How long does your baby take to finish a bottle? - another teat question

[Mary Jo]

Up till a couple of weeks ago, Adam was using the Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature slow-flow teats. I never thought he fed slowly, he'd take maybe 20 mins to finish a bottle, but he started fussing quite a lot and pulling on and off. So I bought a pack of two variflow teats and he seemed to get on ok with them, didn't seem to feed especially faster, more dribbling and spilling of milk than before, but nothing too excessive. We were still using a couple of slow-flow teats but when he got them he was getting a lot more frustrated, like he realised that sometimes the milk came out fast and sometimes slow. So I switched totally to the new ones.

Now he's suddenly getting through his bottles a lot quicker, it's like he's barely started it and it's gone - 7oz in 10 minutes flat without a pause. Is that fast? It seems fast to me! If we try to wind him part way through he screams blue murder. He is spilling a lot more than before and today he's had really bad wind.

I was wondering if the teats were too fast? I know he can control the flow but since he's been used to working for his milk and that's how fast and hard his little jaws and tongue move, maybe he's getting it out too quickly? He's only choked a couple of times but he clearly has too much milk in his mouth if he's dribbling it.

He's always brought up a certain amount after a feed, that hasn't improved or got worse.

Should I change to size 2s? I don't want to go back to size 1 because he was clearly quite peeved with them!

 

[cazza1982]

I don't use Tommee Tippee teats or anything like that as I have to use special ones cos of his Cleft lip and palate, but you hadn't had any replies so I thought I would try and help even a little bit!

7oz in 10 mins!!! Blimey, that must just slide right down his throat! It takes Charlie about an hour to feed which is annoying as 2-3 hours later, he is ready to go again!! Mine is probably becuase of the teats as they don't do variflow or anything as exciting as that....if they did then I am sure he would gulp it down a lot quicker!

Personally, as long as he is happy with that and it isn't making him sick (more so than normal) then I don't really see it to be an issue.

With regards to the burping, I burp Charlie after every ounce and he screams at me when I burp him, but once it's out, he is quite happy....Although at the rate your little guy drinks you would struggle to catch him that quickly before it's all gone! If you can catch him after an ounce at a time, then he will feel less windy and it will slow his drinking time down a bit which may help.

All babies dribble and spill milk (some lots!) so I am not sure if that can be attributed to the teat or anything? Also, I have found from other ladies that the milk spillage can start happening once they are a few months old, so not sure if this could be the case with you?

Sorry that I was of little help!

x

 

[Mary Jo]

Thank you, that was a help - I didn't know that more spillage was normal, it's good to know that. I am starting to think that he's just been very very hungry and that's why he gulped his milk so quickly - yesterday he was up early and wanted feeding with less time between feeds than before, so his teatime feed was 3.30pm rather than 5.30pm. We offered him a bottle mid-evening, just 5oz, and he took it all, and then 7oz at bedtime as usual. And he slept really well, after having a fussy few nights, woke in good humour!

I do stop to wind him (well, sit him up so the air rises) when I can tell he is slowing down; this morning he stopped at 5oz, did a bit burp and then took another 2oz.

On the one hand I am glad he is concentrating on his bottle properly and taking it quick, don't get me wrong, efficiency is lovely! But on the other, it was concerning me in case he was finding it *too* fast. Guess he needs to learn that he can slow down if he wants, it won't pour into his mouth.

Thank you!

 

[faille]

It depends.. Sometimes it'll take a good 20-30 mins and other times it's gone within 10mins and she didn't even need winding!

She hardly spills any milk as I've found that when she starts dribbling, she needs a burp. As soon as she's burped, she stops dribbling. I know it's not the same for every baby but she's a very "clean" eater and only dribbles when she needs winding so that's a great cue for me!

When we first move to a different size teat, it takes her a while to get used to it and the first few days are messier and it'll be completely random as to whether she finishes it faster or slower than "normal". Just make sure you give him a good winding once he's finished and if he won't let you wind half way through then there's nothing wrong with using a bit of infacol or gripe water if wind does become an issue x

 

[tinkabells]

Hollie can take from 10-30 mins to finish a bottle depends what mood she is in, but were still on slow flow teats, she wont take to any other kind, but if your baby seems happier on the new one's keep him on that, i would switch back if he gets fussy its not coming out quick enough for thr others xxx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ruby takes 5-10 minutes to finish 8oz. She has had fast flow teats since 4 months...she does spill some sometimes but not much.

 

[history_girls]

Phoebe is on comfort milk which is thicker so is on size 3 teats - she gobbles it down no problems! She always had 1 teats and variflow - she wants her foold quickly!

 

[elly75]

MJ, I'm finding Christian is doing the same thing so I think we'll look into getting him some new teats for his bottles.

Thanks for posting this!