Refusing to eat

[sjshark]

So LO has had a really strange appetite today, eating 3oz or less per session when she normally does 5. Any time we offer her the bottle or the boob she gets super upset. I thought she might be teething but her gums don't seem swollen or anything. Has anyone experienced anything similar or have any thoughts?

[Deleted]

Mine has started eating less. But I assume it's from teething.

[jamjoyful]

Teething is all I can think of. Any signs of illness?

[sjshark]

No, she seems fine other than being more fussy than usual and the weird appetite. I really do think it's teething but other people tell me I would be able to tell by feeling her gums. Sigh... So much conflicting info out there. I guess it's best to go with my gut.

[HazyGrey]

I bet teething too! Every babe is different and I don't think that swollen gums would be your definitive answer for it. My LO ate less too but it seemed to not go on every day. I bet she will pick up her appetite tomorrow:)

[mrsnorris]

My LO has been behaving like you describe off and on for a couple of weeks but has never had swollen gums. I assumed teething like you and pedi confirmed this at her last well-child appointment so I don't think noticeably swollen gums is a requirement. Your instincts are probably right on!

[minervamae]

Yep, we were there for a couple of weeks before her two teeth came in. Teeth do a lot of moving and shifting before they get close enough to the surface to start swelling the gums.

[kimberlyb]

DS has been refusing to eat or eating very little going on a week. It is so frustrating!In our case, I think its partially related to him having a cold. He also has some digestive issues so it may be time to switch formula again. He seems to do better if we feed him smaller amounts more often. DD's appetite and affect never changed while she was teething so it never occured to me till reading some of the responses that it could also be related to this. Learn something new everyday

[haliebabe]

We're there also, he's down to sometimes only taking an ounce or two. He cries when he doesn't get the bottle, then cries when he does get it. He can't decide. It always his last feeding of the night and his one MOTN feeding where he is his worst. I've noticed when we put the bottle in he just gnaws on it a lot too or pushes it out and sticks his hand in. Last night in his MOTN feeding he took an ounce and just wanted to be rocked back to sleep, he's never like that. I figured teething is playing a big role.

[puffandstuff]

Same here. She gets bottles while I'm at work and has consistently left about an ounce. She's also been nursing for 5-6 minutes and wants to be up or suck her thumb. I've been pumping (with my manual pump) after her short feeds.

[redhorizon343]

Could be teething, but I'd keep an eye out just in case it's the beginning of a cold.

[bobloblaw]

We have waxed and waned over the past month between growth spurts and teething and illness. Teething seems to bring the most difference in how much he's eating. That would be my vote.