not drinking from bottle at all

[Anonymous]

Today, Cole set a new record, he drank less than 1oz from the bottle all day. He just won’t drink from it anymore, he sucks for a little then stops, wants it back, then totally refuses it. I’ve thought about aversion to the nipple, but he doesn’t cry when he sees it, he latches right on.

I did the best that I could to try to spoon feed him (5 times I fed him by spoon today). I fed him formula w/cereal, veggies and tried to get him to drink water/juice from sippy (but he chokes a lot on the sippy), drink formula from cup, etc. I’ve estimated that he had about 8oz formula total today. Somehow he still had wet diapers today, yet very light. He was also alert and seemed like his normal self. Hopefully, he will wake and take some more tonight, but recently he won’t take more than 2oz at night.

Normally, I would be worried and panicked, but I’ve done what I could. Plus, incredibly he seems alright or would he act any different? (does anyone know?) I’ve extended myself to the bone these past 6 months. I can’t force him to eat. Just when I think he can’t get any worse, he does.

Just to recap: Cole started Prevacid solutabs 22mg/day and Zantac at night; I’ve done my best to stick to empty tummy, eat in 30min rule and dose Zantac 4 hrs apart. Also, Cole has been on Neocate 2 days. We see a new GI this Wed… Thanks for listening, I’m tired of my MIL telling me that he is teething.

[Anonymous]

The neocate may be the problem. I have heard that it doesn’t taste very good. You may try mixing it with his old formula for a few days to see if it is a taste issue and not a pain issue. That is the only thing I can think of. Also don’t force him b/c that can backfire in the long run. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Ask your doc first, but we put Splenda in with my sons Elecare. This was a suggestion from his ped GI. Don ‘t put a lot, just enough so he’ll drink it. We did the whole gradual transition thing, but he absolutely hated the Elecare without the Splenda. Also, splenda has some gluten in it, so NOT for use if your ds has gluten issues.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I would reccommend switching to Neocate slowly. One ounce at a time…it tastes disgusting but he will get used to it.

Day 1: 1 oz neocate to 5 oz of old formula (or how much ever you choose to make…I wouldn’t start with less than 6 oz total bc of the taste)

Day 2: 2 oz Neocate to 4 oz of old formula

And so on…until it is 6 total oz of Neocate.

This is the best way to do it to avoid a food aversion. I haven’t read your past with Cole, but if he is on Neocate due to food allergies or food sensitivities, I would cut out the cereal and solids until everything is cleared up.

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry Susan. I’ve been there too and know how hard it is. I tend to agree with Tracy – if I remember from a previous post, Cole had blood in his stool, so I would cut out the cereal, veggies, juice, etc. and concentrate on just formula. Those other foods can make his GI issues worse, but I know how worried you must be about getting food and calories into him.

It’s a controversial topic, but will Cole drink in his sleep? This helped us tremendously when Paige wasn’t feeding because of reflux and MSPI pain. If I could get a bottle in her mouth before she fully woke from a nap or in the night, she would drink a few ounces easily while still asleep. I would just pull out her soother (as she always slept sucking on one) and quickly replaced it with a bottle. I was just so worried about her refusal to eat and about the next step being a feeding tube, that I thought sleep feeding was worth a try, just to get one or two decent feedings in each day. Let me also say – sleep feeding isn’t a long-term solution! It’s certainly not ideal for developing healthy feeding habits in infants/toddlers. BUT, we did it for a few weeks until the Prevacid really started to help and while her gut improved after the switch to Neocate. After that she began eating better while awake and I think we just narrowly avoided a feeding aversion.

[Anonymous]

wow, u all have such great tips for getting my son to take Neocate. i’ve tried all of them today. i added splenda, i put in mostly his old formula (alimentum), i even tried adding Karosyrup. wouldn’t take.

i understand about holding back on the cereal, veggies, etc. but he will NOT eat from the bottle right now, and i cannot spoon feed him 3oz of liquid formula. i have to at least thicken it some with rice cereal, which i do. then i worry about calories so i add bananas and some formula powder. i just watch his diapers. he still seems decently hydrated somehow??? i have him drink formula from a cup, but he can’t get in much without choking or losing interest.

i’ve tried sleep feeding him, he’ll suck a little and then turn his head, and he keeps refusing. this kid is too good at refusing the bottle even when he is half asleep.

will c new GI on Wed. i hope that she will have some answers, i will bring up the foods worsening his GI issues too.

i don’t even want to think about a feeding tube, but i know it’s possible. thanks for all of ur comments. just having support and understanding helps me get thru the day.

[Anonymous]

How about ThickIt? I am not as familiar with it, but is it safe for Multiple allergy/intolerances to foods? Does anyone know? Could help in the interim to get formula/fluid into Cole until you get a better solution… He may even like it in the bottle that way. It will make like a really thick shake. Also, don’t they have flavoring for Neocate now, or is that just for the over 1 (neocate junior)? Sorry I don’t know much about what I am suggesting, but I think there are a few more things we can try….

