Stubborn during feeding-HELP PLEASE!

[Mom2one]

My daughter is just over 4 months old and we are having a hard time getting her to eat.

She sleeps through the night, going to bed between 8-8:30pm and sleept right through until am, when she's up to start the day.  She will drink 4 oz and then all hell breaks loose. She spits the bottle out, we burp her and then try to get the bottle back in but she starts pulling away and screaming.  I know she is hungry (after sleeping for 10-11 hours with no feeds).  Up until a few weeks ago, she was drinking anywhere from 5.5-7oz per feed. 

We are on a 4hr EASY, so at 11 am we try to feed again and she will take 3-4 oz, then all the vicious cycle starts again.  This happens at every feed. we get a few oz in and then she spits the bottle out.  I switched the nipple to a faster flow this afternoon, didn't make a difference.  BTW, we use Dr. Brown bottles.

She seems happy otherwise, and weights approx. 13 lbs (She was 6lb 15.5oz at birth)  At her last doctor's appointment, the dr. said that her weight gain is slowing down and wanted me to introduce solids.  The Dr. also thought that she had thrush, but I don't think she does.  She gave me a prescription and said to watch her for the next few days.  How the hell am I supposed to know whether it's getting worse or better.  She doesn't have the white residue on her tongue in the first place.  Besides, she thought she had thrush before (months ago), but it wasn't.  It was residue from her formula.   

Should I be consulting with a pediatrician.  I need HELP!!!!

I honestly don't know if it's teething, reflux, illness, but this is the second week of this and it's getting rather frustrating.  She will take some cereal, but not that much and besides her nutrition should come from formula not cereal.  I think it's teething, as the other day she was chewing on my knuckle where her molars would be, but I thought that those would be the last of the teeth to come in. 

HELP!!!!!

[LŠuren]

what did the doctor prescribe? What do you not think it is thrush?

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68108.msg519917#msg519917  do you think this post is similar to your situation?

[sleeplessinseattle]

i don't know about dr. brown bottles but, we had a similar problem at this age and we switched from a slow flow nipple to a fast.  Our ds was hungry..but bored when eating.  could it be that??

[sleeplessinseattle]

sorry...just saw your post again and saw that you switched to the fast flow...our ds took a couple of days to be "happy" again after switching to the fast flow...had been getting so frustrated with the slow flow for the couple of weeks before we changed that i think he still associated feeding with the inability to get the milk....hope it helps...sorry i couldn't be more help!

[Mom2one]

Ha, the faster flow nipple seems to be working.  She's back up to drinking 5.5-6oz and it's not taking nearly as long. 

Here's hoping that was the issue!!

Thanks!

[Mom2one]

Spoke to soon.  At her 11am feeding, she only drank 3oz. 

[Mayasmum]

Hi there,

My dd has been doing this for the last 3 wks. Have been to the doctors 3 or 4 times and she too was diagnosed with thrush. I did give her the course of treatment but doesn't seem to have done any good.

I'm pretty certain that its her teeth ( I can see white under her gums when she smiles and feel them when I run a finger over her gums and they are very swollen). The only thing which is helping us at the moment is to give her a regular dose of paracetomol but she's still only taking about 4oz every four hrs if I'm lucky. Went to see GP yesterday who suggested that it might be viral infection and to carry on giving her paracetomol ( she does have a runny nose today).

I tried a faster flow teat as well - like you - it helped for one feed and we were back to square one again. Sorry for not being much help but may be its worth getting her checked out again.

Good luck.

[Mom2one]

I think it's her teeth.  If I give her my pinky finger, she immediately will start knawing on it, but not at the bottom front, where the usual first teeth come in, at the very back, where molars would be coming in.  Is it possible for molars to come in first?? 

Her intake is up and down.  The faster flow nipple makes a difference because she doesn't have to work as hard to get the food, but her intake is still pretty up and down.  She had a 5.5 oz bottle at 7am, then only took 3oz at 11am, then she napped from 12:45pm-3:45pm (she normally only takes a 1.5 hr nap am and pm) then drank 5.5oz, then 3oz at 5:15pm and then 6.5oz at 8:15pm.

[* Paula *]

When Thomas was younger, he was one of the most stubborn feeders - especially when he was teething.

When his gums were bothering him, he would not take a bottle at all - he once went 5 days without taking a bottle.  Of course I worried, but as soon as his gums were feeling better, he was back to starting to take his bottles again.  I spoke to the HV, and she reassured me and said that they do not have the capacity to starve themselves, and that they will take it when they want to.

I know that this is not the story that you want to hear, but just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and that it will pass.

Have you tried rubbing some teething gel on her gums a few mintues before her feed - this may help to ease the discomfort.

Paula x

[lisamichel]

This same thing happened with my daughter at about 4.5 - 5 months old and she would just drive me crazy with it.   What her problem was, is that she wanted to hold the bottle herself!!!  She would push the bottle away and scream at me and just cry,  and I couldnt figure out why she wouldnt eat anymore.   Well by accident I just was holding the bottle out in front of her and she grabbed it and started feeding herself!!  I couldnt believe that was the problem.   So the next feeding I tried it again - I just held it by her hands and she grabbed it and held it herself.   I would sneak my finger under the bottom side of the bottle just to help her out a little bit.   I know every child is different but I hope this helps.   Of course now she is 8 months old and she now wants me to hold the bottle again - gee   its almost like a power struggle.   

Lisa

[Mom2one]

Nothing is working.  We switched to a faster flow nipple, but her intake is still up and down.  I think we're going to have to head back to the Dr's.  I'm not sure if it's teething, thrush, or acid reflux.  She'll drink, spit the bottle out and down right refuse to take anymore.  If I sit her up, she's happy, but as soon as I lie her back down, she starts screaming. 

[LŠuren]

Mom2one  did you ever take the prescribed thrush treatment?

[Mom2one]

I've tried feeding her propped up, but she's usually so upset by that point that she still won't take it.  She was fine for a few days, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday, but now we're back to this today. 
I did not give her the thrush medication.  I'm pretty convinced that it's not thrush.  She does not have the white residue in her mouth whatsoever, so why would I give her something when even the dr. wasn't quite sure whether she had it or not. 
So, like I said, I'll head back to the Dr again. 

[* Paula *]

By the sounds of it, you DD has been in pain somewhere, and is now associating the bottle with that pain.

Please let us know what the doctors say when you have been back.

Hugs

[litomi]

I had similar problem with my LO. She took her 4 month shot and everthing just went wild. She wouldn't take her bottle unless she was extremely tired and hungry.
Then the doctor checked her and found some redness in her throat. So we made the milk slightly cooler, round room temperature. It worked!
Have you changed formula? Their taste buds are not that mature yet. They can tell the difference by smelling.