6 Month Old Bottle/Feeding Questions-looong please help

My dc has always had some digestion/feeding issues from the start. It took a long time to discover she needed to be on Hypoallegenic formula. Since birth she falls asleep while drinking her bottle so she cant go to sleep without a bottle. She still drinks from a slow nipple Ive tried only once to get her on a medium flow but she was spitting up so much I went back to slow. She doesnt appear to be having any issues with the slow nipple.

Started feeding her solids a month ago but honestly i havent been consistent due to reactions Ive noticed. Below are my questions:

1. How do I slowly break her out of the habit of needing a bottle to go to sleep? I dont mind feeding her and having her fall asleep in my arms. In fact i enjoy it i find it to be such a nice bonding experience. Shes still small enough that it works and she still sleeping in our bedroom so its convenient. My concern is for when shes too big to fall asleep in my arms AND when were ready to put her in her crib. She cannot go to bed with a bottle. What do you suggest to break this habit of hers? Im not doing CIO. We arent comfortable with that.

2. Started her on veggies as per peds rec. I havent been consistent this month i havent fed her everday. I tried sweet potatoes and she didnt do well at all with them. She was fussy and crying and gassy. I stopped. I tried squash and she did better. I aran out of squash and I thought I would try sweet potatoes 1 more time but again same thing and she started throwing up after every bottle. Even threw up some orange like the sweet potatoes. I stopped. I waited a week tried squash again. And i noticed her poop got hard like shes doing adult poop and it seems like she struggles a lil to get it out. And the throwing up started again. Its not spitting up its throwing up. Its so bad she throws up on me my husband herself it hits the floow or wherever shes sitting. Its not always right after the bottle it can be an hour later and its constant. Its only white, its not orange like the squash. And she never throws up after eating.
Is she just unable to digest them properly? Any suggestions would be helpful.
What does your 6 month old eat? Please list. I dont know why my dr didnt start her on cereal but he said orange veggies are easier to digest but it doesnt appear that way to me.

4. Is the fact that she still drinks from a slow nipple an issue? I tried medium once and she spit up a lot that day so i stopped about 2 -3 weeks ago. Should i have pushed through that and kept trying to give it to her? Should i try again?

Thank you to anyone who read through my above novel". Lol

Message edited 1/2/2013 10:13:29 AM.

6 Month Old Bottle/Feeding Questions-looong please help

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Re: 6 Month Old Bottle/Feeding Questions-looong please help

Can't really help you with the sleep issues, I moved DD out of the RnP pretty early because I was worried about her getting too used to it. You may have a rough few nights transitioning her, but you should just stick with it for a few nights (maybe choose a weekend?) and be consistent. Don't turn back! It'll be hard, but worth it, probably. Good luck.

As for the food. DD is 6.5 months and eating pretty much all of the first foods. Squash is actually her favorite. Have you considered trying a fruit? Might help with the digestion issues. Apples, Pears and Prunes are all good for consitipation. DD definitely has started to be really constipated since starting solids...I think it is "normal." If you want to stick with a veggie, try something that is not so starchy. Maybe Green Beans? Are you mixing with cereal? Rice cereal can be very binding.

Good luck!!!!

Re: 6 Month Old Bottle/Feeding Questions-looong please help

I'm a first time mom with a 7 mo old so I can only tell you what's worked for us.

1. How do I slowly break her out of the habit of needing a bottle to go to sleep?

My 7 mo old still takes a bottle before bed, it's part of our routine. I wouldn't worry about breaking it yet. She's still a baby. I'm like you, I can't do CIO it out either. I think it's "bad" when they have teeth and self feed and physically take the bottle with them into their crib.


2.
Is she just unable to digest them properly?

That's a question for the ped.

What does your 6 month old eat?

We started on oatmeal, we skipped rice altogether.

1 tbsp oatmeal mixed with a 4 oz jar of fruit in the AM around 1030/11. Either apples or pears.

2 tbsp oatmeal mixed with a 4 oz jar of veggies in the PM around 6/630. Either carrots, squash or sweet potatoes.

I'd start being consistent with the solids, start with 1 tbsp oatmeal in the AM. Bottle when she first wakes up, 2 hrs later do the oatmeal mixed with liquid (breastmilk or formula). This is just what worked for us. We started with one meal a day (cereal).

I only introduced one new food at a time for three days. And I always mix it with the oatmeal.

Once we started solids - DD's poops got harder. If it's still squishy, that's normal.

4. Is the fact that she still drinks from a slow nipple an issue? If she's doing OK with the slow flow, stick with it. I knew it was time to switch when it was taking like 40 mins for DD to finish her bottle. Once we switched it takes her 10-15 mins to finish.



When DD was spitting up a lot we kept her upright after each feeding for 20 mins.


I feel like the best gauge of your DD is if there are still wet and poopy diapers. If there is, she's fine - even with the throwing up.