Early weaning due to milk refusal

[Inapickle123]

DS has just turned 4 months and, for the past three weeks has point blank refused to take his milk during the day. I can get him to take a maximum of 10oz in a 12 hour period only by waiting until
He is so sleepy he can no longer fight it. Nights are-for the time being-a bit better but, on the advice of my GP, I am to wean him early (he has reflux too)

I guess I'm looking for advice on how exactly to do this as everything I've read on the subject is about solids supplementing milk, not replacing it. I want to make sure he's getting an adaquete number of calories.

At the moment he takes a 6 oz bottle between 4-5am. He will then go hungry (and he is ravenous but as soon as he takes a few sucks on the bottle, he starts to cry) until between 10-11, when after many tears and much screaming, he'll take 3-4oz then collapse. I am lucky to get another 3-4 oz in the afternoon, before his bedtime bottle (which he usually takes but fought for 40m tonight before giving in), dreamfeed and then the cycle begins again.

So does this seem like a sensible plan:

Breakfast
baby porridge made with water
Try formula before nap

Mid morning
portion of mashed banana/apple/mango etc.
More attempts with formula

Lunch
Puréed veg (carrots/sweet potato etc)
Formula (ha!)

Late afternoon/dinner
Baby rice flavoured with fruit

Appointment with the paediatrician can't come soon enough!

My worry is that it doesn't seem very calorie-rich.
Can you make baby porridge with milk (or does it have sufficient calories with the formula stuff it's made with?)? I used Plum baby porridge and made it with milk.

Can you make something like broccoli/cauliflower cheese in a fullfat milk and butter sauce for lunch? Easy to purée if you want to. Lentils are also iron rich if you can sneak some in to your veg meals too. Also, remember to offer some water along with meals - starting food can trigger a bit of constipation.

It sounds like you've been having a miserable time of things with feeding - it's so anxiety provoking when they're not redding enough, and I hope things improve from here.

Perhaps he's refusing the bottle due to teething or the flow/shape of teat no longer pleases him?

You might also try him with some baby yoghurt for some extra calcium.

Is the reflux medicated? Could it need a tweak so he feels able to eat more?

Three meals a day is a lot fur a four month old I'd worry it would cause constipation and lead to Jess formula consumption than there is already.

Have you tried a different milk? It tried heating it up more/less?

Dd used to feed very reluctantly too as she was intolerant to the milk. All changed when she got a prescription milk.

I really don't want to place so much emphasis on solids but I don't have a choice!

We think he has a sensitivity/allergy to cows milk protein, so I need to avoid milk products for the time being.

Reflux is medicated. He was on Ranitidine but this stopped elrking. Now on the next one up (beings with o but can't remember the rest) and there's been a significant decrease in the amount of projectile vomiting.

Bottle refusal started around the time he began to teethe; his top two teeth are now showing in his gums. He's still drooling lots but it doesn't seem to be bothering him. In any case, we used every teething product going during the worst of ot and nothing made a different-he still wouldn't take to the bottle.

I've tried different milk (3 kinds), new bottles, faster tears, slower tears, hotter, colder, sippy cup...it just doesn't make a difference!!!

Has the dr given him a hypo allergenic milk?

If you have a cows milk allergy/intolerance then you need to be prescribed different milk. Weaning at 4 months without any dairy or dairy substitutes will lead to quite a restrictive diet. Baby need calcium and fat which milk contains.

My nephew is lactose intolerant and on the advice of the pediatricians they needed to wean at 3 months in addition ti being prescribed new milk. It is very possible wean early - what advice have been given.

My DSis started with baby rice mixed with lactose free formula once a day (I think with the 11am feed?). And built it up gradually from there.

I think you need to make another appointment with your GP as it doesn't sound like you are being given much support. Hope this helps - it sounds really tough.

Sorry about the typos.... I don't think I've woken up yet!

Avocado, humous, soft cheese would be a good calorie rich start.

I completely agree you need to up calories and be led by your baby if you have tried everything else to make milk 'attractive'. I've known of some babies who just didn't like milk and become happier without it.

No allergies or intolerances suspected?

We've basically been living at the GP but she refuses to give him the hypo formula until the paediatrician confirms it is CMPI.

As he hasn't lost weight, the GP isn't really interested. It was a 10week battle to get a prescription for reflux meds as they wouldn't even consider that his symptoms were anything other than "just colic". I asked for a trail of the hypo milk at least three times but keep getting told he's just a fussy baby.

I tried baby rice made with his milk and he took one bite and refused to eat any. I'll try again but put a flavouring, such as banana, through it.

This child will be the death of me!

He associates food/milk with pain I expect :( you really need to get that diagnosis the milk will change everything.

Food won't help if made with formula as it will still upset his tummy.
I wish you luck.

I'd be begging and begging for a trial!!

Try avocado mixed with some cooked pear. In fact try most veg mixed with a bit of pear ( best to get a couple of bags and make a big batch, freeze in ice cube trays and put into freezer bags) the pear sweetens up other stuff.

Oh my! They still havent given you a prescription! You poor things! They may be refusing because it is v expensive.
Im sure you can buy some of the.hypo formula over the counter?
To be advised to wean early is at best lazy but in my opinion, neglogent. I would be sending a complaint.
Have you tried allergy uk's advice line? They will be used to this kind pf crap from GPs and may have some ideas for you

Hi there...we are in pretty much the same boat as you, but our little one wasn't gaining weight very well.

If your GP insists you start weaning at this stage (and your baby will need more calories than what he's getting at the mo) then ask to be referred to a paediatric dietician, especially if you suspect CMPI. I demanded a referral (they can't actually refuse you if you are very worried) and LO is almost two weeks into a trial of hypoallergenic formula and his intake has slowly gone up from about 450ml a day to 680ish. This was after he was given high calorie formula as his intake was too low, but if he is CMPI it was upsetting his tummy all along...

Babies do have complex needs in terms of nutrients and if you are weaning a baby who isn't drinking much you will need to make sure he's getting plenty of nutrients and calories. A lot of the baby purees are really low calorie, and if you suspect CMPI you should avoid dairy as well (our shopping is horrific, it takes forever to read each label). But...your baby will be getting very important nutrients from his formula or breastmilk, and if this is upsetting his tum, you definitely need to address this with your GP, a paed dietician etc.

You can buy hypoallergenic formula over the counter, but it takes about two weeks for cow's milk protein to leave the system, so you won't see instant results.

As suggested above, avocado is a good food, as are bananas, but both alone won't sustain a baby in terms of nutrition, their milk should be the main source if at all possible. Look for stage one foods that contain over 70kcals/100g, as this is higher than the calorific value of milk...but as mentioned, these foods won't be providing all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs so you should really see about getting the formula sorted.

Best of luck to you, as I know how hard it is having a baby who doesn't eat :-(