Baby refusing bottle suddenly at 4 months

[OhhSugar]

My DD is 4 months old (almost 5) and for the past two days has been pushing away from every feed. She doesn't have reflux or anything digestive issues and used to happily take her bottle every four hours.

Something has changed in the past 2/3 days and she now refuses almost every feed. I've tried feeding her in different positions, different angles, I replaced her size 2 teet and even changed to size 3 and it didn't work.

She isn't crying because she's hungry and seems she would have happily gone the last 2 days without any milk.

I dream fed her last night about 9pm and she took the lot (I don't normally dream feed her but was worried about her fluid intake!) so was pleased she actually had it.

I've just tried to dream feed her again and she's turned away quite forcefully from the bottle in her sleep. I don't think she's teething yet and we've not started weaning either.

Any ideas on what I can do? 😢

Hi my LO at 4 months old did the same suddenly stopped taken as much milk she would alway down a bottle but just stopped. It lasted about 4 day she would only take a few oz a feed not much at all . She was fine in her self still playing and wet and dirty nappies. My health visitor called around the same time and said it was common as they have been growing alot for the last 4 months and drinking all her milk so just not needing as much as before. But health visitor said if she stopped completely I needed to contacted them or changed ie poorly. I was stressed to bits about it even cried as my LO always downed her bottle then just took little bit after the 4 days she was back to normal and still is at 6months and healthy and happy . Hope your little one starts drinking properly soon xxx

Baby refusing all feeds is worrying.

Could baby be very overtired? Could be the frustration at just wanting to sleep as a priority creating the frustration.

Could also be over-hungry - frantically wanting the feed can present as pushing it away. Try feeding as soon as baby wakes and then really frequently (hourly or two-hourly) for a few days.

@Hoping1 I hope my daughter is just going through a spell of not needing much milk like your little one. I'm the same, I cried this evening because I'm worried about her. :(

@FATEdestiny I don't think she's overtired, she naps 3/4 times a day and sleeps for 10 hours a night with the odd feed in between. She's her normal happy self, smiling, not irritable, just not drinking her milk. Why do you suggest it's worrying? That's not sarcastic, btw. Im just trying to understand what could potentially be the problem :( im so worried.

My son did this at 5 months.
My goodness it was stressful. 2 weeks later he had 2 bottom teeth cut. ( we really didn't think it was that )
Hope she picks up soon for you. We dream fed too every night! 🙈

Why do you suggest it's worrying?

Because at 4 months all of babys calories and hydration is from milk. So missing all feeds can make baby unwell.