Never Hungry for Food or Milk

[babysbreath]

Hello,

My baby is seven months old and never seems to be hungry.

She never cries for milk or food, and I have so much trouble trying to get any milk and food inside her.

This is her typical day:
7:30am - Milk
8:00am - Breakfast
12:00pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Milk
5:30pm - Tea
6:30pm - Milk

She doesn't like meat or veg, so the only thing she seems to eat is porridge and pureed fruit! Also, she only has a max. of 5oz of milk each session, and one tablesppon of food at each feed, as that is all she will take.

I would be so very grateful if someone could please give me some advice.

I feel each day is a battle, and I don't want it to become an issue.

The HV said that I must be feeding her before she is hungry - but she goes 13 hours through the night without milk!! Also, the HV said to keep trying to get as much in her as possible, but my baby just gets upset and starts crying if I push it.

What do I do?

i reckon by about 6 months you can play all those hysterical 'bump' games, can't you? you know, where you put them on your knee and let them go backwards, or just roughhouse a bit on the mat with tickles etc.

Thanks AitchtwoOh - an answer to every post! Its just it drives you scatty, especially with the MIL. I must also add I am in germany (and former eastern germany) - in terms of childcare and starting solids they are a bit behind. my Ped. is useless too. Told me also to start at 4 months - I said "is that not a bit early? In the UK current advice is 6 months for ALL babies breast or formula fed". Then she said "well here it is breastfed babies up to 6 months bottle fed 4". i then later read on the internet that in Germany it is also recommended at 6 for ALL babies! When my baby was born it was summer and 37 degeees C - the hospital had no air conditioning and insisted the babies had to be wrapped up sooo warm - hat 3 or 4 layers, thick sleeping bag! Phew!!

Anyway, yes, I can try to get her more active and then play those silly games at six months. I just did a formula feed and got 165ml out of her (I was gobsmacked). She would have finished the whole 185ml, but she coughed just before the last mouthful and she left the remaining 10-15mls. That was only because of no breakfast that she managed that much. I keep trying to resisit the temptation to make up a little bowl of porridgey stuff after her next bottle before bed, as 165ml was only achieved through no attempts at breakfast. So if I try again end of the month?

Thanks again, Bekki

Oh today she is taking NO bottles refusing them all. Tried at 4.30am - nope. Tried at 7.00am - nope. So i am assuming something is wrong...
However, she has no fever and seems as happy as larry, rolling over on her play mat??! I will keep trying to offer something, but she just does not open her mouth now. Of course this has to happen at a weekend when the doctors close early and are never there! My hubby gets home at around 17.00 - if still no joy, then I guess hospital, for fears of dehydration. Typical

what about giving her an ice lolly? made of milk, if necessary (but she might prefer some sweet juice).

Just after I typed the message I got 155ml out of her - although it wasnt easy. She tried to refuse it at first. She seems a bit grizzly today. Not sure if ill, reflux or possibly teething. She likes to put hard things in her mouth most of the time and gets upset if she picks up a cuddly toy instead and tries to chew it as it is not hard enough. If I put my finger in her mouth she bites rather than sucks. Although looking inside her mouth there are no signs of possible emerging teeth. As the doctors are not present over the weekend would it seem silly if we popped into the emergency room at the hospital, just to be sure it is no infection? Do not want her getting dehydrated. My hubbie goes away on business to China on Sunday, so I am left alone with her. I guess it would be best to quickly pop into the hospital? The pediatrician on duty could just take a quick look at her to be sure.

Yesterday she had 345ml of formula and 210ml in the form of a very watery porridge - a meal in a bottle... I do not know what she is playing at though. She is laughing as normal, just a bit more grizzly.

Incidentally, when she refuses the bottle she does not scream just closes lips and turns head away and when she drinks she does not scream either.

Infact on both occasions of refusal today, she just kept the teat in her mouth and made noises.. kind of talking to herself. Then she looked up at me directly in my eyes with this cheeky grin, almost as if to say "Tee heee I know what I am doing...I do not want milk ". She did that when she was ill with a sore throat over xmas though. Now 12.32noon and so far she has had about 230ml. Just annoying..will let u know what doc says..

Hi Bekkie, I have just had time to read through your messages after dd just refused her 3pm milk... i really really sympathise, my dd is so similar. at least you are getting in milk so thats something and maybe she will just pick up again and it just a phase. that said my dd didn't give a swat that i didn't feed her yesterday in the hope that she would take her milk. me and dp were in tears by the end of the evening... incidentally does your dd suck her thumb? i once read a blog that said that thumb suckers get all of their satisfaction from thumb sucking and have poor appetites. might be rubbish but my dd sucks her thumb ALL the time. in fact she would push out her bottle to get her thumb in. i think there is no hope for milk now really...

