Baby crying and fussing during feed

Original poster

marvmaise · 23/09/2021 12:07

@marvmaise

Hi guys I'm at my wits end here. My 3month ds has become extremely fussy while feeding. He shows all the signs of hunger so I'll offer him a bottle and he immediately cry's and fusses. I try burping him, calming him down then as soon as bottles in the mouth back to screaming. But he'll take his dummy! The only way sometimes I can get him to take his bottle is if I'm walking around which is really starting to take a toll on my back problems. Dream feeding is fine he'll take it and burp no problem! I've tried gripe water, infacol for wind, bycicle legs, seeing if he's tired, different teat, different bottle and nothing. He's on aptimal first milk at the moment. Please help me has anyone else experienced this? I have booked a docs appointment also as HV is taking along time to come round (I've just moved areas)

I have also checked his mouth for thrush aswell but can see nothing.

OP posts:

Purplegrape23 · 23/09/2021 12:10

See you breast feeding? If so, how does he react to that?

We found the same with our daughter. We were giving her aptamil and she fussed when feeding so we tried another formula. She seems to be better but generally formula is harder to digest and harder on their tummies. She is combination fed so when I breastfeed she is much better and doesn’t fuss.

Original poster

marvmaise · 23/09/2021 12:11

@marvmaise

Hi guys I'm at my wits end here. My 3month ds has become extremely fussy while feeding. He shows all the signs of hunger so I'll offer him a bottle and he immediately cry's and fusses. I try burping him, calming him down then as soon as bottles in the mouth back to screaming. But he'll take his dummy! The only way sometimes I can get him to take his bottle is if I'm walking around which is really starting to take a toll on my back problems. Dream feeding is fine he'll take it and burp no problem! I've tried gripe water, infacol for wind, bycicle legs, seeing if he's tired, different teat, different bottle and nothing. He's on aptimal first milk at the moment. Please help me has anyone else experienced this? I have booked a docs appointment also as HV is taking along time to come round (I've just moved areas)

He will eventually take it; but it's a fight to do so it takes forever just to get him to keep the teat in his mouth! The only thing I can think off is changing milk but he's been on the same since birth and no issues it's only the last couple days he's been like this. Today he had milk at 8am drank 5oz, showed signs of hunger around 11 ish offered the bottle and only did 3oz after a lot of fussing and crying! Keep offering the rest but is straight up refusing it. Am I doing something wrong here?

OP posts:

Original poster

marvmaise · 23/09/2021 12:15

@Purplegrape23

See you breast feeding? If so, how does he react to that?

We found the same with our daughter. We were giving her aptamil and she fussed when feeding so we tried another formula. She seems to be better but generally formula is harder to digest and harder on their tummies. She is combination fed so when I breastfeed she is much better and doesn’t fuss.

Not breast feeding (pls no judgement), maybe I should try a different formula, it just confuses me to up to now he's suddenly fussing so much! I don't know if aswell it has anything to do with his stools as he doesn't have a bowel movement often (every 4-5 days) but I rang doctors about that and they said it's normal and if it starts going past a week that's when they intervene

OP posts:

MamaToAron · 25/09/2021 00:13

My little one did this for so long at one point…We reached a point where he was screaming purely at the sight of the bottle or when placed in feeding position. I was dreading every single feed apart from the dream feed and I was crying with hi. We thought of and tried everything medically possible and nothing helped! Until an amazing mum here on MN mentioned bottle aversion…there’s a book by Rowena Bennett, it’s called My baby’s bottle aversion - I was reading it with tears streaming down my face because it felt like it was written about us! There’s a programme which you can follow (if you think this might be the issue - it certainly does sound like it purely based on my experience). You have to be very strict with yourself and I found it very difficult emotionally, but the turnaround can very quick and so worth it!

My little one now downs his 8oz bottles in around 10 minutes, and a couple of months ago I thought our misery will never end and we would never be able to leave the bliss again.

I hope this helps - hold on, there’s always a solution! ❤️💐

Hotelhelp · 25/09/2021 00:14

Reflux or milk allergy would be my guess

Original poster

marvmaise · 25/09/2021 14:26

@MamaToAron

My little one did this for so long at one point…We reached a point where he was screaming purely at the sight of the bottle or when placed in feeding position. I was dreading every single feed apart from the dream feed and I was crying with hi. We thought of and tried everything medically possible and nothing helped! Until an amazing mum here on MN mentioned bottle aversion…there’s a book by Rowena Bennett, it’s called My baby’s bottle aversion - I was reading it with tears streaming down my face because it felt like it was written about us! There’s a programme which you can follow (if you think this might be the issue - it certainly does sound like it purely based on my experience). You have to be very strict with yourself and I found it very difficult emotionally, but the turnaround can very quick and so worth it!

My little one now downs his 8oz bottles in around 10 minutes, and a couple of months ago I thought our misery will never end and we would never be able to leave the bliss again.

