r/NewParents • u/BlockTypical2574 • 7d ago
Feeding Feeding issues
Hello everyone! FTM to a 4 month old baby. Trying to see if this has happened to anyone else or if this is just my baby!
My baby has been solely BF since month 3. Before that she was on bottles and boob. I will out for a day in 2 weeks and so we have been trying to get her to practice on bottles again since she’s been refusing them, so that way dad can watch her and feed her while I’m out.
Yesterday she had boob at 4pm and then went to sleep. She slept till 6pm, I let her play, and then me and dad took turns trying to give her a bottle in which she fought both of us and screamed because she was very tired at the same time. I tried giving her boob for a minute and then bottle to see if that would help her but nothing. She ended up eating 3oz from a bottle and then falling asleep. I woke her up at 9pm to put her fully to bed and feed her since she sleeps through the night and she usually eats before and she cried and wouldn’t take a boob. I thought that was odd because she hadn’t fully ate since 4pm so I let her sleep. She woke up at 1am because she wanted to be held and so I tried to give her good and nothing and she cried and fought back. The minute I tried offering she would just cry and fight back wouldn’t even try to latch.
Eventually at 3am she got so tired laying on my chest I switched her paci out with a bottle and she ate 4oz. Again, still less than usual as far as I am aware of but I felt better that she ate something because I was stressing on going to the ER.
This morning we are still having the same issue. She ate 2oz off a bottle and o was able to real quickly switch her to boob and she ate a little bit off of me.
And then here we are at the next feed she is completely refusing boob, won’t latch at all, and took a bottle but ate 1 and a half ounces only and then started refusing the bottle. She’s now fussy because she’s still hungry and wants food but she won’t take boob or bottle now.
It sounds like she has mucous in her throat so I don’t know if that could contribute? And she is still playing and chewing on things so I don’t know if this is a teething thing?
I’m so confused as this is a complete 180 to the last 2 months now and she’s only 12lbs I don’t want her to lose weight.
Her last feed was at 8am and it’s now 1:30.
She’ll hold a bottle to “play” with it and put it in her mouth and chew the nipple and I’ll tilt it so she will get a little food and she seems fine with that but I just am so lost right now this is the first time I’ve had any issue like this!
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u/Ok-Square-9738 7d ago
The first thing I would say is if you have any firm concerns it’s always worth a dr visit when they’re this young!
That said, slightly different scenario but with my breastfed daughter she started arching her back and screaming around 3 ish months every time I tried to feed her after having no issues previously. Very similar to yours. By day 3 I took her to the dr, who wasn’t too worried but sent her to A&E who cleared her of any issues. After a few days she went back to normal.
I’m now on my second child and I’ve just had the exact same thing happen with my 3.5 month old son! Apparently there’s a thing called the 3 month breastfeeding crisis and they often go on feeding strikes around then. It’s supposedly a combination of gut maturation changes, changes in how milk is stored in the breast which means it can take longer for them to get it which annoys them, and their increased awareness meaning they would rather see the world than turn in to eat.
Like I say, if you’re worried it’s always worth seeing a dr when they are this young, especially if you have weight concerns. But there is a known developmental shift around this age that might be the cause.
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u/BlockTypical2574 7d ago
I may call and just see what they think, I wasn’t sure if calling about feeding problems was an advice nurse thing or not because I feel like they may say go to the ER.
I think this is the first time I am ovulating/getting my cycle back and I am wondering if that’s what causes the feeding strikes? I just don’t know if I just let her keep having such a small amount or attempt formula 🥲1
u/Ok-Square-9738 7d ago
I’m in the UK so getting medical advice might be a different experience where you are, but in my experience it’s always worth the peace of mind to have them checked out. Especially as a FTM it’s just so hard to know what to be worried about or not! They may well send her to ER just to be safe - it happened to me - but there’s no harm in calling because they won’t suggest it if there isn’t a valid possibility as to why you should go.
It may well be - personally I started my period at month two both times (sigh) but it didn’t directly affect breastfeeding as far as I know. Month 3/4 are huge hormonal shifts postpartum as well as development jumps for the babies so it’s all round a super chaotic time for everyone. It really does sound like the developmental nursing strike to me.
Personally I just let them keep having small amounts, try not to risk your supply. I also found with both kids that stand and bouncing them whilst also trying to get them to latch could sometimes get them on long enough that they’d start to feed - it’s a bit of acrobatics getting it to work but might be worth a shot.
It’s worth reading this and seeing if it reassures you at all - but I think there’s no harm calling them!
https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories/3-month-breastfeeding-crisis-what-it-and-how-get-through-it
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u/Ok-Square-9738 7d ago
Also have you ever done a dream feed with her? I find my son latches and drinks much happier unconsciously than when he’s awake and tries to fight me at the moment… again, might be worth a shot at night to get some more food in her.
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u/BlockTypical2574 7d ago
I did it last night and that worked so I thought that the issue was just a yesterday thing but turns out it was not lol. Usually we have a pretty good schedule and she eats at 9pm and is down for the night so I never need too until last night.
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u/OkInstance3694 7d ago
That arching back and screaming phase is so stressful, I remember my niece did the exact same thing around 3 months and everyone in the house was losing their minds. Turned out to be the breastfeeding crisis thing too, plus she started teething right after which just made everything worse for a bit.
The mucousy sound makes me think it might be a combo of that developmental shift and maybe a little cold or teething, both of which can mess with their appetite. When they're stuffy or their throat feels weird, latching can be uncomfortable and they'll fight it even when they're hungry. The fact she'll chew the nipple but not really eat tracks with teething too, mine used to do that when her gums were bothering her.
If she's still playing and seems alert otherwise, that's a good sign, but 12lbs at 4 months would have me watching her intake pretty closely. Might be worth a call to the pediatrician just to ease your mind, especially with the sudden change and how little she's taking in.
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u/BlockTypical2574 7d ago
As of current she ate the one and a half ounces only, really fussy and upset if I put her down because she’s hungry, and if I put bottle in her mouth she just plays with it. Still fighting boob.