Bottle Issues

Have you tried to have someone else give her the bottle. Sometimes when you breatfeed, a baby won't take a bottle from you, but will from others. That's how my son was.

I never had to deal with this myself but I've had friends who have. The mother ended up having to leave the room and letting someone else feed the bottle at first. It took awhile with everyone I knew but they just kept giving it to their child until he/she finally took to it.

Hi B.,
When my oldest was a baby he refused to take a bottle no matter what kind of nipple it had. One day my mom had me leave the room and she tried to give him a bottle and after a few minutes of crying he took the bottle from her, but the minute he heard my voice or saw me he refused the bottle. Try having dad feed her and you go to another room it may work.

I don't have much time, but Just wanted to tell you about the Gerber Nuk Nipples. They are made to replicate the real nipple, which appparently oyurs loves, just like my first one. She refused to take a bottle too. We tried at least 5 different nipples before this one and she took to this one just like the real thing, my husband agreed (LOL). Just be careful because she may like it better. The milk comes out fast, or at least it did a few years ago they may have improved it since then, but my little girl refused to nurse after about 6 months, because it was comming out faaster from the bottle and she wanted to get back to exploring her world. Weaning is a descision for the child in my mind not the parent. But you can always keep pumping if this happens to make sure she gets that ever so important breastmilk. Good luck

Hey B.,

Have you tried the "Breastflow Bottle" made by The First Years? You can only get this at Babies R Us. I have heard other moms say very good things about this bottle. It advertises that it is suppose to "allow baby to easily alternate between breast and bottle". Also, 1)Unique 2-pc nipple stimulates the same suction as breastfeeding, 2)Soft outer nipple enables baby's tongue to stay in same position, 3) Air-exchange venting system helps keep air out of baby's tummy. It is suppose to feel a lot like the breast to the baby.

The other bottle is the "Second Nature Nurser". The little article on Babies R Us' website reads "A bottle that truly work like a mother's breast, the Second Nature™ Nurser Bottles feature the revolutionary All-Stages Nipple that has a membrane containing multiple micro-holes like mom. When not feeding, these holes stay closed and milk does not drip into your baby's mouth. As baby suckles, the membrane flexes, the holes open up, and the milk comes out. The stronger the baby suckles, the more the membrane flexes, the more the holes open, and the more your baby gets so your baby controls the flow naturally so there's less air and less discomfort for your baby. With a soft, hypoallergenic silicone nipple that lasts longer than latex, there's no need to change nipples. The wide neck design means less mess when filling and easy clean-up."

I haven't actually used these yet, but I have heard other women say they have and loved them while still breast feeding. These are the 2 bottles I'm gonna try first!

My BB twins were like that. I had to start pumping in order for our smaller twin to not have to work for his milk. He was hard to nurse to begin with and then add a bottle at 8 months old! Oh Goodness! So I held him like I was nursing him and had my shirt off. I also started about thirty minutes before he usually ate so he wouldn't be so immediately ready to eat that he would be more frustrated with the situation. I did this for almost two days then he had no issues eating from a bottle. My husband didn't even try until after he was used to the bottle, which he was fine with Daddy after those two days! I understand you are doing the bottle as a relief or in case of emergency, but I would try the bottle only until he is used to it as not to confuse him, except at night to help with him sleeping, nurse then. After he gets the hang of the bottle then you could go breast to bottle back to breast, or however often you are wanting to use the bottle! Good Luck!

Try the gerber bottles and buy the Nuk nipples to go with them. I had the same problem-my daughter WOULD NOT take any kind of bottle since she was breast fed. I tried everything and she refused them all, but when I tried these she took to them right away! Good luck and keep trying!

There are other methods of feeding infants besides the bottle or the breast. You can use a dropper like the tylenol drops have, you can use a spoon or even a small cup. The woman that suggested a supplementer attached to a clean finger had a great idea. My daughter wouldn't take a bottle until at least 9 months and that was after using a soft spout sippy cup for more than a month. The only reason we tried bottles at that point was because I ran out of sippys! I would also agree with the woman that cautioned against using the bottle too much as it will effect your supply. Also, you can try nursing the baby right before you want to leave and that should hold her for 2-3 hours or so depending on how often she nurses. I know it's hard to be cooped up in the house a lot, but this too will pass.

