will not drink formula

[t_smith80]

somebody please help, my baby will not drink much formula. She will take 1and a half oz per feed only. We are weaning her at the moment so she is getting some nutrition at least. I have taken her to docs/hv and even a consultant all of whom say because shes thriving (on 75th percentile) theres not much they can do. She suffered from reflux but thats now under control with Infant Gaviscon and very rarely brings back any. Consultant says she probably just doesnt like milk. Has anybody else had similar probs with their lo's? Also do you think i should be worried about the amounts as im sure she needs more milk than this?
Please can somebody advise me. thanks love Tracy and a fussy Ella 4 and a half months old x :?

[Mariek]

Hi Tracy

Can you give us an idea of what Ella's schedule is like? - how often she feeds, how much she takes, when she naps etc. Then we can try to  give you some tips.

love

[t_smith80]

Hi Maire,
I live in Maghull not too far from St Helens, my cousins live there.

Well Ella wakes up usually about 7.30 am doesnt cry for feed so i wait and hr or so then try her with bottle. She takes one and a half oz then cries and arches her back moving away from bottle. So ill give her some solids which she eats and this usually settles her.
We repeat this process throughout the day and she usually goes down about 8.15pm. We give her dreamfeed about 10.30/11.00pm where she can take 6oz. We also set the alarm for about 2am just to get those extra oz down her- again she will take about 5oz. I cant understand why she will take it then but not when awake.
We moved Ella to a 4 hr easy during the day but then moved her back to 3 hr bottles just to increase her formula intake.

Love Tracy x

edited to say; Ella normally sleeps right through the night and has upto 1hr naps between feeds during the day although can be unsettled at times so its hard to get her to sleep longer.

[Mariek]

Hi Tracy

How many times a day does she have solids? Does she only have 1.5 oz each time she feeds in a day (every three hours)? Sorry to bombard you with so many questions but it helps to get an idea about what might be going on!

Also, what does she weight? The amount of formula recommended is based on weight.


thanks

[t_smith80]

Marie,

Dont worry about all the questions, its nice to have somebody who takes me seriously, honestly its like banging my head against a brick wall talking to the health 'professionals'.

For the last few days shes been taking 1.5oz per daytime feed. Before that(for the last 2months on and off) she was taking upto 3oz per feed. She was taking more when she was 2months old (6oz every feed). and thats when she started taking less and less which they thought was reflux causing it bit she hardly spits up since shes been on the gavison.

We give her solids shes on 3 small meals after her daytime bottles.
As for weight she was 16lb at 19 weeks. She is maintaining the 75th percentile and thats why nobody will do anything for her. Its so frustrating love Tracyx

[Mariek]

Hi Tracy

I know it's frustrating but the way the health professionals see is as long as she's gaining weight then she's obviously getting what she needs.

The only think I can think is that you might need to think about extending back to a 4 hour routine, that maybe she's just not hungry enough after 3 hours to take any more than 1.5oz (their tummies are still pretty small at 4 mths and if she's having 3 meals of solids already she's probably getting a lot of what she needs from that).

I'd try to shift her back to a 4 hour schedule. Maybe something like:

8.00am - bottle (I'd feed her when she wakes even if she isn't crying for it - that will set you up for the schedule for the rest of the day time wise)

Follow the bottle with solids

12.00 - bottle

2.00 - solids

4.00 -  bottle
 
6.00 - solids

8.00 - bottle

10.00 - DF

2.00am -bottle if needed.


You said that you set the alarm to give her a 2.00am bottle? I'm also wondering if she isn't waking for that 2am feed herself that she doesn't need it and that maybe making her less hungry in the day (does that make sense?).

Ultimatley, as long as she's healthy and happy then she's getting what she needs. You just need to remember that she's a individual - it may just be that she's a baby who doesn't eat a lot!

love

[t_smith80]

Thanks for that Marie, I feel a bit better now. Its doesnt help when i read the carton of formula and it says she should be having 35+oz and i see shes taking less than half that i worry. I also have a leaflet from hv which says when weaning babies should have at least 20-21oz which i panic about as well. I know what you mean about getting up at 2am just to feed her it could well be putting her off her feeds during the day, to be honest that thought had crossed my mind but im too scared to leave her after her having such a litte amount during the day. Im might try and leave her if i can.

I will deffinately try Ella on that routine from tomorrow and ill let you know how we get on in a few days time. Thanks for taking the time to reply, it means a lot.

Love Tracy x