What to do with a bottle/milk refuser

5 replies

Slongette · 15/04/2014 09:05

DS is 23 weeks old and is a pain in the bum to feed....

Was not interested in the boob so have ff from 2 weeks old. He has never been keen on feeding, but trying it get the first bottle of the morning in him is now becoming even more of a fight. I'm lucky if I get 3floz in him.

This morning - could not get the bottle anywhere near him....

I have tried larger teats, sippy cups and even making stage 1 baby porridge with his milk just to get something in him because he is hungry. Only the baby porridge works.

The only feeds that are a pleasure are the 10pm dream feed and when he wakes for a feed about 3.30/4am and is sleepy so does not put up a fight.

How do I get milk in him?

I'm at my wits end......

OP posts:

DancingtheTittyTango · 15/04/2014 10:20

My son was like this. I used to try feeding him walking round, bouncing him, singing you name it! In the end I gave up the battle at about 8 months when he refused bottles completely. He basically went onto 3 meals a day really quickly and I would put milk into as many foods as possible!

Original poster

Slongette · 16/04/2014 07:31

Thanks Dancing - I just think he's jot a milky baby and can't wait until hes 6months and I can really get into weaning.

It's just such a worry. Last bottle before bed was at 10pm last night where he drank about 5oz, he woke at 3am so tried to feed then and he would not have it. Just tried another bottle at 7am and he's had maybe 2.5oz. Will try again but suspect I'll be making baby porridge shortly!

Got the HV clinic this morning so will have a chat with her then - prob get told off for giving solids before 6 months

OP posts:

DancingtheTittyTango · 17/04/2014 10:38

Health visitors don't know everything! My son is now a strapping 5 year old who is very fit, in size 7-8 clothes and is very healthy :)

How you getting on with him now?

Original poster

Slongette · 18/04/2014 19:42

Still refusing formula in the mornings but the HV was the sensible/normal one and told me there is nothing wrong with DS and to just up the solids and to start adding some dairy. Feeding should not be a fight and that he probably not a 'milky' baby. He's 6 months in 3 weeks so we can start introducing more foods then - saying that I caught my dad giving him a small bit of cake this afternoon. Grandparents - you just can't trust them!

He now has quite a big breakfast and lunch and then has a bottle at 3pm, 7pm and 10pm. Still nowhere near enough but I'm trying not to stress it.

Feel a huge sense of relief that what I'm doing is ok.

Thanks for coming back to me xx

P.s new stress now as he's got conjunctivitis!

OP posts:

Littletricks · 20/04/2014 21:31

Oh my Slongette I could have written your post! As in the past few days my DS (who will be 6 months in 2 weeks time) has started to take the minimum amount he can from the bottle and the only good feeds we also have are when he is sleepy and at the 11pm dream feed. To be fair he has never been a huge feeder but has been putting on weight nicely but the last few days have been the worst - an example was taking just 1oz from a bottle and that was after a gap of over 4 hours from last feed! I just think he doesn't like milk - we stated weaning him a couple of weeks ago and thank god he does love his food so I think now he knows there is something else out there apart from milk he now wants that. So like you am adding any left over milk to porridge and baby rice and will continue to do so. I am also hoping it is a phase and he will start to drink a bit better again soon. DS is my DC2 so I should be used to knowing that it is always a phase and soon these worries will be a distant memory!!

Flip