Is she drinking enough??

[Sparrowgal]

My baby is only 3.5 months and usually drinks formula and EBM from a bottle no problems (she stays with MIL and drinks there when I'm working or out at appointments, which is at least once a week). The last few days she has been refusing to drink from a bottle, and today would not eat anything for 8 hours, as I was trying to give her a bottle. She cried if I tried to give her the bottle but stopped when I took the bottle away. At 2pm I gave up and gave her the breast (she previously ate at 6am!). But she doesn't look dehydrated or upset or sick, she seems fine, and she's not febrile. Why is she not eating? Argh! I'm worried because I have to go to work tomorrow and if she doesn't eat my MIL will freak out.

[neekynoo]

Firstly :hugs: to you. I have gone through this with DD and usually it correlates with her teething. But that may not be the case for your bub. Have you felt to see if any are coming through the bottom? CHN told us that as a general rule bubs should drink 150ml per kilo a day (this is for the age bracket of 3 -6 months). So for example at 3mnths DD weighed 5.1kg so her total milk for the day was 770mls or so. Looking back in her blue book she was having 5 x 160ml bottles a day so that was about right. Of course it's different for every bub and its only used as a guide but if you're really worried i'd call the parenting line or visit your GP. As long as there a lots of wet nappies then you know she's hydrated. Good luck. I hope she improves soon.

[kerrysinead]

:hugs: Its so frustrating isnt it! I went through a similar thing with DD a few months ago when she was about 2months. She is FF and I noticed a bit of thrush in her mouth so got that treated. She still refused to drink sometimes even after the thrush went and to be honest I never really got to the bottom of it. I made sure the teats
were all in good working order and that she was on the right size teat for her age, i found DD to get quite stroppy and refuse to drink if she couldnt get it out fast enough! I must admit I got very little help from my GP or MCHN so I just kept an eye on her hydration and wet nappies. However you could let your GP give her the onceover just to put your mind at rest.
Good luck :)

[Sparrowgal]

Thanks for your advice girls! It seems to have been a one day thing, now she's drinking from the bottle again. Sigh.. if only she could talk and tell me what was wrong!

[neekynoo]

Yay! :thumbsup: Good to hear she's back to normal :D