Getting my boys to eat more

Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking for a while, and this is my first post. You all are a wealth of information! So here is my problem: I have 7 month old boys (5 months adjusted) who refuse to drink more than 4 ounces per bottle. So, per the Peds instructions, we feed every 3 hours (with one 5 hour stretch a night). They have acid reflux and are on prevacid solutabs and one of my boys has problems taking the bottle (the other is fine). They are fed baby food twice a day and it is a good day if they split a size 2 jar per sitting--mostly the food is for entertainment, not nourishment. Does anyone have any "tricks of the trade" to get my guys to eat more? Or am I just going to have to wait this out? Has anyone else experienced a similar issue and can comiserate? Thanks!

 

Welcome! Glad you have come out of lurkdom! h34r:

I can definitely commiserate! My babies had reflux and were refusing bottles at 2 months. Finally got them on the right meds, which included Prevacid btw, and they finally started drinking their bottles without a fight around 4 months. But, they were never big eaters. We were off bottles by 11 months, and their biggest bottle up until that point was 6 oz. We were stuck at 4 FOREVER! I think it was right about 8-9 months we finally went up to 5. But, Emma slept through at 4 months, and Jake at 6. Unfortunately, I think you will have to just wait it out. It was so strange to me to have such small eaters, after my first 3 kids!

Glad you are here!

 

Hi. Welcome!

I hate to say it but I agree with the previous post, I think you might just have to wait it out! We were on a 3 hour schedule until 5 months, then we finally got switched to 4 hours and the girls got up to almost 6 oz bottles/nurse.

good Luck!

 

Thanks Mandyfish and Becky for the replies, it always helps to know that others know what you are going through! Becky, I was searching through old posts and saw several of yours regarding acid reflux. I am wondering if this non-eating might be the acid reflux coming back. I didn't know that they could weigh out of the prevacid like the zantac. Should I try mylanta (and how much) or cereal in the bottle, or both? Thanks.

 

I just thought of one thing you could try, which is going up a size on the nipples. What size do you use now?

I think that the cereal definitely helped with the reflux, it might be worth a try. I gave 1ml of Mylanta about 30 minutes before the next feeding, so that if they were in pain, it would hopefully help and help them to eat.

Are they teething? That can also effect their eating.

Don't you wish they came with an instruction manual!!?? :crazy:

I would first try the faster flow nipple on the bottles, if you haven't already. Adding cereal is a royal pain and you want to avoid it if you can.

 

My twins are a bit younger than yours but they also have reflux. I saw dramatic improvement in quantity when we switched from regular Similac to Alimentum. They also take it thickened with half cereal and half oatmeal. We use Y cut nipples. As PP have said, first try increasing the nipple size. If that doesn't work then maybe a formula switch or thickening with cereal might help. Good luck!

 

Welcome. Just wanted to say hi and that we were in the reflux camp too. Ugh! What a stressful time. Mine were born 2 months early too. Definitely try and go up a size with the nipple and see what their reaction is. We were on Prevacid too and we ended up adding cereal per the Ped GI to help with the throwing up. Hang in there. Reflux is hard on parents and babies.

 

Wow! Great ideas. I tried the rice cereal last night, and will try adding the mylanta and the next size up nipples. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and great suggestions that I can try immediately. :clapping: