Hi everyone!

It's been a while since I've posted. Gaby seems to be doing well. She's been Zantac free for 3 weeks. However, a bad cold and possible teething have flared up the reflux.

I wanted to ask everyone about their experiences with bottle feeding. I've noticed the past few weeks that Gaby will not take the bottle willingly. I know she is hungry but it's as if she really fights to have the bottle to her lips. When I manage to slip the nipple into her mouth, she is fine. I even have her play with the bottle, hoping she will grab it and put in her mouth herself. She can put a sippy cup (without valve) to her mouth(I help her with the tipping and pausing between sips) , but she doesn't like the bottle. She used to put her hands around the bottle as if she were holding it, but now she doesn't. Is she still having some bottle aversion/psychological,negative response to bottle feeding? (The doc said she did have some fluid in her ear, but that the eardrum was fine and that antibiotics weren't needed. She used to pull on her ear and jaw from the ear popping , but hasn't done that in a few days. Hmmm) She takes her cereal well from the spoon, some tongue thrust(mentioned in another post under feeding solids), but willingly opens her mouth for cereal, veggies and fruit and then closes it around spoon, then sometimes has the tongue thrust.

I just wondered what your thoughts are about the bottle aversion?

Thanks in advance,

The worrywart Mom,

Is she laying down while you are giving it to her, this may give her reflux so she resuses it cause of pain. Try holding her upright more as you feed her and see if this helps.

Is she attaching to the bottle furiously only to spit it out seconds later, this is generally due to blocked nose, or wanting to soothe reflux, then the pain of lying etc makes them spit it out.

The fact that she will take it once you get it in could also be a sign of remembering the pain.

Thats all I think I can really help you with, I hope some of it helps.

Thank you for the tips! I used to always feed her upright but now that I think of it, she is sort of lying down when bottle feeding and of course upright when using the sippy cup.

The other two points you mentioned have also occured. I think I'll have her go back on the Zantac until the cold clears up.

Poor thing, she really loves her cereal. I could hear the mucous in her nasal passages and knew that was the reason she didn't want to eat. I tried sucking some out with the aspirator, but there's still a lot of mucous deep in her nasal passages. She seems to sleep fine, and doesn't cough, so I think her lungs are clear.

I will definitely make an apptm with the ped to check her out.

Thanks again scarlet! editted to say, Thanks Rachel!

I'm no help, just wanted to say love the pic of the kids...especially the avatar. Very nice.

Thanks Jean!

I think Gaby was about 3 or 3.5 months for both the avatar and the signature. Alex had just turned 3 years old.

Just noticed that you're from Taunton, MA. I have relatives from there!

I'll have to check out your book too!

Editted to say it .. Looks very inspirational and informative! Just read the great reviews!! Wow!!

Have a great weekend!

It's Victoria Day weekend here in Canada! Cheers to the Queen and a long weekend!

Enjoy your long weekend, ours is next weekend. I need that extra day off.

I live exactly one mile from the Galleria Mall, it is actually East Taunton. I had done the Health Fair at that mall two years in a row, maybe your relatives were actually there. What a small world!

The reflux story was to be in the BayStateParent in May, they bumped it til...I am not sure. Will let you know and your relatives can be sure to get a copy to send you.