Please read baby refusing formula suddenly

[davegrohll]

She's nearly 14 weeks and has just stopped asking for milk, won't take it... or takes a small amount and doesn't want anymore?
Sometimes she will start crying when drinking it like she's frustrated I'm trying to give it her. I've gone up a teat size, used teething gel before hand as I'm thinking it could be that her gums are sore ?? She is knawing away at her hands but I know that's not purely indicative of teething in itself.

Just at my wits end and worrying she's not getting enough!
She's happy otherwise 🤷🏼‍♀️ does anyone know what can cause babies to refuse their feeds when they seem otherwise well?

Aptamil Pepti 1 is a hydrolysed formula which means it still has cows milk protein in it. My dd had CMPA, diagnosed at 5 weeks and was prescribed Pepti 1 but at 12 weeks her symptoms started again (her reflux was silent) and she was reacting to the hydrolysed protein in it. She ended up on Neocate, which is amino acid based with carabel thickener and we never looked back. It might be worth a check up for your dd to make sure she's not reacting again.

I would try not to worry too much, 30oz is plenty! My babies never had anywhere near this amount. If she continues to seem in pain maybe reassess her reflux medication? My daughter had terrible reflux and needed lansoprazole and her dose was increased periodically as she got bigger.
Also keep in mind not to keep offering the bottle too often as the last thing you need is a feeding aversion (been there and second the advice about the rowena bennett FB group).

My breastfed baby was exactly like this (known as a “nursing strike “)
I took her to the GP to be checked and her ears were inflamed, the GP thought that she had a sore throat and ears and that it was hurting to suck. It was really stressful but after three days she was fine again.

DD1 had bottle aversion and also had CMPA. You have my sympathy as it was an extremely stressful time and we were in hospital a lot as eventually she was diagnosed as failing to thrive.
What I would say is that formulas for babies with CMPA are tiered if you like so at the bottom is pepti, then there are other hydrolysed formulas such as Nutramigen and then there are amino acid formulas such as Neocate for babies who are unable to tolerate hydrolysed formulas.
Although many of my DD's symptoms were eased by using a hydrolysed formula nothing they were not completely eradicated until she was eventually given Neocate. This process took 6 stressful months and my DD would just refuse and continue smiling. I think I must have bought every bottle on the market!
Also formulas for children with CMPA are notorious for tasking awful and this could be another reason for your babies refusal. I think I got by in the main through dream feeding.
Good luck OP I completely understand how stressful it is and I hope she starts taking her milk soon.

My DD used to do this. She’d just stop feeding for a few days, then go back to her normal self. We never really got to the bottom of it but thought it was maybe teething related. She’s now 4 and if she ever picks up a virus she’ll stop eating for 3-4 days so we now think she was maybe feeling poorly and had lost her appetite.

30 oz is loads.

There is a myth that bottle fed babies suck away whenever you point a bottle at them. It’s not true.

I think you need to relax and feed her on demand, they have ups and downs based on drowsy spurts. She may also have a bit of a cold/ be a bit off colour.

If she’s properly hungry she’ll take the feed. Oug of my two one was always hungry and one wouldn’t feed if she didn’t want to and drank a lot less. They both grew on the same line.

Obviously as long as the nappies are wet etc.

Growth spurts …..

Thanks so much everyone this is all really useful and helps to know I'm not alone in this !

She has cained her last two bottles! Infact the last one she took it out of my hands and put it in her own mouth 😆
Maybe it is just a hunger strike ? Could be a sore throat/ears, I will just go with her as suggested. To be honest shes a big baby, lots of rolls on her so even though she has cmpa she is still getting what she needs !

Hopefully she will go back to usual 👍🏻

If she has rolls on her she is obviously putting on weight OP. I’d just let her take what she wants, especially if she is happy.

Try going longer between feeds.. she might be crying or fussing because she's tired or just wants a cuddle. Mine used to fuss for an hour before they were actually hungry to drink enough.

Hi all I'm back 😆 baby is flat out refusing the bottle today !! She doesn't seem interested at all... she will cry when she gets really hungry but then refuse to take it ! She sucks a few times then screams and screams

Ds did nursing strike at about 4 months old. Thing was I would see him hungry, wanting a feed, going towards the breast and then pulling away at the last minute.
I got him checked at the doctors and he had (yet again) an ear infection, but in this case the ear drum had burst, The doctor thought what had probably happened, was it burst while he was feeding which gave sudden pain and he was remembering it.

What I did was, he would feed when asleep, so I would wait until he was almost asleep in my arms then just rub a little bit of milk on his lips. He'd then latch on and feed properly. If he woke up, then he'd pull off immediately, so it could be a slow job as it could take several goes to get him to feed, but it did get food in him.
It lasted around a week before he'd properly feed, but I could get enough in while he was asleep to keep him going!

It sounds colic-related. I don’t think there’s a magic cure. Is she putting on weight okay? If so she’ll probably be hungrier tomorrow. If not then talk to health visitor/ go back to doctors.

I thought colic was at nighttime ?

Have thought about an ear infection but she seems otherwise fine! When my dh gives her a bottle she takes it no problem, wtf!! I'm doing nothing different at all 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

How is today going @davegrohll I hope today is going a bit better than yesterday.

Colic’s just belly ache. They can have it anytime it’s just it tends to peak early evening.

Colic is unexplained crying. Often assumed to caused by immature digestive system.

It’s belly ache in horses, exactly what it means 😁

@davegrohll how are you getting on? My baby has a feeding aversion! Trying Rowena Bennett book and im
on day 2 and the max he will take is 18oz!!

@salemsongbird cab I just ask, did you pay for the consultation after doing the book? I’m on day 2 and tearing my hair out!

@SassyPants87 yes - we had started it and got to about day 3 I think but I was still quite confused and was still essentially dream feeding her which I know you shouldn't really. So we paid for the consult and the lady was very thorough and the problem did then resolve after we stuck to what she discussed with us resolutely and removed the bottle at any refusal and stopped anything that could be pressurising. It was a lot of money though, reckon we could only afford it as it was our PFB 😂

@salemsongbird just out of interest how much did it cost you? I’m on day 3 and he seems to sleep more in the day than the night and like you doing a few dream feeds eeek!
How are things with you now? Is baby fine with feeds? I’m struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

It was 200 quid when we did it - now I've just looked and it's 295! Seems a lot. Baby never had issues again after we stuck to it strictly and is now a happy toddler with no issues. So for us it was worth it!
Tbh I think if you just stick really rigidly to the book and also look at/post on the fb group (I think it's called baby care advice feeding aversion?) there were loads of people offering help there even to watch videos of babies refusing etc to see where the problems were. I'd probably try that first.