PLEASE help - can't get advice

[kckiwi]

My 9.5 month old son has always been a bad feeder when it comes to milk (as was my first son). Although he went on reflux medication it didn't help and we are pretty sure it wasn't that now. Anyway, I am still breastfeeding, or trying to, but my problem is that he never wants to. I can only really feed him before bed and at night but he only spends a few minutes on the breast. I have tried bottle feeding and again, can only get him to take it just before bed (about 90-100ml). I am really worried that he isn't getting enough milk as I believe they should have 600ml a day. I try adding it to his solids etc as well.

Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I am the only person whose baby doesn't guzzle milk when given half a chance!! I don't live in the UK and therefore find it hard to get advice. I would be really grateful to hear from other mums who have experienced the same thing as it gets me down. Thanks!

Sorry to hear you are struggling. Can't give you any advice as not had this experience but have you posted this on the bottle and breastfeeding thread as well? Might get more responses that way.

Try looking at Kellymom which has info about babies who aren't feeding.

Are you offering at other times of the day too?

Have you tried carrying him skin to skin eg in a sling?

have you tried feeding as soon as he wakes up from a nap? so don't wait for him to start crying but almost offer it as he is coming to (this mimics that calm enviroment of the night feeds)

Sorry, I realised my post sounded a bit abrupt - I didn't mean it to be. It must especially difficult when you've not got support around.

Could you try offering it to him when drowsy (eg before naps), or when he's actually asleep, as a dream feed? I know of others on MN who have had similar problems with refluxy babies who've gone on nursing strike.

Thanks everyone. Yes, I am offering him on waking (not keen, seems to want to get on with the day!) and before every meal. I have started a dream feed which is sometimes quite successful and I try to breastfeed first then top up with bottle but he generally refuses that. He also gets a feed in the middle of the night (unfortunately!) but even then he isn't necessarily hungry. It is all a bit of a vicious circle because of course I worry about my milk supply diminshing. When he was younger I used to try and express but could never get much out.

Assuming he WASN'T getting enough and I can't get him to drink more from me or a bottle what do I do?? Aside from trying to cook milky things do you think he would need vitamin drops or something??

Thanks for posting replies, I can feel some weight lifting from my shoulders just being able to talk about it.

Hi, having similar problems here, and have been a nervous wreck about it over the last few weeks. DS went on a nursing strike, and I was having daily panic attacks over it! He now only has a breastfeed in the morning, and I express and he might take 40ml from a beaker during the day. I add expressed milk to his porridge, and try to sneak expressed and other dairy products into his dinner and tea.

My main fear was dehydration, secondarily that he was getting enough milk. However I went through it with my health visitor and nurse and they said he's getting enough, and that he's become a much more efficient breastfeeder now so in a few minutes he's probably getting as much as he used to at 2 months in a 20 min feed. Plus the other dairy products in his food will be helping. Plus by 7months plus, it's natural that some babies start tailing off their feeds a bit anyway, and the solids amount starts to increase.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know I'm in the same boat!

Gosh thanks so much Fiona! Sounds wrong to say that I am glad you are in the same boat but you know what I mean!! How old is your DS?

What the HV said is definitely reassuring and I guess what I have to accept is that I cannot force him to drink. Thanks again and I hope things improve for you too! xx