Just been to the doctors - she is teething and apparently it wont be too long before the teeth show We went to the casualty at the local hospital (10 mins drive away from us ), as docs are off duty over weekend. When I looked in the mouth I could see nothing, but the doctors know where to look - and this doctor was good. Oh and apparently she has a bit of the sniffles which Doc said was a virus, but I heard you get that with teething sometimes too.

She does not suck her thumb as such, but she would push out the bottle and try to get her fingers back into her mouth for a good...BITE. If I put my own clean little finger in her mouth she also bites down on that, when before she used to suck.

Maybe it is the same with yours, as she is the same age? A doctor could easily look it over if he or she is not good. As this was th hospital they picked up on it - my normal PED. probably would not have noticed it as she is hopeless. I know how you feel, the whole stress and worry brings you to tears. I have also cried. I just did a supermarket shop and got some vanilla flavoured followon milk in hope that she will maybe take to it tomorrow. Will let you know..

she's nearly six months now, you could give her a bit of cucumber or celery from the fridge to chew on. dd loved cold celery when she was teething, someone once told me it has natural anaesthetic properties but i've never found anyone (other than dd i guess) to substantiate that.

I like the idea of cucumber

celery's surprisingly good too, because the 'strings' in it keep it together, iykwim?

True... will try to pop in the local supermarket tomorrow.

Hi, a little (read 14 years) late to the party but I am facing exactly same with my baby in 2022!!!!! Nobody understands my pain. Everyone gives unsolicited advices and I am done with it cause no one here has had a never hungry baby like mine. I'm so fed up!! It looks like someone wrote my story.

Just want to ask if op or anyone here was able to make their baby eat/drink finally? I'm so tensed . Baby is 7 months and never hungry, always playful, refuses milk and all types of food. Drinks water from the same bottle but won't drink milk. Closes mouth, pushes back the spoon,

Oh my, my son is exactly same. Nearly seven months refuses milk/solids. Does not roll over or sit down.
I am very very stressed about him.
how is your LO doing now?

@AAAAT the OP's baby is likely to be 15 now and she's unlikely to see your comment. You could try an @ but she may not be around anymore.

If you LO is rolling or sitting, have you spoken to your HV?

I'd do this SLT progress checkerr* , it will say if there are any concerns and then contact your HV and ask for them to assess him using ASQ method.

@PritiPatelsMaker HV said he is fine he will just take time. So I am okay with that as each child is different. Right now big problem is his feeding he keeps food in his mouth and does not swallow it. It takes ages to feed him few spoons.

Right now big problem is his feeding he keeps food in his mouth and does not swallow it. It takes ages to feed him few spoons.

How old is your baby? If you put food on their tray, can they pick it up and put it to their mouth?

He is nearly 7 months he does not pick food up from tray. 😭 don’t know what is happening. Referrals are taking ages, no one is there to help apart from giving their advise.

@Khubiakhan
your baby is probably 1.5 years. How did the feeding go? Did any trick work?
i can understand you pain as I am going through same pain. Baby is never hungry and always playing and smiling. Health visitor says he is happy and I am stressing for nothing 😖, and again she gives bunch of advises which never worked.
he keeps food in mouth does not swallow refuses bottle.
Just wondering that if any one knows the trick to make baby swallow food.

Referrals are taking ages, no one is there to help apart from giving their advise.

What referrals have been made @AAAAT? Has he been referred to a Paediatric Dietitian and a Paediatrician?

Yes he has been referred to Paediatric Dietitian and a Paediatrician, no appointment yet. Referral for dietitian was sent about 6 weeks ago. And for paediatrician 3 weeks ago.
still waiting

If you've got a name for the Paediatrician it might be worth calling their Secretary and letting them know that you're willing to take a Cancellation Appointment at short notice.

You could also ring the Paediatric Dietitian, Department and ask how long it's likely to be and if they can offer any support whilst you wait.

I don’t know the name of paediatrician. So won’t be able to ring.
thanks for your replies.
really appreciate it @PritiPatelsMaker

Similar here as baby never seems hungry and I'm keen to make sure he gets enough milk. Baby is just over 9 months old. Never really shows hunger signals. Variable with solid intake and may eat well some days / meals, some are minimal, but seems to have a small appetite and be a bit of a grazer. Just wondering how your babies have got on. I realise it is now several years later!