Teething and barely eating. Help!!

[LuluHB]

My DD has been teething for the past week or so. Her sleep has been all over the place and so has her feeding. She used to sleep through the night and have 4 or 5 feeds through the day but she started having a couple of feeds during the night and not taking so much during the day. Now she is barely feeding at all - she had maybe 450mls yesterday and only took 100mls this morning when she should have been starving. I've tried offering her a bottle every couple of hours but she's a wilful little thing and if she doesn't want to feed, she just won't.

I'm starting to get a bit worried about just how little she is feeding. Has anybody got any great ideas about how I can get her to take a bottle when she really doesn't want to? Also, how long is it normal for her to be off her food, and is it normal that she just doesn't want to eat at all?

[MrsFabuloso]

I don't think you should worry too much. She will eat when shes ready. I know when I feel yuck I don't want to eat, especially if my mouth is sore. I would probably just keep on offering her food and when she has it, great but if not then offer her more in an hour or so. I'm sure its just that her mouth is sore or she's going through a growth spurt. She'll catch up!

[moglie]

Hi Lulu, I can sympathise somewhat, although you are definitely doing it tougher than me. My DD is 11 wks and is starting to teeth as well. This afternoon she went off her food. It took me and DH 3 hours to get her to feed. We just kept comforting her until finally she calmed down & would feed. Just offer your little one food. I'm sure she'll take it when she's ready.

I am also curious to know how common it is for babies to go off their feeds when they're teething. Its pretty distressing when they wont feed.

Good luck Lulu, I hope the teeth come through quickly (fingers crossed for my DD as well)!!