Help..3 Month Old Will Not Eat

Updated on September 06, 2008
R.D. asks from Boston, MA
12 answers

Hello Everyone,

My 3 month old daughter refuses to take a bottle and the breast. She protests with a smile and pushes the nipple out of her mouth with her tongue. Every now and then we can get food into her by a variety of gymnastics on our part. We sing, hold her head, bounce her, put her in a bouncy. It is really difficult, frustrating and worry some. We've seen our pediatrician. He said not to worry and if she does not eat let her go until the next feeding, but she does not even eat after sleeping 9 hours.

To top it off her twin brother needs to be fed somewhere in between her feeding and pumping.

Any advice?
Thank you!!
R.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.S.

answers from Hartford on

Have you tried any kind of baby food yet? I know some doctors would prefer yoiu to wait but I started my son off at about a month and a 1/2 and he was fine, he loved it.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.C.

answers from Boston on

Have you tried other bottle types? Maybe your child does not like that type. My girlfriend tried 3 different bottle type before they found one the baby liked.

If your baby is sleeping for 9 hours and is not hungry... that's odd to me.... get another doctor. I would be concerned too.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.W.

answers from Boston on

Hi R.,
I have 5yr old triplets but never breastfed them. I belong to a support group called Keeping Pace with Multiple Miracles. There are MOMS there who can help you. Their number is ###-###-####. Good Luck
Niki

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.S.

answers from Boston on

Nursing strike suggestions: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html

In general, a baby who won't nurse, can't nurse. Your goal is to (hopefully) identify why baby can't nurse and either remedy the problem, work around the problem, and/or preserve your milk supply until the problem remedies itself (sometimes necessary for ill, small or premature babies). A board-certified lactation consultant is a great partner to have in this process.
Keep baby as full and happy as possible, i.e. continue to offer expressed mother's milk, banked milk, formula or solids (if baby is old enough), but gradually get closer and closer to the nursing position, skin-to-skin, etc. Click here for tips for weaning from formula supplements.

And many more suggestions at site!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.B.

answers from Boston on

Hi R.- Just a quick note. All kids are different. Don't worry, she won't starve!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Boston on

One thing I learned is that kids eat when they are hungry. However I feel that 3 months is kinda little to let them make their own decisions! :)

So with that being said I was thinking maybe the breast milk or formulas aren't appealing as a texture to her? Maybe try a different formula? My kids all had the Enfamil Lipil ready made. Kinda pricy but they prefered it to powder.

Good luck! :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.M.

answers from Boston on

Had this problem. It hurt our baby to suck because my infant had ear fluid at 2 months old. Go see an ENT to get a look at your baby and his/her sucking or lack of. It may be as easy as ear drops or as advanced as ear tubes to relieve the inner ear pressure. Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.W.

answers from Boston on

Hello...is she wetting the recommended number of diapers per 24 hour period? This can be a great indication as to whether or not an infant is getting as much milk as they need. ~M.~

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.J.

answers from Boston on

Hi R.,
you must be stressed out trying to get your little one to feed. I had similar problems with my daughter...at about 4 months old. I remember having to get creative to get her to take a little bit of formula (I had to wean her from nursing as I was pregnant again). I made formula ice lollies, i added flavors to formula, i also gave her jello...things you wouldnt normally think to give a tiny baby, but f it means she does not get dehydrated or malnourished....there is also pedialyte....
good luck, hopefully it will pass

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.A.

answers from Boston on

my now 4yr old did that he would eat every 7 hours he was exclusively bf til age 6 months then got a lil bit of food even then it took some work to get him to eat. as long as baby is meeting milestones and is growing baby is getting enough. just keep offering the breast as much as you can dont give up. she may have a small appitite and be an efficient nurser. my current baby 6 months old is a highly distractable baby he will only nurse when he is ready to sleep and a few snacks during the day he does not comfort nurse though. he just started solids once every other day, but he is a great nurser when he does nurse since he is 20# lol. his dr says he is 5#'s over weight so even though he doesnt nurse often he gets plenty. one thing to mention do you think baby has reflux or silent reflux sometimes baby will not eat much due to discomfort. just make sure other things have been ruled out before accepting maybe she has a low appitite level. good luck and congrats on nursing twins

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.K.

answers from Boston on

Have you tried a sippy cup? That's how I got my daughter to eat - she would only nurse when she was really tired, but I could pump milk and feed it to her in a sippy cup even though she wouldn't do a bottle. We used the Avent magic sippy cups, the spout is thin so it works well for small babies.

It also helped to feed her when there was something exciting going on (goes against the standard advice to remove distractions, but my daughter had to have something interesting to see while she ate).

Good luck, and don't worry much so long as she is gaining weight and meeting developmental milestones! I'm very impressed that you are breastfeeding twins!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.H.

answers from Springfield on

mine (now 9months) was difficult to feed to. He seemed to only breastfeed when he was alseep, so till about 5 months i would get him to sleep by rocking or bouncing and then feed him. he fed like a champ in his sleep.he also co slept with us and would feed in his sleep during the night. I thought i would have to do this forever, but he grew out of it and feeds fine now. good luck.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches