6 month old started refusing bottle

[Greygoose21]

Hi,

My daughter is 6 months old. She’s been refusing bottles for the past week.
Normally she will have 8oz in the morning at around 7/7:30am.
Porridge at 9am.
7oz bottle at 11am.
Lunch (broccoli, cauliflower and salmon) for example + 4oz. 2pm
5oz bottle + yogurt + fruit 5pm
8pm 7oz.

This morning she drank her 8oz bottle. Then had her porridge. She refused her next bottle so I have her what we were having for lunch. (Spaghetti hoops on toast) in her case with bread. She then refused her next bottle. Well drank 2oz through a straw. She then had a portion of strawberries. And she’s just refused her bottle for bed.

Any suggestions. I don’t know what’s all of a sudden changed.
I’ve messaged the health visitor but I’m assuming she won’t reply until Monday.

Thanks

@Greygoose21 is she teething? My lo had no appetite when she was teething. Took 10 days for her tooth to cut through. Kept giving her water so she does not dehydrate and gave her bottle when she was sleep.

*asleep

Is the milk flowing out of the teat ok? Is it possible you need to get a faster flowing teat?

@Yorkiee
She could be. Her top gums over the last week have really changed. She won’t let me look at her bottom gums as she just clenches but I do feel with my finger every day nothing yet that I can feel. She has no problems drinking water or the occasional juice out of her sippy cup. And no problems with food what so ever. Ive even tried putting her milk into the sippy cup but she’s still not interested. Keep pushing the bottle away. 🤷‍♀️

@SmartyPants0
She’s on vari flow which have been fine. Definitely fast enough for her x

@Greygoose21 we had the same problem. She would drink water and eat solids but just didn't want her formula. I tried formula in cereal and she didn't eat. This went on for a good 10 days then I thought okay things are going back to normal when the tooth cut through only to go back to not drinking after a few days. Checked her gums and saw tooth next to it trying to cut through. So it was nearly a whole month of her drinking less.

I gave her formula during nap times and bedtime.

If her gums are swollen and red then its teething. But it takes ages!

That’s a huge amount of food for a 6 month old. Your not recommended to start giving 3 meals a day until after 9 months.

Are you giving milk 30 to 60 mins before food?

@Lockdownseperation

Thankyou for the concern but I know my own child.
No it is not a huge amount of food for a 6 month old! Can you see the portion size I have given her or see how much of it she eats? A yoghurt and a slice of fruit is hardly a meal.
She and myself on a normal day before her reversal of milk, are more than capable of finding a food and milk balance that is right for her.

@Greygoose21 same here. I had to do 3 solids at 6 months because she was eating so little. Still eats little. Even with formula. We can never get past 20 oz. Sometimes I even offer 4 solids a day.

I’m sorry I offended you. That was not my aim but you were the one who asked other people about this.

A yoghurt and a slice of fruit is hardly a meal.

Not for an adult, but that's a pretty big meal for a 6m baby. NHS guidelines are 3 meals at 9m, at which point you start reducing feeds kinda automatically. You've done this very early, so it's likely she's dropping the feeds early too. At 6m she should only just be having solids, a small amount a day. Her main source of nutrition should be milk, so cut right back on the food and up the formula. Maybe try it in a sippy cup if she doesnt like the bottle. But your issue is almost certainly that she's full up on food so doesn't want milk.

@theproblemwitheyes

I’ll repeat myself again. Can you see how much I am feeding her or how much she is eating ? Your going on like I’m giving her a whole tub of yogurt and a whole piece of fruit ! I know my own child! Her eating habit has all of a sudden changed !

At 6m she should only just be having solids, a small amount a day

^ if your referring to the yoghurt the nhs website clearly states they can eat yogurt at 6 months. And again you can’t see the portion sizes or how much of what I am giving her she is eating. So no I have not done anything too early.
I have also already commented above she will not drink milk out of a sippy cup.
Based off her normal behaviour. No she’s not too full. Just before my attempt at giving her a bottle before bed, her stomach was flat. Flat to the point I could see her little abs. Okay she may not be starving but she’s definitely not too full when she’s refusing milk.

