I'm going insane with 3.5-mo hardly eating, HELP!

[grahamsmama]

When I picked Meghan up this morning, I could tell she'd gained weight from last night!  So, it could definitely be a growth spurt. 
What kinds of bottles is everyone else using? We use the Soothie ones, stage one nipples.  I tried the stage 2 nipples, Avent bottles and the Nuk orthodontic bottles, but the Soothies seems to be the best of the bunch.  I am trying to decide whether to invest on any others to see if it helps, but it seems like such a waste when it doesn't help, KWIM?

[liz6969]

Hi ladies,

Pauline, With going cold turkey to 4 hours I did it on a day that we were at a garden party so lots of things to keep her busy, I also added an extra oz to each bottle as she would be loosing a feed. She was for about a week not really seeming hurgry at the 3 hour mark and just having the milk cause I was falsing her and then she would spit lots up afterwards. We are now on day 4 of changing and she has been fine and showing signs of hunger at 4 hours so taking bottle better. As for her 40mins naps it's a nightmare!!!!!! After her 11 feed yesterday I put her straight down and she had an hour then 2 A time then a 40 min nap at 2pm before her 3pm feed so she wouldn't fall asleep during her bottle. So not really an easy routine at the mo   

Liz xx

[AngelaF]

Like a pp, I came on with a similar problem and it's so comforting to know that so many others are going through this! One thing DH and I discovered is that sometimes we can get them (we have twins) to finish a bottle if we put them in the bouncy seat. Suddenly they just want to wiggle and look around more and having them in the seat lets them do that, but isn't so hard for me to handle them. THat has really worked for us.

Now, as for the short naps, that's something we're still struggling with!

Good luck to all!

[* Paula *]

Liz, it is not uncommon for a lo's routine to be all over the place when moving to a 4 hour feeding routine.  The EASY can end up being EASAE etc. 

Keep us posted on how you get on.

[grahamsmama]

This might be a dumb question?

Is there anything that you can add to a bottle to make the milk taste sweeter and encourage them to take a bit more?
Yesterday, in an effort to get Meghan to eat a little more from her bottle, I put a tiny drop of baby tylenol on the tip of the nipple and then let her lick that off.  She happily ate another ounce or so. 
If not, what is the sweetest/best tasting formula?

[* Paula *]

Nothing that I can think of - you really do not want to be encouraging your lo to have a sweet tooth at such a young age. 

I also would not suggest putting pain meds on the nipple.  That way she would get used to having something sweet on the teat and want it all the time.  Plus you don't want your lo to get used to the meds and when you really need them that she has built up an immunity to them and they don't work.  I would stick to using meds when your lo really needs them and is in pain.

[Lippy Chick]

Well Alice did indeed sleep through last night. She had to be woken this morning at 7am!! 

The HV was here today to weigh Alice.  She gained 12oz from 2 weeks ago, so that's great.  She has remained just below the 25th centile and her weight gain has been steady.  So I feel a bit happier about that.  She's now 13lbs 1oz.  We're weighing her again in 3 weeks (because the HV is on holiday).  She has also suggested that I go to the GP and get some baby gavison, as she suspects that Alice may have reflux.  She is still being sick with every feed, after every feed and generally before feeds too.  She's just sick a lot really.  So will hopefully get an appointment tomorrow.

Her feeds today have been good again.  Her feed times were a bit erratic today because of the HV being here, so she had 4 full feeds and a top up before bed.  She has taken 800mls (around 28oz) the last feed she only took 2-3oz.  So, in the 4 feeds she had taken more than she was a few days ago in 5 and today she's taken more in 4.5 feeds than she was last week in 6 feeds.  So we're wondering if she's kind of phasing out that 5th feed and to try her on a 4 hour EASY.  She does seem to eat more when there's a bigger gap between feeds. 

Lyn, have you tried changing the teats of your bottles?  We're wondering if the teats on the old bottles were actually due for replacing.  Also the health visitor today said that the playtex bottles mimic the breast more, because the teat is more pliable and the liner contracts as the milk is drank.  Also that it is a different sucking action for them.  Other bottles are sucking, but the playtex bottles are more of a chomping action.  She said that it might suit her better to chomp on the bottle rather than suck.  Do you have any friends that have used different types of bottles that they found effective and have finished with them?  I got the playtex bottles from my friend who had just finished with them.  Or maybe try EBay, might be a cheaper alternative.

