does the exact some thing. Funny enough colief helped for us for a while too.

Def try a different formula, we tried Nutramigen, but an allergy specialist said that she was so senstive that Nutraimigen although pre-digested was still too much for her. So, we switched now to neocate, and thats seems better. I have been breastfeeding too, and having her scream on the breast since 6 weeks. Today is the first day Im going to try formula all day see how we go. So far so good.

Take care, Cheryl