Battle to get baby to drink formula

[FTMRLH]

My baby is 5 months old and has been formula fed since very young.
She has never really enjoyed being fed but recently it is getting harder and harder to feed her.

She will happily take 1-2oz and then we almost have to wrestle her to finish her bottle. Which after a protest she will.

I don’t know what to do, I’m at my wits end

Ours was like this around the 5mth mark. I moved her on to solids once a day about a weeks before 6mth and it got better, now on 2 solid meals and 5 bottles. She drinks less during the day and more in the evenings for each feed. She likes to smile and laugh at me when faffing with the bottles, annoying but super cute too.

My DS was the same and I remember the stress and frustration. It’s so hard but babies can’t starve themselves and will have what they need. Is she gaining weight okay?

Weaning wasn’t a great experience for us either and even now DS doesn’t have a great appetite for anything including sweet stuff but he’s a normal weight and height, just not fussed about food. You’ll be weaning soon, does she show any interest in food yet?

@Encee1 @Chely

We attempted to start giving her some porridge in a morning after her bottle. She seemed interested at first but the novelty has mega worn off so we’re going to stop and try again in a few weeks.

I try weigh her at home because we never see the HV but it’s probably not as accurate. She’s about 7kg. But luckily she’s been a chunk since she was born and although she’s no longer on 97th she’s still fitting the right size clothes etc 😅

It’s just such a traumatic experience for us both and we spend almost her full wake time trying to get her to eat. I just wish it was more enjoyable for us all

How often is she offered milk?

Ah OP it’s so hard, I remember. My cousin when he was little would only eat chocolate; my Aunty took him to the doctor who basically said he was happy and healthy so don’t stress and let it work itself out. It did and he’s grown up and an adventurous eater. Honestly, the number of times I’d sit with DS with some milk or food and just cry with how little he was eating, but it will pass. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself; is it worth offering smaller feeds more frequently?

@dementedpixie
Every 3-4 hours x

Thanks @Encee1 it’s so hard not to worry about it 😅

Have you tried different bottles and teats? Are they following their weight centile?

Gah! I remember this with ds. I would swaddle him, yes even at 5 months, and lay him across a feeding pillow in a quiet, dimly light room with no distractions. He would not ever be held for a bottle and would swipe it away if his hands were free. He's now a strapping 8 yo who loves his food and was very easy to wean onto a huge range of tastes. It will be OK.

Your Baby's Bottle-feeding Aversion: Reasons And Solutions https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1976164419/ref=cmswwrawdoonavTaa_B2RPAF8QW2NWD9PMFSP6

This book helped us loads when my baby hated his bottle, he still doesn't love it but it's tons better now

Eldest developed a bottle aversion due to severe reflux - she was so bad that she was hospitalised several times with suspected pyloric stenosis.

Youngest just seems to hate milk. Also hospitalised but due to weight loss and faltering growth. Maximum she has ever taken is 4oz and that’s only recently at bedtime now she’s almost 7mo.

Sadly the only thing that helped was early weaning. Neither have picked up milk intake by much, but at least we can sneak in milk via porridge, cheese and yoghurt.

If it’s just a phase then it may be teeth etc. if not then it might be worth trying to see a dietitian. Might be tricky atm though - we got referred very early on with DD2 due to DD1’s history, but I think the wait is months otherwise.

Have you tried faster/slower flow teats? She may just be frustrated.

Or just not having a growth spurt.

I know it's hard but if they're growing well then there's really no reason to worry or do anything. The only thing I'd suggest is perhaps they'd rather drink smaller amounts more frequently? As you say you're only offering every 3-4 hours and they take the first oz or two happily. Could you try offering a few Oz but every 2 hours for example? Once they're done with the first couple of oz if they don't want anymore I wouldn't bother pushing it, you could create an aversion (possibly what's happened here already?). Just leave it say 30 mins at least and then re-offer, if they're not interested again I'd leave it another 30 mins at least.

Could be time to move up a teat size on the bottle. If it were me I’d also crack on with weaning now and wouldn’t wait a few weeks. NHS guidelines are ‘around 6 months’ which she pretty much is and if porridge wasn’t a big hit then there’s loads more out there to try instead.

My son has been exactly the same since 5 months. I've changed bottles, teats, milk etc. the only thing that seems to be mildly working is feeding before nap time in a quiet room.
Any other time he's just too interested in what's around him!