breast to bottle, now he won't eat

[71newmom]

My son is 7.5 months and we stopped breastfeeding a week or so ago. I had transitioned him in with the bottle over a month or so, and he (finally) accepted it, though he'd only take 3 oz at a time (formula). My breast milk had been low for quite some time, I had mastitis 2x and has constant plugged ducts. Long story short, I decided to stop nursing for my own sanity. Now, my son will not take the bottle - maybe an ounce or so. Yesterday he only took a total of 7 oz all day (from 6am until bedtime at 7). I'm beyond worried, because he isn't interested in solids either. He will nibble on a cracker or puff, but no purees of any kind. He hates the spoon. I've tried it all. I have an appt with the ped tomorrow, but I just want to know if anyone else had this happen. Everyone says that when he's hungry he'll eat, but it didn't happen yesterday, and so far today he's only taken 2 oz since waking, and he woke up 5 hrs ago. He's napping now. I just don't know what to do and I'm so worried. He has taken the bottle fine before, so I know he's capable, and I do feel his first tooth coming through on the bottom. Could that be the problem? How long can a baby go on like this?

[Ruthla]

Normal, healthy babies won't let themselves starve. Once a child has become dehydrated, sometimes they're past the point of knowing their body's cues. I'd be much more worried about dehydration than him getting enough calories right now, and he might need to go to the ER for IV fluids if you really can't get him to drink anything (but try getting him to drink the normal way first!)

Try offering him formula, water, and diluted juice. Offer it in a bottle, sippy cup, straw cup, regular cup. Try faster-flow bottle nipples. My kids loved to sit on my lap and drink out of my cup, with both our hands around the side of the cup.

Keep on trying to get fluids into him, and don't worry about calories right now. Once he has enough liquid in his body, he'll be in a better place to recognise hunger cues. After this crisis is over, you may want to try him on a different type of formula- he could be intolerant to something in the formula, which could lead to lack of appetite.

[Ruthla]

How is the baby doing now?

[71newmom]

he's awake now, offered bottle but he didn't want it. Just got him to eat a tiny bit of mashed avocado and he had a few sips of water from his sippy cup. I'll try the bottle again in a bit. I have a 10ml syringe that I can use to get it in him if I have to. He seems pretty happy right now, I just can't figure out why he won't eat. One thing that it could be is that while I was transitioning him to the bottle, I would offer the breast after the bottle, if I could only get him to take an ounce or so of formula. It never worked the other way around, offering the breast before the bottle. He had to be really hungry to even consider the bottle. But maybe he's holding out and waiting for the breast??? As little as a few days ago, he 'nursed', and even though there wasn't really any milk there ( I didn't even have a letdown), it was comforting to him. I was so desperate to make him happy, but really I know that it probably wasn't wise to do that. I just feel like I'm out of options and this poor little guy is going to suffer. I mean, I would never let him go without medical advisement or anything, but I feel like I'm failing, you know?

[maptome]

Have you tried a higher flow nipple? I never got my baby to take a bottle, but when I offered a sippy cup, she drank like 2 oz in about 10 seconds. I realized that my boob is comparable to a really high flow nipple, and she just wasn't used to sucking and getting "nothing" out. Just an idea based on my experience.

Also, I've so been there with the happily starving baby. Just take a breath, try to relax, and know that he will eat again. He will not starve if you are there to help him and offer him food.

[71newmom]

you know, about a month ago I tried the fast flow nipple (we've been using medium) and he kept spitting it out and would have the formula running out of his mouth. But I just tried it again 15 minutes ago based on your suggestion, and he took 3 oz pretty quickly. He seemed to handle it better than last time, although he still looked like he had to work hard to keep up with it and he did have some running out of his mouth. I think I will keep trying with the fast flow, since he gets more out quicker. Thanks for suggesting it!

So how long did your baby "happily starve"? It's very hard for me to relax about this (but I'm trying)...it's consuming my life these days. I'm constantly worrying about him and trying to come up with new ideas and approaches for both bottles and solid food.

[Pookietooth]

Why not try breastfeeeding again, just to see if he will take that? I would imagine you have no real milk at this point but you might be able to squirt some formula in his mouth while he nurses. I'm guessing he has tongue tie or some other physical issue that lead to your nursing problems -- I would point that out to the ped and see if there is anything they can do about that.

[Knitting Mama]

I would get an SNS (you can often find them locally at hospitals and specialty shops if you don't want to buy online) if I were you and try breastfeeding and using the SNS to deliver formula.

[Ruthla]

How many ounces of formula is he taking in a day? I know that most formula fed babies will take in 6-8oz at a time. Him only takine 3oz at a time isn't a problem in itself, if he was drinking more frequently and taking in the same total amount of formula. But if he's only getting 3-6oz a day total, that's BAD. I wonder if he can't tolerate the formula and that's making him lose his appetite. If he's on a milk based formula, try a soy-based or hypo-allergenic formula.

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by 71newmom

As little as a few days ago, he 'nursed', and even though there wasn't really any milk there ( I didn't even have a letdown), it was comforting to him. I was so desperate to make him happy, but really I know that it probably wasn't wise to do that.

I don't see a problem with this, but perhaps I don't have your full story. Are you thinking this could lead to more mastitis? I don't think dry or comfort nursing is necessarily bad if it doesn't bother your boobs.