Bottle Feeding - San Bruno, CA

I found that the cheap gerber bottles that we got from Safeway worked the best, my son did not like the fancy bottles at all. Also, he does well with freshly pumped milk-- he'll drink milk that was frozen but I think it tastes different. Sometimes I have to pull his lower lip down a little so it can fit around the nipple better. Hope this helps.

My daughter (now 3yo) had the same issue. I finally overcame this problem with ME holding the bottle. I would put my daughter in just about the right position to breastfeed, but instead of giving her the breast I would sneak the bottle in there. It took a bit of working together, but dad would even wear one of my shirts (my scent) and hold her in the breastfeeding position, once she got comfortable with the bottle other people could help. It will not happen overnight, be prepared to work on it. I also had to use the Playtex bottles, I think I tryed about 7 or 8 different nipples, but the one she seemed to latch to easiest was the one we worked with the most. Hope this helps. Any other questions, just ask...

S.,

I went through the same thing with my first son. It is so frustrating! Basically, all you can do is keep offering it to him. He'll be more likely to take it from anyone other than you. Obviously, your breasts are right there so of course he'll prefer those to the bottle! Try not to worry too much. My son was very unpredictable about if he would take milk from the bottle. I went out of town for a weekend (to save my sanity because I seriously felt like a milk maid) when he was 5 months old. He took a little bit of milk in a sippy cup with the soft spout (Gerber brand),but not much else. I had another friend who had to go back to work and her son refused the bottle. He would go all 6hours without eating and then would make up for it when she was home. If he's hungry enough and you aren't around, he will eventually take to it. At 2 months, he's still young to try a sippy cup, but some babies that young will sip milk from a medicine cup or a dropper (mine didn't). If nothing works, I'd wait until he starts cereal around four months and introduce a sippy cup. He'll take to that eventually. They all do!

S.,

I've breastfed both of my kids and they've received lots of bottles because I work full time. The main thing that I've found that helps with getting them used to the bottle is patience and persistence. Offer the bottle when they are hungry but not starving and offer it once a day, every day so they get used to it. In the beginning, I found it helpful to have my husband offer the bottle in the same position my baby was used to breastfeeding in. I like the Avent bottles with the size 1 nipples but that is just my preference. I wouldn't get too freaked out about your baby "never" taking a bottle if she doesn't do it by months. Many babies can handle a sippy cup by 4-5 months or shortly after that so it isn't like if she doesn't take a bottle you are going to be chained to your kitchen table for the rest of your life. LOL www.kellymom.com is one of my favorite resources for all things breastfeeding. Check out

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html

There are a bunch of articles on bottle feeding breastfed babies. Hopefully you'll find something that helps you out there. I could give you all sorts of tips but I have a feeling it is better written if you just read it from the source. Good luck!

T.
mama to Cole 9-11-03
and Wyatt 10-14-06

My son took a bottle from 1 month old until he was 2 months old and then decided he didn't like it and that was it, he wouldn't even take a sippy cup until just this week and he is now 10 months. I wish I could help, when I had to go out without the baby, my husband would get out his head phones and my son would scream and scream until he was hungry enough to take the bottle. My husband would just rock him and love him and hold him and keep offering the bottle until he finaly drank it and then passed out. I would tell my husband to call me and I would come home, but he never does he just tkaes care of it himself. I'd feel bad when I got home, but my son survived and now he knows Daddy can take care of him too.

Hi S. I started off breastfeeding and then switched off and on it could be the type of fromula my baby took to good star better than any other and i know u tried all bottle but here are two i've tried avent and gerber newborns the nipples are small just stick wit it like breastfeeding it takes work also offer the bottle when u switch sides if she don't take sty calm and keep at it

You have to keep trying nipples until you find one that works... I breastfed all 4 of my children exclusively - they each ended up picking a different nipple that they liked - all of them tended to be similar to my own nipples - so try and look for ones with a similar shape to yourself... Don't give up - - - one of mine ended up learning how to drink out of a straw at 6 months and ended the problem all together...

Hi S.:-)
I have a 3 1/2 month old daughter that was the same way. She would not take the bottle from anyone wheter or not I was around. What I found worked the best was just being persistant with her. I would pump a bottle a day and give it to her before she started fussing, once she got upset I could just forget it. I would watch her really closely and as soon as she started sucking on her fists and routing my husband or I would offer her the bottle in a quite comfy place. I would also dip the nipple in the breastmilk so she could taste it. Then I would just talk to her gently like I do when she is breast feeding and she would slowly start to eat. I wouldnt try to give her a bottle in public, like a resturant, until you have the bottle feeding well established, I tried that on Valentines Day and it set us back a little bit. Now she takes the bottle fine, I had to go back to work 2 weeks ago and my grandma has no problem at all gettikng her to eat. I also recommend the Dr Brown bottles, those are the ones that she has seemed to take to the best, plus they dont let any air into the nipple. Hope that helps:-)

Hi:

Have you tried the Dr. Brown's bottles yet? My daughter would not drink from a bottle either until she was 6 months and until I found Dr. Browns bottles (I got the wide size). The nipples are really soft (my breastmilk flow was fast, so I used the easy flow). It took 3 tries with that kind, but she finally accepted it. Good luck! It's really tuff. It took me 7 different types of bottles before I found the ones that worked.

Hi S., I have the same problem with my son who is 8 weeks old. I found that if I had the nipple of the bottle warmed up with warm water he would take it. Also, if he was fed as soon as he started fussing rather than when he was really upset it made it alot easier.If the bottle is ready and at hand he'll take it, but if he has to wait for it he flips out. We actually went out to dinner for the first time last weekend and my mom gave him the bottle. He did take 10 ounces of breastmilk in 4 hours though! Good luck!

That was the hardest thing for us too! My son would not take a bottle for the life of him. Then I found the platex nurser. He didn't really like it but he didn't cry as much. He got so worke dup about having to have a bottle. I actually had to leave everyday for about 1-4 hrs so my husband could feed him a bottle. I mixed 1/2 powder formula and 1/2 breast milk. That really made a big difference. My doctor suggested that I not do that it might cause to much gas. But once he started that he slept more like 3-4 hours verse feeding him every hour on the hour. I could not handle the crying so i had to leave while my husband fed my son. My husband was so caring and compasinate it was so nice. But as soon as I came home he was not intrested in the bottle. I breast fed him for 91/2 months but the key is to be consistant. If you going to have someone else feed the baby then you need to have them do it everyday so it becomes a routine. other wise the baby won't take to it. Good luck and just remember to be consistant. It will take a couple of weeks.
T.

Hi S.,

I actually just got home from being out with my kids. I had a bottle of pumped milk with me and I tried to give it to my 7 week old when she got hungry. She absolutely refused it. It was like she had no idea what to do with it and looked like she wanted to throw up when I put it in her mouth. My hubby is able to get her to take a bottle of pumped milk while I'm out. I don't get. I wish you luck. I'm interested to hear some more of your responses.

L.

Dear S.,

Well, actually, you need to let her cry and fuss after she refuses the bottle. And you need to start right now, not to give in. If she wakes up starving, then she will eat. She is not going to fall into a faint, but you might if you don't get some fun time for yourself. Crying is what babies do! Also, remember babies are very intelligent, especially when it comes to learning how to get their way. Just be sure that someone is in the next room when she is allowed to cry so that if she needs help you can tell and go to her rescue. But, be careful, she will soon find out that if she coughs, that is the way to get her people to rush in. No kidding !!
Sincerely, C. N.

Hi Sasta

Well let me tell you my little baby is 1 yr old now & to this day she never liked or has wanted to take the bottle with breast milk or baby formula. I tried everything you name it brestmilk in the bottle or little cup + all different baby formulas & she just would not take it. She is a 100% breast feed baby. I could not go or do anything because I had to run back and breast feed her. Some babys are just like that and she just likes your breast better then the bottle. Mine did now that she is 1 she will have normal milk in a baby cup or Bottle but I still have a hard time to get her to drink form tha bottle. What I'm trying to tell you is don't puss her she will take it if she whats. The more you try the less she wants it. I tried everything you sed you have tried to do and it did not work for me. But it can or will work for you best of luck.

M.

HI, With my dauther, now 5yrs old, the nurse at the hosital feed her my breast milk out of a tiny cup. Like the medicine cup you get on top of cough syrup. Or, you can feed her out of a small spoon. That is what I will do with my 2 week old son if need be. Some babies have what is called "nipple confusion". Just like breast feeding, drinking from a bottle in a learned process. I nursed my daughter for 18 months, with no bottle or pacifier. The cup or spoon worked great. Plus, you don't have to wean them from the bottle later. When she was at the age to use sippy cups, she was able to use a cover cup with a straw instead. So, I never had to wean her from anything but the breastfeeding.I hope this works for you. Try it! Also, call your local La Leche League for more advice. Their website is lalecheleague.com Good luck!

I am in the same boat. My son just turned 3mo yesterday and will not take a bottle. We've tried many different bottles and nipples with no luck. He just likes to chew on the nipple for a little bit then throws a fit and wants to breast feed. Its even more frustrating because I was supplementing with formula for the first couple of weeks and he took a bottle just fine then. But then when I no longer needed to supplement I made the mistake of not giving him a bottle at all for a while and now he won't take them. I try frequently but he just gets mad. I hope someone has some good advice.

The three month rule is not true. My daughter took a bottle for the first time when she was 7 months. I tried feeding her in her swing or car seat. She would only drink a couple of ounces of breastmilk from the bottle until she got the hang of it. Then I would mix breastmilk and formula. I didn't use any special nipples. I used the bottles and nipples that came w/ my breast pump. Don't get discouraged and good luck.

That 3 month rule is definitely not true. I didn't give my second daughter a bottle until she was 8 months old. She was a little resistant at first but we continued offering it and she finally got the hang of it. So don't give up and don't let that 3 month mark put too much pressure on you.

I had a lactation nurse recommend Avent bottles & nipples. Have you tried those? You want to make sure that the nipples you are using are designed for breastfeeding babies. (long tip, wide base & low flow.)

Hope that helps!

Try the Dr. Brown's bottles. My son was exactly the same way and that was the ONLY bottle he would take for a few months. Then when he was about 4 months old he started taking other ones that were such a pain to wash. good luck!

Hi S.,
My name is S. and I have a 9 month old son that I had to put on a bottle due to the fact that I was not producing breast milk. I had some trouble at first too but the thing that made the biggest difference for me was the nipple, not the bottle itself. I found a nipple that had little nobs on it. He refused to drink from a bottle that did not have any kind of texture. I have used the same nipples all these months and have not had a problem. I believe they are called teething nipples and you can get them at Wal-Mart. Good Luck!

To S. H.,
My only advice is that you just need to be patient and it might help to have someone else like your husband or mom, maybe even your sister try the bottle thats what worked for my youngest son who is two now. I would take a short walk and let them feed him and it did take a couple of weeks. It did work though, he was very fussy about the nipple that was used until we found the right one. Its made by Gerber they came with their breastpump that I bought, it worked so then we went to Walmart and found them separately. The nipples are soft and have a unique shape. Anyways this is what worked for us. Now we use the same bottle but with a sippy cup lid.