Help! My baby won't drink milk!

soon2bmom

Registered User
I am really really frustrated....
I have been feeding my 3.5 month old son EBM and a little bit of Enfamil since birth (I did try direct breastfeeding but due to several reasons he just doesn't want to do that anymore :frown:)
Since around 2 weeks ago, he lost interest in eating!!! He just wouldn't take bottles nor breast, we have to slip the teat in after we rock him to a semi asleep state, but this strategy only works sometimes. He would just gag/make a really dramatic vomiting sound when we put the bottle in his mouth. Even when he is really really hungry (like after 5 hours without food), he still won't eat! What on earth is wrong with him? I am really tired since pumping EBM is already so time and energy consuming, and now I have to spend 1 to 2 hours on feeding him every time. His weight is around 50 percentile now, but he was around 60 before.
Does anyone have a similar experience? Please help? I will take him to see a Paedo next week, but I have a feeling that he will say something like "as long as the baby is putting on weight and peeing and pooing, you don't have to worry too much" but how can I not worry? And it's really draining all my energy.....sigh.....
 
Hi Soon2bmom

I wouldn't worry too much - my little one was like this for a short period - around 4 months they are easily distracted. Have you tried feeding and then if he is not interested then let him play for maybe half an hour or so and then try to feed again. I also find I get better feeds if the room is quite with no distractions. I know it is very frustrating but hang in there it should get better :D
 
Hi Rachel,

Thanks for the encouragement. I will try feeding in a different quiet dark room (we have been feeding him in our bedroom) and let him play a bit when he doesn't want to drink milk, hopefully that will solve the problem...
 
Mine did the same when he was the same age, actually it was after the 1st cocktail vaccination. It last for around 1 month. He's never been a big eater but it was really worrying for me. He used to take breast and enfamil like yours, but since he just refused any bottle. At the end, I tried to BF him when he's asleep, it worked but he didn't take much anyway. He was only 6kg at 6 months, almost the bottom of the percentile. I was worried sick and tried everything (turning on TV, giving him toys, rocking him) but he just drank little. I guess some babies are just not very interested in eating. He's now almost 11months eats solid quite ok and still BF.
May be it's just a phrase some babies would go through, it's frustrating and you feel helpless. But hang in there. I know how you feel as I had the same experience. As they grow older and start eating other food, they will develop the joy of eating. Don't worry too much. Baby can sense you stress and it's not good for you health and the milksupply. My baby has been a tiny one but he's never sick. As long as your baby is healthy and putting on weight, try to relax.
Wish you best of luck.
 
my baby is 4 months & like your's is rejecting milk. just yesterday, he only drank 2.5oz for one of the feeds. besides feeding in a quiet room, i find that my baby likes "warm" milk so i will reheat & try feeding again just before putting him down for his nap/bedtime. i agree it's frustrating, but as long as he's happy & no. of wet diapers is normal, then it should be fine. hopefully our babies will outgrow this phase soon!
 
Thank you ladies, I feel much better now knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, I am so looking forward to starting solids!
 
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