Author Topic: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!  (Read 1489 times)

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Offline mrsf2b

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Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« on: October 11, 2015, 19:20:26 pm »
Hi there

I'm really hoping someone can offer some advice. My LO is 5 months old and until now has been BF (with the addition of a bottle of formula for dream feed at around 11pm). I have fed on demand and he has always fed little and often. As a result we have virtually no routine (he does nap but this is at varying times). He has always been up every 3 hours throughout the night and recently that has increased to every one or two hours!!

I would like to begin weaning him off the breast and onto bottle feeds, however he will often refuse the bottle or only take 2 or 3 oz at a time. Because we have no routine I feel like there are no distinct feeds that I can drop and replace with a bottle. I have been offering it at various points in the day - sometimes he takes it sometimes not. I have also introduced some baby rice at around lunchtime. He is a big boy I feel that he may be ready for something more than milk, also hoping it will help him sleep better.

I feel like we are in a real mess. I'm not sure what to address frst - the lack of routine, the weaning to bottle feeds,  the introduction of solids or all three?! He is bound to be feeling as confused as me and I feel terrible. Would love any advice on how I can give him more structure and help with the transition to bottles. I am returning to work in a couple of months and the thought of leaving hum with anyone like this is making me very anxious!

Many thanks


Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2015, 19:38:17 pm »
I think at this age I would choose to not worry about the solids so much. Just so you know the intro of solids does not always result in better sleep! In fact I wouldn't say it made a jot of difference in any of my kids (were all mixed fed formula and bm by the time they started solids) and for my middle DD some foods led to tummy upset so had the opposite effect of worse sleep.

Sounds like he is used to snacking regardless of whether he has a bottle or bf? How often does he generally feed in a day/night?
Heidi




Offline mrsf2b

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Re: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2015, 19:48:52 pm »
Thanks for your reply! He would usually feed every 3 hours throughout the night. During the day he can go for 3 - 4 hour stretches between feeds, although this varies and so does the time of each feed. I'm guessing that he is not taking enough during the day which is leading to the disrupted sleep. Since introducing a bottle or two during the day i have tried to stretch out a 4 hour gap between feeds but he is still only taking about 3oz and it is a real challenge to get him to take the bottle at all. I'm now anxious that he is just not getting enough.

I think I might postpone the introduction of solids for another few weeks until I have the bottle feeding more established?!

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2015, 20:01:58 pm »
What flow of nipple do you have on the bottles? For his age having nf is still normal and many babies who are ebf at this point are not able to go to a 4 hr routine until much later. So all in all he sounds pretty on track, I would just maybe try a faster flow nipple to see if he takes more of a ff in one go. I would hold off on solids unless he is really keen on it, they are more for fun and practice at this age as his milk is where the bulk of nutrition needs to come from. You could try a bit of BLW as an alternative.
Heidi




Offline mrsf2b

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Re: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2015, 20:13:01 pm »
I have just started using the NUK bottles, the teats come in two sizes 0-6 months which I have been using and 6+, so I might try him with the larger teats tomorrow. Would you suggest starting the EASY routine at this stage? Would you try and stretch out to 4 hour feeds? Thank you for your advice!

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Need help with weaning/routine/solids/bottle refusal?!?!
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2015, 14:41:04 pm »
Are you following the Eat-Awake-Sleep pattern? If so then no matter the timings you are already doing EASY ;) I personally would not be worried about getting to 4 hrs, see what your baby's cues are and follow that. I imagine with the faster flow on the bottle that once you replace a few feeds he may extend on his own depending on his intake.
Heidi