My baby is 6 months old(4 months adjusted) . He has his days when he eats really well and somedays he just doesn't seem to be interested. He always kinda catches up when he gets very hungry though.
Lately there seems to be change with him. He breastfeeds for 3-5 mins and then stops. I see that he is still hungry but just doesn't want to eat. He keeps licking his bib, his toys and he cries if I try to nurse him. I waited thinking he will be fine in few days.But now I am wondering , doesn't he like breastfeeding anymore? After he does the 3-5 min feed, he does get hungry again in the next hour or two and then nurses longer.Most probably he would be sleepy by then or I kind of rock him until he gets drowsy. That's the only way to get him to eat sometimes- when he is drowsy.I am not sure how I will be able to keep up with my milk suppy if he continues doing this.
Since couple weeks, his babysitter gives him one bottle a day. He cries almost the entire time she feeds him , so it's not like he eats well from the bottle.
I do get enough wet diapers most of the days because I try my best and feed him when he is drowsy, Otherwise When he gets really hungry he does eat, but most of the time he is just playful and not interested in eating. We are just about to start on solids.So he is just breastfed mostly. He doesn't have a fixed schedule , he eats whenever he is hungry,
Should I continue to nurse him when he is drowsy? Is it ok if he eats for 3-5 mins and then feeds longer after an hour or two? Or should I try giving him the bottle more and see if he takes it? Sometimes I am ok with it , but sometimes when I see him hungry but fussing to eat , I don't know what to do. Do I leave him until he eats on his own whenever he gets hungry or try to force feed him (works sometimes not always).
I really want to continue breastfeeding as long as possible. Any advise to how to get him to eat like before? He has been gaining weight well, and is very active and playful. When I see him kicking his legs and playing around without eating well , I get worried that it will tire him out. I then try to get him to eat , he doesn't want to, I try some more , he fusses some more and then I give up and he gets back to playing/licking his hands and bib.I feel so happy when he does eat well.Also do you think he just needs solids? Thanks!
I was thinking you moms would give me one answer for it but now I am still not sure whats happening as everybody gave different possible reasons for his behaviour. I will talk to his ped to make sure if its not teething , ear infection etc.
Thanks again!
It sounds like he's beginning that he can do other things than eat while he's eating. In other words, it's more fun to play than eat. The only advice I can offer is to nurse him in a room that is as free of distractions as possible. Don't wear any flashy jewelry or clothes with bright colors or ribbons.
Maybe he needs to burp after the first 5 minutes and it gets uncomfortable for him? If he's gaining weight and is fine you probably just have to keep doing what youre doing since you are feeding on demand. It's probably just some silly phase he's going through, next week he probably wont be able to get enough and want to nurse till youre bone dry on both sides.... it's just a crazy schedule for the entire first year really.
He's old enough to introduce some rice cereal in a bottle, you could try that if you are concerned. You've given him a good start. I love it when moms can be successful breastfeeding for the first 6 months, I think that is a great start for baby and M..
My son does the same thing. Especially when he's tired or getting teeth.
This may not be the case at all, but a few things come to mind:
1) A possible ear infection. Babies don't like to eat/suck when they have these, as it hurts. When my daughter was little it was the only clue...and I could get her to eat if very drowsy.
2) Thrush--my son had this when I was nursing (but you'd have to have it too) and he refused to eat because it hurt his mouth.
3) Reflux-this is EXACTLY how my son acted when his reflux showed up. He'd be so hungry and then just eat a little bit...but he hungry later. And he'd do so much better when half-asleep. But I don't know why reflux would suddenly show up at 6 mos. of age.
If you're concerned...talk to your pediatrician.
How long are you going between feedings? Unless he's crying to be fed, try waiting a half-hour or hour longer and see if he nurses well then. He might just not be really hungry when you first try to feed him, hence his only eating a little bit, but then being hungry again shortly afterwards. As for his crying when eating the bottle, it might be the same reason of his not being hungry or it might just be that he's adjusting to taking a bottle. You can also try a different bottle, as he might just not like that particular shape or a slower/faster flow nipple.
I wouldn't try to force feed him either with the breast or the bottle. If he's refusing, let him. Try again later. It really sounds to M. like he's ready to wait longer between feedings and just isn't hungry when you're feeding him.
At 10 months, a baby definitely should be eating some solids, but discuss this with your pediatrician. I'm curious why your doctor hasn't mentioned starting solids yet, as most recommend solids starting between 4-6 months. If you do start solids, then definitely stretch the nursings/bottles out longer and do solids in between.
As for all the problems that have been mentioned in previous responses, it is true that ear infections, teething, thrush, etc. are sometimes reasons for babies to have difficulty eating, but there are also other signs that lead you to believe something isn't right with your baby. If you're baby isn't unusually fussy, running fevers, has white spots in his mouth or showing any other signs of being ill, then he probably isn't. Talk to his pediatrician if you're concerned he's sick, but it sounds like he's happy and playing at feeding time.
Good luck!
I start my babies on solids at 4 months so I think he is totally ready to dive into the whole solids thing. This may be all it is for him. Like you, I have always fed on demand with nursing. I did have one of my boys stop nursing at 4 months because he preferred the bottle but I don't think that is what is going on for you.
