Baby not drinking his milk! Help!

[lockdownpregnancy]

Hi all.
DS is 18 weeks and is 91st centile so a big boy.
He usually has 7-8oz milk per bottle and 5 feeds per day.
As of yesterday he has been half of each bottle and then refusing the rest!
He doesn't have a temperature, good wet and dirty nappies and generally seems happy.
We started weaning him from last week, as per HV advice, but I'm talking a teaspoon here and there as we are trying everything to check for allergies before we start feeding him properly, so there is no way he's full off one teaspoon of puréed veg!
I gave him his bottle this morning (last one was 8pm last night) and the same again. Got 4oz's in and then refused it.
Is this normal as I'm really worried as this has never happened before! He's always wanting more milk and now this!
So worried! Please help 😫

@lockdownpregnancy the reason a number of posters are advising against early weaning is because it is quite likely having ( in terms of him replacing milk feeds with less nutritionally dense foods) or going to have a negative impact on his health ( in terms of increased likelihood of bowel disorders such as ibs).

But you dont seem to be listening to the advice regarding it which is why it's being repeated by multiple people.

Your name speaks for itself.

I'm not even going to continue a dialogue with you. Please go away

Let him have as much or as little as he wants. He knows his body and appetite best.

Thank you @Aimee1987 we haven't given him anything for the last two days as we wanted to make sure he had all of his milk and he hasn't had it. If I'd have filled him up on puréed food the last two days I'd understand which is why I said it's not the weaning.

I'm quite happy to stop the weaning if it means him going back to drinking his milk like he did before.

I just find it really upsetting that some people have practically accused me of being a bad mom!

😔

Cut solids. Of course he's drinking less milk if he's eating food! They do not need solids this young, unless for a medical reason, and that's very rare. Seeming hungry Isn't a reason to wean. He's a good weight, there's absolutely no need for solids. Your hv advice is shocking and I'd ask to speak to another!

It’s teething then. As someone else said, the sucking action hurts the gums. On the 91st centile your baby won’t be harmed by a couple of weeks of reduced milk. (My baby was on the 50th for height and 25th for weight at a similar age so more of a concern.)

Babies pick up on parental stress. You being anxious about it won’t make him drink more.

Even if he hasn't had it the last two days, it doesn't mean his tummy isn't sore from having it before. They start dropping bottles as soon as they have food, i really would re consider weaning because he WILL drop more and more feeds the more he has, which you're clearly very anxious about. Stick to the milk til he's ready. Even when you wean at 6 months it's spoonfuls, not full meals. Food before one is just for fun! From 6-12 months his food and calorie intake should pro dominantly be milk. Small spoonfuls and finger foods as snacks.

My did starred weaning at 16 weeks...and she’s now 7 nearly 8 and healthy as a horse so I wouldn’t worry about people berating you about weaning at 18 weeks.

She had nasty night time colic too and having a bit of food every day actually helped! She pretty much eat whatever she get givens.

Ds wasn’t weaned until 6 months due to various problems. He’s a fussy bugger

I wouldn’t worry about him dropping his feeds as long as he’s still having wet/dirty nappies and seems bright and well.

Maybe introducing the puree has given him a belly ache which is why he’s off his milk? Same happened with my DD when I started weaning (weaned at 5 months on advice of a paediatrician due to reflux). Her body wasn’t mature enough for solids yet so it gave her a bit of a bellyache and she was off her milk for a few days.

I think you’re used to baby drinking more than they need and now worried they’ve self regulated and drinking the what they need- if they are weeing and pooing fine then I wouldn’t worry.

37 oz seems like a lot of formula...

If I were you I would write down over 24’hours how much was drunk in totally, it’s probably more than enough.

