3 and a half months not eating - Should I give solids?

[anythingwithagiraffeonit]

Hi everyone,

My DD (who is 3 months and 12 days and weighs 15 lbs) used to take her milk perfectly, right from birth she was an easy feeder (bottle fed, due to a surgery I had to have)

The past two weeks have been hellish, she has gone from taking 6oz 5 times a day to sitting with the bottle in her mouth for up to 45 minutes and taking not even half an ounce. I mean, she must be starving! Sometimes now she has a 'good' bottle, where she'll take 3oz, but she's gone from being a really smiley, dare I say it, easy baby, to being really miserable all the time.

I changed the teats to number 2 teats and back again, no change.

I tried a different bottle, no change.

I heard that babies can get thrush in thier mouths but i've looked and can't see anything.

Could she just be bored with the milk... or have gone off of it? Should I give her baby rice / baby oatmeal or something else?

I would have taken her to the doctors earlier, but it didn't get really dire until this weekend... I thought it was a bit of a phase until the past two days where literally, she has eaten practically nothing.

Please cam anyone advise me? I can take her to the childrens centre tomorrow afternoon but I really really want to try something now if I can, she seems so unhappy!

Sorry for the looooooooong post!

How are her nappies? Are you getting nice wet ones? You could try giving her 2.5ml of calpol 20 minutes before she's due a feed to see if it's caused by discomfort. Babies can start teething that young. If she's not having any wet nappies, you do need to get her seen today.

Is she having wet and dirty nappies?
Is her fontanelle sunken in?

How much is she taking in total?
Would not give solids, would bring to Dr for advice.

absolutely DO NOT give solids. if she is off her milk, there might be a very good reason.. illness, teething, or something else. Giving even less milk and giving something other than milk won't help.

you could try variflow teats where she has more control over the milk flow...

she can't be bored with milk, she doesn't know there is anything else to eat

if she is not really taking anything, then you need to take her to the docs.. esp if no weeing/pooing and other signs such as lethargy, or sunken fontanelle as has been mentioned

She needs milk for fluid and calories etc.

Dd is like this sometimes - think its her teeth BUT she will feed if she is sleepy or if she has sucked a dummy for a bit beforehand.

She has been like this since about 11 weeks and some days will only feed in her sleep - she is happy otherwise though.

If its a sudden thing then take her to GP. If she isnt having wet nappies regularly get her seen today.

Has she got a temp?

PS she hasnt got a blocked nose has she? saline drops could help that.

No temperature and she's having wet nappies... But today so far she has had just drops from each bottle, the amount doesn't even noticeably go down.

Nose isn't blocked either... X

If I were you I would be at my GP's first thing in the morning for a total check over. I would also be really concerned about dehydration. She may have an ear infection. Is she well in herself? Not whingey? Pale? Is she pooing? Have you tried diarlryte (sp?) > She might have some of that.Don't let Doc fob you off, explain that she has totally changed her feeding habits.

How's everything today?

I agree with taking her to the GP. She sounds unwell rather then in need of early weaning. I hopw all is OK.

Is she teething? Perhaps it is hurting her gums to suck on the bottle. Have you tried giving it to her from a plastic spoon or even a syringe (ie the ones you get with a bottle of Nurofen).

GP said no appointments, so I went to hospital. Waited 2 hours before we even saw a nurse, then we were told it would be 'oh..hours and hours!'

She was absolutely screaming. I've never heard anything like it.

I've tried different bottles / different teats / different milk / a different carton of the milk she's on / a ready made feed carton.

Feeding standing / sitting / sleeping / rocking / singing. My mum, my DH, a couple of friends all trying to feed her... Nothing.

Fed her milk with a spoon, with a syringe and she absolutely screams the place down.

I know people said don't try solids but we have been desperate, so tried baby rice, baby oatmeal, a cow & gate yogurt... Nothing nothing nothing.

I manages to get her to take an ounce of water in the waiting room in the same sort of style as you give medicene.

I've tried teething gel half an hour before her milk, gripe water, infacol and Calpol.

After ringing my GP from the hospital waiting room and them hearing how she was hysterical they told us to come in.

Checked throat, ears, temp and nothing seems to be wrong. As long as I can give her some water to keep her hydrated they think it should be okay..

I tried to explain that she might seem hydrated right now because I just forced water down her... She is still having just drops of milk.

I have to 'see how she goes'

I'm home and she's screaming again. Suggestions and help please please please! Xxxx

Have you called your health visitor? Have you changed her milk??

You poor thing. How are you getting on today?