Why is this getting worse??

[Anonymous]

Myles is back to throwing up constantly. Last night he threw up three times before he went to bed. I tried the bottle first. He drank two ounces and refused anymore, so I switched to spoon feeding him thickened formula. He ate it, seemed to want it, but promptly threw it all up. I fed him again. He threw up again. I fed him again. He threw up again. He threw up 3 times. Finally he kept down about 3 ounces and went to bed.

This morning he refused his bottle (he hates his bottle), so I gave up and spoon fed him breast milk thickend with oatmeal. He seemed to really want it, but threw it all up. I had 20 minutes to feed him again, change him (he was literally covered head to toe), get both girls dressed and fed, get myself dressed, and get out of the house in time to get Liza to pre-school. I ended up giving them dry cereal in the car because by the time I changed Myles, cleaned the puke which was plastered all over the kitchen, and fed him again, it was time to go.

He’s been throwing up three to five (or more) times a day for weeks now. He only eats four to five times per day, so it’s basically every feeding some days.

I just can’t stand this anymore. I feel like screaming day and night because I’m so sick of it. How long is this going to go on? He’s nearly 8 months old. I thought for sure he’d be better, or at least improving by now. I’m not even going to bother calling the doctor because I know all I’ll hear is, “He’s going to outgrow this.” Yeah, I know, but WHEN?

Why is it getting worse? He’s not sick. He’s teething slightly (drooling and chewing on things, but nothing breaking through).

My other question is regarding his complete disdain with bottles. He’s down to three on a good day, and he’d really prefer none. How am I going to get enough fluid into him with only three bottles per day, or if he starts to refuse even those? Have any of your babies been off the bottle this young?? He just doesn’t want the bottle and I don’t know what I am going to do about it. I’m quite sure it’s not because of any pain. He does not seem to be in any pain at all. When he’s hungry he spoon feeds well, opens his mouth like a little bird…but when offered the bottle he fusses or refuses. I just don’t understand why.

[Anonymous]

Has he shown any interest in a sippy cup? I know my oldest didn’t like the bottle much but loved the sippy cup at about that age. Just a thought…

Sorry to hear things aren’t going very well. Hang in there!!

[Anonymous]

Hi Robin,

I’ve tried sippy cups…he just bangs them and throws them. He thinks they are toys…won’t even put it to his lips. If I try to put the spout in his mouth he pushes it away, just like the bottle. (Big Sigh).

He wouldn’t take his nap time bottle today (the one I can usually count on him taking at least 3 ounces). So I spoon fed him and he threw up. I’m just so tired of it.

Thanks. I hope we can meet at Story Book land one day. Hopefully, Myles won’t spray the place with puke, but if he does, oh well…at least it’s outdoors. Maybe he’ll be better by them. I hope.

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry Christine. Could he be eating something that is irritating his tummy? Could the soy proteins be bothering him?

Marisa can’t really figure out sippys either – we keep trying them and straw cups but nothing really doing.

[Anonymous]

Aidans dr had me giving him pedialyte when he was down to 7 oz a day, it comes unflavored, or you could just give him a bit of water (in a syringe if ya have to) also, if he’s teething, he might be in more pain than you think even if nothing has broken through ( or even looks like its there), try getting a baby safe teether and tossing an ice cube in there. Big hugs to you guys, I hope myles is feeling better soon!!!! ( aidans dr said they have some kids drinking or getting pedalyte from a syrange at every feeding if they can’t keep enough fluids in)

[Anonymous]

Thanks Karen…..

He’s been getting one bottle of soy since about 1 month of age so I don’t think it’s that. And he’s been eating the same five baby foods for at least three months. The breast milk he gets at most of his feedings is frozen (I stopped pumping a few months ago), so I guess it’s possible there’s something I ate back then that could be bothering him.

Thanks Jill…..

The pedialyte is a really good idea. There’s no way he’ll take it from a syringe (he’s so stubborn) but I could put a little in a bowl and mix it with some cereal…he might take it that way. Maybe like you said he’s teething worse than I realize. I have a baby safe feeder and I have tried frozen fruit in it. He didn’t really like it the first few times, but I’ll try again. Anything to get some fluid into him.

Thanks to both of you.

[Anonymous]

Oh Christine! I feel so much for you-Ian hates bottles just as much and has been refusing as well.

Couple of thoughts-

I kind of agree with Karen that you may want to rethink the soy. Ian only had soy formula once and vomiting a lot afterwards (the gi told us that’s a common problem for soy reactions whereas milk ones manifest more in reflux). It couldn’t hurt to try maybe alimentum or nutramagin just to see? Also, when he refuses bottles-what is his behavior? Is it arching, crying, or just indifferent? Maybe some tell tale signs (since these little rascals are so hard to figure out). Three weeks is so long for throwing up that I don’t think it could be a virus (maybe I’m wrong)..Maybe proteins have just built up.

