Help, unhappy baby/unhappy mummy.

[scrumpy]

Any ideas greatfully received......... i have 5 month old ds who has been b/f exclusively since birth. Returned to work a fortnight ago and ds still not taking much fluids during day. yesterday chilminder had ds from 11.00am until dh picked him up at 16.15 apparently he had been fretful all day would not take lunch(has been on solids about 4 weeks only fruit/vegetable purees and baby yoghurt)He had only taken a ounce and a half of milk from tommee tipee beaker without valve in so runs into his mouth/did not take water would not have a sleep. He had dry nappies and was scratching his face and turning his head to the side with his mouth open. Needless to say when dh rang me at work I dropped everything and came home. got home ds having tea and then a very short b/f and he fell asleep exhausted. I fed him again at 10.00pm, 2.00am and 07.45am and he had very wet nappy this morning. I have work again 2day and I am worried about ds. Childminder suggested a dummy for ds so he can have something to soothe him, or do I take extended leave to try again to get him on bottle? That is not really answer due to financial implications but I dont know what to do I have tried every teat and bottle beaker I could start my own shop!!

ds seems unhappy i am unhappy dh fed up because I am worried, this is first child for me so I am a bit neurotic but I hate to think of my ds not having enough to drink also if childminder cant soothe him she may get fed up 2.!!

Help sorry for long post.

not an expert on this at all - but from what I have read about bfing it would probably be better for someone other than you to get him on the bottle, as he will not associate them with bfing but will associate you with bfing and be able to smell the milk. Other thought - is he having EBM or formula?

Poor you....a healthy five month old will not dehydrate in half a day, but I can understand how concerned you are at his distress and discomfort levels. He may get to the point where he relies on the feeds he gets when you are with him to keep himself hydrated.

It does sound as if he is expressing distress at the change in his little life, and this may modify as he gets used to it.

A dummy might indeed soothe him....or can you change your hours so you are part time for the moment?

mummytsteven... he is having ebm has occasionally taken a few ounces from haberman bottle but more often than not refuses it, dh feeds him bottle/beaker also I was told that at 5 months it may be harder to get him to take a bottle now due to sucking reflex different on breast than on bottle...which is a lot of help!!

tiktok i am working 4 days a week 8 hour shifts sometimes 8-4 and sometimes 2-10pm I also have a 45 minute trip to work my boss is being flexible as I am working around my dh working pattern I dont think the job I am in could accomodate me anymore than they are, I amhome fri,sat,sun.

Scrumpy, has your CM tried spoon-feeding milk or water to your ds? It's somewhat longwinded and messy but it might get a bit more liquid into him and buy you time until he decides to use a beaker.

Hi there Scrumpy
I've recently started back (full time) at work too and my dd was a little older, at 7 months but she was exclusively bf until 6m so was at the same weaning stage as you and your little boy.
For the first three weeks she would take absolutely NO ebm at all from bottles or beakers or anything! I was in a huge panic and had to visit her at lunchtimes (20mins away).
When she started to get used to nursery she began to take the milk from a cup (Heinz first beaker with soft spout) but still refuses a bottle.
Now at four weeks into nursery she happily drinks about 5 ozs during the day and although I am still bf-feeding her myself after lunch, she seems a lot happier. She now doesn't really take much from me after lunch but I'm still telling myself and everyone else that it is essential i go!!
When things were bad I sent as much water-rich fruit in as poss (melon, etc) which dd loves... and asked the nursery to offer her water as much as poss.
I know it's awful but it WILL get better.
I set my alarm every day for 0630 regardless of how many times dd has fed in the night and bring her into bed with us and feed her, and then again another quick slurp before I leave for work.
Could you feed your ds at the CM's quickly before you leave?
Can't really offer much more info than this sorry! Hope things get better for you soon.
x