Help - crying during bottle feeding!

[kbyrne]

My 11 week old will cry and get so upset during her feedings that she can't eat. This only happens during the daytime feedings from about 11 am - 5 pm. I can hear her gulp sometimes and she gets upset. We were using Avent, now Dr. Brown's to see if this helps. Nothing has made a difference. We thought possible reflux - but MD says not. Any ideas?

[SeekerMage]

Hmmm...to me it sounds like if she is gulping then maybe she is getting it to fast and choking on it.(even if she isnt choking) Have you tried tightening the nipple ring really tight? this will make a tighter seal and hopefully make it drip out slower. Try tipping the bottle if the milk comes pouring out then its too fast. I would try different nipples and flow rates. Try tightening the nipple ring tight or having it a little looser. (this happened recently with Lil'bit...she rarely gets a bottle now and last time we had issues with it, turns out it was coming out to fast and just by tightening the seal a little it helped so she had to suck harder.) Or it could also be the opposite that its not coming fast enough!

Otherwise the only thing I can suggest is try different bottles and nipples, could just be a preference of nipple or flow. Also, another possibility is maybe she isnt hungry at that moment....she could just drink a little and just want to suck without the milk. (had this issue too...she will want to nurse a little and then her binki and cuddle, its just a sucking thing I guess!) If she starts crying or seems like she is going to, try sticking a pacifier in her mouth, or a finger. Try different feeding times (perhaps she is so hungry she isnt getting it fast enough, or not hungry enough that she just wants a snack and then no more. Are her feedings close to bed time? If one of Lil'bits feedings is near nap time she will eat just enough to get a nibble (no let down) and then arch out of my arms for her binki and bed and eat when she wakes instead.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope something helps...good luck! :)

[Chelsey333]

My ds cried throughout his bottle feedings until he was 11 mos. old and I took him off the bottle. We thought reflux too and put him on zantac, but nothing really helped. We tried a ton of different nipples and bottles, some worked better - but he still cried. I used to dread feeding him in public bec he would get so upset. Sorry I don't have any positive answers for you. I still don't know why he got so upset, but once I stopped giving him a bottle he was a new child. My ds did the same thing with the gulping, but different nipples didn't help for us. The Avent bottle worked better than others, and we used the nipple that had variable flow depending on how the nipple was turned. I found feeding him upright with his back/head against my legs and my knees bent was the most comfortable for him. He seemed to cry less in this position. Good luck, I hope something works for you.

[babymama]

You've gotten good advice. Wanted to throw this out, bc your DD's behavior sounds familiar. Any chance your little one could have an ear infection?
Sucking on a bottle is painful w/ ear infections. DS's appetite reduces drastically w/ ear infections. He'll latch onto the bottle (obviously hungry) and then push it away and cry/scream during feedings.

Hope this helps.

Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03