Mama, no milk but PLAY today!

Just as baby Thiren turned three months last week, he started having problems when it came to feeding. I thought, at three months old, he sure has started early to give his mommy headaches! I couldn't keep to his feeding schedule of every three- or four-hourly. In fact, he only drank as and when he was very hungry, often crying away, leaving me wondering if he was tired, sleepy, wanted to be carried, or just plain hungry but was too tired or sleepy to drink.

This pattern went on for a week or so, and then I was advised that he may have gotten bored with the current brand of milk. I made a switch to another brand, but I didn't see any improvement. Finally, I called up the pediatrician in Pantai Malacca who administered Thiren's growth in the first few days of delivery.

Amazingly (and I never knew this), and apparently, babies between three and four months are at the stage where they get very playful and drinking milk is not a priority anymore. They prefer to talk and coo to adults, and being very observant at this stage and they are attracted to moving objects, colours and everything new around them.

Thiren was just like that. Parents and I were worried that he may be suffering from colic, but then again, he slept well when it was time for him to sleep and played and laughed happily in excitement when he was being teased. However, when it was time for milk, he just refused to take in much, often taking only one ounce, or at most two ounces. It was the same problem at night, too. It seems that this problem is common among babies at this stage, and whenever they get hungry, they would drink. With Thiren, the slightest noise or movement distraction would make him spit out his bottle and turn away in curiosity, never again interested in his milk, no matter how much I try putting back the bottle in his mouth.

What a great relief after hearing it was a common problem with babies between three and four months! I was worried if he was sick in the tummy! Last night, he started feeding well again. Now he drinks his milk whenever he is hungry, not on schedule, and he loves watching the Disney Channel while he suckles his bottle!