Ejama, welcome to the discussion.  I tried Alice in her bouncy seat and found that my arm hurt trying to feed the bottle to her and that she took the first 60mls as normal and wouldn't take the rest.

Liz, trying to work out how to do go to a 4 hour EASY with such little sleep.  So are you doing more of EASASE?

Just re-read this and it's quite long, so will go to bed and "speak" tomorrow.

Really hoping that everyone has a better day tomorrow, after all, it is a new day.

[grahamsmama]

Ebay is a good idea!  Most of the people I know with babies are still BF, but maybe I'll just go ahead and try the playtex bottles since Alice seems to be doing so well with them!  Are you using the regular nipples or the orthodontic ones?

[grahamsmama]

This morning I noticed something that I thought was interesting.  I think part of the problem is that Meghan is totally distracted by me.  So, I put a blanket over her so she could not see me and she ate a 5 ounce bottle!!  The only problem is then she spit up a lot afterwards, so that is another sign that she is self regulating her intake by stopping at 3 ounces. 
I just thought that was interesting and might help someone else!

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Lyn - I have had to do the same thing with ds.  I have been going into a dark room and putting his burp cloth over his eyes.  He might still get a bit fussy, but it is not nearly as bad as it has been!!

[Lippy Chick]

Today has been better again, so far in 3 feeds she has taken 580mls (about 20oz).  She does seem to be doing better on the playtex bottles.  We have also been extending her time between feeds and today has been more 3.5 hours and she does seem hungrier.  I'm afraid whether we distract her or not that doesn't really make a difference for her. 

The GP has given me baby gaviscon, which we're going to start tomorrow.  So we'll see how that goes, whether it stops her from being so sick all the time.

Lyn, I just have the teats I was given, but I think they are Playtex naturalatch Silicone fast flow.  It's difficult to know whether to splash out and buy a whole new system, but if it works it'll be worth it.  With the playtex bottles, you only wash the bottles (which are hollow tubes) and sterilise the teats, rings and lids, you don't need to sterilise the bottles themselves.

Must go she is awake.

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Pauline - so happy to hear Alice is doing well 2 days in a row!!  Roman seems to do better on a 3.5 hour EASY as well.  We too use the playtex drop ins (for the dream feed).  I love them!!  So convenient!  I do hope the gaviscon works for you!

[Lippy Chick]

Anne, thanks.  She did do well today over all.  She had 830mls (about 29oz), she is taking more in the four feeds spread over 3.5 hours and then the fifth feed seems to be becoming a top up of a couple of ozs.  She has been calmer again today.  We won't be using the colief any more because of the gaviscon.  Using colief is a pain, because you have to make up the bottles 4 hours in advance and have them in the fridge.  Now we can just make up a bottle when we want it.  So much more convenient when going out too.

Lyn, forgot to mention that the playtex bottles have plastic bags (liners) which fit into the bottles and they're disposable and already sterilised.  Really handy.

Do you all dream feed?  Alice never really took to it, she would only take an oz or so.  After about a month we decided she probably didn't need it and stopped it.

Hope you all have great weekends.  We're even thinking about going to a friend's tomorrow, as she is much calmer taking her feeds.  Also the jabs don't seem to have effected her too much, she is quite happy and not grizzly, which is a bonus!! 

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Pauline - I do a dreamfeed, but lately ds has only taken a couple of ounces (although last night he took 3.5 ounces).  If he continues to only take a couple of ounces I will probably just stop. Hope you have fun at your friend's house!  We are going to visit my grandmother today.  Should be fun!!

[Lippy Chick]

Interesting that Roman is starting to reduce his need for the Dream feed. 

Unfortunately for us, we can't use the gaviscon.  It has a thickening agent in it and it made the milk too thick this morning, she couldn't get anything out of the bottle.  I think the Comfort formula we use is slightly thicker than other formulas and so you can use the gaviscon with milk that is already thickened.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.  She has been a bit more grumbly today, but she hasn't had any colief in her milk, so I've put some in for the next feed and we'll see how we go.

Didn't go to our friend's as she already had plans.  Hope you had a fun time at your grandmother's.