I wonder how the human race survive for thousands of years before nhs guidelines became a thing. Or even just before the past 70 years.

@Greygoose21 you asked for our opinions. My opinion is that you're giving your baby too much food. Did you wean early?

Dropping of feeds happens gradually once they're eating more, so it would be very reasonable to assume that your baby's body has got used to a certain amount of solids and now doesn't need as much milk.

Talk to your HV, you'll likely get a similar answer.

I wonder how the human race survive for thousands of years before nhs guidelines became a thing. Or even just before the past 70 years.

You do realise that infant mortality is at an all time low, and life expectancy is at an all time high, right? You don't think that has anything to do with better science and medicine?

You asked for our input! Don't get pissy because you don't like what i have to say, I'm just trying to help you do the best for your daughter.

DD is 13m and still has phases of wanting more/less food and milk. It's usually to do with teething, feeling otherwise under the weather, tiredness, leaps or if it's very hot weather. I wouldn't worry, just keep offering things - she'll take what she needs.

Just wanted to add as my lo never like formula or wasn't drinking enough my doctor told me to offer food all day so she gets the correct amount of intake. Solids saved me. It was a masaive struggle getting her drink her formula

@theproblemwitheyes

No I did not wean early. 5.5 months she stared as she was clearly showing signs of being ready.

And yes I am getting pissy as I feel what yours saying is not relevant so to speak.

Dropping of feeds happens gradually once they're eating more, so it would be very reasonable to assume that your baby's body has got used to a certain amount of solids and now doesn't need as much milk.

^ I could understand this statement if it was a gradual thing. But if it was a gradual thing I wouldn’t have written the post in the first place. She all of a sudden woke up and decided she didn’t want much milk! So clearly isn’t relevant for me. This is my 3rd child so I would like to think I know what I’m doing by now.

@Yorkiee
Xxx

DD sometimes refuses her bottle when teething etc but I also do think it’s sometimes down to eating a lot of solids but she’s 11 months now so that’s understandable.

I do agree with some of the PP’s that is quite a lot of food for 6 months, but you know your own baby however I would make sure they are drinking formula over eating food as they need that nutrition.

I dont think there’s a need to get pissy with people - you asked for opinions and they gave them wether you agree or not. No point asking on a forum then getting defensive!

@greygoose21. It sounds like it could be teething. My little one used refused his bottles for a few days before his first couple of teeth came through and has done the same with his second set. I used to add a bit more milk to his food. I also did milk lollies for him recently and they went down a treat. I used expressed milk as I mix formula and expressed milk (long story). Also please ignore those that said that they shouldn’t be on 3 meals until after 9 months. The guidelines do not say that. They say by 9 months they should be on 3 meals- very different meaning. 3 very small meals is no different to 2 larger ones. My little guy is now 8 months, we weaned at just before 6 months and he has 3 meals now. You know your baby. If you are worried about the milk intake give your HV a ring as they may have some more ideas.

I agree about the guidelines/NHS website. Its a good GUIDELINE, but I think people are overly reliant on it and stick to them regardless of what the child is telling them

Also just to add with the hot weather my little guy has been refusing his milk when it is still warm but having it when it has cooled more than usual. Not sure how your Lo has their milk but maybe try having it cooler.

My HV was out recently for my sons 6 month check. She told me to start weaning early the month before as he was trying to get our food and getting upset when we wouldnt let him. For a month he got little tastes of pureed veg. When she visited last week she expected us to have him eating 2 to 3 times a day now, different textures and food. I was surprised but she said as long as he's taking at least 500ml of formula a day, he can eat as much food as he wants. I thought this was bizzarre, checked with his cousins mum who has a HV in a different region and she was told the same. I was told when teething they may not take as much milk, got multi vitamins from her, and was told on those days to give him lots of yogurt & cheese and high calorie foods like mashed avocado. Try not to worry too much op, as long as she's getting calories and nutrients she will be ok. The chemist sells the nhs first start multivitamins HV gave me.