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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

12 week old won't drink milk

29 replies

Babydreaming · 27/02/2017 17:33

Feeding has always been a challenge for me and my baby. I had a low milk supply to start with so had to top up with formula as he wasn't gaining weight.

Since then he's been a fussy feeder, but it's got gradually worse. He was 25th centile but is now 5th centile. He will only take 60ml per feed before he starts crying and turning his head away. He seems a really unhappy baby, like he is always in pain.

I've been to the GP and they've started me on medications for reflux which has made no difference. I've now been started on a hypoallergenic formula too but he still doesn't like it!

Anybody have any ideas? I spend my whole day trying to get him to take more milk! It's really upsetting me.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

tissuesosoft · 27/02/2017 17:36

Is he falling asleep during feeds/sucking hard on the test then getting bored? Might be he needs the next size up. Very frustrating not knowing

user1488267584 · 28/02/2017 07:55

when my daughter was born she wouldnt touch the cow and gate milk the hospital gave us so i tried the aptimal that i bought with me and we was forcing it down her so when i took her home i bought sma and she loved it

Original poster

Babydreaming · 28/02/2017 14:47

No I have to rock him to ages to get him to sleep..he never drinks enough to make himself sleepy. Each feed usually ends in him crying and refusing to take any more. I've tried the next sized teat but he was coughing and spluttering so I don't think he's ready for it.

I've tried cow and gate, aptamil and Sma and nothing makes a difference! Spent a fortune in teats and bottles too.

He's 12 weeks and only just 5kg 😥

So far today he's managed 100ml.

I literally want to cry...I don't know what's wrong and why he won't take milk!

OP posts:

GirlElephant · 28/02/2017 14:56

Oh bless you, this sounds so stressful. I would place an urgent call to your HV & GP asking for advice and stating how little drank today. Remind them when the meds were started.

Have you had wet & dirty nappies today? If not that's very concerning so tell the GP & HV that too. They may suggest a visit to the hospital today.

MumUndone · 28/02/2017 15:16

Wrong teat for the bottle (i.e. too slow / too fast)?

MumUndone · 28/02/2017 15:18

Sorry, just read that you've considered that already. Which formula are you using - try adding vanilla essence?

MumUndone · 28/02/2017 15:18

Sorry, just read that you've considered that already. Which formula are you using - try adding vanilla essence?

blue2014 · 28/02/2017 15:19

How long have you been using the reflux meds? They take a week or two to work. Also it's not a milk allergy is it?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/02/2017 15:35

Have a read of this on Cow's Milk Protein Allergy to see if any of it sounds familiar. If it does, print it off and take it to the Doctors with you.

Then book an urgent appoint,ent at yiur Doctors and insist on a referral to a Paed. Have you got somebody you can take to the appointment with you for back-up.

I'm sure you know this already but at 5 kilos he should be having roughly 27.5 floz in 24 hours if he is exclusively formula fed so it is important that your Doctor listens and refers you.

If it's a while till you can get in the Doctors, I'm talking hours, don't let them leave it days, film him feeding so that you can show the doctor.

If you still get the red baby book, take that with you and insist the Doctor records their findings in the book. Get them to weigh baby and record that too. If they are referring to a Paed this should be done anyway.

You may need to make a fuss but hey, he hasn't got anyone else to do it for him.

Good luck.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/02/2017 18:32

How are you now Baby?

Original poster

Babydreaming · 01/03/2017 19:23

Thanks guys. I took him to GPs.. He's actually lost weight since he was last checked! He still won't take much milk at all. Given the weight loss they did take it slightly more seriously and have started omeprazole and referred to paeds...apparently it may take 2 weeks to get an appointment!

It's really frustrating. I spend my whole day just trying to get him to take milk. He chews on his hand like he's hungry...try's a few sips then screws his face up like there's something wrong with it.

I'm not sure if it is cows milk allergy...I have been prescribed the hypoallergic formula but he won't take it so I can't tell if it's made a difference! I don't think he likes the taste of it?

We have also been referred to the dietician and are seeing them on Friday so I'll let you know how it goes! I just can't stand the thought of him losing more weight in the mean time before we get to the bottom of it!

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/03/2017 20:35

So glad they are taking it more seriously but feel awful that he's had to lose weight before they've referred you.

I've got CMPA, but haven't really got any experience of babies with it but I've seen on here that sone people add vanilla essence into the formula to make it taste better. Have you tried that?

OohNoDooEy · 01/03/2017 20:41

Try waiting for 4 hours between feeds. Some times they feed better with a gap between the feeds rather than you trying a bottle every 5 minutes! I had this with DS, extremely fussy eater but did better with longer intervals.

If it's any consolation, he loves food and did instantly, milk was always a chore.

Saying that I'm glad your Dr has referred you as a weight loss isn't great.

Other ideas are does he have a cold and all bunged up?
Sore throat/thrush?

Mrsderekshepard · 01/03/2017 20:42

Have you tried dropping the milk in his mouth? With a little syringe like you get in calpol? Or does he have tongue tie? Thrush in his mouth?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/03/2017 21:28

Did your GP check for dehydration too or mention what signs to check for?.

As the referral will take 2 weeks, don't be afraid to take your baby to A&E. yes I know that the NHS is overstretched, but you will get to see a Paed and wil possibly get admitted where they can monitor your LO properly.

Chocolateorangegoblin · 01/03/2017 21:33

Can you feed him when he's asleep?
My eldest had reflux and CMPI and he developed a feeding aversion due to the pain. The only way I could feed him was to rock him to sleep and just as he was drifting off put the bottle in. He would drink a whole bottle like that. Which milk have you got? Hopefully the pead will be of more use than the GP.

JamDonutsRule · 01/03/2017 22:07

I don't want to scare you, I'd be tempted to just go to A&E OP.... I realise it's not exactly an immediate 'emergency', but 2 weeks is too long to wait.

It doesn't sound right at all and I think if he doesn't have a magic turnaround soon then you may end up in A&E anyway with dehydration & low blood sugar.

GirlElephant · 03/03/2017 14:06

Hope your appointment goes well today OP

JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/03/2017 22:04

@Babydreaming how did the appointment go with the Dietician?

backtowork2015 · 04/03/2017 13:02

My ds was a really difficult feeder. He had torticollis which made it uncomfortable for him to be held whilst being fed. Have you tried lying him up against a pillow on the floor whilst feeding or feeding in the bouncy chair. My ds was most comfortable lying in the reclining seat in a shopping trolley, I used to get a whole feed into him round sainsburys

ShuttyTown · 04/03/2017 16:44

Have you tried altering the temperature? Making it warmer or colder depending on what your giving him now?

Original poster

Babydreaming · 04/03/2017 19:40

Hey guys, thanks for all the suggestions! Things have improved slightly since we started the omeprazole.

The dietician wasn't particularly helpful...she said to keep trying with the hypoallergenic formula and keep him upright after feeds etc...but nothing that we aren't doing already! She wants to see him again in 2 weeks and if he hasn't put weight on she'll start a high calorie formula. I don't mind that but I feel like there's something wrong so would like to get to the bottom of it rather than just mask it by feeding him high cal milk.

Hopefully paeds appointment will be more useful!

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 04/03/2017 20:00

So glad things have improved, if only slightly

Original poster

Babydreaming · 10/03/2017 09:22

Just wanted to thank those with advice and update you all! 1 week later and he'd lost weight and gone down to 4.7kg so we've now been admitted to hospital :( hopefully it gets taken a bit more seriously now!!

OP posts:

backtowork2015 · 10/03/2017 10:54

Oh no, how distressing! I hope you get things resolved

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