Help!!!! I need advice on a feeding problem!!!!

[JLiebCamm]

My 6 month DS stopped taking the bottle (of EBM) last week out of the blue. He's been drinking EBM since he was 3 months old and I went back to work full time. Initially he had trouble taking the bottle, but for the last three months he has had no problems switching between bottle and breast. Last week, he started chewing on the bottle nipple (on the side of his mouth) and letting the milk run out of his mouth without swallowing. Both my DH and MIL have tried on a daily basis to feed him without success. He will still take the breast, although he occassionally bites at me (ouch!). I know this probably sounds like a teething problem, and it very well may be, but what do I do?????

[ginalc]

My 6 month old DS is going through the same sort of issues at the breast. He's easily distracted and just not as hungry as he was earlier -- I think. Some days he nurses 3 or 4 times, for a very short period of time. Too much to do and think about IMO!

Are they feeding him other foods while you're away? He may be filling up on cereal or veggies and just not as thirsty.
Ummmmmmmmmm, 6 month olds are also pretty smart. :) If he knows he doesn't have to drink from a bottle, he may prefer to wait for Mommy!

gina, mom to 3
BFing for 4 yrs and counting!

Edited to add: I should add that ALL my BF babies have gone through a similar phase. It seems that at some time or another, they just stop nursing or eating as frequently. This phase passes and things return to normal. Some moms view this as something may be "wrong with my milk" but rest assured, there isn't. If you continue to offer the same milk and feeding patterns, teething or not, baby will drink from the bottle and breast. Be prepared though, the same patterns (not eating well every day) will happen when baby gets older and learns to walk, run, jump, do sommersaults, etc. IMO this is just a normal part of growing up! :)

[Marisa6826]

Sophie is 6m old and gums the nipples too.

I've found that if I wait just a little longer between feedings she will be hungry enough to down most of the milk before starting to play with the nipple.

Also, have you tried going up on nipple size? He might not be getting the milk fast enough.

Good luck

-m

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Could it be reverse cycling? My daughter is younger, but on days that I go to the office she does not eat much at all, just 4 oz or so, and then when I get home she nurses like crazy.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel 2/27/91
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[cara1]

One other thought...your EBM, is it frozen or fresh? At around 10 mos, all my frozen EBM became spoiled, and DS started refusing it. Just a thought.