Hang in there!

Ann Marie

[Anonymous]

Yes, Thick-it and Simply Thick are two good options for thickening bottles if a baby can’t have, or can’t tolerate, cereals. Thick-it is made of cornstarch and maltodextrin from corn, and Simply Thick is made of xanthan gum (a binding agent often used in gluten-free baking). I think you should be able to get these through a pharmacy. Personally, I might try the Simply Thick first for an MSPI/MFPI baby just because I’m not sure about the cornstarch. My kids both have major food protein issues, but they both seem to tolerate xanthan gum alright (I use it in a lot of gluten free baking) whereas Ben cannot handle cornstarch.

http://www.thickitretail.com/thickeners.html

http://www.simplythick.com/site/index.cfm

Neocate does make flavouring packets too, and I think they can be used with any of their formulas.

http://www.neocate.com/aaa_neocate/1112-neocate-products-flavor-packet.html

Hang in there – you’re doing great! You always have support here.

MFPIx22008-03-25 10:49:32

[Anonymous]

Susan,

Sorry if I’m mixing up people on this site. Are you the SLP? If not, then I’d ask for a feeding evaluation and also for a dietician consult when you see your new GI.

[Anonymous]

Susan,

Sorry if I’m mixing up people on this site. Are you the SLP? If not, then I’d ask for a feeding evaluation and also for a dietician consult when you see your new GI. Hang

[Anonymous]

Susan,

I am so sorry to hear that Cole is taking less and less.

I really hope things turn around for you guys soon and that the GI has answers for you! If you are using any kind of cereal make sure it is Beech-Nut brand (soy-free) and I would make it as soupy with Neocate as you possibly can so he gets mostly formula.

Everyone else covered what I would have said about transitioning to Neocate.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for ur comments. I am using beech-nut brand, I saw that Gerber has soy. Today Cole mostly ate from the spoon 3 times, but he also had 3.5oz at 1 feeding at 2.5oz before bed. This is an improvement from the last few days. Sometimes he stops drinking and holds his breath and opens his mouth and makes a choking sound?? I told my current GI about this and he told me that not everything Cole does is related to reflux. Ok, I suppose not, but I think it is weird that Cole turns red, holding his breath and choking during feeding.

I have been dosing him with Zantac at night from the dosing chart off of Marci-kids. Again, I get freaked out thinking that I may overdose him on Zantac.

I was at work today so I couldn’t give him his 7.5mg of Prevacid at lunch (he did have Prevacid upon waking though). The caregiver won’t do it bc she’s not comfortable. I understand. Hopefully it’s ok that he missed a dose. Anyone ever noticed problems from missing a dose?

We travel tomorrow to c a new ped GI. My husband and his family think I am stressing too much, that Cole is fine. My hubby doesn’t want me to c another GI. I just want another opinion and different point of view. My friend’s baby had reflux and this GI Rxed her solutabs from the start, so hopefully she has more knowledge about the forms of drugs.

[Anonymous]

That happened to Hailey and it was definitely due to reflux. She was having trouble swallowing the formula for whatever reason- would cough, turn red and seem to be choking (although we know that she wasn’t). We were told by one doc and therapist that it was behavioural. We thickened her formula and it helped somewhat but still persisted. In the end, she was refluxing while feeding causing her to have trouble and also she was having trouble with the regular consistency formula. Good luck tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Yes, good luck! Let us know how the appt. went.

[Anonymous]

Hi Lori and Naomi,

The appt went well. I like this GI a lot more than the other one. I talked to her about dosing and Marci-kids and as expected she never heard of it and wants to start with a lower dose of Zegerid. I requested the Zegerid bc the timing isn’t working out well for us. I gave him his 1st dose tonight, I tasted it myself and it is NASTY! yak! poor guy!

She agrees on the Neocate. She also wants him off of everything else, every food and even rice cereal. He is on pure Neocate, that’s it. The mothers that told me about the foods were right. I just didn’t know what to do because he would only eat off of the spoon.

Unfortunately being on just formula, he is vomiting horribly and lots of it!! Got my whole t-shirt wet and his outfit in 1 vomit. My husband is mad because he thinks that Cole is fine and that we shouldn’t change docs. He was upset about the vomiting. Cole definately holds thicker consistency better.

I have to do what I feel is right, plus Cole is not ok, he’s not! Good news is that Cole gained 2oz from last week, he is up to 16lbs now and is in the 25th percentile, up from the 10th. GI seemed surprised, but I told her about his hypercalories and how I’ve been boosting calories with foods.

Cole’s new plan: Neocate 24cal/oz, no rice cereal added. Zegerid 4ml twice/day. Shooting for 16oz/day to maintain weight. We see GI again in 2 weeks. (my old GI didn’t want to see Cole for another 3 months)Cross my fingers and pray pray. I hope for some improvement so that my husband can see that this was the right turn.

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