Teething pain - bottle refusal :(

[*Kara*]

Hi everyone...

Just looking for some quick advice.  Teething pain has led to huge bottle battles here... meds make no difference in her acceptance of a bottle right now... she is taking 3 ozs max at any one time and she is getting annoyed with me offering her a bottle every few hours to try and get something into her...

I'm just wondering if it is better to cut solids out in hopes that DD will up her formula intake or let her take what she wants from her bottles and get some veggies/fruit into her?  I expect that the troubles will subside soon enough, but what to do in the meantime??

Thanks!

[ZacsMumme]

(HUGS) hun, will she take a wee bit of water to stop her getting dehydrated? I would just go with the flow. One thing I do when DS refuses milk but accepts solids is try a wee bit of fruit or vege ie pumpkin and pear mixed with some milk. I then offer a bit of water after solids and during A time to prevent dehydration.

My DS hates cold things when teething but I have a friend who's LO loved it so she made milk ice slushies and blocks to get the milk in! 

 

[*Kara*]

She will take a bit of water... It's hot here right now so I do worry about her getting dehydrated.

I asked a fried who is a nurse and is married to a doctor - they both said to reduce solids at her age to get her hungry enough to take the formula... they also suggested alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen to keep the pain down

[ZacsMumme]

Poor wee thing Hope reducing the solids helped. Yes we have had to alternate the pain meds before as well. I find when the pain is bad pamol (pain relief) doesn't cut it an ibuprofen is a lot more effective. I just have to make sure their is some food/milk in the tum to give ibuprofen.

[*Kara*]

I tend to use ibuprofen more for the teething pain as well.  I have found that she will take more if I let her take a break in the middle when she stops eating!  As long as I stay calm (which has been a challenge when I am so panicked about her not eating LOL), give her a minute or so to regroup and then try again, she seems to take it better...

I did a no-no tonight and took her to her blacked out bedroom for her BT bottle... she wasn't fed to sleep per se, but it was close!  I think the darkened room helped her to deal with the pain from her bottle... maybe the extra light etc in the kitchen is just too much stimulation right now?  I did get an whole 8 oz bottle into her for bed!  Hopefully we won't get a crib party tonight!

[ZacsMumme]

did a no-no tonight and took her to her blacked out bedroom for her BT bottle... she wasn't fed to sleep per se, but it was close!

meh...I wouldn't worry hun! Zacs bt routine includes a BF just before bed, in between I sing twinkle twinkle and then put him in his cot, he sometimes hangs out a while, sometimes is almost asleep by the time he hits the mattress. If it helps while she is miserable just go with it. You may find in the dark she is more relaxed. I used to find DS fed well at night when really little and his reflux was bad because he was so relaxed. It cant go on much longer poor doll...surely!!!!!

[*Kara*]

I think we are making some progress... she took 5 ozs this morning and had some avocado/banana for brekkie!

Sleep is another story!  I let her take a long 2 hr PM nap because she was a mess OT wise... woke her at 445 and of course she was happy as a clam until almost 9pm!  She did STTN without a crib party but was up at 6am... and clearly tired!  She was rubbing her eyes by 8am!  I tried to get her down at 820 and she just wasn't having it... so finally asleep at 845am... Just heard her make some noise at the 45 min mark... she is just so OT with these short nights!   Now I have to let her catch up with naps and we end up with a short night again... argh!

[*Kara*]

Sleep is getting worse... crib party at 2 am last night then a wake up at 5am, 6am, and 630 for the day.  She resettled for the 5am and 6 am on her own.  I let her be at 2am until she escalated at 215... went in and changed her bum, rocked her to calm down, back in the crib... she babbled until almost 3am and returned to sleep... babbled a bit more at 315 and then nothing until 5am.  Naps will be capped today.

Still fighting with feeds... I am medicating her with Tylenol today all day to see if it makes any difference.  Tried a new formula and she took it first time, but it was out of sheer hunger cause she is now refusing it as well.  Ugh.

[ZacsMumme]

mmm do you think something else may be going on? Maybe a bug or ear infection, sore throat?? It seems a while to be so unwell!

[*Kara*]

I thought it might be but I checked her gums today and they are sooo swollen!  Hard and bumpy and touching them made her cry right away... Dear lord: please let these teeth come in soon!

I tried to feed her with a cup and she took it well, so I know she is hungry   It's just the pain of the bottles... the Tylenol wore off after 3 hours so her lunch feed was a fight but I managed to get 4 ozs into her by going to her darkened bedroom and shushing the whole time   The things we do!  She liked the cup but was very frustrated by it... so I am going to keep her drugged up on ibuprofen and tylenol for a day and see if that takes care of it... it's getting to a point that she thinks of the pain as soon as she sees her bottle

[ZacsMumme]

I tried to feed her with a cup and she took it well

That is great. I forgot about that but Z loves to drink water from my glass when he is teething too, I think it is the cool smooth glass on his gums and then the cool water. (Most goes all over him lol)

it's getting to a point that she thinks of the pain as soon as she sees her bottle

Oh hun that is awful. Z is like that with the dummy when his mouth is about to explode with teeth, my breast ends up being all that will soothe him

Lets hope they come in tonight

[*Kara*]

The ibuprofen isn't working either   She was 2 hours into her dose when I tried to feed her dinner and she managed 3 ozs with a tonne of encouragement... a quick break and one more ounce... then I added half an ounce to some yams that she ate... that brings the days total to 15 ozs.  Ugh.  I will dose her again with Advil and Tylenol an hour before bedtime and cross my fingers that she will eat a good amount then.. in the dark.

I am calling the dr tomorrow morning just to rule out ears, throat, etc...

[ZacsMumme]

I am calling the dr tomorrow morning just to rule out ears, throat, etc...

Hope it goes okay.

Does she have any mucous in her BM...are they a bit runny, or any nappy rash? Often these come when your LO is about to get teeth. We also get a slight temp sometimes too.

[*Kara*]

None of those... but she did wake at midnight and take 6.5 ozs!  Then got up at 6am, took 4 ozs at 645 and ate a small yogurt at 745am!

We see the doctor at 1pm... it's almost 10 am now

[Marie-O]

Kara-I send some good vibes and tons of hugs for you and A. Poor thing is having such a hard time....

Just an idea, have you tried feeding her with a straw? at this age they are able to drink from a straw DD loves it! It might not hurt as much as the bottle since it's thinner. There are special cups for kids with straw...just an idea to try out!!

Hope your doc give you solutions!!!!