Tips for helping bottle gag reflex?
nikilouhoo
member
My 8-week old daughter seems to have a gag reflex when she tries to drink from her bottle (not all of the time, but at least 3 feedings a day). She's hungry and excited to eat, but when she accepts the nipple, she gags or starts breathing heavily and scrunches up her face and tounges it out of her mouth.
We use Dr. Brown's bottles with the premie nipple to provide a slower flow. We never force the bottle on her and try to calm her by lightly stroking her cheeks (which she loves) and talking softly. This helps, but when this happens, it makes for a very long feeding time (an hour or more for 3-4 ounces). We also try burping her, but often it's not gas or bubble related that we can tell.
She was in the NICU with a cpap and nasal feeding tube for 4 days, so I'm wondering if it's just a sensitivity issue after having to go through that right after birth. Anyone else's LO have this issue - any tips to help?
Re: Tips for helping bottle gag reflex?
Hi fellow AZ MoM!
Can I ask what position she is in when you are trying to give her the bottle? When I met w/ a LC to discuss some issues she recommended 1. Using the Dr. Brown preemie flow nipples (which I see you already are), 2. Positioning the baby in the crook of your arm, while they are sitting on your thigh with them at ~ 75-80 degree angle (not completely 90 degree) and then providing bottle to area beneath nose (at philtrum - similar to stroking cheek to get them to open mouth) and then letting them accept nipple toward palate (similar to way they would take breast if BF'ing). And 3. To hold the bottle so that there is an air bubble at top of nipple (i.e. when bottle is on side fill top portion of nipple with milk but allow for air bubble on top of horizontal flow of milk, kind of hard to describe???) and then baby has to to suck to pull in liquid.
Maybe some of these techniques will help???
I have one LO that still does this, but only when she's first accepting the nipple. It sounds like once your LO is latched she still does it?
My LO that does this had cpap for a couple of days and her feeding tube through her nose for 4 weeks. My other LO who had cpap for 4 days and the feeding tube for 2 weeks does not do it. Possibly related is the baby that gags is also the baby with reflux.
I find that if i position the bottle (Dr. Browns too, and preemie nipples for a good long while too) with the bottle near her chin and the nipple pointing to her nose (or her palate) and let it drip on her bottom lip, she then opens wide and has to use her sucking to draw the nipple in where she wants it. If I just pop it in and go she gags sometimes to the point of throwing up if I don't pay close enough attention and remove it fast enough.
Did your NICU say it was okay for a feeding to take an hour? We were always under strict instruction to stop after 30 minutes since that's the point where she starts burning more calories than she was getting? Maybe try to give her a 30 minute break and come back to it?
Sorry for not getting back sooner - first chance I've had to check for responses.
Thank you! We have tried all of these tips (I had an LO that gave the same advice - although the air in the nipple kind of confused me - wouldn't that cause more gas?). We've tried all positions, but she does seem to do a bit better when she's half-way sitting up.
The NICU didn't say anything about a 30 minute max for feeding - I'll definitely keep this in mind!
I'm thinking she may have reflux, but will check with my pedi at their two-month visit next week.