I have a 9 month old baby girl who has a little bit of a cold. She's had a runny nose for a few days and recently started coughing a little, but only a few times a day, not regularly. She does not have a fever. Over the last couple of days, she refuses to drink from the bottle during the day. She took it fine last night before bedtime and at night, but during the day she just won't drink. No milk, no water, no Pedialyte. She will drink from a regular glass, however, and yesterday (out of desperation), I put the milk in a bowl and fed it to her with a spoon and she took the whole thing. Could the reason be that she's congested and can't breathe while drinking, that's why she refuses the bottle? Or is she trying to tell me she wants more solids? Our ped told me milk should remain her primary source of nutrition until she's 1 yr old and the solids should just supplement. She currently only eats fruits and veggies and oatmeal of course (but no meats, no yogurt - per the doctor's instructions). Has anyone had this happen to them? Should I be feeding her more solids? Up until now, she would generally take 3 bottles of formula per day, 3 4-oz containers of solids in between, then a bottle before bedtime, and approx 4 oz of formula during the night. Should she be taking less milk and more solids? Or is this just temporary and due to her stuffy nose?
She probably can't breath while sucking in the bottle. You may want to introduce the straw cup to her. This will make the transition from bottle much much easier if she is used to drinking milk from the straw cup.
try putting johnsons vapo rub on her an hour before feeding her and use a cool mist humidifer with the vapo insert in it all day she clear up so shell take her bottle
so let her drink from a straw and a cup. good for her!
It's probably just because she can't breathe. She's obviously hungry and wants it if she drank it all from a spoon. Try suctioning her nose out before offering her a bottle and see if that helps. If you're following what your pediatrician said, then I wouldn't change what you're feeding her because of this. (I'm assuming that by "milk" you mean either breastmilk or formula.) It really sounds like it's just because of the cold.
Good luck.
I didn't read all the responses, but already I agree with what I've read. She's probably EXTREMELY congested and can't breathe while trying to drink. I agree with the saline & bulb in the nose, also use the vapo rub BUT make sure it's the baby vapo rub. And hey while you're at it, if she wants to drink from a "big kid cup" let her. It'll make your transition easier in the long run. Another suggstion I can add to this is a vaporizer. The menthol smell from the vaporizer should help keep her congestion down in between using the saline.
I would try to use some saline drops and suction out her nose before giving her the bottle. She could just be stuffed up and it is hard for her to breathe. I would also keep an eye on her for any ear pulling. She could be developing an ear infection which will also hurt when sucking on a bottle. If it keeps up get her checked by the doctor to make sure everything is okay. I wouldn't make to many changes to her diet right now it is probably the stuffy nose that is creating the problem. Good luck!!!
I am sure she just can't breathe when she is drinking from the bottle if she is really stuffed up. Make do with whatever/ however she will drink for the next few days and when the stuffiness subsides re-evaluate.
Good Luck!!
You may want to get her ears checked-sometimes not drinking from a bottle is a sign of an ear infection
Try using a saline nose spray then a bulb suction thing to help clear out her nose before a bottle. It has helped us with this problem in the past. Good luck, there is nothing worse then feeling like your little one is not getting enough food. I would stick to her normal solids, sounds like shes just got a cold.
Don't give her milk in a bottle. Only formula should go in a bottle. Sippy for milk, water, juice. This will make your transition later easier to get rid of the bottle.
D.
Could she be teething? I know our little boy sometimes didn't want the bottle when he was teething because the sucking involved actually causes more pressure and pain.
Hi Bonnie
My daughter is 6 months old and in daycare. Which means - it is one cold on top of the next - UGH! Everytime she gets a cold, she has issues drinking from a bottle. You may want to take her to the doctor to check out her ears - could be the beginning of an ear infection. The sucking can hurt their ears. My daughter would only drink 1 or 2 oz at a time. Just keep watching for wet diapers, lethargic, no saliva or tears. If any of that happens she could be getting dehydrated. My doctor said not drinking from the bottle is normal during colds and/or ear infections. I was really worried the first time but, now it seems standard in our house during colds and ear infections. Just keep an eye out for dehydration.
Good luck
D.
Hi there, Have you tried to put it in a sippy cup?or just give her a plastic cup.plenty of kids self ween at this age.
I find it totally different over here (Im Australian) that you cant feed your child solids until 6 months and I hear so many stories of mum's having even 2 yr old waking in the night for bottles. In my humble opinion I would suggest it is the blocked nose making her less interested.Just while she has a cold increase her solid foods and try to get milk in anyway you can.If you can get the saline that you clean the nose with use some of that. They hate it but feel better when they can breathe. If she has teeth she should be able to start on some finger foods like little sandwich squares. She could also start on some chicken so she is getting protein...and with some TLC and vicks her cold should improve soon enough and she should be back to normal.
Hope some of this helps you. Good luck.
