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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Baby feeding awkward - mentally exhausted!

4 replies

NatiBarden97 · 27/05/2024 19:59

I've posted a few times about my little boys feeding but I don't know what else to try anymore!

He's 16 weeks old today and is a nightmare to feed.

We might get one decent/easy feed out of 5 a day.

Last week he was finishing 8oz bottles at every feed. We were going to start upping his bottles as he was emptying them all but since Saturday, he doesn't finish them.

He pulls away from the bottle, then will latch on again. Sometimes will do this a few times and settle down, others he will do it the whole feed. Or he bobs his head around like a nodding dog. Today he's had 6/6.5oz, started to fidget, so stopped to burp him and he won't have the bottle back. Pushes the teat around with his tongue and blocks his face with his hands. If I can get him going again he generally finishes the bottle but getting going again is the challenge.

I've tried the milk at different temperatures. Tried to up the teat but I feel it was too fast for him. I've tried all sorts but I'm at a loss now.

The wonder weeks app says we are in the middle of leap 4 but this is the 6th week of awkward feeding. He used to be so easy to feed.

Straight after a feed he is happy and often full of beans. He is perfect in every other way.

Any suggestions? Is he just full and his hands blocking his face are his way of telling me? He used to finish his bottles perfectly but now every feed is a battle and it's starting to get me down...

OP posts:
Hiddenvoice · 27/05/2024 21:57

If he’s not wanting the bottle then leave him be for a little while as he may want a break and might go back to it.
If he’s putting on weight, having lots of wet and dirty nappies and seems generally content then I wouldn’t be too concerned!
If he’s crying a lot, seems unsettled and fussing a lot during feeds then he may have colic or reflux.
Might be worth checking in with your health visitor if you’re feeling worried and for some reassurance.

My dd was a nightmare to feed. I had to keep changing teets and bottle brands as she would like one for a month and then hate it again. She never drained a bottle and always took less than the ‘suggested amount’ on the formula box. My health visitor said as long as she was growing and developing then not to worry, not every baby drains a bottle and it’s actually better if they leave a little bit as you know they are full. Life got a lot better when we started weaning!

Original poster
NatiBarden97 · 28/05/2024 07:56

Hiddenvoice · 27/05/2024 21:57

If he’s not wanting the bottle then leave him be for a little while as he may want a break and might go back to it.
If he’s putting on weight, having lots of wet and dirty nappies and seems generally content then I wouldn’t be too concerned!
If he’s crying a lot, seems unsettled and fussing a lot during feeds then he may have colic or reflux.
Might be worth checking in with your health visitor if you’re feeling worried and for some reassurance.

My dd was a nightmare to feed. I had to keep changing teets and bottle brands as she would like one for a month and then hate it again. She never drained a bottle and always took less than the ‘suggested amount’ on the formula box. My health visitor said as long as she was growing and developing then not to worry, not every baby drains a bottle and it’s actually better if they leave a little bit as you know they are full. Life got a lot better when we started weaning!

The thing that's throwing me is he always used to finish it and now he's not. He's just under 16lb so I want to make sure he gets enough for his weight.

He's just fed brilliantly this morning then started to cough and that's it he won't have it back. Just pushes it around with his tongue or hands.

He's generally happy and content and sleeps through the night. His wet nappies are brill and he used to have one dirty one a day but it went to every other day and now he hasn't had one since Saturday so I don't know whether to be concerned about that

OP posts:
Superscientist · 28/05/2024 13:43

Could he have had reflux which he is no longer troubled by? Reflux causes comfort feeding as feeding makes it feel better but the feed triggers reflux so they want to eat more in a viscous cycle.

Original poster
NatiBarden97 · 28/05/2024 15:45

Superscientist · 28/05/2024 13:43

Could he have had reflux which he is no longer troubled by? Reflux causes comfort feeding as feeding makes it feel better but the feed triggers reflux so they want to eat more in a viscous cycle.

I suppose he could have. He's never been a very sicky baby. There are times when I thought he could have reflux but it's never seemed to really bother him. He has had a couple of days when he's been spitting up a bit more than usual but nothing drastic

OP posts:
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