- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Preemies
Suddenly eating less?
Hi everyone, I've been a lurker on this board for a few months now, my son was born at 34 weeks 3 days back in January. We've had quite a difficult time with him, nonstop crying/being miserable and poor weight gain, was diagnosed with reflux and put on zantac. At the end of March he got really sick, diarrhea/vomiting/refusing to eat and wound up in the hospital for dehydration.
Luckily from the hospitalization we got to meet with a GI specialist and he had an ultrasound done to rule out pyloric stenosis and an Upper GI study done to check for normal anatomy. Everything came out ok, and the specialist suspected a milk protein sensitivity so he was started on Neocate formula and then switched onto Prevacid solutabs. They determined that his GI tract was so inflamed and irritated from the sensitivity that a regular stomach bug really wiped him out.
Since he's been home he's been doing great. He weighed 8 lbs on the day of his hospital discharge on 4/2. Today he weighs 9 lbs 12 oz and is a much happier and content baby.
This past week or so he's suddenly started eating less. Before the hospitalization, we were lucky to get him to eat 2 - 2 1/2 ounces every 3 hours. After the switch, he was eating between 3-4 ounces each time. Now he is back to 2 ounces and he absolutely refuses to eat any more, though he still roots around and cries. He is still having enough wet diapers, and usually poops every day or so and is generally still a happy baby. He also just recently started having a regular 5-7 hour stretch of sleep each night.
I'm a FTM and worry myself sick with him. He has an appointment this Wednesday with his GI specialist and then an appointment with his pediatrician on Thursday. I will bring up this situation with both of them, but in the meantime just wondering if anybody out there has dealt with something like this? I try to tell myself that he knows how much he wants and as long as he is peeing/pooping fine it isn't a big deal, but I am afraid after he was so dehydrated last time and now he has his long night sleep and isn't eating more and I don't want that happening again!
Thanks 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Suddenly eating less?
Our precious girl, born at 27 weeks.
I agree that it could be that his meds need to be adjusted. Especially if he is still acting hungry. However, I did go through something similar.
Ryan used to eat around 4 oz each feeding. This was a few weeks after we brought him home from the NICU. Suddenly he dramatically decreased the amount he was willing to eat, even though we offerred him the same. For about two weeks or so he would only take 2 oz at each feeding and it's not like he would eat more often or anything. I was worried but he was gaining weight so we just let him take the lead.
Eventually he increased the amount he would take each feeding on his own. He went up to 3 oz and just now, about two months later he is taking closer to 4 oz. I also must add that when he originally would take 4 oz he would spit up a lot. Like projectile spit up, at almost every feed. From the time he started eating less and then gradually worked hiimself back up, he rarely spits up.
He is on Zantac for reflux. HTH!
First of all, glad your baby is feeling better! I can relate to some of this... DD has severe reflux and milk protein allergy (we're on prevacid, zantac and she's on Elecare). We have good weeks, where she'll eat 4 ounces ever 3 hours, and then a few bad days, where she'll barely take 2 per feeding.
Couple of suggestions... like PP's said, it might be time to adjust his reflux meds. Also, what kind of nipple flow are you using? It could be time to switch to something faster? Last week, DD was taking FOREVER to finish her bottles. After a couple of ounces, she would get really fussy and cry. I went to a size two nipple, and it helped dramatically.