Won't take bottle, only wants solids!

[janelle]

Firstly, moderators, wasn't sure if I should post this here or in solids so feel free to move if you think necessary

Now, to anyone who can help me!!!!  My ds is 7 months old and absolutely loves his solids.  Will eat anything and everything he can get his hands on!!  Problem is he is now rejecting the bottle.  He has been on solids for a month now and the last week has barely had any bottles.  Today he had a bottle first thing this morning and then only the equivalent of 100mls for the rest of the day!  He is just not interested.  When I offer he grabs it like he is starving and then shoves it in his mouth but after a few sucks spits it out and won't take anymore.  He will then go onto eat all of his solids and cry for more.

Today I experimented and offered his formula with a spoon (that was fun ) and he took it   So it seems h jsut wants to be spoon fed. I am offering water with his solids to make sure he doesn't get constipated but am still worried about his milk intake.

Could this be teething? or is he just asserting his indepence at 7 months   If anyone has any advice please share!!

[woopster]

Have you tried his milk in a sippy cup with his solids? Or what about giving him milk about 30 mins after solids?

[Kimberly®]

DD was the same. The best I could tell you is to keep trying. Unfortunitly we never really had much success and had to switch to milk early because of it.

Sorry I can't help much, though for what its worth I've been there.

[KathrynK]

Hi there
If you offer the bottle and he desperately wants it but after a few sucks shoves it away, it sounds like it's not flowing fast enough for him- this is exactly how my dd has been every time I've needed to go up a teat size. It might be that now he is taking solids he is used to each mouthful filling his tummy quickly and so now the flow of the milk is not fast enough to give him the same feeling.... Just a thought!

[janelle]

If you offer the bottle and he desperately wants it but after a few sucks shoves it away, it sounds like it's not flowing fast enough for him-

That sounds like it could be something, becasue he will take a bottle when he is half asleep.  But we are using the fastest flow Avent Teat! So what do we do then?

[*Natasha*]

Hi Janelle what gap is their between bottles and solids? How much are you giving off each?

[KathrynK]

Hi Janelle
we were on Avent fast flow and have just changed to the Avent Variflow as they are faster- dd was refusing her bottles just like your lo but she is now glugging down 9oz at a time with the Variflow teats!

[rinajack]

We were on Avent 4, now on Variflow also and it is faster.

Also, even with variflow this still happens to us at times, and bonjella helps.

[janelle]

Thanks ladies, we are using the variflow teats already.

Natasha, I offer bottle first and then 30 mins later solids (altough lately becasue he is not drinking it is aobut 15 mins later)
I offer 200mls at a time with bottle,  Solids vary,  I generally use 3-4 ice cubes of whatever, but he will often cry when that is finished and try to grab the spoon for more   He is a real pig when it comes to solids

I usually offer bottles every 4 hours, however, today I forgot to feed him   He woke early and I got sidetracked.  When I looked at the time it had been 5 hours since his last bottle.  He took all I offered!!!  So maybe I need to space the bottles out more.  He just seems to young to drop a bottle, we only got rid of the dreamfedd 2 weeks ago.  What do you think?

[Lªuren]

janelle - at this age Calum was doing 4.5hrs between feeds, so you may want to try that before cutting to 3 bottles 

[Kimberly®]

I agree with Lauren, but do be ready for the possibility of dropping a bottle. Some are ready at this stage some not, My LO was, she dropped to 3 bottles and started takeing 8oz a feed again so for us it worked. Watch your LO and he'll let you know when he is ready

[SallyDom]

Just a thought as we've been through a similar thing recently; how do you feed your lo his milk? Dom won't let me feed him in the 'normal' way of him being laid in my arms anymore, I have to either sit him in the corner of the settee and use a breastfeeding pillow to position him comfortably (Kathrynk gave me that suggestion and called it a magic pillow - it so is, it works a treat) or I sit him in his highchair/pram/car seat etc. and he'll drink happily. My little boy won't have his mummy cuddle him at milk time boo hoo...

[rinajack]

We have to do a 4.5-5 hr spacing already, but we still get 4 in because she will do 2 close together before bed.

Also, Zara often insists on sitting up too.

And she often pushes the bottle away, then a couple minutes later pulls it back in.

[janelle]

Thank you all!  I have a few things to try now.  I am going to start trying to space the bottles out to 4.5 - 5hours first and see if that helps.  If not I will try and drop 1 and see if that increases the intake.  Just one more questino.  Should I be limiting the amount of solids he has or should I let him eat as much as he likes.  Will he regulate himself??

[Kimberly®]

I let DD deside when she had enough