My 6 Month Old Baby Refuses Both Bottle And Solid And Only Wants Nursing

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My 6 Month Old Baby Refuses Both Bottle And Solid And Only Wants Nursing

by Daffadol
(Oman)

I have a 6 month old baby boy and this is my first baby. My baby has been on breastfeeding since the 3rd day along with my expressed milk in a bottle or a formula in a bottle. So I used to be both nursing and bottle feeding, but when he reached 80 days around 3rd month he started refuse taking milk or any thing in a bottle though I tried different timing, different people feeding him, seating position in a chair, various nipples but he just refused all that til he reached 5 months so I stopped trying and started introducing solid food when he turned 5.5 months.

He accepted first two weeks ( I tried rice with milk, potato , carrot) and now he is 6 month old and he refuses any food. I tired giving him juices, apple boiled but same. He doesn't even try them, he refuse the idea to eat he only want to be nursed.

I resumed back to work and he would stay with my mum and the maid and they try giving him all different type (boiled carrots, apple, banana, juice, potato, rice ) He just doesn't accept to open his mouth.

He plays with his bottle but never puts it in his mouth and when we try to do so he turns off immediately. So he stays 7.5 hours with out anything til I reach home and then he be on nursing almost every 1 or 2 hours.

Note he is having eczema (Skin allergy) since he was 4 months and DR asked me to stop giving him any dairy products including formula and egg and sea food so me and him has to stop any thing that contains those elements so he goes over the allergy. What should I do?

He doesn't sleep well now as well unless he is next to me in the bed and my nipple is in his mouth, and he sleeps around 2 to 3 hours day time when am at work then 1.5 hour at evening or late afternoon, and at night he sleeps very difficulty and wakes up a lot.

My baby is a very active, smart and cheerful baby; his weight is also at the green line but he seems to lose weight now especially since last week he picked a viruses of cough and flue and fever.

PLZ advice me what to do am worried about my little angle and am tired as well. I left work today in between to feed him as he refused to eat banana which is a new taste for him and even mum tried giving it to him by finger but no use ..PLZZZZ Help

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My 6 Month Old Baby Refuses Both Bottle And Solid And Only Wants Nursing

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Oct 15, 2008

Smart fellow, tough situation!
by: Baby Help Line

Hi Daffadol!

One part of me just have to smile; you have a very intelligent son! Not even 8 months old and he has still - for months - made up his month that he will have nothing to do wiht anything but your breast milk and your nipple.

In all your misery over the situation, just think about that once in a while. Aren't babies just amazing!?

That won't make him eat or sleep though.

With babies that start doing this; refucing to eat, it is often possible to get a fresh start by stopping to try for a couple of weeks. Right now you are in a real power struggle with him and he wins - he simple refuses to eat!

If it is at all possible for you; can you talk to your employer and be able to go home for lunch to feed him for a couple of weeks? That way he won't starve or become dehydrated.

Then in two weeks or so, try offering a very small amount of something he likes; like some fruit for example and take it from there.

You and anyone else taking care of him can also try just let him join while they eat and if he shows any interest at all in their food, let him try! (Unless it is something harmful, of course.) Even just dipping his fingers in some food or a glass of juice can start off his curiosity.

Another possibility, if you haven't trie it already,is to just put a tippy cup (with e.g. formula or breast milk in it) in front of him and let him explore it. Make sure it is coloful and maybe with some cute animals on or something that can make it interesting.

Do you see where I'm getting at? Try to get rid of the power struggle, find some way to nurse him for a couple of weeks and use all your creativity to make the foods something interesting and enjoyable.

Here are two links about picky eaters and power struggles:

Picky eater tips

Dealing with power struggles

I really wish you good luck!

About the poor sleeping; concentrate on his feeding first. At his age separation anxiety is common adn also a common reason for poor sleep.

If you get the feeding to work, chances are he will sleep better too.

Hope this helps a bit. Let me know of your progress!

/Paula

Oct 16, 2008

Try this
by: Becka

Well, have you tried expressing milk and giving him a cup without a lid? Give him a little milk at a time this way or try off of a spoon. It takes longer but at least hell be eating. As for the food, don't rush him. When he's ready hell eat. Good luck!

www.babynursingblog.com

Oct 21, 2008

Update !!
by: Daffadol

Thank you for your inputs. i stopped trying solid feeding my little angle and i would leave daily to feed him and come back so he would have feed every 3.5 to 4 hrs. am only trying to give him juice in a sippy cup full of teddy bears and another in a bottle and keep them with his toys so he has a little though he spit it out but at least he is building a relation with them :) and am keeping him next to me while we have lunch or dinner so he see us eat and at early this week he started to grape things and throw them not even put them in his mouth. Yesterday, he refused all sliced fruits and rice i would give him by hand when he show interest in . but guess what when i kept him in my lap and i was having my fruit he graped it form my hand and was playing with it and keeping it in his mouth (it was a pear slice) and when i gave him a new piece he refused hew wants mine !!! i kept him playing and chewing it . hope that slowly after playing with food he will start eating then.

Oct 21, 2008

:-D
by: Baby Help LIne

What a cute little boy you have, so determined!

You seem to be doing great, taking it slowly. I'm sure he will become more interested in eating over time, especially in your food, which really is good!

Thanks a lot for the update, created a big smile!

/Paula

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