Hi yummies, I could really do with some of your fantastic advice again,

I have been weaning Mason for 8 weeks now and it has been going great. He has 3 meals a day along with his milk. He has been teething since 11 weeks and for the last few days he has been suffering with it badly but Calpurofen and bongela have helped.

Since Friday he has simply refused his bottles. He will eat his solids followed by a little water but will not take any of his bottles apart from his 6am one he wakes up for. I am starting to get a little concerned that he isn't having enough fluids. Will give you a typical example of his daily feeds

6amish, 9oz bottle

10am, Bowl of cereal made with his milk and usually the rest of bottle

130pm Bowl of vegetables and fromage frias or fruit and some water, no bottle

430pm A Rusk mixed with his milk and rest of bottle

730pm 9oz bottle

Am I doing things wrong or am I just being an over panicky first time mum, is it just because he is teething and the bottles are hurting him?

He has had a copuple of dry nappies but is still dribbling away so don't think he is de-hydrated.

Any ideas would be most welcome.

Katie and Mason.x x x

hey hun, i would say try not to worry too much about the bottles, it will be down to teething and will pass very soon!! i would maybe suggest increasing the dairy products you are using (can i ask how old mason is? if hes over 6 months u can use cows milk in his cereal and meals) also try grating some cheese over his food (this worked a treat with sam) and maybe try giving him more yoghurt. i think u are doing great, his diet sounds very healthy and yummy! just give him lots of fluids and cuddles and can i also recommend ashton and parsons teething powder its brilliant. also what i do with sam, that is if mason has a dummy, is cover the teat part in teething gel, its much safer for us mummys who get their fingers bitten off xxx

also you could try putting the teething gel on the bottle teat, it might help him.

sorry im rather useless!!

i am going through teething myself at the moment and know how u feel!
sam has recently turned 1 and is cutting his front 2 teeth and his bottom 3rd one - all at once!! ive had to make his food a little less lumpier as it was causing him discomfort whilst chewing and he has random outbursts of crying during the day. he throws himself on the floor and wails like hes in such dispair...its horrible

hope little mason is feeling himself again soon xx

[Modified by: Emilie on October 13, 2008 01:53 PM]</p>

Hi Emilie, Thankyou for replying hun.
Mason was only 4 months yday which I know is early weaning but even my health visitor agreed with weaning him so early as he is a very hungry advanced baby. He weighed 15lb 5oz at 10 weeks old!!! So I know I can't give him cows milk but is the rest of the dairy stuff ok?
I do have yoghurts and alternate day to day with the fromage frais and mashed fruit.
I think I'm just panicky as he was such a guzzler and would always drain his bottles so just seems odd for me that he is refusing them as he has never done it before!!
Du know I have a box of ashtons powders in my cupboard that I forgot all about so thankyou Emilie I will try him with those tonight.

Thanks again for your kind reply hun. x x x

i first gave sam baby rice at 12 weeks (it only makes me naughty because i gave him it to see if he liked it and what he would do, not that he needed weaning, bad me)

i know its rather scary when they stop feeding! sam stopped eating completely a month ago or so as some sort of independance phase, it drove me to tears cause i didnt know what to do! luckily it only lasted a few days, it was stressful!!

i think he will be ok hun, u are giving him formula througout the day with his rusk and also with his cereal and the yoghurts are good too, he will be fine. grating cheese into things should be fine at 4 months although i would try a wee bit first to see how he takes to it if hes never had it before.

u r doing fine, u could maybe up his intake of solids a little bit whilst he is off his bottles, perhaps an extra yoghurt or more fruit but persaveere (sp) with trying to get him to take his bottle but dont make it into a negative experiance as i did with sam when he wasnt eating and it caused more harm than good lol xx

Ahhh thankyou hun, your advice has been fab, smeared bonjela all over his dummy earlier and he loved it!! Will keep trying with his bottles but he certainly has enough stored fat to stop him going hungry the lil' chunker!!
Katie.x x x

Hey,

as your worried about him being dehydrated, have you tried giving water?

Also, have you tried giving him milk/water in a training cup? My hv suggested that my lo might take milk from a cup as she wont take a bottle (is bf) from 4 months. She is 3 months and will take water from it though did end up with lots on her bib....