Please help me feed my baby

[Austin0210]

My 13 weeks old daughter refuses to feed. She is formula fed using MAM bottles, she was diagnosed with reflux so on omeprazole and sma LF milk. She was given this at 11 weeks.

Whenever I try to feed her she screams, even putting her into a feeding position or if she hears the click of the bottle lid she flips. I've tried changing positions, feeding her on bouncers or propped up on the sofa, different bottles (nuk, Dr brown) she just hates it.

I've been trying to follow a feeding aversion book where you don't force them to feed but she ends up hardly feeding - maybe like 500ml a day. She's getting enough wet nappies so I know she's not dehydrated

She was getting weighed every week as she was born on the 50th centile and went down to the 9th, she was tracking the 9th but that was with literally forcing her to eat.. I think I've made her hate feeding because of this but I was getting so much pressure from the HV and GP that she was under weight and to get it in her at all costs. Last week we got her weighed and she was 10lb 14oz. I think because I'm in the mindset that she needs to be gaining and the only times she did that was when she was taking 700-800mls a day im panicking that she won't gain any and will become unwell or failure to thrive? Were not having another weigh in for a month

I will try anything to help her, I've emailed a private paediatrician to see if I can get an appointment with them incase something is wrong. I can't see any thrush or tongue tie but tbh I'm not an expert so maybe I'm missing something?

If anyone has gone through this please write back, I will try anything to help her.

Go back to GP, try asking for an amino based formula on prescription. Also try looking for a cranial osteopath

Tackle the reflux. It has one of two causes:

• Air intake, resulting from an oral tie
• Allergy, usually CMPA

If she doesn't have skin issues (eczema, etc), her stool is of loose but not watery consistency and contains no mucous, and/or she is not regularly congested, it's less likely to be allergy based.

You need a proper oral function assessment to determine any restriction, not being able to "see" a tie means nothing. Look for a certified tongue tie practitioner and get an assessment privately.

Omeprazole is an (often ineffective) bandaid, and does more harm than good long term.

DD was like this and it was CMPA. Took two weeks to get her to take the special prescribed formula but we got there in the end. It was hellish, you have my sympathies!

Hi. When you say refuse, do you mean completely? No milk at all? Baby's do plateau around 3-4 months and it is about trusting your baby to eat as much as they need not following CDC guidelines which is based on a male formula fed infant or WHO which is based on BF babies weight gain.

Back to GP/HV. A HV should be able to pop round a put a plan in place with you. They also are best placed to support you as they know your history best.
If your baby is getting plenty of wet nappies still, is active/alert, good colour, responsive & happy when not feeding - she will be getting enough. How often does she feed/how much? There is so much to unpick here.. Perhaps try baby-led feeding.

She will completely refuse, clamping lips together/crying/moving head/hitting arms)
She will then eventually take the milk when she is really hungry.

The last HV I saw was helpful for the most part but her advise was to persist with just trying to get her to feed every 3 hours, she even tried feeding my daughter and said that it was maybe an aversion.

Baby is alert, happy when not feeding, sleeping okay etc

When I was forcing her to eat it was every 3 hours 120ml. Since Tuesday I have been taking her lead and not forcing but offering a feed and she can go about 5 hours before I can get her to accept the bottle and then it anywhere between 80-160ml, I'll list today's feeds
3am - 80ml
830am - 90ml
1300 - 110ml
1600 - 80ml
1730 - 80ml
2215 - 120ml

I'll have a look into all of the suggestions so far!

No skin issues or other symptoms that you listed.

I've just emailed a tongue tie practitioner to see if I can get an appointment for next week, thank you!

Could she be constipated?

Yeah I'd get her a tongue tie assessment with the health visitor or a doctor (tongue tie often causes excessive air being swallowed which causes reflux) and also ask the GP about CMPA and whether you can try prescription milk such as similac alimentum.

You will almost certainly have to go back to them a couple of times before they finally prescribe it. It sorted my DS out quite well while we waited 6 months for a tongue tie appointment (he had both TT and CMPA so double whammy). Does she have any other symptoms such as a rash, loose stools, etc?

I'd imagine that severe reflux and failure to thrive are pretty big symptoms though and a competent GP should be willing to try the specialist milk since it sounds like you've tried all else.

Just in case anyone ever reads this for advice, here's an update.
LO has been diagnosed with CMPA and has been doing a lot better with feeding!