I'm hoping that someone has experienced this before and can offer some suggestions. My 6 month old son started refusing his bottle about a week ago after taking it successfully for several months. His daycare teacher thought it might have been because he was so congested from his cold that drinking and breathing at the same time were hard for him. It's been a week and a half now and he still screams any time a bottle comes near him. His daycare teachers, my husband and my mom have all tried -- different bottles, different positions, different temperatures and different times.
I love the closeness of breastfeeding him (I've been pumping and sending expressed milk in his bottles to daycare) but I can't go to daycare to feed him every three hours, and I hate the thought of him being so upset that he eventually has to take the bottle because he's just starving.
Any thoughts or advice are welcome.
J., have you checked if he has a ear infection? It might be painful for him to suck if he has one. I do hope he feels better soon.
When I brought my daughter to the babysitter's when I first went back to work, she was 6 months old. I nursed before and after I brought her to the babysitter, but when she was there, she refused the bottle. She was not sick, no cold, etc. She would eat babyfood, but didn't take the bottle. I asked the dr. about this, and he said, as long as she takes the babyfood, she will not get dehydrated, and she was getting enough nutrients from the nursing and plus I gave her the vitamin drops for babies, once a day. Eventually, she did take the bottle from the babysitter. Check with your pediatrician, and see what he says too.
J.
Hi J.,
I have had the same issues with my son--completely congested and refusing bottle (but would nurse fine). This is probably obvious, but have you tried using some saline and suctioning his nose? I would send his bulb and some saline to day care and ask them to do it before they gave him his bottle, and I think it really helps (though he HATED the saline and suctioning). I also invested in the 'Nose Frieda'. It gets out SO MUCH gunk you wouldn't believe it. I never asked day care to use it, because you literally suck stuff out of the nose with this tube, but I would do it before he went to day care, and I would ususally put him in his bouncy chair while i showered to steam him. We have had some back and forth bottle refusal since he started day care at 6 mths. Sometimes i feel like there is a solid explanation, and other times i have NO IDEA what is going on. But don't worry, he'll survive.
I assume from your post that he's drinking ok when breast feeding, right? I ask only b/c (as I've posted before), my son at 4 months started screaming when I gave him a bottle, although he previously had no problems at all (I never breastfed). It turns out, he was in heart failure... a classic sign of a heart problem is not wanting to suck because it takes up too much energy. After a week stay in the PICU and 8 months on medication, he is now fine. But I always caution people when I hear a baby suddenly start screaming like that when taking a bottle to make sure there are no heart problems. Assuming he's taking breast milk, there probably is no medical problem, though.
My daughter went through this. When they are sick and just want mommy its difficult. My pediatrician had suggested I alter her schedule for a while since she was already sleeping through the night. Basically, instead of sleeping thru the night, I would feed her as if it was day time. I would feed her again before dropping her off, go once at lunch time to breastfeed and then once I picked her up had another feeding. She only had one feeding at daycare, but it worked until we could resume bottle. I know it may be exahusting but at least they are getting what they need. Hope this makes sense.
It's so great that you found a Montessori daycare for your little one! That assistant to infancy program is the next best thing to being with mom! :)
I would keep trying the bottle. A cold can completely screw up a baby's (and mama's) routine, and he probably got to nurse more than usual. Consider trying the Breastflow bottles. They were awesome when I was switching between breast and bottle, and my son was PICKY for a while there. But honestly, I think it's just about consistency and time. If you (or his teacher) keep offering it to him, he will eventually take it.
I know it stinks to watch him be so unhappy though. He'll figure it out!
If he's completely refusing the bottle - try a different cup. My nephew was a touch older - 7-8 mos I think - but he refused a bottle b/c his teeth were coming in - went straight to a big cup and never went back. Some kids just don't want it anymore! Good luck! These colds STINK and change everything!
