Feeding
The baby only drinks when distracted.
desperatemomGuest ·
Hi everyone,
We're having a little problem with our 6-month-old son.
He only wants to drink from his bottle if he's distracted with a toy or something. And even then, he sometimes loses his concentration and starts looking around frantically.
He downs the evening and night bottles easily because he's half-asleep then, so his eyes are closed and he's not distracted.
Does anyone relate to this? And can tell me that this is just a phase..
It's been going on for a month now and we've tried everything. Feeding in the dark, in a dim, quiet spot, just on the couch, different bottles and teats.. We're getting a bit desperate now and really dreading the feeds :-(
We're having a little problem with our 6-month-old son.
He only wants to drink from his bottle if he's distracted with a toy or something. And even then, he sometimes loses his concentration and starts looking around frantically.
He downs the evening and night bottles easily because he's half-asleep then, so his eyes are closed and he's not distracted.
Does anyone relate to this? And can tell me that this is just a phase..
It's been going on for a month now and we've tried everything. Feeding in the dark, in a dim, quiet spot, just on the couch, different bottles and teats.. We're getting a bit desperate now and really dreading the feeds :-(
Replies
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madelene #2
Hi, this was so relatable for us too with my oldest daughter. When I read your message, it really resonated. She was also easily distracted by every little sound while feeding. Pff, exhausting, but yeah, as you describe, having to distract her to get her to drink. Yes, some kids are like that. It's just a phase, I think it's part of her personality.
Well, then just distract her anyway, maybe sing a song or let her get used to listening to a specific children's song while she's feeding. Then it becomes a ritual for her; whenever she hears that song, it's feeding time.
You know, my daughter also used to fall asleep so quickly while feeding. I'd give her a little tap on her cheeks to keep her awake and continue drinking, but otherwise, I didn't stress too much about it. I'd wait for her to wake up again and then continue feeding.
I'd also just feed her while watching TV, otherwise I'd end up sitting there forever because she kept falling asleep. So it didn't make much sense to sit in a separate room. I just accepted it and started feeding her while watching TV with a blanket on the couch.
It's just a phase, it'll pass on its own.
Greetings, Madelene -
Edith #3
I opened this topic to first see how old the baby in question was... around 5 to 6 months is indeed a 'notorious' age for this. They are so incredibly interested in everything around them, they have no time to feed! My daughter did too (breastfeeding, so that apparently makes no difference either).
What you're doing is good in any case, and keep repeating it to yourself (you'll need this more often
): 'It's a phase, it's a phase, it's a phase.' Try to keep 'monotasking' with your baby as much as possible, even between feeds. Doing one thing at a time, and not switching too quickly from one activity to the next, gives much more calm. -
AM #4
Just remove all the distractions, like feeding in a quiet room. I used to do that for my son—he's 11 months now, and that phase has passed for me. But if I took the time to feed him in a quiet, calm setting, it was done in no time. It'll pass again.
And... the bottle doesn't have to be finished every time. You never know what they're drinking anyway.
Forcing it doesn't work either, so if a toy helps, that's great, right?
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