Why is my 9 week old son so unsettled when taking his bottle

[JC54]

My 9 week old son has been bottle fed from birth, but for the last 5 days or so he has been extremely unsettled when we are giving him his bottle, he cries and pushes it away until he gets the first few ounces and then he settles down and finishes the bottle, he even winds in between, is there something wrong or am i worrying too much, he is my first child!

Did you try moving on to a faster teat? I had to change around that age for both dds.

Yes tried that and he's still not happy, i'm using the Dr Brown Bottles

My DDs were both breastfed but around this age did exactly the same for a few days. I never found out why with either of them and after a few days they stopped doing it.

I have been wondering if I had changed my deodorant or something but nothing really explains it.

I have known a couple of other mums who went through the same thing.

I wonder if it is a developmental thing.

I would try to stick it out a little longer before changing anything else.

Thanks Timandra, I hope it is just a phase and he'll stop it, it's good to know that other babies do similar things.

My DD, now 17w, mucked around with her food for absolute weeks, and she probably started at around 10w. She started drinking less, she knocked the bottle out, cried when I tried to put the bottle in, eventually went back and had a few more oz, the lot - sounds very similar. I went up to the faster teats that fixed it a little for a few days but nothing more. I was getting really worried about it, I kept asking the HVs and got annoyed when they wouldn't take me seriously. DD was barely taking 25oz a day, which was a good 10oz under the recommended amount for her age (I know that's just a guideline but it seemed so much under).

In the end one lovely HV talked me down from my first-time mum panic and pointed out that if DD wasn't crying for more food all the time, was still gaining weight, still had wet nappies, and wasn't dehydrated (dry lips, bruised eyes etc) then she was absolutely fine and just didn't want much food, or just didn't want a big feed.

Just under two weeks ago she started eating properly again!

So I think it sounds fine. As long as your DS is happy and healthy then just keep offering him milk frequently, stop forcing it (the HV pointed out that I was getting so stressed over feeding that DD was probably getting stressed too!) and eventually he will start eating better.

I would do the opposite and stop offering him milk unless you are certain he is really hungry. Then he will take it better.

DD1 was a nightmare and hardly ate at all as a baby, despite this she always seemed to put weight on, thrived and was happy and healthy.

DD2 was starting to drive me round the bend as you describe (she is now 19 weeks) and not trying to feed her has really helped.

The amounts on the side of the tin are nonsense. DD2 is a good feeder and takes about 900ml on average per day (so 30oz - ish I think). We ended up on the childrens' ward last week and they were staggered by the amount she generally eats (apparently 150ml per kg is a lot, she is 6kgs)

Oh and they don't necessarily take more as they get older - neither of mine have!

Thank you all for your advice, being a 1st time mum, I know I'm probably being too anxious and my DD is feeling that, but he hasn't refused all his bottles today so i will take all your advice on board and hopefully things will continue to improve.

It is completely normal for them to have hungry days and days where they are not so hungry also....