Baby Refuses Bottle - Breastmilk and Formula

Start mixing the BM with the formula start with half and half and then gradually make it all formula.....If you are using the Enfamil great! I loved that line for my kids and they did great.

A couple of things... its just like weaning a baby from formula to whole milk: try slowly introducing it such as try 3/4 breast and 1/4 formula... after a few days go to half and half... then a few days later go to 3/4 formula and 1/4 breast milk and so on until you r fully on formula... but its just like anything else, when you get used to something the last thing you want to do is change it, so he will be stubborn, but you have to be stubborn as well, as soon as he gets hungry enough, he will eat....just stick to it

In no way do I want to be cruel or judgmental, but based on what you are telling us, it sounds like what your baby wants is you. For a baby, eating isn't always just about hunger, it's about bonding and closeness and reassurance.

I would try feeding at the breast as much as possible, especially if you have to give it up soon. Try out some different formulas, (I supplemented with formula and although my son wasn't lactose intolerant, he liked the organic soy formula the best). As for bottles, you can spend a fortune trying them out, I liked the tilted playtex ones the best, the little ones. My son learned to hold them by himself by about 7-8 months which was handy if he needed to eat while traveling in the car.

I don't know what your medical condition is and it's none of my business and perhaps there is no alternative, but if it were me, I would seek out any alternative I could rather than give up breastfeeding that early for the sake of both you and baby. It's an invaluable experience and benefit to you both to continue as long as possible, even if you have to supplement.

My lil gal was offered 3 baby bottles the entire time I breastfeed she would rather starve than drink my milk from a bottle daddy tried to give her formula same thing she refused so I never left her with anyone till she was on baby foods & juices (which she never used a bottle just a kiddie cup with a straw)There were times when I just couldn't feed her soon enough then she'd waile,I tried most of the bottles the ones I did like were AVENT brand my son & daughter used them & Playrex brand there are so many new ones now that you don't have to worry about the BPA because Target & Walmart as of last year stopped carrying them they are only selling the safe types of plastic & glass.What works for others is for the dad or other care taker to feed baby while mommy is out of sight, out of the room it will take many tries but you have to since your in need of your medication & can't persue bfing longer.Dad is going to have to take over most feedings when he is home till baby gets the hang of the formula bottles & you dry up.I used Enfamil & had no issues with it.

You can ask if any of your friends with babies will let you try a little of their formula, instead of buying lots of cans...some brands have small premixed quantities too that you can buy. I had success with good start with probiotics. I learned from a lac. consultant that you should try to do bottles between 4-6 weeks old, if you are going to need to use them (fyi for next time), older babies are more likely to refuse. If your baby uses a pacifier, you can try and see if that brand makes a bottle. My 2nd baby would only use the soothie bottle, and preferred to be fed facing outward (like you are both watching tv). My first born would never take full formula, we always had to mix with breast milk.
Hope that someone's suggestions help!

Hi,
I have been in your shoes... my daughter is 7 months and I was all about breastfeeding until i couldn't produce enogh to satisfy her. So i did breast milk and formula but long story short she flat out refused the bottle, but i tried a few things and eventually she gave in. The only thing I cant think of is Playtex has a line of bottle called ventair and they have wide nippled ones that are for breast babys it helps them go back and forth or switch easier from breast to bottle. Hope that helps!

Have you tried mixing formula and breast milk? He might need to slowly get used to the taste. My son would never take a bottle period so I don't know how to get him to take it from you but if he takes it from his dad then atleast you know he will take a bottle. Thats a good thing. Maybe call your lactation consultant or your local WIC office they may be able to give you some idea. What I do want to know is why you would have tasted formula? I formula fed my first 2 and never had the urge to taste it and I have never tasted my breastmilk either.

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I do home daycare so have dealt with many many babies with feeding issues relating to breastfeeding, bottles etc.

Many said the same advice I have already. Try other bottles..get the next size up to try as well (as someone said, the path of least resistance..just be prepared for some coughing and gagging till they either figure it out, or decide they like your offering of the slower flow better).

Also the half and half or similar mixing could help alot with the taste thing...also be conscious of the temperature. I have a current baby (8 mos now) who is my absolute most challenging baby in all ways, especially feeding, in over 20 years. Breastfed..but went on what we thought was a nursing "strike" about 5 weeks ago...not a strike..its all out refusal..but he will take breast milk bottles..but that was not always the case. In 9-10 hours here at daycare, some days he would only do 2-4 ounces TOTAL. The bottle feeding is now consistent (now we are battling with baby foods..ugh).

I can tell you, in my experience, the bottle and nipple that has been the end result MOST (not all) of the time with these challenging breastfed particular babies, is the Playtex bottles with the drop in bags...with a latex nipple (the tan colored ones) not the clear silicone. The clear silicone ones are stiffer, and the tan latex ones seem "softer". Like I said, not always the case, but somehow the most liked by these kids for me. Before the" BPA grand tossing" of bottles I had at least one of every bottle on the market, with new in the package nipples of all sorts of flow levels (they usually came in 2 pks and I tossed the one I experimented with! I had quite a collection!)

Hes not likely to drink a breast milk (or mixed) bottle from YOU till well after you dry up or he just decides this bottle thing ain't so bad. You are the source and he can smell you in the next room! Literally!

I recommend you keep at it..try the different bottles..latex and silicone..but just cuz its "expensive" for a bottle doesn't mean he will love it..but you may need to invest in a few different models. The Playtex Nurser with the bags are my Go-To bottle now.

Good luck!

Have you tasted the formula? It tastes like chalky sour garbage. The organic formulas taste a lot better tho - but still really gross when compared to the smell and taste of breastmilk.

If you don't mind - please pm me the medication you are on and I can tell you without a doubt if it's breastfeeding friendly, borderline or completely unsafe. I have the "Medications and Mother's Milk" drug reference by Dr. T Hale. most Drs will have a blanket statement of "No, not breastfeeding safe - wean" due to ignorance, not caring about the Mother/Baby nursing relationship or just lack of motivation to actually look into it.

I did not breastfeed but with my son, I had to use the orthopeadic style nipples. He wouldn't take a regular or what they claim to be more like nature. They are flatter, enlongated, and a bit softer so in my opinion more flexible/more like breasts. Maybe you could try one and see if that helps.

mix tiny amounts of formula into pumped milk to get him used to it.

Hi S.! I second the idea to mix prepared formula and breastmilk, half and half. Kids are so funny, aren't they! They know what they want! :)

You could check out the Weston Price Foundation's website for formula alternatives that you make yourself. We used goat's milk as soon as we possibly could.

Also, I know that one poster means very well, but all questions about drugs that are safe during breastfeeding should be asked of your doctor and your pharmacist.

Good luck!

Jump around trying new nipples and bottles...Many babies don't like bottle nipples because of the effort it takes them to get milk. They always chose the path of least resistsance. Try going up a size on flow, and you may see a difference.

Additionally, if baby starts shunning the breast and refusing it...put them back on smaller (younger age) nipples and make it harder. My pediatrician recommended this, and I was amazed at how simple it was...and it worked.

Also, I would try numerous formulas...they do all taste different, and none compare to the real thing. It will take some time, but they figure it out. Write to some of the major companies...they will send you free samples you can test. Also your pediatrician can give you buckets of different kinds to try - they get cases of the stuff weekly.