Second, maybe it’s a taste issue? I know that sounds farfetched…we often wonder if Ian refuses bottles now that he’s on solids because of taste and texture. Like he knows something else is better out there. I know a lot of babies will make themselves vomit when they gag or dislike something.

If he vomits again, you could also try not feeding him more immediately after. His tummy is probably upset and it will just keep coming up. I know that’s so hard because we want to keep them hydrated but maybe a break is best.

Good luck. Have you called your GI?

Tracy (Ian’s Mom 9-26-05) Elecare and Prevacid

[Anonymous]

Christine,

I’m so sorry you’re having such a hard time. BOY DO I FEEL YOUR PAIN! At 11.5 months, I often wonder if this is going to be our life forever. But I try to hang on to hope that it won’t. There are just so many ups and downs. Very frustrating, that’s for sure.

I hear you about the bottle refusal. Hailey is also down to 3 and because she is sick, she also refuses those. Our ped always likes to tell me the same story about a patient of his who NEVER took the bottle past 2 months old. They started spoon feeding her and never looked back. She didn’t have reflux- just hated the bottle. Hailey has a love hate relationship with her bottle. She hates it, needs to be sleep fed, but I often thinks she actually wants it but that she just refuses. At least he likes solids. Really that puts you far ahead. I was horrified when our bottle aversion turned into a solids aversion. Keep persisting with the sippy. I swear we own a sippy cup shop in our house! I tried every one on the market, but Hailey only likes the tossable ones.

Nothing ticks me off more than when you try so hard to feed them, only to have them puke it all up everywhere.

Hope he’s over this spell soon. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Well, just spoon fed him three four ounces of breast milk with a couple tablespoons of oatmeal, and he kept it down. I just wish he’d take a bottle. He’s refused all day today, but at least he’s eating something.

Tracy….

Thanks for your reply and ideas. If this continues I may try Alimentum or Nutramagin like you suggested, but I’d probably have to stop giving him the breast milk, too. Otherwise, I’d have no idea if the breast milk has anything to do with it or not.

As for his behavior when bottle feeding, he usually begins by sucking and drinking 1/2 to one ounce, then spits it out and refuses anymore. I always burp him at this time and he usually burps. Then he simply refuses to drink anymore….even if it’s been 4 hours or all night since he ate last. He will turn his head side to side to get away from the bottle, or push it away with his hand. If I continue trying to feed him he will often gag because he doesn’t want to suck or swallow. Today he was chomping (biting) the nipple. Maybe it’s teething…I just don’t know anymore. The interesting thing is that when I ditch the bottle and go to the spoon, he eats very eagerly. He’s hungry and thirsty…he just doesn’t want the bottle.

As for the taste issue, yeah, I can see that as a possibility sometimes. He is very, very sensitive to tastes and will throw up almost instantly when he is given something new or something he doesn’t like. But, what I’ve been feeding him these last three months is unchanged, so that shouldn’t be bothering him now; at least you wouldn’t think so.

You’re probably right about not feeding him right away after he vomits. I do it because I have to feed him 30 minutes after giving him his Prevacid, and if he throws up immediately, I think the medicine won’t work. It’s so complicated and aggravating. Thanks for all of your ideas.

Lori….

If anyone understands, I know you do. I don’t know how you do it with Hailey’s aversion to solids as well as the bottle. Thank God Myles does like his solids. I like your peds’ story about the two month old who was only spoon fed. It makes me feel better, so thanks for sharing that. I sometimes am so afraid that he will just stop the bottle completely, but maybe it’d be o.k. as long as he’s eating solids. What was the reason for that baby to not drink a bottle from two months on? I’ve never heard of a baby who hated the bottle – except mine, and these babies here with reflux. You’re right that I should keep offering him the sippy. I just put them all away because he’s never been interested, but I should try from time to time. Maybe he’ll surprise me one day. Thanks for your support. I can’t wait for the day that this is behind us both.

[Anonymous]

Christine,

I understand some of what you are going through. My ds stopped taking bottles around 5 mo. when he really started teething. I have tried every bottle from Dr. Brown to that breast shaped one from One Step Ahead. He is a little over 8 mo. and will only breastfeed. I just keep trying the cup because he is in daycare and needs to drink sometime. I give him a lot of ice chips, and let him sip water or milk from a cup like a big kid. He does pretty well sipping. I use a little dixie cup. I don’t know how thickened liquid would work. You could also try a transitional sippy cup made by Nuby. It has a long sippy spout and you push a little liquid out as they are chewing/sucking. It drips a little bit, but doesn’t pour out like normal sippy cups without the stopper.

Also, have you thought about ear infections? My baby has had non-stop ear infections for over a month because of his reflux or EER. There is a section on the Marci-kids website about it. He would not suck because it was painful, and was spitting up more. He seemed really hungry and would eat from a spoon. My only clue was he would bang his head with his fist. It might be something to rule out. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Kelley…

I had him to the doctor last Friday to rule out ear infection and he said his ears were fine.

He drank a total of 6 ounces from a bottle yesterday and 2 ounces so far today, so that’s an improvement, but he still firmly dislikes his bottle. I just don’t know why. Maybe he’s teething really badly. It doesn’t seem like it to me because he’s cheerful but, who knows?

I’ll look for that Nubby cup the next time I go shopping. Thanks for the suggestion. The ice chips and dixie cup sound like good ideas, too. He does show interest in drinking when he sees me with a big glass of water or milk, but I never thought of a little dixie cup. I’ll get some of those too. Thanks.

How often does Jack breast feed? What does he eat the rest of the day?

[Anonymous]

Hi Christine,

I’m glad to know it is not ear infections. Sometimes the thought of giving one more medicine…Oh, I think I found the Nuby stuff at Walmart.

Jack breast feeds anywhere from 4-5 times a day depending on his night. Sometimes I have to nurse at 3am if nothing else works to get him back to sleep. He usually nurses early in the morning, then I give his Prevacid and cereal/fruit around 8. He takes a good nap and he breast feeds around 12. Then I take him to daycare where they feed him veg/dinner and fruit and attempt juice/water from a cup @2:30. I nurse him when I pick him up around 5. He gets his Prevacid and eats cereal/fruit again around 7:30, and I nurse him to sleep around 8pm. It seems like a lot, but I single side nurse him because he will only drink maybe 4 Oz at once or his tummy gets too full.

I am still trying to figure out what will work best around his meds/ working and a daycare that won’t give meds. He has not really spit up since we started the Prevacid, but still has night wakings. I understand how frustrating it can be. Just when you think the worst is over and something new comes up like teething pain, it seems like it never ends.

I don’t have any other advice regarding the bottle refusal. It seems like you are doing better than me. I keep thinking if he is hungry, he’ll just take it. So far, no luck he’ll take maybe an oz and then just chew or spit it out. If you figure something out, let me know. I think if you use cups/syringes or straws to get liquid in him and monitor his wet diapers, eventually when he is a little older he’ll drink from a sippy cup. My first son hated the bottle too and went right from the breast to a cup when I weened him at a year, but it took 2-3 months of offering the cup. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Hi Kelley,

Sounds like Jack is getting enough with the breast feeding, so that’s good. Even when Myles is eating his best he rarely takes more than 15-18 ounces per with the bottle and then he gets another 4 ounces or so in his cereal. I was fine with that, even though it’s much less than most babies…his growth is fine, so it must be enough for him. His recent bottle refusal is throwing me for a loop, but it was just a little bit better today, so maybe he’s coming around again. I hope so.

I looked at the nubby cups at walmart today. I didn’t see one that looked like you could squeeze liquid out of.

Working around the Prevacid sure is difficult…I can’t imagine having to do it with daycare, especially a daycare that won’t give meds! We should all give ourselves a great big pat on the back and a medal for the all the hard work we mom’s do on a daily basis!! Especially those of us with reflux babies…such hard work! Happy Mother’s Day!!!

[Anonymous]

Christine

You mentioned that for the past 3 months you have been feeding Myles frozen expressed breast milk. This may sound like an odd question, but have you ever tasted the frozen milk before giving it to him? For some women, when they freeze their breast milk, the lipase in the milk breaks down and the milk will take on a different flavor. And it is rather nasty. I cannot give Noah frozen breast milk because I have this problem. He really puts up a fight if I try to give it to him. I dont know if this might be the case for you, but maybe Myles fights the bottle because he doesnt like the flavor of the frozen milk.

I have over 700 oz of frozen milk in my freezer and Noah will never take it . I feel like I’m wasting liquid gold!

lisaann2006-5-13 23:23:51

[Anonymous]

WOW! I never thought of that. I have actually tasted it (blech!), but to me it tastes pretty weird to begin with…even the freshly pumped stuff.

Myles fights the bottle with soy formula, too. So, I don’t think it’s a taste issue…but thanks for the suggestion. I’ll pay more attention and see if he’s worse with the breast milk or not.

That’s too bad about all that frozen breast milk you have. I know what you mean about it being liquid gold. It’s such hard work to pump it, you’d hate to have to throw it out. Maybe some hershey syrup to make it taste better!! Just kidding.

[Author]

Posts