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EAT => Bottle Feeding => Topic started by: jswerczek on October 07, 2005, 21:05:38 pm

Title: Four Month growth spurt reversed?
Post by: jswerczek on October 07, 2005, 21:05:38 pm
I am having a horrible time trying to feed my baby. Feeding time used to be great and predictable. My 16 week ds was consistently taking 6-8 oz. four times a day and 2-4 oz. at a dreamfeed. But the last few days have been a nightmare. His behavior is so erratic when it is feeding time.

He is on the four hour easy routine but he doesn't want to eat much when feeding time comes around! He either refuses the bottle completely (screams, pushes out nipple, is not happy until I take it away...) until it has been well over four hours, sometimes close to five, or he will suck for a short time, get upset, suck some more, get upset... or he will start beautifully and suck 5-6 minutes, eat 3-4 oz. and be totally done. Either way, he is not taking much, no where near the amount he was taking even a week ago.

I used to be able to burp him halfway through a bottle and then he would take it right back and drink more. Well, now when he is done he's done. I burp him after the 3-4 oz. and then I feel like I am forcing him to take the nipple. In fact, I have convinced myself that he hates the bottle because I am a little forceful with it. I just know that he needs to eat!

Anyways, does anyone have any ideas on his behavior? I am afraid he is sick but honestly he is so happy when we are not feeding and besides a little cough and congestion, seems to feel fine. I am just scared that mealtime is becoming a horrible experience for both of us. It makes me cry, he is acting so unusual.

Called the pediatrician and the advice I got was horrible. So, I'd appreciate any tips on how to get back to a peaceful feeding time. Thank you so much.
Title: Four Month growth spurt reversed?
Post by: Noelle on October 07, 2005, 21:14:07 pm
Hello!  :D
It is quite common for babies to go through phases where they decrease their ounces.  Both of my kiddos did it too.  Has his nightime been affected? As long as they don't starting waking in the night, most times if nothing else is wrong, they are taking what they need at the moment.

Have you tried going to a faster nipple?  Maybe he is getting frustrated with it being too slow?  Maybe he's bored?   You could feed him more upright or facing out so he can see around him....

Possible ear infection?  Teething?

Wanted to add....each time my kids went through it, it was so frustrating for me.  I too felt that he "needed" more, he "should" eat more.  As hard as it is, try to relax and follow his lead...it usually works itself out.  :D

{{HUGS}}
Title: Four Month growth spurt reversed?
Post by: LindseysMom on October 07, 2005, 21:18:21 pm
What did your ped say?  Is he teething?  If so his gums may be sore and it may hurt for him to suck on the nipple?  Also if he is congested it may be hard for him to eat and breathe at the same time?  Not sure, just some ideas but unfortunately you really can't force it on him.  Is he still sleeping ok?  He may just be at a stage where he is not growing that much right now and he just does not need as much.
Title: Four Month growth spurt reversed?
Post by: Deb_in_oz on October 07, 2005, 22:40:19 pm
hi - olivia did this after her 6 mo GS (i posted about it somewhere).  she ate so much for almost 2 weeks and then staretd cutting back.

then she increased back to better amounts and now is cutting down again.  i cannot see any reason for it so am just trying to trust that her body knows what it is doing.  even after sleeping through the night she does not want too much food int he morning.  she eats more as the day progresses and USUALLY eats well at the bedtime bottle.

just part of the mysteries of babies i guess.  they KNOW when to take more when they need it i guess.
Title: Four Month growth spurt reversed?
Post by: jswerczek on October 08, 2005, 03:37:36 am
So far, his nightime sleep has not been disrupted but I keep waiting for him to wake up hungry. I also expect him to be hungry in the morning after sleeping through, he used to drain 8 oz. I just switched to a medium flow nipple designed for 3-6 mo. but it hasn't helped. I try to feed him in a variety of positions and without any distractions. When he does take the nipple and begin to eat, I am so afraid to move because I don't want him to get distracted and quit.

I did think maybe it was teething (he's drooling more, a little rash on his cheeks) but I don't see anything in there. How do you know for sure when they begin teething?

 I also thought possible ear infection but there is no fever and he seems to feel fine. It seems he is chroniclly (is that a word?) congested with a cough so we put a humidifier in his room tonight and I hope we can clear that up. Anyway, there just doesn't seem to be a reason for his feeding behavior at the moment. This morning he took his first bottle great but only drank four ounces and then spit it all back up. He has never spit up so much at one time. So by his second bottle, I figured he must be starving because he had had no substantial feeding since the night before, and he did eat 6 oz. Anway, his total for the day is 21 oz. and he will probably take about 3 oz. at df. I know that 24 oz. is okay but it is less than he was eating and like I said before the whole experience of him eating is not good.

I talked to the pediatrician's nurse who right away said put rice cereal in his bottle. I was so surprised by this that I began to question her advice and bring up all my concerns. I had not thought about starting solids this early and I do not think he is ready. I am also wanting to start solids out with a spoon and not in his bottles. I finally asked so many questions that she put me on hold for a long time and when she got back on the phone she said to forget everything she told me. The doctor had disagreed with her advice and wanted me to wait to start solids atleast until his four month check-up next week. I was pretty upset that the nurse gave me that advice in the first place. If I wouldn't have asked questions and instead said "thanks for the advice", I believe I would be doing the wrong thing right now. I have read that one of the indications that the baby is ready for solids is their increased appetite and that is defiantly not what is goin on here. Anyway, I am switching pediatricians for a lot of reasons, so I hope to get sound advice from the new one.

I suppose you are all right...I just have to trust that he will take in what he needs. I just hope there isn't something else going on that I am missing. I fear that he will begin to associate negative feelings with feeding times, he hasn't enjoyed it for days.