120mls and one breast feed in a day for a 7.5 month old - that's not normal right?

[nosleeptillbedtime]

My ds has never been a good feeder but it is getting out of control. We have been trying, on medical advice, to wean him since four months, but he still only reliably eats breakfast and has tiny amounts, if anything, for other meals. The HV advised putting him a strict eating plan, so only giving him milk feeds at set times to encourage him to eat more solids, but this just led to his total consumption massively declining. She promised he would not starve himself, but when it got to the point where all he ate in a day was 120mls and one bf I said enough was enough and went back to frequent breast feeds. He had got so dehydrated he was horribly constipated and his anus got a tear from the effort of trying to pass waste : (
Has anyone got any tips on how to encourage him to eat more, both solids and liquids (including milk)? It is like he doesn't properly recognise or respond to his hunger and thirst. And he has never been a baby who eats when offered a feed, only when he feels like it. Has anyone else had trouble with getting a baby to eat enough? There are a thousand and one books on poor sleepers but I can't find any advice on poor eaters! All the books assume babies drink milk whenever offered. Not mine! He is small for his age and has dropped down the percentile charts since birth. I am getting worried that his cognitive development will suffer if his eating doesn't improve.

How much is he bfeeding and how micb formula is he taking now?

Gemrally food is fun until they are one and at 7mths a few of mine were not interested in solids at all.

What is his feeding like?

At this age I would always offer the breast before food, say an hour before and feed on demand as well.

Solids are an extra and milk should be the main source of nutrition.

How many centiles has he dropped and what has the paed said? Is he otherwise well?

He started off about 60th percentile and is now in the 9th percentile. I am offering him bf quite regularly, last time I counted (before we started the set feeding) it was 10-15 times a day he fed. He takes very short feeds. He rarely demands (if not offered he will happily go 6 hours without feeding and then only take 90mls if offered bottle, or a short bf).
He pukes a lot and is well, though is on anti vomit and anti acid meds.

I feel for you
Can I ask has he got any medical issues? Eg reflux?
Ds1 was a terrible eater.
I had 18months of hell trying to fees him.
He still didn't double his weight by 9montjs.
He was surviving on 2oz (60mls) of high cal milk a day so 60cals a day for a while. Gp said he looks fine
A+e did nothing as it wasnt emergency.

After lots of fighting with gp and trying to sort his reflux out I managed to get him referred to gastric paed. He saw ds as an emergency within 2days and within a month changed his meds and inserted gastrostomy (feeding tube)
To get him to eat I would
Blend home food and syringe it in his mouth like medicine
Feed him in pram while out walking
Dance and fees him
Feed him in the car
Feed him walking outside
Take him for long walks then hope for hungeer to strike.

Im here to help. It's awful.
Truly awful when dc do.this.
Ds is 3 and has underlying medical issues and is still reliant on his feeding tube to keep him alive but thats the main thing. He fits into 18-24 month old clothes. And they are quite baggy but hes happy amd hydrated
X

He reminds me of ds
DEMAND referral to paediatrics. If you can push for gastroenterology paed. If you can get referral to
Mike thomson at Sheffield children's hospital he will see your dc within days. Trust me hes one of the best. Research him on tje netm he does private too x

OK that is a big drop but 10-15 feeds iis fine, babies can be very efficient in removing milk from the breast so short is fine.

Also in general a replacement bottle feed wpudk only be 2-4oz. My own daughter never took more than four ounces of milk at a time, big shock after my milk monster boys.

If he pukes a lot is it reflux? What meds is he on? there at others you can try but I don't k ow there are plenty of posters who know about reflux and meds etc.

Is he a distractable baby? Some babies esp at this age are far too interested in what's going on around them and so wont feed. Little and often is good tho.

As I remember for reflux
Gaviscon
Domperidone
Omperzole
Ranitidine are the main meds.
Its trial and error to see which one suits your ds.
For us it was top Domperidone amd Omperzole as Gaviscon cam cause constipation and Ranitidineade dsdscream.

Speech and language can help with distraction techniques. Tv is recommended with these type of dc.
Toys are good too but hard to feed and entertain with toys.
Bright colourful sing songy programmes work well.
Get a dietitian involved too to help.
X

There is a book called 'my child won't eat' by Spanish paediatrician Carlos Gonzalez. It can be reassuring about how much children need and I would 2nd the idea that milk is the main source if nutrition in first year. However you should trust your instincts and it sounds like you feel very worried. Pushing for a paediatric appointment can get the ball rolling if your child needs medical intervention. For some babies with silent reflux the pain of feeding can mean they refuse food. Feeding little and often is the norm for reflux babies as big gaps between feeds builds up stomach acid and then a big feed pushes the acid up. Little and often helps keep the acid down.

Lol. When I see a new post I remember something else.
Littlerefluxers Google it lots of help there.
Also google the book colic solved. Its massively recommended on Littlerefluxers.

I have a bit of free time while ds is on his feeding pump.
X

Thanks everyone. Yes he does get distracted easily.

He does have reflux and suspected food intolerances. Our paed has been very good and he is on maximum doses of meds (ranitidine and omepraxole) but I think she expected him to take to eating solids well. All the other refluxy babies I have heard about improved and put on weight with solids but not mine. I can't help feeling that I am failing him in some way.

Isitme, feeding him in a pram is a good idea. I have done that before just as we were out and he did feed better. I hadn't considered that it might be because he is not distracted by other things!

I am worried about him. He is active - I have no idea where the energy comes from - but he is noticeably getting left behind by his peers now.

I think I will call the paed tomorrow and see if she will chat to me as our next appt isn't till mid Dec.

Thanks everyone.