6 months old baby refusing bottle. What's the problem?

Question

My baby has been drinking 5-6 oz for a few weeks now, but recently he barely drinks 2 oz. at some feedings, sometimes he finishes 5 oz with no problem. but most of the time he chomps down on the nipple or turns away after drinking only a bit. it frustrates me that he barely drinks a total of 25 oz a day now, when he once could drink up to 40 oz a day.

What's wrong? Is there anyone experiencing same problem with their baby? He prefers sucking on his pacifier now and almost every bottle feeding is hard to do since it seems like he detests drinking and starts crying. i could only get him to drink with no trouble if i get him to become sleepy so he won't refuse to drink. I haven't started him on solids yet and it doesn't seem like he's teething yet.

Answer 1

You should probably take your baby to the doctor. It could be acid reflux, really bad gas, something makes it just hurt to drink. My biggest advice is to take him to the doctor for a prescription. Gas is usually the problem but you never know. Good Luck, I hope your baby feels better.

Answer 2

For starters he should be eating some solids. At 4 months your supposed to start introducing baby food. At 6 months he should be getting baby cereal and a small bottle for breakfast probably another bottle mid morning a jar of baby food and another small bottle for lunch another bottle mid afternoon, another jar of baby food for dinner along with  a small bottle and then another bottle mid evening and one again at bedtime. And he will then begin to eat 1 veggie and 1 fruit at lunch and dinner time!

Answer 3

Kind of weird at 6 months...I had this same problem when my son was around 2 1/2 months...would just scream and bat away the bottle...we are still dealing with this..he is now 4 months.

Are you sure it's not gas? If it is do you use Mylicon?

Are you sure it's not reflux? Is he spitting up a lot or vomiting? Our son has it and he is on Zantac.

So at one point we thought he was going to get dehydrated, so we started adding just an ounce or so of pedialyte to his bottles, i tried weaning him off of it, it didn't work!

Now he is taking amoxicillan for an ear infection so we add that to his bottle, and he loves it.

So my theory is...it's the TASTE of the formula that he doesn't like! Maybe that's your son's issue too? Maybe he is ready for solids, wants a taste of something else???

Hope I could help!

But def call your pedi!

Answer 4

It may not seem like he is teething but it sounds to me like he may have soar gums from the teeth beginning to come through.  Try rubbing his gums with some ambesol for children and see if he then takes the bottle.  If you notice that he is biting the nipple instead of sucking on it, that is a very good sign that he is beginning to teeth.

Answer 5

It's normal for your 6 month baby to start rejecting the bottle. It just shows he is growing and he needs more then just milk. Try some baby food... That will get him/her eating and only give him/her the bottle when he/she is cranky or its his/her bed time. Oh and make sure when his/her teeth start growing in to remove the bottle ASAP from him/her.

Answer 6

my son is doing the same thing, although he is eating solids for breakfast lunch and dinner..i tried uping the nipple from stage 2 to a stage 3..don't worry though he will eat if hes hungry, and its about that time that they can go longer without eating..mybe you can start him on some cereal, see how it goes