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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Help - my 5 month old has started to refuse his bottles

12 replies

Holstar · 02/04/2010 19:58

Hi - I would really appreciate any advice this is my first post. my second DS is 20 weeks and i have had nothing but problems feeding him! After succesfully BF my now nearly 3yr old DS for 7 months I only managed 6weeks this time after a vicious bout of mastitis on xmas day - Happy Christmas! he refused to feed from me so we moved onto a bottle. He fed fine from that although colicky problems that we'd had BF continued. His digiestive discomfort has continued - arching back, crying, knees pulled in for up to 2hrs after feeding. He is now on a Lactose free milk and seems a little better. However, he has now started to be really akward about his bottles. This isn't a direct result of changning milks as the change happened a month ago and this screaming at the bottle started about a week ago.

It has got really bad the last couple of days to the point that i dread having to feed him and am struggling to even get 10oz in him in a day. i have started weening him and he is very happy to take solids and i am trying to get milk in him that way. Even after the night he isn;'t interested in the morning.

any advice or similar experiences would be gratefully recieved as something that should be so easy - to feed your child - is rapidly sending me barmy!!

OP posts:
BlueBumedFly · 02/04/2010 20:38

I would say reflux or silent reflux. DD was like this at the same age, back arching, crying, refusing bottle. Very distressing for all and sundry.

DD was diagnosed as silent reflux where the stomach contents come up and burn their throat. Then after about 8 weeks of not being treated she started to vomit. Afternoon bottles were worst for fussing and refusing then with the evening bottle coming up as a whole lot at least every other night.

Once she failed to thrive at about 9 months we were given gaviscon which did nothing then ranitidine which was an overnight cure, managed to wean her off at 16 months and she was fine after that.

If you are worried or cannot resolve things please talk to your doctor.

Shaz10 · 02/04/2010 20:39

Do you need the next sized teat? My son screamed through his bottle, I presume because he couldn't get the milk fast enough. We went up a size and after a few splutters he was happy.

Original poster
Holstar · 02/04/2010 20:52

thank you - he actually spent 2 weeks on ranitidine as it was suspected that he may have silent reflux - I was hoping it would be the answer to his problems but it didn't seem to help.

i will try the faster teat - but a lot of the time its getting him to even take the bottle in his mouth and start sucking.

Am pretty frazzled with the whole thing - i hate it when your kids dont eat/feed it's so emotional. My DH thinks I'm mad!

OP posts:
CarGirl · 02/04/2010 20:56

I wonder if he has silent reflux and some sort of allergy/intolerance.

Not all (sometimes non) acid reflux medications help a child some suit one kind over others IYSWIM.

I would be demanding asking for an urgent paed referral tbh.

BlueBumedFly · 02/04/2010 20:58

Have you had him checked for sore throat etc? Toncilitis can be acute and go on for weeks if untreated?

When DD was put on ranitidine I asked the MN massive and some said it worked and some not, those who said not were prescribed other meds which worked differently. Maybe go back to doc?

CarGirl · 02/04/2010 21:00

Also get checked out an ear infection or virus because you tend to lay them down to drink a bottle but they sit up to eat food, or is he being fine at night?

BlueBumedFly · 02/04/2010 21:08

CarGirl right about the ear infection, that can be an issue too.

I stamped my feet practically for a referral .. scrub that, I stamped my feet.

Original poster
Holstar · 02/04/2010 21:11

he's is fine when he takes a bottle at 11pm but otherwise they are all hit or miss. He was checked for throat etc before he was prescribed ranitidine - will head back to the Dr's next week and see if we can try something else. He has a paed referal but appointment is 5 weeks away....
i always felt that maybe it was silent reflux so will push for a different med and see if that helps

Thanks for all the support its easy to feel alone when things go wrong or are hard!

OP posts:
BlueBumedFly · 02/04/2010 21:17

Holstar you said it, its easy to feel alone. We waited from November till March for our referral and in that time DD vomited so many nights, the longest run was 30 nights in a row, she gained no weight in over 6 months. I tried everything and so many people told me she would 'grow out of it' but once the right meds were in she wsd fine. I always knew it was silent reflux as the signs were all there.

Funnily enough I looked at a photo of her today during that time and she looks so ill, I think if I'd known then what I know now I would have shouted so much louder. Anyhow, she is 3 in a few weeks and very tall and lean but full of life and laughs.

Original poster
Holstar · 02/04/2010 21:21

glad that your DD is well and happy now BlueBummedFly - i will shout and scream a bit louder and try to get this sorted (will have to stop bawling first!!

OP posts:
BlueBumedFly · 02/04/2010 21:30

I cried buckets! DS will be fine I am sure and 'this too shall pass' as my mother would say, its just horrible to have to deal with. Good luck!

ScreaminEagle · 03/04/2010 00:18

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