Just get him going on the solids and nurse him when you go to put him down and see if that helps. If you are worried about your supply then try pumping a bit more.
Good luck!
Look at your diet - perhaps you're eating something that upsets his tummy.
Is he stuffed up in his nose? Maybe he can't breathe well?
If he's not getting enough nourishment, perhaps a trip to the pediatrician is in order.
Teething would be my first guess.
Try giving him a half dose (or full) for his weight in infant tylenol, wait half an hour and then try nursing.
Gas would be my 2nd (aka try burping for a moment)
Sinuses or ear infection would be my 3rd (since you didn't mention lying flat at bedtime is bothering him... but 1st sign of sinus or ear infection is getting fussy/unhappy when laid flat for eating and naps/bedtime because the congestion pools and causes pressure in those positions causing pain BEFORE they clog up completely and cause pain all the time.
He may be starting teething...
I agree with the try to nurse in a distraction free zone, but also good to remember that babies get very efficient at nursing he may really only need 5 minutes to get a good feed... If he's growing/ gaining weight and continuing to have lots of dirty diapers I wouldn't be concerned.
I personally think 4 months is to early to start solids- a good rule for when to start is that baby is able to sit on his own, doesn't thrust his tongue out past his lips (doesn't push stuff out of mouth with his tongue), and is showing interest in your food.
I didn't look at your other answers, but my guess is maybe he needs to burp (or poop) and needs to stop for a bit while things are moving around, or he's teething. Luckily (lol, not so much) my son has been wonderful at making it very apparent when he's teething, so if he's teething and this is your indication, hooray for you!!
If he has plenty of wet/poopy diapers and plays well and his temperament is fine, I wouldn't worry. Babies know what they need (especially breastfed; they learn how to regulate their appetites better, so good for you)!
Sounds like maybe he needs to burp after those few minutes. Have you tried that and then relatching him? Make sure you always have his SAME blanket, nurse in the SAME place, etc. This may help.
Sounds like your child is teething. Some find it painful to suck with swollen gums. Try teething tablets and see if that helps. My experience shows baby orajel doesn't work well since they just end up sucking it off their gums.
dont feel like you have to use the bottle.
hes likely growing. a growth spurt. he needs to nurse, even if you dont think hes getting anything, even if hes just doing it all the time, hes doing it to increase your supply. so just keep nursing on demand. just be responsive, loving, sensitive, and allow him to lead you and tell you what his needs are.
you could also try some teething releivers. its possible he could be teething as well.
whatever you do, dont insert a bottle into the equation; that will mean hes nursing less with you, and your milk supply might not increase properly.
other things i can think of is that hes just going through a thing, and the more you can just listen to him and your instincts, the better. its HIGHLY unlikely he "doesnt want to breastfeed" - its just that hes either growing, or teething, and he just needs you to be sensitive to what hes going through :) keep up the good work mama, you are doing just fine. be confident in it! :) trust yourself!
also, contact a la leche league they will be able to give you firsthand mom-to-mom advice and other resources to help your parenting.
www.llli.org! :)
good luck, and simply keep it up! :)
to M. it sounds like he is doing fine - when he stops after 3-5 minutes, does he cry and act like he is hungry, or like he is full/satisfied? As long as he is still wetting plenty fo diapers and pooping, and playing happily, I would still nurse on demand, babies know when they are really hungry, thirsty, unlike us adults, they have not lost touch with their bodies' naturaly cues. He may just be getting bigger/wanting to space out his feedings more ( don't we all wish fo this to happen, and then when it does, we don't know what is happening) - or he may just need a "snack" not a full meal, or he may just be thirsty, getting some of the thinner foremilk. and not reall HUNGRY for the fattier hindmilk - and later he gets that when he is nursing longer. Also, as they get bigger they get faster/better at getting the milk out, he might be getting all he needs for that meal in 5 minutes. Le thim take the lead, if he is not crying for more and is happy playing with his bib and hands, let him be!
At 6 months/4 months adjusted age, he does NOT NEED solids, feel free to try it, if you want, but at this point, it is not a necessity, and will just be for practice of swallowing, etc. He will still nurse just as much, and all him main nutrients come from the breastmilk.
At this age, they are also getting much more aware of the world around them, so any distraction can cause them to stop nursing if they are not really hungry - so a quiet darker room is better if available. They start to space out feedings more so they can have bigger blocks of time to work on learning other things - rolling over, holding up their heads, starting to sit up, etc, and just exploring their world! Eating, sleeping and pooping are not the only things they have to do anymore - places to go and people to see, MOM!! LOL!
Also, for the bottle feeding that he doesn't seem to enjoy from the babysitter, we found our nursing babies ONLY liked one type of bottle, this one: http://www.mambaby.com/mam/drinking-bottles,26960.html - it has a slightly flatter nipple, like the shape our breast nipples become intheir mouths, not a cylindrical shape. We never had issues with gas with these either! Also, maybe the babysitter can put a shirt of yours or a blanket that you have slept wih on her as she holds him to feed, so he can smell M..
I hope this helps some - I nursed 2 babies till 9 months each, one with reflux, and one who refused ALL bottlefeeding till 6 months!
Jessie