I hope this helps - hold on, there’s always a solution! ❤️💐

It is extremely emotionally exhausting isn't it as well as being a single mum I'm completely exhausted and I can't imagine how my little one feels either. I've been back and forth to docs and hospital these last couple days, the first diagnosis he had was constipation and was prescribed lactose, after having a bowel movement he was no different and going around 10 hours with no feeding no matter how hard I tried. Last night he was suddenly very hard to wake up and I rang 111 for some advice in tears as he hadn't drank for 10 hours again, they sent me to the hospital and he was diagnosed with reflux. I've started him on the omeprazole but he is still refusing bottles and he is showing signs of early teething too which I know is playing a part. I've just managed to syringe 6oz while he's sitting up distracted in his bouncer, I'll get some gel for his gums but quite honestly I'm just glad he's took something. Horrible thing to go through I can sympathise with anyone who's had to experience this!

OP posts:

Original poster

marvmaise · 25/09/2021 14:27

@MamaToAron

My little one did this for so long at one point…We reached a point where he was screaming purely at the sight of the bottle or when placed in feeding position. I was dreading every single feed apart from the dream feed and I was crying with hi. We thought of and tried everything medically possible and nothing helped! Until an amazing mum here on MN mentioned bottle aversion…there’s a book by Rowena Bennett, it’s called My baby’s bottle aversion - I was reading it with tears streaming down my face because it felt like it was written about us! There’s a programme which you can follow (if you think this might be the issue - it certainly does sound like it purely based on my experience). You have to be very strict with yourself and I found it very difficult emotionally, but the turnaround can very quick and so worth it!

My little one now downs his 8oz bottles in around 10 minutes, and a couple of months ago I thought our misery will never end and we would never be able to leave the bliss again.

I hope this helps - hold on, there’s always a solution! ❤️💐

Thankyou for your suggestion I shall certainly give it a read!

OP posts:

Original poster

marvmaise · 25/09/2021 14:28

@Hotelhelp

Reflux or milk allergy would be my guess

Diagnosed with reflux last night, but have a feeling his early teething (biting hands and trying to eat everything that comes near his face, lots of drooling, can see white caps on his lower gums) if that is teething; I'm sure it's playing a part in the bottle refusal.

OP posts:

MamaToAron · 25/09/2021 15:18

@marvmaise this is the link to it Your Baby's Bottle-feeding Aversion: Reasons And Solutions www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1976164419/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6WEJDCDJP9GQ9VTWNW8V?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

There is also a Facebook support group called Baby Care Advice Feeding Aversion Support Group - they can give advice in addition to what the book recommends, and there are also lots of success stories from other mummas!

I hope you’ll feel better soon ❤️

Pickle2021 · 26/09/2021 09:11

My LO was the same at this age and she used to feed lots when she was before 3 months. Way over the guidance at newborn age. At 7 months old she still drinks well under the guidance and not gained much since 3 months old. But she's happy, feeding and seems to be doing well.

Things we tried:
Bigger teat size. Think it was about 4 months old she was on size 3 teats.
Feeding four hourly. I found if I fed 2-3 hourly she wouldn't take much and be snacking all day.
Give bottle let them take as much as they want then reoffering hour later.
Realising a baby will not starve themselves if they really want a feed 😂 this took long time to realise 😂 I was in tears so many times when she wouldn't drink.
Tried gripe and infacol and most reflux meds. Made zero difference
Changing feeding positions - best we found was feeding in a bouncer. Then when she hated that she now feeds with her across my legs when I'm sitting crossed legged.

Good luck 🤞

Original poster

marvmaise · 26/09/2021 13:29

@marvmaise

Hi guys I'm at my wits end here. My 3month ds has become extremely fussy while feeding. He shows all the signs of hunger so I'll offer him a bottle and he immediately cry's and fusses. I try burping him, calming him down then as soon as bottles in the mouth back to screaming. But he'll take his dummy! The only way sometimes I can get him to take his bottle is if I'm walking around which is really starting to take a toll on my back problems. Dream feeding is fine he'll take it and burp no problem! I've tried gripe water, infacol for wind, bycicle legs, seeing if he's tired, different teat, different bottle and nothing. He's on aptimal first milk at the moment. Please help me has anyone else experienced this? I have booked a docs appointment also as HV is taking along time to come round (I've just moved areas)

After lots of research I found out there's a thing called a bottle aversion which I think maybe be what happened while he's had problems with going to toilet and a bad stomach he may have some how linked that to the pain he gets once he takes a bottle, which his stomach seems much better now going for 1 poop a day! I also spent some time yesterday, making him laugh while holding the bottle in eyesight in hope to link good feelings with bottle feeding and not bad (this was a YouTube video tutorial I followed) and today he seems honestly so much better. It could've been his stomach but he's let me feed him all day today and his normal amount so I'm very please and hope it lasts!

OP posts: