What's up with the bottle boycott?

My boys will be 9 mos next week. For the past few weeks, it's been a chore to get them to eat during the day. They're just too distracted & won't hold still. But, we were still getting a decent amount in them...just usually over various attempts .

Now, within the past week, they are BARELY taking any formula throughout the day. I even decreased their baby food amount to see if they'd take more formula & they won't. I tried to adjust our schedule to 3 bottles/day vs 4 & they FLIPPED. They SCREAMED & SCREAMED around their normal bottle time, but then were perfectly content & happy after just 2 oz. Their intake is now varying from 2-7 oz for their day bottles (I'm content with 4 since two 4 oz bottles would be like an 8 oz if I went to 3 per day). Today, my one DS only took in 18 oz (my other took in 25, so I'm not worried there). He's never been a bit eater, but I worry when everything I read says he should have a MINIMUM of 20 oz per day (and we FOUGHT to get those 18 in him). They GUZZLED their night time bottles tonight...finishing 9 oz (that I made by fluke) in record time, but not interested by the time we got them more.

They don't APPEAR hungry during the day after their small bottles & are doing GREAT with the babyfood/table food. They're wetting diapers fine & appear to be gaining weight (we have their 9 mo appt next wk). Should I just not worry? I know I've read LOTS of posts on here about babies boycotting bottles, but for some reason, I thought it was later in age. I know they're working on their top teeth, but adding Ibuprofen/Orajel/Teething Tablets don't make a difference in their bottle intake.

At least they're not waking at night to eat what they're missing during the day! We've thoroughly been enjoying the STTN nights lately!

Is this just a phase that too shall pass?

 

What flow nipple are they using? Will they use a sippy? Meara started getting super distracted during bottles around 10ish months old. It helped to make sure the room was quiet before attempting to get her to eat. Sometimes she didn't finish her bottles and I tried not to stress as long as she was making wet diapers, was her normal cheerful self and didn't seem hungry all the time. I would mention it at your 9 month wbv, but obviously if they continue to drink even less and have less wet diapers call your pedi sooner.

 

They're both on Level 3 nipples (different bottles) & when I attempted formula in a sippy, they launched that cup sooo far that I figured I should buy them a baseball glove !!!

 

If you can I would try and go up a size in nipples and see if they are just getting impatient with the flow. It sounds like they are doing great to me. But, I agree with Leighann, if you start to notice fewer wet diapers and the amount decreases by alot then I would call the Ped. If not, I would just go with the flow for now. FWIW we did not go to 3 bottles until they were about 11 months old.

 

I'm telling you it must be a twin thing going on because mine are doing the same thing!
DS is worse than DD. I feel bad like they aren't drinking enogh too!
I wish you Luck!

 

I think it is just a phase. They want to see & explore more now & don't have time for the bottle. I try to go into another room with Cody so he is less distracted by his brothers & that helps alot. Now he is refusing his baby food too. Haven't figured that one out yet, but he is taking more bottle again.

 

ally started doing this last week, too....but at our pedi appt on friday, he suggested i drop one bottle, leaving only 3 per day, one at wake up, one after lunch and the last at bedtime. it has worked well, and he said nothing about the amount of ounces she should be drinking, she is down to 18 if she decides to finish it all (she will never take more than 6--ok maybe a couple of times, but not enough to warrant 7 oz bottles). he suggested i give them juice at the 4 pm bottle which we've done the last 2 days, and they seem to be doing ok....so sit may just be a phase....could you try the juice to see what happens?

sandra

 

Mine are 5 months & I have a hard time so I gave them more food because at least they would take that. I give them a bottle before I go to bed -- drink when they are asleep. If one wakes up I feed both even the sleeping one.

 

We have been on 3 formula feedings for over 2 months and are in the middle of switching to milk. We are 1/3 of the way there. We are going very slowly.

My PED said if they wont drink formula, give them vitamins and make sure they get a balanced diet throughout the day. She also said to stop reading things about how much they should have and just give them what they want.

Keep feeding times regular and offer a variety of foods. In a few more months you will be trying to take the bottle and formula way, so why force it now.

Of course this is her opinion and not the opinion of every PED!

 

QUOTE(Tammy Fine @ Apr 20 2008, 02:31 PM) [snapback]730119[/snapback]
We have been on 3 formula feedings for over 2 months and are in the middle of switching to milk. We are 1/3 of the way there. We are going very slowly.

My PED said if they wont drink formula, give them vitamins and make sure they get a balanced diet throughout the day. She also said to stop reading things about how much they should have and just give them what they want.

Keep feeding times regular and offer a variety of foods. In a few more months you will be trying to take the bottle and formula way, so why force it now.

Of course this is her opinion and not the opinion of every PED!


I honestly have not heard about exactly how much a baby should have formula-wise til I came here. The pedi Emily had as a baby never ever mentioned how much formula she should of had as an infant. She was very tiny too, and still is. The same with the pedi we have now. I did ask Friday when I was there with Carlie, and she told me no more than 24ozs per day. However, she has been leaning on introducing foods more than giving formula.

You are right though, they eventually do get off of it.

I am still confused though. I know they should be getting 3 meals along with formula, but lately my girls are also not interested in their bottles. I also don't believe in giving them a bottle, and then giving them baby food an hour later. That is two meals too close together, and they won't take it.

The plus side is that they still eat every 3hrs. So they still get bottles inbetween meals.

April

 

Well, for the past 2 days, we've successfully survived on 3 bottles per day. Being that we ALL dread bottle feeding, dropping a bottle has been nice. It's taking some getting used to, but the boys are adapting quite well!

Now we do something like this:

6am Wake
6:30am Bottle
8:30am Breakfast
9am Nap
11am Lunch
12:30pm Bottle
1pm Nap
4pm Dinner
6pm Bottle/bed

They're really itching to eat come dinner time, so I may need to bump that up earlier, but I can't push the 12:30pm bottle any later b/c they go down for nap at 1. I may also try a little snack when they wake up from their nap, but nothing big enough to interfere with their dinner.

I really try to push Sippy Cups with their meals to ensure they're getting enough fluids during the day. Aiden still doesn't get it...AT ALL. Conner does ok, but neither take any substantial amount from them. I put formula in it today & they took it, so now if they'd just figure out how to DRINK from them vs sip, it'd be helpful!

The new schedule leaves me very little window to leave the house, so I'm hoping to gradually push their bottles closer to meal times. However, my guys just don't seem to tolerate too much food at once, so the every 2-3 hrs or so seems to work the best for them.

I started adding EXTRA babyfood/table food to their meals to make up for the calories they're losing from that 4th bottle. I'll throw all this past our Pedi on Friday (their 9 mo appt!), but I'm sure he'll be fine with it. He's always told me not to obsess with numbers & just make sure they're growing & thriving...which they are.

Now if only I could get them to take their 3 remaining bottles without a fight. They like to roll around, play, dilly dally, chew on the nipple, throw the bottle, etc etc etc. You'd think they'd be STARVED having less to eat, but it's still a chore some days getting more than 4-5 oz down them. Being that we dropped a bottle, I'm really wanting them to take more in their remaining bottles.

I know I shouldn't stress, but I do!!!!!