Does anyone else struggle with bottle feeding?

[2bmum]

I wanted to breast feed but what with my sons problems and being in and out of hospital I stuck to bottles. He was on restricted feeds in hospital has it was all going on his chest, but once he'd had the drugs to clear this up and he started to get better he was gradually increased and came home.
He was fine for the first 6 weeks of his life, took his bottles no problem. But then the problems started. He will take say, 2oz then will scream the house down, tears and going bright red, I've tried all the tricks I can think of but he gets used to them and stops falling for them. For example, taking the bottle away, putting his dummy in and then the bottle again, and he has a few sucks before he realises it's not his dummy. On a good day it takes 1/2 hour per feed, on a bad day it was taking over an hour per feed.
So far on recommendations from health visitor, specialists etc as he was failing to thrive we've had him on 2 perscription milks, soya milk, sma, cow and gate and cow and gate comfort. He refuses to take ANY powdered milk, and will only take made up ones, he takes one of his perscription ones for say 2 or 3 days then refuses them now. He is better on sma, others he will refuse and will take mouthfuls of them and spit them back at me, where as if I perservere I can get sma down him.

We've tried different teats, bottles, temepratures of milk. He's been examined and nothing can be found to stop him taking his feeds. He seems hungry but gets stressed taking his bottles, which in turn stresses me out. I thought perhaps he was picking up on this but if anyone but me tries to feed him he just cries and won't take one suck let alone a full bottle.

The doctor then recommended that instead of perservering, the moment he cries, put him down and stop feeding him then go back to it later, basically he'll eat when he's hungry, which I've done now for 3 weeks. Only thing is, this means he does'nt get enough bottles through the day, and his weight has started to tail off again. He never looses weight just doesn't gain enough. He's weighed every week now to try and work out what to do.

I'm at my wits end with it, I thought perhaps trying him on solids would help as he's over 17 weeks now, but have been told that if he took to solids he may refuse any milk altogether which will be even more of a problem.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear from you. Feeding your baby should be a time for you to bond and something baby enjoys, instead it's a battle and we both end up stressed out and upset.

 

[NoSpringChick]

Little tinker! Maybe try distraction - mine likes to lie facing outwards and watching the tv - if you hold her 'traditionally' she hates it. If you dont have the tv on she messes on with her bottle. If you have it warm she'll fall asleep - if it's cold she likes it better and is more alert for it.
Just got to keep trying and persevering and try not worry too much xx

oh and maybe try some sleepy feeds - we can get 8oz down in a flash when she's sleepy.

 

[2bmum]

I forgot to mention that, if I hold Oliver traditionally he's even worse like your lo. He has to lay on a cushion on my lap. If it's cold he won't touch it, it has to be luke warm. Just been weighted and he's put on 13oz in one week!! He had only put on 1 1/2 the week before, never consistant at all.

 

[angelstardust]

When he was younger and had problems, was the milk choking him or something that has made him associate feeding with pain/fear/unpleasantness?

Tried sippy cups or a doidy cup? (you can use a plain plastic beaker that has been sterilised before a doidy cup and save some cash) Avent sippy cups may work better right now with the soft spout and a handle.

Does he like the thicker texture of the pre-made milks then? I wonder if they could try a milk thickener in regular powdered milk?

 

[kirsten1985]

I know you said you tried loads of different milks, have you tried a hypoallergenic one like Nutramigen? You prob have.

I would suggest gradually introducing a sippy cup or something with formula in, he is at the age now where he would start to pick it up (mind you, Freya is a month older and can't drink out of a cup herself yet).

I do sleepy feeding too, I can get loads more into her when she is asleep!

Hope you find something that works

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah, sucking in their sleep is like a knee jerk reaction so they just do it automatically when you offer a bottle. Ruby downs 9oz in about 5 minutes at her dreamfeed, and never has any wind.

 

[2bmum]

When he was younger and had problems, was the milk choking him or something that has made him associate feeding with pain/fear/unpleasantness?

Tried sippy cups or a doidy cup? (you can use a plain plastic beaker that has been sterilised before a doidy cup and save some cash) Avent sippy cups may work better right now with the soft spout and a handle.

Does he like the thicker texture of the pre-made milks then? I wonder if they could try a milk thickener in regular powdered milk?

Not really with me, but he was in neonatal for a while so I can't really say about that, because as much as I'd have loved to have been there 24/7 with him I was very poorly too so had to rest up. He was on restricted feeds and used to gulp them down so he could possibly have choked.

I've never tried sippy cups, I will give that a go

He much prefers the thicker texture of premade milk, won't touch made up milk. I did try comfort milk which the hv said was thicker of the powdered but he didn't like it either.

 

[2bmum]

I know you said you tried loads of different milks, have you tried a hypoallergenic one like Nutramigen? You prob have.

I would suggest gradually introducing a sippy cup or something with formula in, he is at the age now where he would start to pick it up (mind you, Freya is a month older and can't drink out of a cup herself yet).


I do sleepy feeding too, I can get loads more into her when she is asleep!

Hope you find something that works

I've tried soya which the doctor said was hypoallergenic and again he hated it. Screaming the place down and sweating up. He didn't have any other symptoms for being allergic either as he rarely if ever vomits unless he's so worked up that it makes him sick.

He does try and hold the smaller of the avent bottle we have so hopefully he'll pick it up soon and hold a sippy cup

He is slightly better at night, takes about 45 mins without so much crying, but never just takes a bottle easily

 

[Sapphireg]

What about trying him breast feeding with a medela suplimenter they are designed to help with breast feeding and he would get milk this way it maybe he doesn't like the niple the taste of rubber /silicone or there maybe something giving him irritation, that your not aware of .

the suplimenter may work for you you can find them on the medela website i bought one off amazon and am waiting for it to arrive

Best of luck

SG

 

[kirsten1985]

I know you said you tried loads of different milks, have you tried a hypoallergenic one like Nutramigen? You prob have.

I would suggest gradually introducing a sippy cup or something with formula in, he is at the age now where he would start to pick it up (mind you, Freya is a month older and can't drink out of a cup herself yet).


I do sleepy feeding too, I can get loads more into her when she is asleep!

Hope you find something that works

I've tried soya which the doctor said was hypoallergenic and again he hated it. Screaming the place down and sweating up. He didn't have any other symptoms for being allergic either as he rarely if ever vomits unless he's so worked up that it makes him sick.

He does try and hold the smaller of the avent bottle we have so hopefully he'll pick it up soon and hold a sippy cup

He is slightly better at night, takes about 45 mins without so much crying, but never just takes a bottle easily

Soya isn't hypoallergernic, quite a few babies are allergic to it.

Hope you're getting on ok!