6 month old suddenly refused bottle

[BlakesMom]

Hello everyone!!!  I found this site searching through the internet looking for some answers!! I hope someone can help!!!

~Two weeks ago my  6 month old son has suddenly refused his bottle. He cut his bottom two teeth over a  week ago but his gums do not look swollen anymore. He sleeps all through the night and wakes at 7am. I offer his bottle of formula and he cries. I wait an hour, still cries. I go on to feed him breakfast of cereal and fruit which he gobbles right up and takes a few sips of water from a sippie cup. I tried putting the formula in a sippie - refused it!!  Same story at the next feeding. He does not take a bottle until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I have cut out his solids at lunch on the advice of his doctor. That doesn't seem to be working. He has only had 11 or 12 oz of formula. I am going to dream feed tonite but I feel like I am regressing since he has not had one in one month. I am worried that he is not getting enough fluids. Can anyone relate?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Do I keep trying to feed him on his schedule?

[Lªuren]

Welcome to the baby whisperer 

Have you always bottlefed? or have you just stopped breastfeeding?
I would still try and keep him on a schedule as much as possible, have you tried rubbing his gums with a teething gel prior to bottlefeeding? The suction created by the sucking action hurts their mouths.

If you still need help, can you post your routine and included amounts of milk and solids.

[BlakesMom]

 Well he has been bottle fed since he was 3 months old. And his typical schedule is
6:30-7:00        wake up
7                   offer bottle
8                  breakfast cereal with fruit
9-9:30            Nap
11-11:30        offer bottle
12-12:30        lunch ( I have cut this out on doctors orders) two days now! usually cereal w/ veg
1-2                Nap
3-30               offer bottle
5:30               dinner  cereal veg and friut
6:30-7             bath, quiet activity like reading books
7-7:45             down for the night
      *Yesterday he would not take his dream feed so I just put him down for bed again. He did not eat much of his dinner either. This morning he woke about 6:30 ate 7oz. YEAH!!! But at 7:30 woud not eat much of his breakfast. Am I doing something wrong?? Typically how much of solids should he be getting at his age? Thanks !

[* Paula *]

I can tell you we have been going through exactly the same thing.  Thomas in nearly 10 months old and have had a couple of bottle stikes and we are going through one at the moment  One of them he did not take a bottle for 5 days - I was so worried and everything that I tried would not help - I kept on offering his bottles at his usual times and eventually he came round and started downing them.

Our one is definitely teething - he has only cut 2 teeth and has been suffering ever since.  At the moment he is not sleeping through the night as he is waking up in pain and is refusing most of his bottles.  I do get worried, but I know that I cannot force him, so if he won't drink his bottles I offer him some juice / water in his sippy to drink - strangely enough he will drink the juice out of the sippy but won't touch his milk out of it.

I often put a teething gel / liquid on his gums about 10 minutes or so before offering him his bottle and that way he usually takes a couple of oz - well if I am lucky he will.  Today he only took around 13oz.

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

Let us know how you are getting on.

Take care

[Lªuren]

BlakesMom
I second what TOM TOM'S MUM posted, she definitely has experience of this 

You can also try a 5 - 10min break in the feed and try again or try a sippy cup.

[gabriels mum]

Hi Blakes Mum

Again, I don't have any miraculous solutions for you, but just wanted to let you know that I have constantly struggled to get my LO to take a bottle.  Most days he takes no where near the reccommended 20oz minimum, and has gone as long as 16 hours between feeds, I know how very stressful this is.

As long as your Dr has ruled out any physical problems, such as thrush, then I think you just have to carry on as you are, and hopefully he will revert back.

Sorry, I don't have the solution, just wanted to say that you are not alone!

Good Luck

Lou

[BlakesMom]

Thanks everyone!! I guess I will just hang in there! Good to know I am not alone! I will try taking a 5-10 minute break with his next scheduled feeding. I will let you know how its coming along!!

[Lªuren]

good luck