Will my baby starve himself? What can i do? - Page 2

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Alisse

but it's looking like he wants the milk stuff from the boob specifically.

He's wanting YOU specifically. I think you should start asking about how to help him be more comfortable with other caretakers. My guess is that once he's more okay with being left he'll also start eating better.

[mlwlovell]

Ditto to the fact that your baby won't starve, and as he gets older, he'll be eating more and more solids. One other suggestion, is it possible for you to go to the daycare and nurse him during your lunch hour or breaks?

[waiting2bemommy]

have you tried rice milk? my ds started refusing EBM around that age. To be exact, he snatched the bottle out of my mom's hands and chucked it across the room with astonishing force....

but he loved rice milk and guzzled it. it sort of has a naturally sweet taste.

also, reverse cycling. my ds did this and only took like 2 bottles a day and nursed once (on my lunch) and then made up for ti by nursing constantly once I got home. I would try going back gradually...a couple hours first, then 4 hours, then 6, etc.

I wouldn't call it super nutritious, but if a couple bottles of it will hold him over in between solid meals while you're gone, it's worth a try.

also is that the only solid food he'll eat? I know they say baby food is supposed to be bland, but I always seasoned ds' food just like ours, and never used jar stuff, and he ate it just fine, and to this day is the least picky eater I know. You might try pureeing some already-seasoned/cooked leftovers from dinner or something and seeing if he'll take that.

um.....cheerios, mum-mums, finger foods might entertain him and if you send stuff like pieces of avocado or watermelon or maybe peel some grapes, stuff like that, it would also put a little something in his stomach.

oatmeal is always a great fallback for a hungry kid, too, if he'll eat it.

Don't know if any of that helps.....I know those are mainly solids suggestions, but anything that can help keep yuo nursing would be terrific. I think the goal is just to keep him full enough to be comfortable while you're away, and he will make it up nursing when you get back. I promise

oops, insert foot in mouth....I didn't read carefully and thought you said 8 months. nevermind some of my suggestions in that case, although I think 5 months is big enough for oatmeal. and I do mean the real kind, ds never touched the baby stuff. just make it thin.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

My first DS was like this. Detested the bottle. Back to work when he was 8 weeks old, and he would only eat one 6 oz bottle over 9 hours, and not even all of it. He'd rather wait for me to get home.

Have you tried that bottle that looks like a boob? They have it at Babys R Us...it's like round and the whole top is a nipple? Here they are: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3918819

DS took the soothie best. Wish I had known that before I got all those avent...

He won't starve, he'll wait for you and eat more at night! Good luck. Don't stop bfing, and don't take it too personally. He loves you, but he will be okay. Really.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by Alisse

As soon as he gets a taste of milk -- whether it be EBM or formula -- he'll push the bottle away with a disgusted look on his face then refuse to open his mouth. If we manage to get some into his mouth by squeezing the bottle, he'll let it pool then spit it out. Yet he has apparently been taking some water out of a certain bottle, but won't take any juice. He also won't eat any cereal (we've tried the kind you add water and the kind used with breastmilk). So far the only thing he'll eat is pureed fruit, and only once.

It does sound like he is objecting to the taste. I would double and triple check to make sure the milk tastes ok. I'd also try giving it to him ice cold, it might dull the taste a bit.

[hakeber]

So..question. Is it possible for your ds to come to you at lunch time and feed? Or I don't know the rules in the States, but in a lot of countries employers have to give you one hour-two hours breastfeeding leave for up to the first year, meaning they must allow you time in your daily schedule to feed your child.

I went back to work when ds was pretty small and I never had a problem with him taking the bottle when he was small, but once he started having solids around 6 months he would often wait for up to 6 hours for me to return with the real nipples. I took to either coming home for lunch to feed him or having his caretaker bring him to me. When DH was staying with him, he would bring him to me twice in the day.

Is that a possible solution or would it be too agonizing to have cuddles in the middle of the work day?

He's not going to actually starve himself, he will likely eventually take food one way or the other.

OOH, Maybe you could try mixing the expressed breastmilk with his food! DS used to love Breastmilk and banana popsicles and I'd make Breastmilk and veggie mashes that he loved. Maybe they will help at least get him some extra nutrients in his food.

But I agree with the PPs, formula is not the answer...that's just nonsensical logic.

[larzanna]

Originally Posted by Alisse

As soon as he gets a taste of milk -- whether it be EBM or formula -- he'll push the bottle away with a disgusted look on his face then refuse to open his mouth. If we manage to get some into his mouth by squeezing the bottle, he'll let it pool then spit it out. Yet he has apparently been taking some water out of a certain bottle, but won't take any juice. He also won't eat any cereal (we've tried the kind you add water and the kind used with breastmilk). So far the only thing he'll eat is pureed fruit, and only once.

Azohri: I meant to say that the scalding worked, but he still won't take the milk.

Texmati: Haven't tried finger feeding or the breastflow bottle...but it's looking like he wants the milk stuff from the boob specifically. Little bugger!

Actually, it's our fault; me and dh are EXTREMELY picky eaters .

I dunno, i'll just keep trying something.

Is it even possible for babies to drink both formula and breastmilk? (i.e. formula during the day, and breatmilk during the night?).

And to make matters worse, i got my period for the first time today. WTH?! I was hoping for some freedom from it a little longer than 5 months!

