Mouthing and playing with bottle--not eating

kafunder

Over the past few weeks, DD and DS discovered their hands, and now they'd much rather eat their hands and play with the bottle and nipple than drink. They were each easily taking 4-5 oz bottles six times a day, but now it is a battle to get them to go past the first 3 oz. After that, they get distracted, start putting their hands up near the nipple, mouthing the nipple, putting their hands in their mouth, etc. I tried feeding them in the dark b/c I thought maybe they were distracted, but that didn't help. I also have tried gently holding their hands when they eat so they can't get them near their mouths, but then they just mouth the nipple.

Any ideas on what this means or what to do?

snansley

DS does this.  We try to minimize distractions when we feed and that helps.  Sometimes we have to take a break and come back to it.  I don't really have any advice, but I assume it is normal developmental stuff.

BabyCakes3

DS started doing this too. It took me a few days to realize that he's wanting to go longer btw feeds. He had always gone 2.5-3 hrs but all of a sudden it's 4 hrs. Then when he starts playing around, I assume he's full but if I'm worried about him getting enough, I will try again after playing with him for a few min. Sometimes he'll nurse a little more but most of the time he's done.

ladybug8510

DD does this with bottles sometimes.  I just stop the feeding and try again later.  Maybe they aren't really hungry and want to go a little longer between feedings?

secretmemories13

Ladybug8510:

DD does this with bottles sometimes.  I just stop the feeding and try again later.  Maybe they aren't really hungry and want to go a little longer between feedings?

This! Trust me, if they are hungry they will polish off the bottles in no time, and eat more in a feeding.

susan1017

It helped me to up the nipple size and get more in him quicker. He is taking more per feeding and going longer!

Good luck!

TexasBaby10

We went up to a Level 2 nipple, and it solved the problem!

plainjanie1

It's probably not a good idea to get into, but DD had the same issues (mouthing/chewing on the nipple, being distracted, not wanting to drink for long) and the only way we could get her to finish her bottle was to feed her laying flat on her back.