why won't they eat?

I am posting this for a man who works with my dad and doesn't have access to the computer. He and his wife have 7 month old twins (5 months adjusted). They are on Enfacare 22 cal formula. The problem is that the babies aren't eating as much as what the doctor and nutritionist are telling these parents they should eat. The docs are telling them 25 to 30 ounces a day, the nutritionist is saying 35 ounces a day. The babies are taking anywhere from 3 - 7 ounces per feed every four hours except at night when they sleep 6-7 hours at a time. He says they just don't seem hungry. They will wake up after 7 hours and will only take 3 ounces. They will scream when he starts putting a burp cloth under their mouths and then they just won't eat. Sometimes they just seem to have a hard time getting started, but once they get going, they will take a whole bottle. The one time they will really finish off a 7 ounce bottle is if they are asleep. He has found that they can get good amounts into them at night by waking them and giving them a feed around 11 or 12, and they will take the whole thing and go back to sleep no problem. They are using size 3 nipples on Dr. Brown's bottles and they are adding rice per the doc for the reflux. They are already on Prilosec for reflux. He says they trialed them off Prilosec about a month ago and they didn't do very well so it was restarted. They don't arch their backs when feeding or spit up very much. He says they are pooping fine. No constipation worries. They are taking one solid meal a day at this point because when they increased the solids, the babies refused more bottles and started losing weight (small amounts, 4 ounces, but they really freaked his wife out at the doctor's office about it.) The babies weigh 14 and 15 pounds. They do not take pacifiers, do chew on toys and don't seem to have problems with things in their mouths and are doing fine with solid feeds.

I am not sure what else to tell them. I thought maybe some of you had some ideas. I'm sorry this is so long, but I really feel for these guys. He's really worried about the babies and even more concerned for his wife, because she is so upset by all of this. TIA for any help you can give.

Laura

 

I am posting this for a man who works with my dad and doesn't have access to the computer. He and his wife have 7 month old twins (5 months adjusted). They are on Enfacare 22 cal formula. The problem is that the babies aren't eating as much as what the doctor and nutritionist are telling these parents they should eat. The docs are telling them 25 to 30 ounces a day, the nutritionist is saying 35 ounces a day. The babies are taking anywhere from 3 - 7 ounces per feed every four hours except at night when they sleep 6-7 hours at a time. He says they just don't seem hungry. They will wake up after 7 hours and will only take 3 ounces. They will scream when he starts putting a burp cloth under their mouths and then they just won't eat. Sometimes they just seem to have a hard time getting started, but once they get going, they will take a whole bottle. The one time they will really finish off a 7 ounce bottle is if they are asleep. He has found that they can get good amounts into them at night by waking them and giving them a feed around 11 or 12, and they will take the whole thing and go back to sleep no problem. They are using size 3 nipples on Dr. Brown's bottles and they are adding rice per the doc for the reflux. They are already on Prilosec for reflux. He says they trialed them off Prilosec about a month ago and they didn't do very well so it was restarted. They don't arch their backs when feeding or spit up very much. He says they are pooping fine. No constipation worries. They are taking one solid meal a day at this point because when they increased the solids, the babies refused more bottles and started losing weight (small amounts, 4 ounces, but they really freaked his wife out at the doctor's office about it.) The babies weigh 14 and 15 pounds. They do not take pacifiers, do chew on toys and don't seem to have problems with things in their mouths and are doing fine with solid feeds.

I am not sure what else to tell them. I thought maybe some of you had some ideas. I'm sorry this is so long, but I really feel for these guys. He's really worried about the babies and even more concerned for his wife, because she is so upset by all of this. TIA for any help you can give.

Laura

 

14 and 15 lbs. at 7 mos. seems really quite good to me!!! Mine were in the 13 lbs range at 6 mos. and we were not supplementing the bottles and not that worried about intake.

I HONESTLY think it's fine that they aren't eating a ton!!! My pedi told me to not ever FORCE them to eat as it could cause issues later on.

Put it this way....my nephew is with me during the week while his parents are at work. In 8 hrs. we are LUCKY if I get 9 oz. in him!!! He's growing just fine. The doc wants him to gain a little, but he's just a petite eater.

Mine ate WAY less than 32 oz. a day at 6 mos. and it just went DOWN from there when we started solids.

I would call her if I were you and just tell her that her instincts are really good and if she feels like they JUST AREN'T HUNGRY then there is NO sense in getting all worked up about it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.....

Call her!! I really don't think she needs to be stressing about it, but that's just me. Maybe she should switch pedi's or see another one in the practice one time and see what comes of that....

Good luck! Let us know what happens!

 

I just wanted to say my girls were the same way. I finally just stopped worrying about it. My ped never did get concerned. One of mine is only 14 lbs and is 8 months. I also wanted to add that the smaller was on the enfacare 22. She couldn't take the powdered form and it only came in that or nursettes that were EXPENSIVE! The doc wanted to keep her on it but we made the decision to switch. She was only eating 4 oz at a time on the enfacare and on the new formula right away she began consuming more. IMO the enfacare is really thick and filled her up fast. Now she gets hungry and eats 6-8 oz bottles a feed. If you do the math (like we did) you'll see that she is much better off eating reg formula and more of it than high cal formula and less quantity...if that makes sense. Tell them not to worry, they always eat when they are hungry.

 

Hi, I know exactly how this family feels. My twin girls are almost 11 months and they only weigh 18 and 17. They have reflux and they are taking Provacid. We stopped the medication and the feeding got worse. They have no interest in eating. One day they eat fine and then the nexr 5 days they do not want any formula or solids. Most of the bottle feedings are at night since they do not fight us. I even made home made food for them, I was under the impression that they really liked it but now they are not showing much interest in that either. It is hard, and I am trying to find out the issue and I am going crazy, no sleep at night and straggle during the day. I think it is the reflux and that my kids medicaiotn amount needs to be adjusted ...

Tell them I wish them luck...They should change docs and try a different medication for the reflux...[email protected]

 

www.marci-kids.com/ Check out that website, email the Drs for advice (they will respond!). We put our girls on Zegerid and it helped tremendously!!!!

 

I'm willing to bet that it's the reflux, and they need an adjustment or change in meds. My twins were doing this when they were 2-4 months old until we go them on the right meds. s, reflux is so difficult.

 

I agree with the pp that the Enfacare probably fills them up a lot more.

The only suggestion I can make, and this probably won't solve the problem, is to put a few drops of mylicon in the bottles to get rid of the air bubbles. We used to do that with the girls and it helped.

But, I also agree that 14 and 15 lbs sounds fine. My girls are 14 and 16 lbs at 5 months, and these babies are 5 months adjusted age.

 

I agree the Enfacare probably fills them up more. I have one twin that breastfeeds and the other one gets breast milk with cereal in a bottle due to reflux. She eats MUCH less than the one that breast feeds. At times I get really nervous, however, she seems to be gaining weight. Also, mine is getting physical therapy because she doesn't suck well. I think with the Enfacare and the cereal, they are probably being held over longer than a baby on regular formula. Also, since my baby has a sucking problem, she doesn't take a pacifier because she isn't able to suck it properly.