# Baby's loss of appetite



## emmadaffodil (Apr 7, 2004)

Another question from me, and similar to a recent one from Claire.

Will has been exclusively breastfed for the past 4 weeks, and has been sleeping through the night most of the time since then (he slept _very_ badly before that when he was breastfed). He has SMA White and was taking 7-8 oz 5 times a day. He leapt up the centiles for growth once he was on formula.

In the last few days he has been drinking less - 6 to 7 oz 5 times a day, which I though might be down to the cooler weather. However today he won't take more than 3 oz at a feed. He is also making a terrible fuss when I start to feed him - crying and trying to push the bottle away. When I persist he starts drinking quite happily, but just isn't taking so much. I've tried to get him to take more but he's not having any of it. He also woke in the night last night, and did take some food but didn't seem very interested in it.

He seems fine in himself, apart from that. He might be showing signs of teething (as he did for a day or two a few weeks ago) - there is a lot of dribble, slightly flushed cheeks, and he is putting his fingers in his mouth (but then I think they all do that at his age, don't they?).

Can babies get bored with milk? At the same time as this he keeps trying to take my toast from me, and sticks his tongue out as if he wants to eat it.

Is this anything I should be worried about?

Emma


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## emmadaffodil (Apr 7, 2004)

Hello again,

I was probably worrying unduly. Will took 6 oz and 8 oz at his last 2 feeds yesterday, slept through the night, and took 7 oz for breakfast. He is still making a fuss when the bottle enters his mouth, as though it hurts, so perhaps thats a teething thing?


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hiya

when they are teething there little gums are sooo sore.

Babies often get bored with milk between 7-9mths when weaning has started!

Jxx


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## emmadaffodil (Apr 7, 2004)

Hi Jeanette,

I spoke too soon. He has been out of sorts again today. He woke in the night, but wasn't hungry and wouldn't take any milk. There were no nappy issues and he didn't have a temperature. He kept putting his hand into his mouth. I eventually managed to settle him by using a dummy, but normally he just spits those out.

Then at breakfast time, where he normally gobbles down 8oz in 10-15 minutes, he took only half and made _such_ a performance about letting me put the bottle in his mouth, and the same again with his mid-morning feed. With that one I let him have a break and when we came back to it he made the same fuss but went on to take the rest of the bottle. He has had two more feeds since then, and taken 7oz at each, but we've had a lot of screaming at the start of the feed.

The breakfast situation concerned me because he hadn't eaten since 10pm the previous evening. Plus he normally follows breakfast by playing happily in his baby gym, but today he wasn't having any of that.

He is dribbling a lot, and has flushed cheeks, but I can't see any swelling on his gums or any sign of teeth, so I don't know if it is teething or something else. I did give him Calpol in the night, but I don't want to keep giving it to him if he isn't teething.

Like you say, he is too young to be getting bored with food yet, so I guess I have to rule that out. I wish they came with a manual!

Emma


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hi Emma

It does sound like teething to me...try the remedies I gave on the other thread

Jxx


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