6 moths old not wanting to feed....please help!!!

[notsoold]

I posted on the feeding thread but hope to get some help from here too???
Our almost 6 months old has been exclusively ff for the last 3 months and has started weaning at lunch time. He is also teething and 2 little teeth has appeared but still bothering him.
For the last six weeks his feeding has got progressively worse. Started with not wanting to finish his bottle (around 7oz every 3.5-4 hours).He would leave an ounce then 2 and now he will only feed without struggling the last feed before bed (7pm) and his dream feed (around -6oz anyway).
Even his first feed he will drink the first 2oz and starting to refuse to drink more. I thought it was wind and try to wind him, and most of the times it is not. From then on it might take an hour later for him to take another ounce. It has affected his sleep during the day , but otherwise he is a happy child. His nappies are the same (not constipated ), not overly sick etc.
I tried the next size teat, feeding from a nubby, from a cup but to no avail.
The health visitor said he is bored (?) and to me to insist to feed him.
At lunch time he will not want to drink his milk but happily eat his lunch.
Please could you help me??? I never had this problem with my other DCs (very greedy creatures!!)

Sorry for the mammoth post

TIA

[Theyaremysunshine]

Tbh I wouldn't worry too much.

Dd was ebf but changed to cup feeding formula for my return to work at 8m. She would then have 1-2oz for each feed and big last feed of the day. Things have improved but now at 11m she'll have 5-6oz morning and night and often refuse in the day. Will have a bit of water but not masses. But not constipated and plenty of wet nappies.

I made up for the lack of milk with cheese and yoghurt, added vitamin drops and gave lots of watery fruit/veg.

She was and is the picture of health apart from the perma snot.

[NutBiscuit]

I agree with Theyare. It's easy to say when you're not in the middle of it but do try not to worry. I had exactly the same with my DS between the ages of about 4-7 months. HV tried to tell me to "encourage" him to feed too but TBH I think it made it worse because feeding times turned into a battle where I was constantly obsessing about how many oz he'd had. It got so bad that he did actually start to lose weight but then I backed right off and just let him take as much milk as he wanted to and he soon picked up again once the pressure was off.

Even now (he's 12m) if there's the slightest thing wrong with him (teething, cold etc) his eating is the first thing to go. I've learnt not to stress about it and trust that eventually he'll start eating again.

I think some babies just aren't motivated by food in the way others are, and it's probably a good thing if they are able to self-regulate the amount they eat.

[notsoold]

Theyare that is something that I have been paying attention and J showing wet/dirty nappies....
nut....to try not to worry is an undertaking!:)
I will keep in mind what you both have said.
My primary concern is the lack of nutrients and as he is in the beggining of weaning he only gets lunch.
Thank you both !!!

[mummyxtwo]

My ds1 refused to drink milk but from a younger age, just 9 weeks, and it was due to pain from silent reflux. Has your lo had any symptoms of reflux in the past? No diarrhoea to suggest dairy intolerance? At least he is 6mo now and starting to wean. Some babies just aren't that keen on milk so perhaps he will be happier once he starts eating properly. When his eating is more established and he will drink other fluids you can always substitute a bottle of milk with yoghurt, to still get the calcium. My ds1 had a lot of underlying problems and swallow issues and didn't start weaning until 15mo. He survived off what on paper was a thoroughly inadequate volume of milk a day, and feeds also took 2 hours of screaming to get a small amount down him, apart from dream feeds which were a little easier. It was awful and I ended up in tears most days, crying to dh in the evening that he had drunk so little milk and would surely get sick. He was very thin but he didn't get sick and his paediatrician (a leading uk expert on feeding problems in infants) said not to worry. He did (and still does) take dalavit vitamin drops so you might want to ask your Gp for some, to ease your concerns about nutrition.

From my personal experience - and I'm also a Gp with a special interest in feeding problems in lo's - try not to get totally hung up on ounces and calories and weight right now. The main thing right now is not to give him a complex about eating because he can sense that it is so important to you. Pretend if you need to but act calm and relaxed about his eating and don't fuss if he doesn't eat - it will come in time. I speak as someone who made every mistake in the book - getting upset, cross, trying to make ds1 eat . If only I hadn't made such an issue of my own anxiety and stress and consequently made ds1's eating issues worse. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! I hope that helps a little. Hang in there.

[notsoold]

mummy thank you for your reply. Certainly the stress seeing my lo not feeding seems to seep through even when I try not to show it.
I will take your word to heart and investigate reflux.diarrhea is not present here. I was weaning him slower as only lunch time seemed enough but if he continues I will offer some food at breakfast as well.
As for today he fed so little, refused food , only had an oz of water. But was happy apart from when I tried offer him milk! :(