When Patrick was in the NICU, he was only allowed to eat with a bottle at first. Once he had gotten really used to eating with the bottle, he would be allowed to try breastfeeding. Because he had gotten so used to eating from a bottle, he did not take to breastfeeding well. I could get him to latch on for a few seconds at a time but not long enough to actually eat anything. I was growing increasingly frustrated each time we tried. Finally another mom in the NICU who had had similar problems with her other children suggested we try using a nipple shield. We were wary at first, but eventually tried one and sure enough, it worked. I'm guessing the plastic of the nipple shield more closely resembled the texture of a bottle's nipple, and its shape was more similar too. From that point on, we were dependent on that nipple shield to feed him.
We were also glad to have it because it made it easier to switch back and forth to the bottle, as he was required to eat one bottle with vitamins in it each day. When that bottle was no longer necessary, though, that changed. If I remember right, it was about a month or so ago when we stopped the vitamin bottles. Shortly after that, while we were on vacation, Patrick suddenly decided he didn't want the nipple shield anymore. I'd tried weaning him several times in the first few months after he came home, but he couldn't or wouldn't eat without it. I'd given up hope that he would ever eat without it. That explains the surprise I had the day he reached up while eating, yanked the nipple shield off, and started eating the "normal" way as though he'd been doing it all along. We haven't used the nipple shield since. He also hasn't used a bottle since that night late in our vacation when Matt and I went to the bed and breakfast, leaving him with his nana.
It didn't dawn on me until this morning that Patrick has eaten one way and one way only in weeks. At church this morning, we left him in the nursery from the start of the service. I expected him to need to eat part of the way through the service, so I'd left several bottles of thawed breastmilk in his diaper bag for the nursery workers to feed him. One of the women from the nursery came and found us after a little while to inform us that Patrick was fussy. I checked my watch, and it was the exact moment I expected him to want to eat again. Apparently they tried feeding him after that, but it wasn't long before the lady was back to let us know that he wasn't eating his bottle. Sure enough, he was screaming when I got there. I calmed him down some and tried feeding him his bottle myself. He refused to take it at all. Fortunately they had a quiet place where I could breastfeed him, and that did calm him down. He fell asleep on one of the nursery workers after that.
So of course I started wondering why he refused a bottle. At first I thought it might just be the start of the stranger anxiety kicking in; he didn't want to eat because he didn't know the person feeding him. When he refused it when I fed him, though, that killed that theory. I wonder if it's more that he's forgetting to eat out of a bottle now that he doesn't need to any longer. Also now that he doesn't eat with a nipple shield, he doesn't even practice with anything at all resembling a bottle. Could it be he's regressing now that he's finally figured out this whole breastfeeding thing? The other idea we've had that's really probably more likely is that he hasn't had a bottle since getting teeth. I'm sure it feels much different to eat from a bottle with teeth. Add the fact that it felt different to the pain he was probably feeling in his gums from his teeth, and it certainly could cause an aversion to eating from a bottle right now. I may have to try again with a bottle soon, sometime when he's not at all upset.
By the way, I think I can upload pictures again now. I just don't have any new ones to post at the moment. I guess it's time to get back in the habit of snapping pictures all the time, now that blogger is finally once again cooperating.
We were also glad to have it because it made it easier to switch back and forth to the bottle, as he was required to eat one bottle with vitamins in it each day. When that bottle was no longer necessary, though, that changed. If I remember right, it was about a month or so ago when we stopped the vitamin bottles. Shortly after that, while we were on vacation, Patrick suddenly decided he didn't want the nipple shield anymore. I'd tried weaning him several times in the first few months after he came home, but he couldn't or wouldn't eat without it. I'd given up hope that he would ever eat without it. That explains the surprise I had the day he reached up while eating, yanked the nipple shield off, and started eating the "normal" way as though he'd been doing it all along. We haven't used the nipple shield since. He also hasn't used a bottle since that night late in our vacation when Matt and I went to the bed and breakfast, leaving him with his nana.
It didn't dawn on me until this morning that Patrick has eaten one way and one way only in weeks. At church this morning, we left him in the nursery from the start of the service. I expected him to need to eat part of the way through the service, so I'd left several bottles of thawed breastmilk in his diaper bag for the nursery workers to feed him. One of the women from the nursery came and found us after a little while to inform us that Patrick was fussy. I checked my watch, and it was the exact moment I expected him to want to eat again. Apparently they tried feeding him after that, but it wasn't long before the lady was back to let us know that he wasn't eating his bottle. Sure enough, he was screaming when I got there. I calmed him down some and tried feeding him his bottle myself. He refused to take it at all. Fortunately they had a quiet place where I could breastfeed him, and that did calm him down. He fell asleep on one of the nursery workers after that.
So of course I started wondering why he refused a bottle. At first I thought it might just be the start of the stranger anxiety kicking in; he didn't want to eat because he didn't know the person feeding him. When he refused it when I fed him, though, that killed that theory. I wonder if it's more that he's forgetting to eat out of a bottle now that he doesn't need to any longer. Also now that he doesn't eat with a nipple shield, he doesn't even practice with anything at all resembling a bottle. Could it be he's regressing now that he's finally figured out this whole breastfeeding thing? The other idea we've had that's really probably more likely is that he hasn't had a bottle since getting teeth. I'm sure it feels much different to eat from a bottle with teeth. Add the fact that it felt different to the pain he was probably feeling in his gums from his teeth, and it certainly could cause an aversion to eating from a bottle right now. I may have to try again with a bottle soon, sometime when he's not at all upset.
By the way, I think I can upload pictures again now. I just don't have any new ones to post at the moment. I guess it's time to get back in the habit of snapping pictures all the time, now that blogger is finally once again cooperating.
Labels: Feeding, Frustration, Special Events/Outings
3 Comments:
That is interesting. I was unable to breastfeed Randie. I just did not produce any.. :( I had a serious infection after my section etc etc and they say maybe because she was so early my milk just did not come in... I dont really know but we tried pumping etc and I would only get like 5cc and that was all.. only enough for Randie's beginning of her journey in the NICU and then we had to switch to formula and she was on it ever since. I'm not sure why patrick would be that way seeing as I have never breastfed but all I can think is "OUCH" at breastfeeding when he has teeth..lol
I wonder if his teething was the reason. Makes sense. I know with Ava, I nurse her pretty much all day, and I'll give her a bottle of formula maybe 2-3 times a day. (i'll try anyway). There are times that she will flat out refuse to take the bottle. She's hungry you can tell, when you put the nipple in her mouth, she screams. Then I take her in my arms, and she latches right on and drinks away.
Could also be the separation anxiety thing, he certainly is at the age where this starts. Hopefully your attempts with the bottle soon will be successful.
My niece did not take a bottle at all until 5 months old and then she tapered off on breastfeeding so much that she was totally on the bottle by 6 1/2 months. Kind of the opposite.
Post a Comment
<< Home