I hate feed time - 7 week old fidget & windy

[Loube]

Hi there,

I thought I knew it all after having my first baby, he was a textbook child; so feeling pretty low about this post. I've been writing down the current "routine" in preparation to move over to EASY. It was my intention to move at week 4 but my DS is such a nightmare to feed it's impossible at the moment.

I changed from AVENT to Tommie Tippee 2 weeks ago which has sped feeds up as it now takes 40 minutes rather than 90 minutes to feed him. Problem is that he'll take only 1.5oz at one feed and then 5oz at another. I don't know whether I coming or going. Obviously this disturbs his sleep patterns too.

Don't know where to start fixing this mess.

To be honest I hate feeding him! He'll do really well for the first few mouthfuls and then he starts squirming and wriggling so much he'll bob off the bottle, I'll wind him and he won't take the bottle back, or he'll cry, or spit up... its a real battle to get food in him. When you think you've finished he'll either given signs for more or bring the whole feed up again.

Advice please.

Lou 

[lilisuze]

i think he could be a candidate for some reflux issues. There are a few things that point me to that possibility:
1. popping off the bottle after a few mouthfuls
2. bringing up the feed
3. seeming hungry after a feed then overfilling
4. squirming

but im sure someone with some knowhow will be along soon to either agree with that idea or blast it out of the water!!!!!

In the meantime here are some <<<<<HUGS>>>>> to put you on, and stick with it. Make the most of him being little and tiny as that time will soon be gone, and you will enter the realm of fighting over nappy changes etc etc .......

lili xx

[londongirl]

def sounds like reflux to me.  my little one started all this jiggling around during feeds, refusing the bottle, crying, screaming through feeds etc at 6 weeks,  so you are at 7 weeks now, it could be reflux.   apparently the babies try to drink to ease the discomfort but then overeat.  my DS now is on Zantac and i saw the improvement within one or two feeds. i would advise you see your paed asap, as when i went to mine i thought i was just a overprotective mum making a fuss about nothing and the paed said i did the right thing to go in and see him as reflux is very painful for the babies.
good luck

[TDR'smom]

{{HUGS}
I do not have experience with reflux, but something just does not seem right.  Definitely you should have his doctor check to see if he has reflux.   You also could try out different bottles, teats, sizes etc.  Sometimes it is just a matter of finding the one your lo likes. 

Feeding should be a bonding and enjoyable time!!  Sorry you are going through such a tough time with it!

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Tweakster]

These gals are right.  I went through this for nearly 8 weeks before it was finally treated as reflux.  Even with Finn being my first, I KNEW something was not right.  People told me 'it's colic, it'll just go away at 3 months'.  And I thought 'OMG I won't make it to 3 months with so many feeds a day' - it was so stressful for both of us.  I finally took him to the ped and fed him there! 

You are a mother; you KNOW.  Feeding a baby should not be that hard!  It should be bonding time and something they enjoy and take comfort in.

Please speak with your doc and have him assessed.  Zantac may work but doesn't always so be persistent if you don't see a great improvement.  We had some improvement with Zantac but had to move to a PPI before the real improvement came along.  And then it becomes obvious.

((hugs))

[Lolly]

Just going through this now and mine is definitly reflux related. She started taking 2 or 3 oz then arching, squirming, wriggling, pushing the bottle out but still wanting it and screaming after a few sips. We could sometimes get a decent feed in with a lot of distraction but she eventually just started refusing feeds after the first 2/3oz. She also brings up anything from a good part of the feed to little mouthfulls from one feed to the next.

I would see your Dr as soon as you can. My DD is now on a reflux formula (Enfamil AR) and is doing so much better on it, she is now back to taking 6oz bottles again and is keeping most if not all of her feeds down. She also doesn't scream through every feed any more although we do get some of the arching/squirming at times. My DS went through this until he was 2 and was on meds and the reflux formula so hopefully the formula will be enough for DD.

Laura

[Loube]

Thank you for all your kind words and support. Will speak to health visitor on Monday. In the meantime I've changed his bottles and formula and things seem a tiny bit better.

[sleepyhummel]

we ran into a high palate issue and the NUK nipples worked for this.

to check put your finger in your babies mouth and see if the roof of the mouth is super high or has a very high roundness to it.  He may be having troubles latching onto the nipple because he doesn't have that upper mouth support.  Short nipples work best for these babies.

good luck!