You said you do have the lipase issue. Have you actaully DRANK the milk yourself? I have a friend who's baby did the same thing....she thought her milk tasted fine...she had dipped her finger in it. But when she actually took a drink of it she found out that in fact it was NOT fine and tasted terrible! She said no wonder S was not drinking it and screaming!
(heating her milk did not work either) so she had to experiemnt with how long it took her milk to "go bad" so she pumped and tested the milk (as in drank it herself) at certain timed intervals. She said it took quite a bit of experimenting and quite a bit of her drinking her own milk! She found out that she gets 5 hours i think it was before it started to taste bad.
So, she found a daycare that was close to her work and ran fresh pumped milk over to him. She also had them feed him oatmeal made with formula.
Also, after she "fixed" the milk taste situation he still would not take the bottle for some time....its like he just KNEW that what was it it was going to be nasty. So with the "good" milk she tried a sippy as well as a totally different bottle. Took some time, but he ended up taking the bottle no problem!
good luck.

[hakeber]

Originally Posted by Alisse

Actually, it's our fault; me and dh are EXTREMELY picky eaters .

I dunno, i'll just keep trying something.

Is it even possible for babies to drink both formula and breastmilk? (i.e. formula during the day, and breatmilk during the night?).

A) it's not your fault.

B) Yes, it absolutely is possible for babies to take both. Ds ocassionally was fed formula when my freezer supply ran out when he was small, which happened now and then. Not his favorite, but better than an empty tummy.

[honeybunmom]

Just want to echo others that your baby will not starve himself. A reverse cycled baby is still a well-fed baby. I went back to work when my son was 6 mos. He refused all bottles for THREE SOLID WEEKS. Upside? There was a nice freezer stash! Downside? He nursed all night. Which is why we co-sleep still. Upside? I knew he was getting his milk because I was there giving it to him.

He did finally take the Playtex nurser. He even refused the Adiri boob bottle. And several other bottles and various types of sippy cups. Anyhoo, he's healthy and probably bordering on 26 lbs at 11 mos old. Truly your child will not starve himself. I know it's frustrating and stressful, but, once you accept that truth, it does get easier on mama emotionally. I did have my husband bring our son to me to nurse during the first week. A few times the second week. And eventually got to where he did not have to come at all since I could see that he was reverse cycling for the most part. Even now, at 11 mos old, he drinks less milk that his sister did during the day and more frequently at night. (She, too, refused the bottle when I first went back after having taken it a few times at home prior to my return.)

Good luck, mama!

[Alisse]

Thanks for all the responses mamas. I'm so greatful for all the advice and reassurances.

To answer some questions: Dh and i did a whole testing thing in which we figured out how long it took for the milk to taste bad and how long it stayed tasting good after being cooked in the bottle warmer. Unfortunately my dh went through a period where he could no longer drink milk at all, haha. As a second check, before anyone tries to give him EBM we do do a taste test.

Also, it is not possible for me to give him breastmilk during the day because i commute quite far. DH and i didn't want him to be in a daycare far from home because commuting in toronto rush hour is both, not pleasant, and dangerous everytime there's a shift in the weather, (in our opinion). I also will not be able to pump reliably because my work is really "fast-paced", sometimes requiring me to even miss lunch breaks or any other kind of break. So he has to be able to be able to become accustomed to formula.

The good news: My mother was able to feed him about an ounce of formula yesterday from a small bowl. And apparently he was rather enthusiastic about eating it. He still won't take it from a cup however which i find rather odd...BUT I DON'T CARE! HE DRINKS!!! And apparently he ate a record amount of food yesterday; she was even able to feed him congee instead of his usual fruit puree. On top of everything, he'll suddenly drink juice (very dilluted pear) from a sippy cup (but he has to hold it himself).

I'm so relieved. Perhaps we just had to wait and be patient for him to get a little older/be ready???!

[texmati]

It's so great that you found something that works! It's a load off your mind when you have a plan, I"m sure.

If you want to avoid formula and want tips on how to fit pumping in at work or at home, you can pm me, or post at the breastfeeding board. I was suprised at how easily I am able to fit it into my schedule at work and home (once I got into a routine), and since my LO doesn't take much in the day, I able to keep him off of formula.

Continuing to nurse at night is a great way to get the good stuff into him-- every drop counts!

I agree, they grow so fast-- I think their preferences change daily!

[phrogger]

What ever you choose to do, I will say my daycare baby was completely on formula when he was with me, and totally breast fed with momma. It is what worked best for her for a while and she was getting so stressed over pumping. Also, what about pumping and adding it to the formula? The formula might mask the taste if that is the issue but he is still getting the goodness of the breast milk?

[Pookietooth]

Could you work from home? Or find a way to have a care providor bring him to you every three hours or so to feed? Can you mix EBM in with the pear puree? What about momsicles in a baby safe feeder?

[peaceful_mama]

[QUOTE=Alisse;15138651]Is it even possible for babies to drink both formula and breastmilk? (i.e. formula during the day, and breatmilk during the night?).

[QUOTE]

Sure is, I have a friend who's done it with three kids now---pumped until they started solids too, IIRC and then went entirely to formula/solids at daycare and boob at home. They were fine--the youngest one will be 2 in June and still nurses this way.

[aerobrandi]

I just went through this same thing. I went back to work 3 weeks ago, when my little guy was 12 weeks. He refused to eat the first few days I was gone, and one of those days I was gone 12 hours. DH eventually started feeding him with an eyedropper and was able to get about 8 ounces down him while I was gone. Then about a week and a half ago he noticed he was sucking on the eye dropper so he tried the bottle. He's been a bottle champ ever since. Just give him some time to become accustomed to it. I definitely your pain though, I was just convinced he would starve and was freaking out about it but it worked out just fine in the end.

[HungryCaterpillar]

Originally Posted by honeybunmom

I went back to work when my son was 6 mos. He refused all bottles for THREE SOLID WEEKS.

I'm just curious, what was your don's disposition like with no food all day? Did he just sleep a lot? Or was he crying all day?

[Pookietooth]

Maybe a bowl isn't that bad really? What about just an open cup that is a different size? Bottles are pretty bad for oral development anyway. No reason he couldn't just go straight to a cup is there?