My LO refusing feeds even though he's hungry! Please help!

[inspireme]

My DS is 18 wks and has been refusing his feeds for a week or so now,and only taking them after a bit of a fight, he's not a big eater, seems to like little and often, (fed constantly when I was bf-ing) still only takes about 20-24 oz over a day, 3 bottles of 6oz and 2 of 3oz. Hes a big baby looks more like 6-7 months old. Was 15lb 12oz at last weigh in about 4 wks ago.

He used to feed every 3 hrs on the button, he would take 3oz then the other 3 an hour later. But lately after he's shows signs of hunger when I put him into the feeding position he goes into a real rage where he straightens his back and tries to push the bottle out with his hands, this usually lasted a minute then he would stop and take it like nothing had happened. The only time he doesn't fight is first feed in morn.

Since y'day he's fighting more and went nearly 6hrs yesterday morn. I spoke to a neighbour who's a retired midwife and Hv, as I couldn't get in contact with mine (and tbh I don't really rate her) she said it was wind pains, so I took him to doctor and she said it was reflux,as he's been bring up little bits of milk alot.doctor gave me infant gaviscon and I've been using it since then but if anything he's worse now.

He has just took a bottle after 4 and a quarter hours as he was prob starving. He's really good otherwise, sleeping loads during the day and sleeping 11 hrs at night and generally very smiley and happy.

The fighting seems to stop as soon as I sit him up or walk around which seems to fit better with the wind pains I think. He's really good at getting wind up after feeds btw.

Can anyone shed some light???

It's a long time since i was at your stage inspire me but I'll try and help if I can. When you put him in feeding position, is he quite supine? Have you tried sitting him up more?
Have you checked inside his mouth to see if he has an ulcer or a tooth coming through that might be uncomfortable for him when feeding?
What about water - will he take that from the same bottle?
How are his nappies? Still wet?

He doesn't seen to have anything in his mouth, he's had thrush so I know wat that looks like. Yes I have tried him with an empty bottle to c will he even go for it and that's a no go also.

He probably is quite flat but if I hold him up anymore there's not a chance of getting the bottle in.

I'm totally baffled by it- have a wedding today so my poor mum will have to battle the rest of the day!

Could it be the start of teething?

I agree theres a good chance its teething. We had terrible trouble for a few weeks around this age. You could try teething gel and/or nurofen a few minutes before a feed, to rule it out?

I'm wondering if he might need more frequent feeds as he's into classic growth spurt territory age-wise ?

what do you think?

Have you considered tonsilitis? My son had this at 4months. It was misdiagnosed (I was told by several peadiatricians that I was an over-anxious mother) for about a week, until they finally looked properly at him and saw all the blisters down his throat! He basically went off his milk, after previously being a big eater, bucked and fought when I tried to give him milk (breast or bottle) and was clearly getting dehydrated. A course of anti-biotics later and he was fine.

He's definitely teething but it doesn't seem to bother him too much yet, dribbling alot and chewing hands a bit but never cries with it. I have tried bonjela before feeds but no difference. Will give infant calpol a go before this next feed.

It's the stiffening of the back that makes me think it's more to do with wind but that could be leading me down the wrong path.

The fact that he's really happy the rest of the time is confusing me, surely if something's causing him so much pain at feeding time it would affect him when not feeding too.

ah this does sound like reflux then

back to GP for a change of meds?

Stiffening his back could just mean he does not want the milk - he's clearly thriving and gaining weight, but obviously he is not yet able to say 'no thanks' !!

How about accepting that he doesn't want the bottle and just doing something else with him? :) Maybe he wants to play or chat, or just sit on your knee and chill.

The fact the fighting stops as soon as you do something else is a big clue - not of reflux or pain, but of just wanting not to feed at the moment :)

He stiffens his back (I suggest) not because of pain or wind, but because there is no other way an 18 week old can refuse a feed.

My DD was exactly the same, she started refusing bottles slightly younger than this and sounds exactly like your DS, happy the rest of the time and good sleeper, bringing milk up after feeds, etc. We were also told by the health visitor it could be reflux but never got any meds for it. The only thing that helped for us was changing the teat of the bottle up to a faster flow one and that didn't even work all of the time, we still had occasional battles. Hang in there, it does get better, we hardly ever have a fight over a bottle now, although she was much the same with weaning to start with but now takes both solids and formula without too much of a problem, although she doesn't have a big appetite and I don't think she ever will. Some babies are just not big eaters, my nephew was the same and as long as they are developing and their hair and nails are growing try not to worry too much, you will get there in the end.

Quick update - only one fight out of 4 bottles today so gaviscon seems to be working!!

He's on a fast flow teat from 2 months heidi as he was taking ages to take a bottle then was getting bored and not finishing it.

Have injections on tuesday so will see how he goes till then.

Thanks for your help!