Almost 4 months - eating poorly.. Help...

[arial]

Hi everyone.  My LO is about to turn 4 months in the next few days.  Since the past few weeks, he has been very easily distracted with anything.  During his meals, he has been very difficult to feed.  He is on a 4 hour EASY.  This morning is taken me more than 30 minutes to feed him 2 oz.  He usually drinks 6.5 oz.  He has been doing the poor eating almost daily and I cannot predict which meal would he drink poorly.  What do I do?  Do I give him more later on even if he does not ask for it?  What if he cries before his next bottle is due? -That will mess up the 4 hour EASY.  By the way, he drinks breastmilk in the daytime and he is dreamfed with 8 oz of LIPIL AR.  Thanks

[Katie]

have you tried a faster teat?? this worked with my  dd just an idea there is a thread in this section on getting your lo to take more oz's i should learn how to post the link in sorry

[arial]

He is actulally on a faster teat.  Some days, he just wants to play and get busy instead of eating and other times (when he is really hungry) he can finish a bottle in 8 minutes. 

[* Paula *]

Have you tried feeding him in a quiet room where there is no room for distraction?  At this age, they are very knowing , and want to be able to see everything.

[arial]

You mean like his room?  I think that his room is probably the least distracting place, but even then, after two or three sucks, he arches his back and tried to wiggle out of drinking more.  I just do not know what to do.

[* Paula *]

Is he crying when when he is refusing his bottle?

Perhaps he could be teething.  Is he showing any sings of teething?  If he is showing signs, perhaps you can try rubbing some teething gel on his gums a few minutes before his next fed.

[arial]

He is not crying when you give him the bottle, he just does not want it.  What signs of teething?  Like drooling, putting everything in his mouth and trying to chew it?  If these are signs of teething, then he is definitely doing it.

Today, he has eaten much better.  He has drunk all his bottles so far.    I am not sure why he is so inconsistent.  Thanks

[* Paula *]

Definitely sounds like your lo could be teething.

If you are finding that he is fussing, try the teething gel and then try the bottle again.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[arial]

Thanks so much, I will try that