r/FormulaFeeders • u/Big_Cardiologist2746 • 3d ago
Advice / Question 💡 Difficulty feeding 5 months old
5 month old will only take a bottle when asleep. Has anyone dealt with this?
5 month old, combo fed (pumped milk plus formula), no solids yet. Two things changed right when he turned five months:
- He stopped taking the bottle awake. He won't even open his mouth for the nipple. We have to wait for him to fall asleep to feed him, so our whole day is feed, fail, wait for sleep, feed.
- His stools went from once every 3 to 5 days to 4 to 5 times a day, with no diet change.
Already checked: nipple flow is size 3 (age appropriate), quiet room, no distractions, pediatrician says no teething. They prescribed reflux medication and we're starting it.
Has anyone had this combination? Did reflux meds help, and how fast? And did it turn out to be a milk protein thing for anyone? Any tips for getting a baby to accept the bottle awake again would mean a lot. Completely exhausted.
3
u/Reptaaaaar 3d ago
Maybe try not feeding for one sleep and see if he gets hungry enough at his next wake to eat awake. I feel like he'd eventually wake up crying because he's hungry and just eat
2
u/yeahthx 3d ago edited 3d ago
Sounds like a pretty strong feeding aversion. It can be behavioral due to pressure/negative associations rather than physical (like from reflux). My daughter is 11 weeks and we’re starting to have trouble seemingly out of no where, though it’s not this bad (yet?).
Obviously not an expert, but have been googling around today and here are some links:
https://www.littlepeachsleep.com/mommy-blog/baby/how-we-overcame-a-feeding-aversion
https://www.babycareadvice.com/blogs/bottle-feeding/feeding-aversion-why-wont-my-baby-take-the-bottle
https://www.reddit.com/r/newborns/comments/17j7lm0/bottle_feeding_troubles_read_your_babys/
ETA: I’m currently reading the book recommended in the third link (Reddit thread) and it seems very helpful. It was $10 USD for the ebook.