Difficulty feeding

[elksmum]

Hi, my DD is 5.5 months old (she was a month early so corrected age is 4.5 months), and I give her 5 feeds a days, 3 of which are BF, the other 2 are formula milk (Aptimel) (I simply haven't been producing enough milk to feed her fully myself and was getting really stressed about it so HV said to introduce formula). Anyway, she has recently started getting really agitated during her last formula feed of the day (about 7.30 - 8pm after her bath). Previously she used to take around 7 ounces and didn't have a problem getting through it. But after about 3 - 4 ounces she has started screaming and pulling off the bottle, and arching her back, as if in pain, and has to be coaxed to have even another suck. Sometimes it happens to a lesser extent during one of her daytime feeds. She has been badly troubled with wind since birth (despite trying all the usual Colief, Infacol etc) but had got slightly better over the last few weeks - I've just got no idea what is causing this latest problem though, it doesn't seem like it's wind. Is it worth trying a different formula, eg Cow and Gate, to see if it makes a difference? It also occurred to me that she might just be really tired and wants to sleep rather than feed, but as I said it hasn't been a problem till recently. I know I am lucky, as once she goes down, she sleeps pretty well through the night, but this really is making the last feed unbearable. Unfortunately I don't produce enough breast milk to be able to express a bottle full so I can't compare how she behaves with that. Also, I've been thinking about starting weaning but with her having been premature I'm not sure if it's too early yet. Thanks for your help.

[gorge]

My 4 month old also has a terrible time at her last feed of the day, and for a week or two it was every feed. We tried all the formulas and bottles, and found she likes cow and gate with a tommee tippee bottle, plus I add 1/2 tsp sugar when she just will not feed, and it usually works (I probably sound like a wicked mother, but an elderly friend with years of mum and granny experience swore by it!). Also I have started doing the last feed 1/2 hr earlier in the last few days (following advice I got here infact,) and that also seems to work. I think a lot of it was over tiredness. I also feed then bath, then bed now, as I think the bath was perhaps too exciting and tiring.
Its hard isn't it ? If they don't have the 7pm feed, they don't sleep through the night, but you are so exhausted by the time bed time comes, it is hard to cope with such a struggle.

[elksmum]

Hi Gorge
Thanks for the very helpful advice. I have been feeling that DD was overtired for some weeks now but was scared to put her to bed earlier in case she woke up at 5am. However we are now aiming for 7.30pm roughly and last night she slept until just before 7am. I have stuck with my Dr Brown's bottle as it has a special valve inside it to equalise the pressure which in turn should reduce wind. I did go and buy Cow and Gate formula which seems to have done the trick too. So hopefully a combination of all these things will continue to work for her. Funnily, I have this feeling that when the formula is warmer it is easier to digest as well. Have you noticed this yourself? Many thanks again ELKSMUM

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Sugar

[hunkermunker]

I really wouldn't recommend putting sugar in formula - little teeth just poking through don't need extra sugar beyond what's already in milk.

Can you try putting her to bed a bit earlier? Make her bath shorter? Bring her tea forward a bit? It does sound like she may just be tired. Don't try to coax her to have it if she's not enjoying it - she may begin to associate feeding with struggling and being unhappy.

Would you like support to fully breastfeed? What happens if after she's had her 3-4oz, you try to breastfeed her? Or what happens if you try to breastfeed her at bedtime and skip the bottle?

[gorge]

Hi elksmum
Glad you are getting on a little better. Sorry about the sugar thing every one - I feel really guilty about it, but it works for us...Both my mum and myself loathe milk, so I suspect my daughter may be the same. I have always had to add suger or nesquik etc...but no fillings yet at 36, so hope the damage will be minimal!

[elksmum]

Sorry for taking so long in replying to all your helpful advice. Thanks very much. I think DD was ready for her feed to be brought forward and we have done this and it does work a bit better. She is very variable however. Some nights she gets to bed quite quickly but other nights it is taking us two hours to bath,feed and wind her (the winding usually last over an hour) before she is ready for bed. DD is now over 6 months (over 5 months corrected age), so hopefully this will all be a dim and distant memory before too long! Thanks again.