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Parenting

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Original poster

Bottle feeding - 4 month regression?

11 replies

SamJTony · 30/01/2019 14:48

Hi everyone

This is my first post.

I have a four and a half month old ff baby boy. He’s always fed like a dream however for about the past 3 weeks, he’s been a nightmare to feed. He screams for the bottle but once offered it, he messes around with it, writhing around and arching his back, turning his head from side to side. Milk goes everywhere! Sometimes I get through the first half of the feed unscathed but then the second half is such a palaver that I have to leave it and go back to it half an hour later. He has between 7 and 8oz per feed and eats 5 times a day. He is where he needs to be in terms of putting on weight and doesn’t appear to be suffering with reflux or anything like that. He has suddenly become very easily distracted and it’s driving me nuts! I wondered if it could be anything to do with his teeth? He doesn’t have any yet but he is dribbling for England and when he isn’t sleeping or messing about on the bottle, he has a fist wedged in his mouth! Sometimes when he pulls away from the bottle he screams and cries but other times he smiles and laughs. So I just don’t know what to think! I’m at the end of my tether with it, it’s incredibly frustrating and I’m trying to stay patient but it’s incredibly difficult. Sometimes I just want to scream, other times I want to put him down and leave him. Please can anyone offer some advice?

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chargedproton · 30/01/2019 15:09

Omg I could have written this post myself. Mine is also the same age.

He has 7oz and it’s lucky if I get him to have 4oz. I burp him and he doesn’t want anymore. He used to love his milk. He just keeps blowing bubbles.

Must be developmental or something.

chargedproton · 30/01/2019 15:31

I’ve noticed if I put white noise down, he calms down and has his bottle. Try that?

Nedzilla · 30/01/2019 15:37

Have you tried less milk but at more feeds?

Instead of 7oz 5 times per day, try 5oz 7 times per day

7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, add another at 9/10pm if they are still hungry

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user1493413286 · 30/01/2019 15:40

Could it be to do with the teat size? Does he need a bigger one and is getting frustrated with it?

Original poster

SamJTony · 30/01/2019 17:08

Thanks for your replies everyone. I’ve tried cutting down the amount I give him per feed but he just cries and grizzles until I offer him the bottle again and then the whole faffing around starts again. Up until 3 weeks ago, he ate the lot in one go with no issues and had done so for a while so I’m reluctant to cut him down. White noise unfortunately isn’t really an option for us as my son has a hearing loss and relies on hearing aids. As for the teat size, we use (and have always used) the Medela Calma teat. He was mixed fed for 3 months and got used to that teat so never bothered to swap once he went exclusively on the formula. Those teats should be fine as the baby controls the speed and flow etc but I’m tempted to try again with a different bottle. A friend mentioned it might be the milk itself that’s upsetting him, but I don’t think it is as he’s been on it since 4 weeks old with no issues!!!

OP posts:

chargedproton · 30/01/2019 18:41

I tried the size 2 teat today and baba hated. Kept choking and crying.

Most 4 months old are on size 2 by now so I don’t know why he doesn’t like it, I’ve tried twice now. Once when he was 2 months old.

Topseyt · 31/01/2019 02:37

It could possibly be teething, but there are other possibilities.

Have you checked inside his mouth to see that he doesn't have thrush in there? Two of my three got this occasionally and it caused behaviour similar to what you describe.

BunloafAndCrumpets · 31/01/2019 03:12

It is possible to develop CMPA around this age which can lead to this - have a google and see if he has any other symptoms? All the best.

mylaptopismylapdog · 31/01/2019 04:14

Might be worth trying teething granules before a feed to see if that helps. The Sophie giraffe teether seems to help too.

User1357942 · 31/01/2019 05:07

Have you tried feeding in a darkened room? 4mo is a really distractable time

Pinkiii · 31/01/2019 21:50

I could have written this post a couple of months ago.

My DD was the same, i think she was just going through a developmental stage and was just being nosy or just teething as she liked to play with the tear, she was fine and back to normal a couple of weeks later..she is now 6 months and we have odd days where she is like but i just accept its going to be a longer feed than usual

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