@lockdownpregnancy babies go through phases of wanting more or less milk, it’s completely normal and he’ll let you know if and when he wants more! Also don’t forget he is a person who will sometimes be more hungry than other times (I know some days I could eat all day whereas other days I’ll hardly eat a thing!). I agree with everyone else regarding weaning, it’s not recommended this young for a reason and purée will also be less filling than formula milk

Hiya, I’ve got a 12 month old and am also ftm. Teething can go on for yonks before you see any teeth! Signs include flushed cheek, pulling at ears and random yelling of unknown origin. As PP have said, sore gums can put them off a bit. As long as you still have healthy nappies and good energy I would keep calm, keep offering and see what happens.

The baby has the signs of readiness already, you said?
-able to sit up unaided
-able to pick up and hold items
-lost the tongue thrust reflex

That’s it. Not looking at food, not wanting more milk, not grabbing food off someone’s plate, etc.
The baby probably has a sore stomach from being given food (no matter how little the amount) before being physically able for it :(

He doesn't need food yet. HV advice is bollocks.

Nor is a teaspoon of veg going to make any difference.

If he needs feeding more often than 3 hourly, feed him more often. Simple really

FWIW , I BF my big DS (91-98 centiles) every 2 hours til 6 mo. No food before then.

Being big doesn't mean ready for weaning.

I'll just leave this here....

In regards to the milk, as long as he's having wet nappies I wouldn't worry. Maybe before he was having a growth spurt, now he's drinking less. That's fine, he'll drink it if he's hungry.

@DicklessWonder has good points though.. so have others.

Introducing low calorie blended vegetables is essentially pointless at this stage. If he’s hungry he needs more milk. Even a teaspoon will take up space/irritate the lining of the stomach.

I BF my DC (so have no bloody idea how much he’s having or how often) and when we started weaning at 5 months 3 weeks everything just came out how it went in.

Then about 3-4 weeks later it started coming out looking like poop! Totally not scientific but obviously his digestive system wasn’t actually doing anything useful to ‘digest’ the food in the beginning. Now it is. There is a HUGE difference in their tiny bodies ability to digest food and next time I’d probably wait longer again.

I’d suspect teething

My DS was 91st percentile as well and would have between 37-42 oz at his peak intake (before weaning at 6 months) but there were a few occasions were it went down by about half because his teeth were starting to hurt him. It went away after a few days

[quote lockdownpregnancy]@GreenLeafTurnip he may be actually, as he has all the symptoms of teething but can't see any teeth. I'm a FTM so I don't have a clue with these things! I assume you can't see the teeth straight away after they start showing signs of teething? His cheeks are flush a lot but not all the time though?
@OverTheRainbow88 & @Vicky1989x I have just been out and bought bigger teats and still the same thing.
The strange thing is, is that his mouth is open making the 'give me my milk face' and then once he starts sucking he gets upset, which now that it's been mentioned about it potentially hurting his gums if he is teething makes sense.

@Thatwentbadly who has a paediatrician unless there is something medically wrong with your baby? Are you from the states? You're lucky to speak with a GP at the minute with the pandemic going on, so I've been taking advice from my HV and other mommy friends.
My issue isn't with the weaning as tbf I'd barely call it that at the minute with how small of the amounts he's getting, it's his lack of milk drinking that is my concern.
As it's only day 2 of this I want to try and nip this in the bud ASAP, but if the other pp's are right with potentially teething then at least I know and I can just go with the flow.

I hate not knowing what to expect! I just want to help him and make sure he's happy 😔

[/quote]
I had pead drs for both my babies. I also weaned from 15 weeks. But under the very strict guidance of the pead drs. I’m from the U.K.

Just wanted to add

Both my pead drs said not to listen to my HV. Which was quite sad. But they said they don’t get training about feed or food or weaning. So can’t advise against it.

@evenBetter

The baby has the signs of readiness already, you said? -able to sit up unaided -able to pick up and hold items -lost the tongue thrust reflex

That’s it. Not looking at food, not wanting more milk, not grabbing food off someone’s plate, etc.
The baby probably has a sore stomach from being given food (no matter how little the amount) before being physically able for it :(

This