accepting formula milk

[momofella-grace]

Hello there i would really appreciate some help right now...

I am having problems with feeding which started about six weeks ago, Ella is breast fed and was gaining weight well however when i changed to 4 hour feeding the problems started and she started feeding for 5 minutes and loosing interest. Consequently she is loosing weight and has dropped to the 25th centile. The health visitor advised starting solids 3 times per day which she loves however this has exacerbated the problem and  she has been hospitalised with severe constipation! Anyway they think the problem is that my milk is failing so i need to start bottle feeding however she hates formula even more. Any ideas for getting a baby to take formula..she can use a bottle? Thanks Lisa x

[gabriels mum]

Hi Lisa

Just seen your post!  Sorry you are having this problem also, it's a nightmare!  Does Ella take any other fluids?  Are you offering the milk before the solids?  How long do you go in between feeds?  How much milk will she take in a day? 

Lou

[momofella-grace]

Lou, Hi there Ella is breastfed every four hours, its hard to say how much she is getting but she only feeds for a few minutes so not alot! She will take juice i guess because its sweet. She has milk and then solids an hour later..no problm with solids. It is a nightmare, i want a nice plump baby! Im starting bottle feeds today. How much does Gabriel weigh?

[yaya]

Hi there! I went thru a similar thing with my DS, had to stop bf him at 4 months and he REALLY hated formula! Tips I was given included putting a few drops of sweetner in it, or adding a baby biscuit, giving it to her in a sippy cup, distracting her in front of teli BUT I want to add that DS was diagnosed as intollerant to the lactose in normal formula which is y he was refusing it...so keep ur eyes and ears opened for signs (diahorrea, vomitting, reflux symptoms etc). It took us 1 month to realise and by this point his oesophegous was in a pretty bad state!

[Samuel's mum]

Hi Can I just add that it might be worth talking to a lactation consultant or contacting your local La Leche League - there are numbers on this page. They may be able to advise you about how to re-establish your milk supply. It may be possible if it's something you want to do. Women do it all the time. They may suggest feeding more regularly (e.g using an EAEASY structure to build up your supply) or advise you on certain natural supplements that can help. 

It is also possible to mix breastmilk and formula in the same bottle to get her used to the flavour.

[momofella-grace]

Hello, thanks for your replies..we have just had feeding time and i presented her with a bottle of formula mixed with breast milk and as usual she screamed the place down!! So getting desperate i added a tiny bit of sugar (shock horror) and she drunk 7 ounces. Im now feeling terrible guilt but have to weigh up between a baby thats not thriving and using something thats bad. Now im not sure where to go, maybe she wont notice next time if its missing. Lisa xx

[momofella-grace]

YaYa..when you said sweeteners did you mean the sugar substitute or is there something you can buy for babies. Will check out about lactose intolerance. Thanks Lisa x

[yaya]

My DS is on lactose free milk so I add sweetner (was told to by ped as this milk is sour), ped says its ok as long as it saccharine not aspartame...I use dulceril....When I had probs getting DS to feed I think its more imp for them to feed!! You can then 'wen' her by adding less and less sweetner each time till u r not putting any in...hope this helps

[daisymelan]

You can try by using 75% breatmilk and 25% formula and keep adjusting the amount until your lo will take it properly. 

Maybe if you switch back to a 3 hour EASY it may help with the weight gain or go to EAEAS as Samuel's mom suggested.  I don't know why the doctor would suggest formula instead of breastmilk.  I'm sure if you added sugar to breastmilk your little one would have drank 7oz as well.  Just curious.  But you have to make the decision that is best for you and your little one.

{{hugs}}

[gabriels mum]

Hi Lisa

Great to hear about the sugar!!  Well done!  How much did you add & what did you use? as I think I will need to give this a go.  Gabriels 3 feeds today have also been a total struggle (taken 12oz so far today), with only 11 all day yesterday!  Gabriel weighs 17lb 13oz, and has not put on any for 3 weeks (he was also taking nearer to 20oz during this period, so imagine he is now losing weight!).  How much does Ella weigh?

