Bottle fed 12 week old not eating. Anyone tried SMA LF?

[charleypops]

Hi,

My 12 and a half week ds has started to drop down his weight curve. The doctor has told me he has reflux, so he's on Gaviscon with every feed. He only takes at the most 40ml per feed. So far today, since midnight, he's only had 250ml. He's supposed to be on nearly 900ml as he's almost 12lbs.

I'm desperate for advice. HVs seem to keep fobbing me off. There seems to be no one able to help with bottle feeding! I'm really at my wit's end and so worried about him

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and if anyone can recommend, say, SMA LF (Lactose Free)?

TIA

Do you feed him "little and often" or is he simply not interested at all?

Hi Bethron - he came off his meds a few days ago, and so far so good How's Aaron doing? Did he take to the LF straightaway?

Soupdragon - He will only eat when he's sleepy it seems, so i get what i can into him at the 30/45 min mark during his naps, then if I can get him to go back to sleep, I'll try again when he next wakes up. I feed him every hour or two throughout the night. I must say he really doesn't seem interested at all.

I'm so pleased that his seizures are subsiding It must be such a relief. I hope they go away all together really soon. I'm going to see a doctor tomorrow and will ask her for a prescription for some LF if she can't suggest anything interesting. If she won't there's some on Ebay I'm watching. You can't buy it normally can you? I've not been able to find any.
He's not really very sicky - just occasionally, I tried feeding him without Gaviscon for a few days and his intake went down, so I guess he does have reflux? I'm using it again anyway, but it's still going down. I'm wondering if he just doesn't like formula?!

have you tried a faster teat to see if that helps any? I also wouldnt offer as often as every hour if he doesnt seem hungry, as he may not be hungry enough to take a full feed and will just snack instead.

p.s. I have seen SMA LF in Boots

how bizarre - did you see this thread in the same section? 12wk old won't eat I know ellieo is breastfeeding, but perhaps you two could 'sympathise' together!!

The gaviscon makes the feed very thick and I found that it seemed to make dd feel full very quickly. I think there is another formula that's made thicker than normal but I don't know what it's called (because we ended up on hypoallergenic one anyway).

sma staydown - that's what it's called but you'll probably have to ask the GP because I imagine you don't use the gaviscon with it because it's already thickened (and as the gaviscon's working perhaps it's better not to meddle!)

I started off following The Baby Whisperer 3 hour EASY for a few weeks, all was going well, apart from the eating - he just started eating less and less, until during the day he was eating nothing. Sometimes even after 5 hours! That's when he really started dropping off his weight curve, and the only way I could get him to eat would be during his naps and at night. Even though I was feeding him about 15 times in 24 hours, this seemed to work for a few days and he was taking about 750mls. Now it's all gone completely wrong and he'll hardly eat even during his naps.

Foxinsocks - I did see that thread - loads of similarities, but unfortunately I couldn't offer any advice. Due to stacks of reasons, I was unable to give ds any breastmilk at all after about 3 or 4 weeks. I'll mention SMA staydown to the doctor tomorrow and see what how she thinks that would compare to the LF. How did you get on with the hypoallergenic formula? Did she take to it quickly? Did her intake go up?

Seona - We started off with Avent, with no 1 then 2 teats, but he always seemed to struggle with those, then I changed to Dr Brown's bottles and tried nos 1, 2 and 3. Had some success with the number 2, and looks like it's a "comfortable" bottle for him. I'll look in Boots again for the LF, maybe I missed it.

Ah bless him - wish that was the problem with mine! tbh I've had another rough couple of days and feel a bit of a failure - can't give birth properly, can't breastfeed, can't bottlefeed, can't keep the house tidy........aaarrrgghhh!!

I'll let you know how it goes at the docs. Thanks for your posts

x

charleypops, I don't know your whole story but sounds like you are doing brilliantly to me!

Dd had quite an obvious allergic reaction to formula which is why we ended up on the hypoallergenic one (Nutramigen) but I must say, her weight gain/vomiting did improve once she was on that formula (she was breastfed first and then I tried normal formula before I was going back to work) but I guess the allergy was making the vomiting/reflux worse.

Have you tried other brands of formula?

Hope it goes well at the docs and don't feel bad if your house looks untidy. Mine are now 5 and 3 and I think the house is only now beginning to resemble somewhere tidy for the first time in years!

charleypops, just seen your thread. Like you say, I can't offer any advice either since I'm in the same boat. There's nothing worse than a baby that won't feed, is there. My ds has dropped off on his weight curve too, and it's very distressing. I don't know about you, but I feel I've gone round in circles trying all kinds of remedies and solutions, and you just end up feeling thoroughly confused. The reflux thing is difficult too, as I'm never quite sure if ds actually has it or not. Like I said in my thread, could be a red herring. Anyway, just wanted to let you know there's someone else out here with the same problem! Hope it gets better for you soon.

oh dear Bethron - I did sound sorry for myself last night didn't I?! Sorry I've never been like this before really. It's because I was tired again, and you know how much harder that makes everything. I hope you and your family are feeling better and you are getting some sleep now x

We've just got back from the doc's, and she's prescribed Ranitidene - not sure how to spell it yet, she has to post me the prescription once she's worked out the quantities. he can then stop taking the Gaviscon. I hope it works! She says there's no harm in trying the SMA LF, but I think I'll wait for the Ranitidene first and see how we get on....

Hi Ellieo - Horrible isn't it? Yep - teats, bottles, cups, syringes, spoons, positions, circles, brick walls... I'm the same - never been entirely convinced it's reflux - I guess the Ranitidene might tell me more conclusively (or not..) Good for you though, still getting some Breastmilk into him I was delighted to get the little into him I did in the early days.

Did any of you find that your babies head measurements were slipping down a bit along with the weight? or did they stay on the curve?

Thanks for your comments about the housework FIS and Bethron - dp's actually got the vacuum out as I type

you can buy SMA LF online at Boots.com if you cant find it instore - £4.97 a tin

Thanks

Well, I have some news (I think, hope) Ds today, since midnight has more food in one day than ever before!! (820ml) - and it's still only 7pm!! We ran out of his usual Aptamil powder yesterday , so had to buy some emergency cartons of Aptamil as that's all they sell at our local Tesco, and he's been downing it like there's no tomorrow! still putting Gaviscon in - Boots won't have the Ranitidene until tomorrow.

I'm not counting my chickens too much just yet seeing as yesterday he'd had his lowest day ever, at 385ml, so he could just be compensating for that - but even so ... he seems so much happier

I'll copy this post into Ellio's thread...

So far so good - not had a peep since I put him down at 7!