Help! My four month old is very hard to feed. I give him expressed breastmilk only - no formula. For babies his age, he should be drinking at least 4 ounces per feeding, but he never drinks more than 2.5 ounces at once. The remainder of the bottle is a struggle to finish. He starts getting fidgety towards the end of the 2.5 ounces - pulling away from the bottle and crying. I burp him more often and I've also tried Mylicon. Doesn't seem to work. I have been trying and trying to get him to take at least 4 ounces, every 3 hrs, but he doesn't. 2.5 ounces is way too little for a baby his age. For me to get him to finish a 4 ounce bottle, it usually takes an hour. I have tried everything, from using larger size nipples (too big) to adding cereal to his bottles (too lumpy). I'm desperate to get him to take more milk. His weight is ok and he's gaining, but not how he used to. I think he may want little amounts of milk, more often. His doctor seems to think so, too. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking of offering him 3 ounces every hour or two. That way he'll be hungry and drink more often. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm sick of feeding time becoming a battle with him to take more than 2 ounces.
Extra info - I don't breastfeed directly because my son never latched on correctly. Believe me, I tried and tried until we were both crying out of frustration. I still try sometimes, but no luck. Plus, my "letdown" isn't as strong as it was, so my son has to keep pulling at the nipple to get milk and he gets frustrated b/c milk doesn't show up for the first minute or so. The flow isn't as strong either. His sucking on the nipple doesn't seem to let out as much milk as the pump does. He's still crying because he's hungry after being on both breasts. I keep the pump at the highest suction and speed and that's what seems to get my milk flowing.
I just started feeding my son whenever he seemed to want the bottle. I'm trying to keep it on somewhat of a schedule, though. Since he only seems to want 2-3 ounces at once, I let him drink all he wants, stop for 20-50 mins, then let him have seconds. That way, he can take more if he wants and refuse if he doesn't. With the gap in between, he finishes a 5 oz bottle in an hour or so. Of course, I also feed him if he seems to be hungry anytime in between.
There is no book that tells you what EVERY child will do/should do. You can't force more into a belly that doesn't need it.
You go by what HE wants/needs.
Smart baby! He's telling you what he needs and what he doesn't-listen to him, mom! I have to agree-stop trying to force feed him.
If he were nursing he would take what he needed and then ask for more later. Babies on breastmilk are different that formula babies and you are trying to treat him like a formula baby.
Lay off the cereal in his bottle. Doesn't belong there unless he has severe reflux. It will inhibit him getting the proper nutrition via breastmilk because he will be full on cereal that his body probably can't even process at this point.
Follow his lead. That is the beauty of a breastfed baby. They know exactly how much they need/want.
Most breastfed babies his age eat anywhere from 2-3 hours.
Give him his 2.5 ounces and then wait till he gives you the signals that he is hungry again. Don't direct his schedule (please, please, please tell me you aren't trying to use Babywise on him) let him direct his feeding schedule and you will both be much happier.
If he's having enough wet diapers, has good skin color and tone (pinch the skin gently on his arm, if it stays pinched after you let go - he may be dehydrated), no deep circles under his eyes, is alert and up to his basic milestones... then STOP trying to force feed him.
I'd move away from the bottle and back to the breast. He may want closeness to you and will comfort suckle more - which means more milk will be consumed. Never feed an infant more than they are willing to take, you will only cause more of an aversion to feeding.
Most babies are not meant to like like Michellin man - being an obese infant is a very large problem in America, be happy your infant only eats when hungry!
Why are you trying to force him to eat more than he wants?
He's not underweight. And his consumption WILL slow and peak as he hits growth spurts, so he shouldn't be eating like he used to. If you're tired of feeding him so often, try formula, or cereal. He's old enough to have it on a spoon, now. Otherwise, you can grind it up with your fingers in a plastic baggie, and then add it to his bottle. That will solve the lumpy problem.
Wait till he's a toddler and you can't get him to eat ANYTHING!
Every kid is different. Don't stress out about this.
Babies... feed on-demand. They feed until they are full.
And the amounts and frequency of feedings... changes depending on the baby and growth-spurts and appetites every given day or night.
Thus, feeding on a 'schedule' is not recommended.
Can you just direct nurse him????
He is eating like a breastfed baby because he is eating breastmilk. Formula fed babies eat alot more, larger amounts and go longer between feedings. Breastfed babies eat less more often. Follow his cues and feed him when he's hungry and stop when he's done. Don't wait until he is crying to feed him. If he starts rooting around looking for something to suck or gets antsy feed him again. Do not give him larger nipples, a mother's breast does not change how fast the flow is no matter the babies age. Cereal is not needed either. You don't say why you aren't nursing him directly but I would encourage you to try. It is SOOOO much easier than pumping all the time and washing all those parts and bottles. Plus if you are pumping only your milk supply is going to suffer eventually because a pump doesn't work as well as your baby and plus if he were nursing directly he would be stimulating you to make more milk when he had growth spurts and such by feeding more often.....you can't quite do that the same with pumping. If you are having struggles getting that to work right, call La Leche League someone there can help or they can give you names of lactation consultants (the national headquarters is right there in Schaumburg!). I pumped at work for like 12 months so I know all the work that is involved in that.
A great place to go to get information on breastfeeding: www.kellymom.com.
Good luck!
Feeding smaller amounts more frequently is totally fine. It's not supposed to be a struggle so relax and listen to your baby. If he is gaining weight well and otherwise healthy then it's okay. Remember a 4 month old belly is still very small. Breast milk is digested quite quickly so he'll be hungry in no time and will take a another couple of ounces like a champ.
He doesn't have to have 4 oz. My son and daughter were 2 to 2.5 oz when they were nursing. As long as he's gaining weight, you should not be concerned or try to get him to take the full 4 oz.
Take advantage and freeze 1/2 of the expressed milk.
Just to note even now, my son will only take 4oz of formula and he's a year old. When I give him whole milk though he'll take 8 oz.
Every child is different so unless the doctor has concerns, don't worry about it and definitely don't but cereal in his bottle unless the pediatrician has recommended it.
If he is gaining and having wet diapers, I would relax and wait it out. Tomorrow, he may be back up again. My 6 mo increased from 5 oz to 7 all of a sudden, then last week was at 3. Don't make it a battle and enjoy the bonding time. Also, try to get a colorful necklace that is safe for him to pull on, he may just be getting distracted.
your chld is fine. a formula fed child has to eat far differently than a breastfed child. we dont have gauges on our breasts to tell us how much the child has eaten. if hes growing and wetting diapers he is fine. everyones breastmilk is different and is also different for each child you birth. There is definitely hope to get him back to breast but it will take some work. youll need t o find the right lactation consultant to help. Either way stop looking at the ounces and just feed your kid. I nursed my child every 2 hours for her first 12 months of life. my friend could go 3 or 4 hours . every kid is different just feed him when hes hungry