I am also going to try soy formula, as don't know if he is possibly lactose intolerant??

Lou x

[yaya]

Hi Lou!  i think i could start a board on struggles with getting baby to feed! Thomas has had so many probs since I stopped bf him at 4 months! Just wanted to say...dont try other types of milk till ur really sure u need to as it will b hard to assess whether LO really is intollerant...not sure that makes any sense but what i mean is often we r branding babies as intollerant or allergic before we r sure that they r thus almost MAKING them imtollerant as they wouldnt b used to the lactose later on....what kind of probs are u having feeding LO?

[gabriels mum]

Hi Yaya

I completely agree with you, just don't know what else to try as it has been a TOTAL struggle getting Gabriel to feed since we switched totally to formula (at 6 weeks).  Before this, he would not stop feeding, EVER!  so I topped up with EBM and occasional formula.  When he was 5 weeks old he was taking around 38oz plus some additional breast feeds, so now that he is on such little, all of which is a struggle, I am very worried.  Our problems have been various, but basically he never seems to want to drink milk!  Firstly, he would constantly fall asleep as soon as the bottle went in, and not suck at all without me stroking his cheeks, and literally squeezing the teat into his mouth.  Feeds took 1 hour out of 3 to get 2-4 ounces in!  This has now got better, although he does tend to drift off quite quickly.  However, he just never seems to be very hungry, and will take as little as an ounce 5 hours after a previous feed.  Most mornings he only takes 2-3 ounces (having slept 12 hours).  Yesterday was particularly bad, and he took only 11ounces all day.  He refused his bed time bottle, and this morning only took 4 ounces, which was 16 hours after his last feed!  He cries, figits, squirms and turns his head from the bottle, and does everything he can to get away from it.  I am already stretching feeds out to between 4-5 hours apart, and only feed if he appears really hungry - but even then, as soon as he starts, he pulls away, and tries to get away from it.

The only time he feeds well. is when he is drowsy.

I can accept that some babies need not as much as others, but he has not gained any weight in 3 weeks, and is taking even less than he did 3 weeks ago (I have stopped the dreamfeed, hoping he would take more in the day - but he hasn't!)

I have tried everything, other than a milk free formula, as don't know how to improve things, and am back at work on Monday and DREADING how nursery will get any milk down him!

He also brings quite a lot back, so I have to keep him upright for a long time after a feed.

[yaya]

Gabriel's mum,
This EXACTLY what we went (and still r going thru to some extent) with Thomas....Seek help!  Thomas has had thrush (which causes loss of apetite) viral infections causes stomach aches, lactose intollerance and reflux and ur DS sounds very similar. The amount he is eating is far too little and my ped reckons no baby should b able to go 16hrs without food...biggest worry, they will get dehydrated! Try giving him his  milk with a teaspoon to see if he takes it...if he does he prob has some discomfort in his mouth or throat. Also...ear ache causes them to stop eating  as the swallowinf action hurts. DONT do what I did and just assume he HATES his bottle, no matter how much will power they have (and DS has loads!) instict and survival overcome this and they will eat! If he is eating when drowsy or asleep (which thomas is ) its prob because he is less aware or pain or discomfort when sleepy. Of course I'm no doc but if you are worried trust ur instincts! (how long has this been goiing on for?

[gabriels mum]

Hi

Thanks for your reply (sorry Lisa, I've not wanted to overtake your post!).  Basically it has gone on since he was 6 weeks old, and we have been at the DR's EVERY week since then (they think it is a problem with me, not DS, as he has managed to gain weight until 3 weeks ago).  I have asked for help, but they just conclude that he is a small eater!  This am he has had 3 ounces.

As difficult as it will be, I will see how nursery find him in the next couple of days, as don't know how to approach the Dr again, without any more backing.

Did Thomas lose weight?  How long did it take before yo noticed an improvement from the lactose free milk?

Thanks for your help

Lou x

[yaya]

yes he was losing weight and he ate instantly better on lactose free milk, have u checked his tongue 4 thrush?^