Refusing the bottle

[KBan]

Hi everyone!
First post on here and hoping someone might be able to help. A little over a week ago my 14 week old son started refusing the bottle. He has been combined fed since day one and has been a great bottle drinker from the start. All of a sudden he started turning his head and crying when I put the bottle to his mouth. Since this has started he's dropped his normal intake of milk by a third. It's not like he will never take the bottle...he tends to have a good amount of his breakfast feed and post bath and dreamfeed but through the day he fusses.
Things I've tried:
A different sized teat - no difference
A different bottle all together - no difference
Different formula - no difference
Sometimes when i sit him in his Bumbo he'll take some of the bottle...sometimes not.

He is quite dribbly at the moment but is it too early to be teething? He likes to put his hands in his mouth an awful lot. He also will take a dummy no problem.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Could it just be a phase? Could it be that he simply isn't as hungry as he used to be?

I've been to the GP who doesn't think it's reflux and ruled out thrush...I'm going to get him weighed this afternoon. If anyone has anything to share I'd love to read it.

Thanks!

It's quite normal at this age to show a preference for breast or bottle.

If continuing the bottle feeding is important, there are lots of threads in the NN archive on bottle refusal, otherwise, just keep offering.

The other thing to consider is that your supply will be established and he will be efficient at feeding so he may be getting enough from you?

Hey, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Sorry, I should have said...he's now been exclusively formula fed for 3 weeks as my milk dried up (I've tried relactating...not happening) so the bottle is his only source. So today for instance...his mood has been fine...we've only had one dirty nappy but normal amount of wet nappies and he's only had 570ml all day. He seems fine in himself but I can't help being worried...this isn't normal! I've read so many posts but most are like mine...people coming on to ask for help and sharing experiences but I don't see many that seem to find a resolution to it. He's too early to wean...I'll keep getting his weight checked but it would be great to hear if others have had this experience and their LO has just grown out of it after a couple of weeks? Or if they did something in particular that just fixed it? I appreciate I'm asking for a miracle probably!!