Nipple / teat confusion - particularly combination feeders

[HoppedOnAFairy]

Hello,

My son is 12 weeks old and has been combination fed since day 5 (excessive weight loss). At the advice of consultants we have continued and we do breast and then bottle at every feed. It's worked perfectly well for weeks, but since about a week ago he started taking a dislike to the bottle. After a bit I manage to make him take it but for the last couple or more feeds he is just not having it. I think he is still hungry after the breast as he is eating his hands determinedly (he usually does this when really hungry or tired), and is getting frustrated that the breast is not giving him more (would happily continue there if there was anything available), but he screams when he sees the bottle. I was wondering if anyone had a similar problem.

I am seeing HVs today anyway, for what use they may be, but I am wondering if my only two options are to drop the breast or use at-breast supplementer. I know I could try breast only, but he has been taking so much from the bottle at every feed, it is hard to imagine my breasts could suddenly provide sufficiently. And he is just starting to cry with hunger...

Any similar experiences? It's very frustrating as I am just watching him very vigorously eat his hand, there is not more milk left in me and bottle causes tantrums.

Thank you.

This happened to us. DD stopped taking the bottle (although she was only having it when I wasn't there, not after every feed). It was at about a similar age too.

I gave up for a couple of weeks and when we tried it again she was fine, although she still refuses the bottle 10-20% of the time!

I'm no expert on milk production but during growth spurts I think it takes 2 days for your body to respond to increased demand. So if you let him on the breast as long as possible, and also pump after each feed you might be able to increase supply for him until her gets back into bottles.

We decided that it was DD's first real choice she had expressed to us and honoured it even though it was difficult to arrange for me to be there for every feed.

Hope that helps.

No advice I'm afraid Fairy but bumping this for you x

How much formula are you giving each day, OP?

Would you prefer to move to EBF? If so then a more effective strategy than worrying about bottle rejection would be to work on that.

What is "excessive weight loss" and what help did they give you to BF rather than just supplementing?

Well, I'd love to honour my son's choices and it is extremely painful seeing him like this but I simply can't. It seems to be exactly 50 / 50 BF and formula, say 80 ml each at each feed. I have spent first 6 weeks working on EBF and it didnt seem to work out - my supply never met the demand, and pediatricians were of the opinion he needed the extra milk.

They did not give me any help but I've seen a private lactation consultant.

:( fairy how awful for you. :(

A supplementary nursing system might be a great choice for you both. What did the private LC say was the reason for you struggling with your milk supply?

Re-reading my original post I sounded quite abrupt. My apologies. I'm trying to do too many things at once tonight .

Could you lo be teething, and refusing the hardness of the bottle teat? Might explain the refusal and excessive hand munching? Maybe try some gel and or pain relief before a feed a see how you get on? It's never too early for a baby to be teething!

Mmm, Mampig, interesting point, I will look into that.

He is vaguely ok during the day, but come evening / night / morning he is throwing a strop. Though only breast seems to be ok at night lately.

Organic, I have got a nursing system, so I may go with that, although it is not practical at all times. The reason is probably a breast surgery I had 10 years ago.