Infant Feeding Issues

[Dia]

I'll try to hit all my points on this without being to long winded......

5.5m Dcg, started 3 months ago. Well in the beginning she was not agreeing with her formula, parents switched formula and within a couple weeks we lost those issues, but she is still the strangest little eater I have ever had.

She seems to wait until she is absolutely starving most of the time before she takes her bottle, even then she still fights you and fusses and arches her back until you just about give up, eventually you have to hold her tight and practically force her to take her bottle, as soon as she finally latches down she relaxes and drinks, but then (normally, but not always) she stops drinking every few minutes to fuss and arch and fight you and you have to start the process all over.

This week we started rice cereal here, they started at home a few weeks back but wanted to add a second feeding, mom says she eats about 3tbs at home but I can't even come close to this amount and I am normally really good at getting kiddos to eat, I maybe get 1-1.5 tbs in her if that. Plus she spits it all over, it is driving me crazy, she just blows it back out all over me and her and whatever else is within a few foot range.

So, first of all, any suggestions to make either the bottle or cereal feelings more tolerable?

Also, to me, I feel like she just does not like the taste of the formula, her behavior just tells me that she eats because she has to, but she acts like it is so disgusting. I don't even know if it is possible for a baby to think that, it is just the feeling I get. I mentioned it to mom and she said that was funny because her husband said the same thing a while back.....

Also, baby eats so sporadically, she is still not really on a schedule, and can't seem to fall into one, sometimes she eats 8oz, other times she will eat as little as 3oz, and she goes anywhere from 3-5hours between feedings. And the amount consumed doesn't seem to affect the length between feelings, sometimes she drinks 3 oz and then goes 5 hours, sometimes 8oz and is hungry in just a few hours...

[Blackcat31]

What kind of formula is she on? Maybe she really does not like it.. I know some of the medically required ones are awful.

Also, could you have mom SHOW you how she feeds her? Have mom demonstrate her methods...so you can try and do the same in care.

I dont mean to sound as if mom is lying to you but IME, most parents are lying about how well their child eats/sleeps/behaves at home,

[Dia]

They are having the same issues at home with the bottle, and spitting cereal, she is on Gerber good start formula. The only thing mom has said that I can't get is the amount of cereal she is eating, but maybe she can devote more time to the feeding, today I only got her to eat about 1.5Tbs in about 20 min, I feel like that was long enough, I don't want to seem harsh but I have a lot to do.....

[Dia]

Also, to hear her parents tell it she behaves a lot worse at home then she does here at daycare

[Ariana]

My youngest daughter was like this. I breastfed but nearly every feed was a struggle and she would not eat if she was not super hungry. I once accidentally squirted BM in her face and she refused to eat altogether. It got to the point where I had to put her on drowsy to get her to accept my boob at all...that lasted 3 weeks Her older sister was the complete opposite. She got much better eventually around a year but that might just be because I was BF a lot less.

Anyway all this to say she is 3 right now and is an extremely sensitive little person and extremely stubborn. She is a great eater though! Maybe this is what is going on with this kid? The stars have to align for her to want to eat? Might not be anything you are doing wrong. I do understand your frustration though!

[Indoorvoice]

I wouldn't even worry about feeding table foods until she gets better with the bottle. Especially if she is just spitting it out. That tells me she doesn't like it and/or she's not ready.

I also have an infant who feeds exactly like yours except he drinks breast milk and he is now 10 months old. He's been like that since he was about 6 months. I really have no great advice. I was at a point where I was practically holding him down and force feeding and it didn't feel right so I stopped. I offer the bottle or a sippy to him when I get a free second and he takes a few ounces here and there. I had mom talk to her pediatrician about it and make sure he was on board with what was going on. I feel better about it now that he is getting table foods too, but at 5.5 months, she needs to be getting that formula. I guess I would have them talk to the Dr and discuss switching formulas to see if that helps.

[Annalee]

What kind of formula is she on? Maybe she really does not like it.. I know some of the medically required ones are awful.

Also, could you have mom SHOW you how she feeds her? Have mom demonstrate her methods...so you can try and do the same in care.

I dont mean to sound as if mom is lying to you but IME, most parents are lying about how well their child eats/sleeps/behaves at home,

The little one I terminated was 7 months when I got him and was still not drinking from cup or bottle at 11 months when I terminated. The mom was "odd" to put it nicely and she even brought in a jar of organic baby food because she did not want cereal for the child BUT there was something mixed in the food so I did not allow her to leave it here. I am not sure what was going on at home, but there was a reason this kid was not eating and I will always believe it was solely because of the mom. I termed and got away from the situation. :confused:

[Blackcat31]

I don't want to seem harsh but I have a lot to do.....

Are you on the food program?

I require my infants to have been fed breakfast (cereal) at home BEFORE arrival because I dont have time...

I dont begin feeding them solids until I am actually required to do so (8 months) but up until then parents are in charge of all solid feeding.

That way when the baby does need to have solids over lunch, they've had a few months to adjust to it at home on their parent's time.

If I were you, I'd opt out of feeding her anything other than her bottle like Indoorvoice said until you actually HAVE to.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Honestly, if she is not drinking her bottles regularly and getting enough nutrition from that, I would not be doing any solids either. Even with the sporadic amounts, do the ounces add up to enough for a day?

One thing you may try is to feed her upright in a sitting position, versus laying down. Some babies do not like to lay back and feel they are missing something or just don't like the way it feels (think of how it feels if you try to take a drink laying on your back or an incline). I have used an inclined bouncy seat sitting in front of me too, because some babies like to look at you and focus on whats going on as they eat too.

I think your biggest hurdle is just going to be consistency. She needs a schedule and regular feedings, imo. If she can go 3-5 hours, then maybe pick 4 hours as a starting point and stick with it. I would try to get ahead of the game and not let her get to the point of fussing before I start the feed. Keep it relaxed and mellow

[laundrymom]

As hard as it would be to retrain a baby, I might have to terminate.
Unless mom was on board w retraining and serious about it.
I'd try to feed. The moment she fight bottle I would put her down. Then try again a few minutes later. It could take weeks/months though. I'd have to be really invested to spend that much time working with a baby in a group setting.

[Annalee]

As hard as it would be to retrain a baby, I might have to terminate.
Unless mom was on board w retraining and serious about it.
I'd try to feed. The moment she fight bottle I would put her down. Then try again a few minutes later. It could take weeks/months though. I'd have to be really invested to spend that much time working with a baby in a group setting.

I wll work with any parent that will work with me, but never again will I work when I learn the parent isn't doing her part....I learned this the hard way!