Feeding issue...Ideas please!!

JenniferHolly

Hi girls,

One of my twins (5 months actual, 2.5 months adjusted) has always been a very good eater.  He gets BM and Neosure mixed in a Dr. Browns bottle with a level 1 nipple.  He eats about every 3.5-4 hours during the day and will go up to one 6 hour stretch at night.

Here is my concern:  He usually eats 4.5 oz and lately it is like pulling teeth to get him to take just over 3! I don't think it is reflux....He will almost gag if I try to put the bottle back in his mouth to get him to finish the bottle...Any ideas as to what is going on or what I might try here?

I am so frusterated!

tierelieber

Hey there! Sorry to hear you're having troubles. Not sure if I ever mentioned to you before about DD's eating problems- she has problems coordinating her swallowing. Have you seen a GI specialist or a speech  pathologist? The GI doc will help determine if its reflux, and the speech pathologist can help you determine if your DS is having swallowing problems. I know how frustrating it can be, but you owe it to yourself and to DS to get to the bottom of it.

Oh, and DD's symptoms were as follows: She would eat only 2 oz and then start screaming- lots of gagging and regurgitation and such. I would have to force some more in her while she was crying in pain. She owuld eat better when she was tired or sleeping. It was so difficult to try to feed her, and I used to dread bottle time. Now she gets thickened formula in Playtex Drop-ins. Definitely check with the docs about this. Good luck!

JenniferHolly

Thanks! You know he has never had any issue eating and therefore never needed a swallow study etc..He doesn't scream or anything, he just seems a little uninterested.  Atleast he is still taking good volumes, the ped thinks he is teething! Maybe that is it? I don't know...

 

Ps. Love the new siggy:)

tierelieber

Thanks!

Yeah, teething could be it. Or maybe he's just getting to the age where he is more interested in what goes on around him then eating. I usually have to feed DD in a dark room or else she will be too distracted with everything to be interested in eating.

TheShellSeeker

DS chokes and gags through bottles.  He has such a horrible gag reflex that we can't even feed him solids.  Anything on his lips makes him gag and then spit-up.  Feeding is a struggle between this and reflux.   Pedi has referred us to a feeding therapist.  I'm not sure what he or she will do but we're willing to give it a shot because we don't know what else to do.  I suspect the reflux helped to cause this gag reflex - that and the prevacid meds which also makes him gag.   You could ask your pedi about seeing a feeding therapist.  GL!

lemen99

does she seem in pain? If so I think it could be reflux. Or teething. Or maybe a non-growth-spurt..or...I'm not sure!  Our son gags if we try to feed him and he doesn't want to eat for some reason.