GETS WORSE

[Anonymous]

Everyday seems to get worse. I have a very happy(for the most part) 9 month old baby girl. She has never liked to eat, but now its almost impossible to get anything in her mouth. I am getting very different information from the many doctors we see. My ped says she has to have 14 oz. of formula a day at the minimum. I am having a hard time getting that in her and most of it is done in her food. She will not take a bottle or drink anything worth counting out of a cup. My ped gi says 24-26 oz of formula is necessary???? Does anyone have any other info??? I am so afraid that she is missing out on the things she needs. I am doing everything in my power to get food in her. She will eat some solids, but it is a all day affair. I have never been this miserable in my life. I can’t even enjoy her. Not to mention the rest of my life is going in the toilet!! Both of my doctors don’t seem to worried about her, she is gaining weight very slowly, I don’t see how??? Any help or anyone who has lived through this???

[Anonymous]

My ped and ped gi said that they don’t go by the # of oz of formula but as long as the baby is not losing weight and gaining a little. I worry alot too b/c Isaac still doesn’t eat much formula (around 16 oz a day). Isaac only gained 5oz in 2 months and they really didn’t worry so i don’t know what to tell you. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

Hey shells! I was wondering how ya’ll have been doing. That’s great that she is a happy baby so you can enjoy her a little bit. We are still in the screaming all day mode. there are alot of posts on feeding aversions that have alot of valuable info. Have you gotten her scoped yet to see what the problem is? I also had to raise my daughters prevacid dose recently as she hit the 5 month mark. Is she on a PPI? You don’t have a signature. 9 months old now! Maybe a few more months to go! hang in there! Sarah

[Anonymous]

I am sorry about the screaming- I can’t imagine that on top of everything else. How much Prevacid does she take now? Yes we have had the scope done, she has severe reflux. Thats the only thing they found wrong. We had every test in the book done.

[Anonymous]

Shells, Sorry about what you’re going through. We’re living the same nightmare right now, except now Hailey won’t take solids either. For us to it has gone from bad to worse- she used to take solids eagerly, then with some distraction, then if I let her try to get some in her mouth with her fingers, and now not at all…. so I know what you’re going through. I know it’s awful, but hang in there, I’ve heard it does get better around a year or so (if not before). Our doc has told us that they do need abour 14-16 oz to prevent dehydration, and usually more than 20 oz to meet their calorie requirements, but Hailey has never eaten that much, in fact she has had days where she has had about 13 oz or so (not many days, thankfully). But she has never been dehydrated. I actually say that it’s better not to look at the ounces, but to try to look at the feeding behaviour (do they want to eat, are they happy to eat food) and the weight gain… otherwise it can be too stressful. I hope that the reflux passes soon and that she can start eating comfortably again.

[Anonymous]

Lori, It is awful, how do you stand it everyday. Does Hailey take a bottle? Ava has dcreased her bottle intake on a daily basis. Today was the worst ever. She only had 3 oz. from the bottle the rest of it came from solids. I worry so much about the dehydration, so far it hasn’t happened, but I ususally can get above 10 oz. from the bottle in her. I am sleep feeding her, because if I come at her with the bottle while she is awake she freaks out. Now she is freaking out in her sleep too. I feel like I am getting nowhere except in a worse situation than I thought existed. My husband and I keep saying it can’t get worse and it always does. Have you tried pudding? My ped said to make it with formula and you can count it. Ava really liked it. Also she said to give her yogurt there is a baby yogurt-she likes that to, at least right now. She will probably start to give up solids too. Then I am really in trouble. If Hailey won’t eat solids either, how do you get the food in her. Does she take a cup? Ava just pushes it away. Thanks for the response.

[Anonymous]

Shells

According to my ped, a young baby should take 100ml per kilo to grow… but this only applies to the first few months. After that, it depends on how active the baby is but for a less active baby, he says that about 95Kcal per kilo should be good whether as for an energetic and active baby it should be more like 120kcal per kilo (guess what — we have a non-eater who is so active that we need the higher calories, lucky us!).

As for dehydration… i see that you are giving solids – i assume they contain some water. Will your baby take pedialyte or somethign similar? We give solids to Matthew and he takes about 12 ounces of milk a day only and maybe a couple of pedialyte (this is when he is eating) and we have not had a problem for weeks and he has always been really hydrated — he loves pedialyte and would drink bottles of it but he woudl also drink water all day long). Also some babies can slow down their metabolism so that they need less calories than what could be considered normal, so some babies need very little food to gain weight!

Matthew is also a non-eater and a happy child (although he wants to be held 24 hours a day, and i do it!). I can relate to what you are going through because i find that feeding issues affect the rest of your relationship with your child and the rest of your life!

How do i deal with it… can you get someone to help out? I am really fortunate that i am back home in Madrid (with my parents, after not living here for 13 years i am back!!). I feed Matthew or try to with my mom and then i go and take a REALLY long shower and try to disconnect, cry if the feeding has been terrible and then when i think i am OK again, i get out of my room and play with my beautiful son because i forgot everything about the feeding!! The after the 4pm feeding, my mom takes care of him again and i go to the gym, talk to some people there, or go and hang out with some friends i have not seen in ages.. it is only for about 1.5 hours but hey, it is all i need to be able to enjoy my baby again! Can you take some time off by yourself, meet some friends, talk to someone about it? When my mom cannot be around, then i take him for a long walk, go to the park, sit and read or do something liek that. I try everyday.

I hope the no eating is a temporary thing!

[Anonymous]

Shells, Ryann is supposed to be on 30 mgs. prevacid but she is on around 20 right now because of stomach aches and gas. Around christmas time, we started going to speech/occupational therapy at our children’s house Baylor Grapevine. The therapist is so sweet, she plays with her and teaches her to eat with a spoon (refusing solids). She responds well with her, but if I try she throws a fit. Just suprised me how many reflux babies they work with. I know they have many other locations coppel, irving..

Thinking about getting out more myself so I can stop being so depressed. Emler swim school is starting mommy and me classes this week. I may try gymboree play classes as well, even if we don’t make it throught the whole thing, at least we will be having alittle enjoyment. Anyways, ask your ped about a referral, see if they can fit you in for an evaluation. (Tell them her age and they will work her in faster!) Sarah

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