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LB seems uninterested in bottle and drinking less

5 replies

SB04x · 22/10/2024 08:08

FTM with twin boys, they are 4.5 months (2.5 months adjusted age). One of my boys seems uninterested in his feeds over the last couple of weeks, on size 1 mam teat, turning head away during feed, chewing teat, smiling, generally playing with bottle rather than feeding. It's getting so hard to even get 100ml into him when before he was drinking around 130ml per feed easily. Weight gain has been fine so I know HV will say not to worry but every feed is a challenge and I'm worried it's just distressing him as half the time I feel like I'm forcing him to have it - but if I didn't encourage him then he'd literally have 50ml and be done. He isn't falling asleep during feeds so don't think he's just getting bored - unless playing with the teat is another way of him showing he's bored of it? They've been sleeping longer through the night so have also naturally dropped a feed meaning his intake is even less than it used to be. I just don't know what to try. I've tried feeding him on my lap making eye contact, avoiding eye contact, holding his hands, leaving him longer between feeds to make sure he's hungry (but even after 6 hours in the night he is the same). We always feed in side lying/elevated position. Help 😭 stressed ftm xo

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Nettleskeins · 22/10/2024 08:24

Mother of twins (22 years now!) It s probably that he is getting more interested in the world around him and you and feeding time is interactive for him rather than just fueling up. Interacting is important to his development so I wouldn't think of it as "distracting" him
He's making the most of the time he is interacting, and babies like sucking for its own sake not just food.
I wonder whether that teat is too slow for him?
Does he get the chance to lie on a playmat and "explore the world", kick his legs and wave his arms before feeds for a little bit?
Feeding time for babies is about more than just getting volume in, it's a dance of sorts, communicating with them.

Anyway, that's my take on it....it was a very very anxious time and as a devoted mother I really had to take a step back and think about enjoying time with them as there seemed to be so little of it!!!and concentrate less on feeding schedules and volumes of milk etc

Nettleskeins · 22/10/2024 08:32

There's a thread from 2023 called "Mam Teat too slow" i think in Parenting section, in which various people say size 2 slightly too fast and size 1 too slow at 11 weeks. Lots of advice on that thread. Sorry, can't link

SB04x · 22/10/2024 14:24

I'll have a look at that thread! Thank you both so much x

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SB04x · 22/10/2024 14:25

Sorry didn't realise you responded twice not two different people haha. Thank you very much

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PolaroidPrincess · 24/10/2024 15:57

Nettleskeins · 22/10/2024 08:32

There's a thread from 2023 called "Mam Teat too slow" i think in Parenting section, in which various people say size 2 slightly too fast and size 1 too slow at 11 weeks. Lots of advice on that thread. Sorry, can't link

Yeah I've seen that mentioned a couple of times. I've even seen posters say they've just bought a cheap bottle from Tesco and that's sorted the problem.

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