Please help, my 8 month old has developed a feeding aversion, failure to thrive.

Anonymous
OP. Thank you PPs, I am still looking for light at the end of the tunnel, and it has been a long 8 months. I was on a milk, egg, soy free diet and when I stopped we first put her on partial nutramigen and partial pumped frozen BM. Nutramigen caused a lot of poops, and diaper rash and baby hated it, then ped GI suggested Gerber soothe which she has been on for a few weeks now exclusively since I have exhausted my pumped milk supply.

But despite being on Prevacid since her intake has not gone up, ped GI said either we do an endoscopy or just put her on elecare and if it is esophagitis due to milk protein then it will heal in 2-3 weeks and intake will increase. Problem is she hates elecare as well so currently mixing 50-50 with Gerber soothe.

The only reason I was a little focused on the solids is because of the low milk intake. I did have a tiny breakthrough where I got rid of the plastic bib, just put a cloth one on, laid a mat near her a play area and finger fed her the sweet potato purée. It's going to take me a while to introduce new foods since I have to follow the 4 day wait rule. I also had DH run and get baby teething water and miraculously when I started eating they in front of her, she took it from me and nibbled a few times so keeping fingers crossed.

We had tried the syringe earlier and that made DD angry. I dare not bring anything in a spoon near hear as she angrily swipes it away ((


Who would donate milk, where would I go for that?

Ordering a variety of sippy cups right now since I don't know which one she will take easily. Also will look into getting a second ped GI appt and ask the ped if she can suggest a feeding clinic, an ENT and a speech therapist.

Any other suggestions please keep them coming.
Anonymous
Can you try to start breast feeding again? I'm 2 years out and still have a little milk.
Anonymous
Look into relactation it's super common in my country and not as impossible and hard as people in America believe.

Have you tried baby led weaning? My son has texture issues and that's what saved our lives.

Also RUN to a feeding clinic. Don't wait one more day. Cal tomorrow.
Anonymous
My baby never latched, so I pumped. I was so happy to have been finally done but I lost sleep last night thinking about that nightmare. Maybe I will just restart pumping.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Look into relactation it's super common in my country and not as impossible and hard as people in America believe.

Have you tried baby led weaning? My son has texture issues and that's what saved our lives.

Also RUN to a feeding clinic. Don't wait one more day. Cal tomorrow.


Can you please elaborate on baby led weaning. I will google it as well. So for the feeding clinic do I need a referral from my doc or just google it and find one in VA or DC?
Thank you.
Anonymous
Hugs, OP. I can only imagine what you may be going through.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look into relactation it's super common in my country and not as impossible and hard as people in America believe.

Have you tried baby led weaning? My son has texture issues and that's what saved our lives.

Also RUN to a feeding clinic. Don't wait one more day. Cal tomorrow.


Can you please elaborate on baby led weaning. I will google it as well. So for the feeding clinic do I need a referral from my doc or just google it and find one in VA or DC?
Thank you.


You make real food and let the child play and self feed. No pressure. Let them use their own hands. If your baby hates the highchair let the baby sit on the floor.
Also incorporate play during eating time.
Paint with yogurt, for example. Make a sensory box with cereal or jello.
For my child what worked was to make a super cool plate for myself and eat in front of him. Making faces, saying YUM out loud licking and smacking my lips he would come and steal from me in small portions. That's how he ate all day long. There was always a plate available on our playing ara and he was free to eat any time.

On the feeding clinic it depends on your insurance and the clinic. Call around and ask. I'm not in DC area sorry.

Anonymous
Did u try dream feeding? We fed our baby while asleep as otherwise she would not take the bottle. Had reflux issues. So we would feed her as she slept. From 3 months to 11 months! This is how she ate. Am not saying it was the right thing to do but did help get into her the ounces she needed. Would not worry about breastmilk. You have enough stress so no need to listen to the BM crazies.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Did u try dream feeding? We fed our baby while asleep as otherwise she would not take the bottle. Had reflux issues. So we would feed her as she slept. From 3 months to 11 months! This is how she ate. Am not saying it was the right thing to do but did help get into her the ounces she needed. Would not worry about breastmilk. You have enough stress so no need to listen to the BM crazies.


Who is a BM crazy? The OP said it herself this all started when they tried to switch to formula. The OP obviously has tried all the formulas on the market. The next obvious answer is to go back to what worked - breast feeding or breast milk.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Did u try dream feeding? We fed our baby while asleep as otherwise she would not take the bottle. Had reflux issues. So we would feed her as she slept. From 3 months to 11 months! This is how she ate. Am not saying it was the right thing to do but did help get into her the ounces she needed. Would not worry about breastmilk. You have enough stress so no need to listen to the BM crazies.


I only suggested donor milk or relactation because it sounds like the baby really isn't doing well with formula. Doesn't mean I am a BM crazy. If the only way you could feed your child was when they were asleep then surely you understand the value in hearing as many suggestions as possible in case one of them happens to be the suggestion that keeps your baby from starving to death.
Anonymous
Didn't see if you posted where you live - but in MOCO Infants and Toddlers can help with feeding issues (after a medical clearance) and it's completely free if you are found eligible. If you are in DC or VA they have early intervention services but I believe there is a sliding fee. Dr. Chatoor at Children's in DC is an expert in feeding issues. You could also find a speech therapist that specializes in feeding issues or an OT. If you go to Children's, they take insurance.
Anonymous
Get an appointment at a feeding clinic. The entrance to the Children's feeding clinic is thru the gastroenterology dept, to be sure there are no physical issues with feeding like reflux.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Dairy allergy?


This. My baby had an undiagnosed dairy allergy. He ate, but it took a lot of coaxing. I nursed until he was 12 months, so was able to keep his weight on, but giving him formula and anything with milk in it was a challenge. Turned out he was also allergic to wheat and eggs and a few other things. I feel guilty to this day for trying so hard to get him to drink cow's milk. He ended up with a speech delay and ear tubes, so check out allergies, OP. You never know.
Anonymous
Have you tried ensure? If you've done everything the ped. has told you, then try the fail-safe method - melted vanilla ice cream. Works like a charm. Then work back to Ensure, etc.
Anonymous
Not sure if this helps but my dd never ate solids until she was 2. She was picky and hated food and had a strong gag reflex. She was 5th decile for weight. Today she's 5 and completely normal!

I also have a very picky 11 month old who doesn't enjoy finger foods or solids apart from junk like mum mums. I could cry. But then remind myself dd didn't eat well either.

I agree focus on milk. Can you take a week off work and just work with baby and do the sessions yourself? My SIL weaned from BM to formula at 9 months and introduced bottles, she uses targets organic brand. Her baby hated all other flavours. I've smelled this one and it smells pretty good as far as formulas go.

I bet your little one is just going thru lots of change, just focus on one thing. Ie formula or milk however you chose to feed. Maybe cereal with formula?
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