Too tired to eat (and screams)

[CookAMH]

My 3mo DS, if he seems to get too tired to eat, will cry and cry at the breast and refuse to nurse but will take a bottle fine. He's done it twice this week in the mid morning and is doing it now for bedtime. He latched on sucked twice, pulled off, back on, sucked twice, and didn't give it enough time or sucking for letdown and had a fit and refused to go back on though hungry. Letdown takes about 10 sec. I've tried squirting milk in his mouth.

I'm afraid to give him a bottle too much when he is like this for fear that he will eventually only take the bottle. It's easier to eat from the bottle so it makes sense that he wants an easier feed. DH just came in and said he's asleep. We put him in his bed to see if he'd fuss more or fall asleep. He is not sick, and does it no matter what side I offer so I don't believe there would be an ear infection.

Anyone have this? What do you do?

[CookAMH]

Any input?

[Aquitane]

Is he spitting up a lot? A friend's DD had acid reflux. One of the signs is that the baby actually fusses a lot when trying to eat. Does he scrunch himself up/turn red/ or seem in pain?

Try a bottle nipple that is for a newborn. The flow will be very slow. Maybe he will get frustrated with it and go back to nurse.

(My friend's dd would want to eat really fast because it eased the pain of the reflux. Maybe that's why he likes the bottle.)

Don't want to worry you, just trying to think of a reason. Are all the other feedings normal?

Sorry, I didn't breastfeed, but I thought I'd offer some help.

[CookAMH]

Yes, all other feedings are normal during the day. Most of the time, him taking a little or a full nap will result in him waking and eating normally. He spits up a little bit, maybe every other feeding. He sleeps fine at night and doesn't wake up from reflux and I know a lot of babies don't sleep well who have reflux. The nipple on the bottle is slow flow for 0-3 mo.

Once the milk comes and he's happy, he's happy eating until he's done, even when the flow slows.

He was off today, and I offered a bottle after a while and he drank a little of that but was sooo tired that after a minute he didn't even want that, and he took a nap. When he woke up, he ate fine. I've been learning that he can go without eating longer than he can go without sleeping if there is any sort of delay on my part (ie driving or showering or something).

[MamaMem]

If he is so tired, have you tried feeding sooner? Does he have a burp? My current 2 mo old will act like you describe if he has a burp that is bothering him.
My son had reflux but was never a spitter. That is actually not as true a test of reflux as how they feed. If they fight it, arch, pop on and off, etc.
I hope you find somethig that helps.

[Heba]

Have you tried triggering MER/let-down before he latches on the first time. with warm cloth, massage, or pump? If it's only at predictable times, it might be worth a try. Also ditto the pp's suggestion of feeding sooner.

Good luck, and please let us know how you get on!

Heba