She took her notes and then went about getting all of Elliot's measurements:
Weight: 17 lbs 3.6 oz - 43rd percentile
Height: 27.5" - 84th percentile
Head - 17" - 44th percentile
So he is growing just fine and there is nothing to be concerned about there.
My rolly poly little guy
Then Dr. Graham came in to do his exam and we started to talk about my concerns with the not eating. He felt and listened to his belly, felt and looked at his gums, looked in his ears and did some general observing. The good news? He's perfect and there is nothing physically wrong that he can see that's causing Elliot to refuse to eat. The bad news? There is nothing that he can see that's causing Elliot to refuse to eat. So he's perfect and it's perfectly frustrating.
We talked about how we've been trying some solids and Elliot is not receptive in the least. I admitted that I haven't been very consistent because it's frustrating when he refuses to even let me get the spoon to his mouth. I have tried multiple times and he has not taken to it AT ALL. I'm not sure if he's even swallowed one bit of food.
This wouldn't be a concern to me IF he was getting enough milk during the day, but he's not. I know first foods are "practice" and he should be continuing to get his nutrition from breastmilk, but therein lies the problem. He's refusing to drink the milk during the day. I'm at a loss. I just don't get how he goes from taking a bottle with no issue whatsoever to just downright refusing to even let us get it near him. I've googled, I've talked to other moms, I've asked thoughts and opinions and advice.
On the way home from the appt we stopped at Target and I bought two different training cups/sippys and every baby food on the shelf (carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, pears, and prunes). Elliot was asleep when we got home so I let him nap, but when he woke up I nursed him (he hadn't eaten since 7:00 AM and it was 2:00 already) and then decided to try some pears with him. He wouldn't even take one bite. I got some in his mouth and he made a face and spit them out. I put a little water in a sippy just to see if he would take a little fluid from it and he just flung it around the tray. I pretty much just got this look from him:
So right now I'm at a loss. I don't know how to get him to drink more milk during the day and I don't know how to get him to be receptive to food. I thought by now he'd be putting everything in sight in his mouth, but he doesn't.
I don't know, I'm just rambling. Exhaustion does that to me.
And now he's crying so I'm going to go nurse him so he at least gets some nutrition today...
Oh man! That is every mom's fear, if their child is getting what they need. I will pray he gets back into the bottle groove soon and this passes! Owen doesn't take a bottle much, only because we ebf but I have had great success with the playtex nurser. You could also try that. As for solids...maybe try cereal mixed with lots of breastmilk since he likes that. I never did cereal with my first just first foods and such but Owen really likes cereal, so every baby is different. On another note, Eli didn't eat food til he was 10 mos old and I always worried about that. Granted he nursed all the time and that's all he wanted. To me it just sounds like he really prefers you and is going on "strike". Poor mommy! Praying it gets better!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying this passes, too. He's had a couple other little bottle strikes, but he's always gotten back on track. This has been the longest lasting one by far.
DeleteI've tried cereal, sweet potatoes, green beans and pears so far and he hasn't shown interest in really any of it. I gave him a steamed carrot to gnaw on and he chewed on it, but I don't believe he ate any of it. I know we still have time and it's not like he's wasting away. I would just be happy if he would end his bottle strike and at least eat willingly at daycare. I am fine with him only wanting to nurse when he's with me, but it distresses me to think of him going hungry waiting for me.
I know you have said before baby led weaning isn't for you, but maybe try it with him? He maybe more receptive to food if he gets to do the feeding part? I don't know, just a suggestion. Maybe he just isn't ready for food too, some kids take longer to be interested in food.
ReplyDeleteIs he at least happy during the day even if he isn't eating? Maybe he just knows what he wants and is okay with not eating unless it is from the source directly.
I'm not against BLW at all, I just haven't known how to go about it. I wanted to do it with Andrew and then was too intimidated to do it and gave in to purees. Elliot does not appear to be ready for/interested in purees right now. I've let him gnaw on steamed carrots, but he wasn't overly in to that, either. He may just not be ready yet, which is fine, but if he's not eating that he needs to be taking more milk. I'm trying very hard to follow his lead and not stress about it.
DeleteHe has been content when he isn't eating as far as I know. I believe if he gets hungry enough he takes the bottle with little fuss. My daycare hasn't said that he is miserable and fussing all day, just that he fights the bottle when she tries to give it to him. He's a strong willed little bugger.