Help with bottle feeding

[kellynokesy1]

Please please please has anyone got any tips I literally don't know where to turn.
My little one is 15 weeks and has always had trouble bottle feeding but it's getting worse and is really wearing me down. When I try to feed him he puts his tongue in the way so u can't get the bottle in and then once u finally do he moves his tongue about so much I can't get him to take it properly. It can sometimes take me an hour to get him to take 3oz. He only takes 3-4 Oz max at every feed. I've seen the consultants and my health visitor and his been checked for tongue tie and posterior tongue tie but they've not found anything. I've also brought Tommee Tippee, avent, cheapie bottles and every teat going and nothing is helping. I really don't know where to turn as no one seems to be able to help

[SpeakNoWords]

If you stroke the tip of the teat down his lips from top to bottom does that make him open his mouth? Are you feeding him on demand to his feeding cues or on a timed schedule?

[8angle]

Sorry to hear you are having a tough time. My DS went through some "interesting times" with the bottle feeding!
I don't have much in the way of practical solutions - mainly it was just time. When it got really bad i did occasionally resort to a medical syringe and syringing the milk into his mouth.
It will get better!

[kellynokesy1]

Thanks for ur replies, we're feeding on demand although he's not really overly interested even then. I've tried changing milks and it had no effect. He has no problem opening his mouth it's that his tongue is always in the way and stopping him feeding. Just so frustrating I feel like there must be something wrong but no one can find anything

[SpeakNoWords]

Is the tongue issue causing slow weight gain, or is he gaining weight ok?

[waitingforsomething]

What size teat are you using? try going up a size he might just be finding all a bit hard work! Also, try HiPP organic formula if you haven't already, my DS was a real pain in the bum with drinking formula but this one had the most success.

How often does he demand a feed? I wouldn't normally suggest this but perhaps if he can wait around 3 hours he might be hungry enough to take a decent feed?

It's possible that he just doesn't like milk all that much. It doesn't help in the immediate term I know, you just have to get in whatever you can, but you're not a million miles away from weaning and he might just prefer solids. This was absolutely the case with DS, once solids were filling him up (5.5 months onwards) he simply dropped milk and now at 12 months doesn't drink milk at all apart from what's in his cereal/food.

This is quite unusual but could be similar to your DS. If he's gaining weight then try not to worry too much.

[kellynokesy1]

Thank you, he is still gaining weight and is on the 9th cebtile which he's always been on.
As for the teats he's on number 2 as number 1 and vari flow were too slow. I think ur right I just don't think he likes milk, he goes 3-3.5 hours and although he cries for milk will only take 3-4 Oz. This settles him tho and he sleeps 6.30-4.30 so I'm guessing he just doesn't need anymore. Just soooooo different to my other little one.

[waitingforsomething]

DS was very different to my first too. She drank gallons of milk and we had to talk her out of it when she got older. She still loves it now but he is not a fan at all and it was always a struggle. 3-4oz every 3 hours is fine! He's obviously not a big baby so got a tiny tum :-) You could try a size 3 teat but I wouldn't worry very much, it's almost time for solids and it'll be a distant memory in a few months. :-)

[OneForTheRoadThen]

Have you tried MAM bottles and or teats? My son did have a tongue tie and struggled to latch on to bottles and after trying them all I found these were the only ones he could drink from. He really struggled with Tommee Tippee and Avent.

MAM teats fit Avent bottles if you just wanted to try before investing