I would gather several of the suggested nipples and then have someone else try them while you are out of the house at a time when she is hungry and ready to eat. I would also agree with others that if an emergency arose, she would eventually take the bottle. Even very young children seem to be able to tell the difference when there is no choice. But I do empathize with you wanting to have that backup and be able to get out a bit.

You shouldn't worry. It sounds like she just prefers the boob. IF she is hungry enough and the time arises when there is only a bottle she'll take it. Our ped. said there has never been a case when a healthy baby/ child starved to death when they were being offered food.

Give Second Nature a try, and Avent is usually great too! I breastfed and had to change to bottle feeding due to medical conditions.. we went to Avent with no problems.

Have you tried a "Nipple Guard"? My son was the same way and what I did was, when I was breastfeeding, I would put on the nipple guard and he would feed just fine. The plastic texture can be sort of a transition to the bottle, but it can also help with inverted nipples, or sore nipples too.
They sell them at Babies R Us, and I'm sure other places with an infant section.

Hope this helps! let me know!
T.

This is what my sis did with her daughter when she went back to work-her little one didn't want the bottle either so she would dip the nipple of it in a bit of sugar water to get her to take it till she started to take a bottle on her own. She used just enough sugar to make the water sweet. When her daughter would suck it off the nipple she would get what's inside the bottle. If you don't want to use the water try white grape or apple juice instead. She got those tricks from the lactation consaultant from the WIC office in IN (best office I've ever dealt with out of 4 total!!).

Here is my experience with bottles and nursing.....
I had the opposite problem as you but this is my dealings with bottles when I had to wean my son. I ended up having to stop nursing my son when he was 3 months cause I kept getting a plugged duct in one nipple (very much ouch!!). I had one bottle that he would take without a problem and that was the Evenflo Elan when I would give him a bottle from time to time. But after a few weeks after he was weaned (I mostly used the Playtx Venti Airs), he couldn't latch on to the Evenflo bottle at all. Don't know if you want to try another bottle or not, I'm sure you are frustrated.

Hope you get her to take a bottle soon!! I know how frustrating it can be. Hugs to both of you!!

S.

I had the hardest time getting my son to take a bottle. He was older when we tried, about 6 months, but he refused 100%. It drove me crazy and upset me. We finally, after like 4 different kinds of bottles, got him to take the Playtex Drop-Ins. They have soft big nipples on them that are just like the real thing... and some of them are formed like a pascifire so that helped also. Oh... and I noticed that if I stayed out of the room while someone else fed him... atleast for the first couple times... it made him cooperate a little more because he didn't know I was around to breastfeed from. Don't give up!!! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Hi B.!

We have two girls, who I also breastfed, and one more girl on the way! Both girls were introduced to the bottle around 3-months of age to allow Mommy to have some "free time" and return to work. Our pediatrician suggested we try the orthodontic nipples and they worked great. One thing you may want to investigate is what type of nipple flow (slow/fast) your daughter might prefer. We found that my second daughter was less hesitant to take the bottle when we used the faster flow nipple since she was used to the higher natural volume of flow from the breast. Hope this helps! J.

You can try dipping the nipple in a little bit of sugar water or giving a bit of the sugar water to get her sucking on the bottle. Once she gets used to the different nipple, she should make the switch fine. Good luck.

Try giving her a bottle when she is content, but not starving. Have your husband give it to her until she is comfortable with the bottle. Maybe not even letting her know you are in the house will help. He can also try laying a Tshirt or blanket that smells like you over his chest when he gives it to her. Alsosometimes using your pinky to squeeze a bit out while they have the nipple in their mouth helps to get them started. For many babies they would rather nurse on you than from a bottle when you are available. That is why I suggest having your husband do it at first and to not let her know you are there. Good luck

I have four little ones ages 5 to 5 months. My now five month old was the first I had that would not take the bottle no matter what I did. So I finally got a chance to go out with my husband for the day. So I left her, and the others, with Grammy and pumped milk, formula, rice cereal, and directions to call me if she can't get her to eat. I had a wonderful day with my husband and she has taken the bottle (and nurses) for the last three weeks with no problem. Grammy says that she took the bottle with no problems. So I guess baby just knew that I didn't have the patience to keep trying to get her to take the bottle on my own!
:) jenny

Please, please, please do NOT try bottle only for any length of time! You could seriously jeapordize your milk supply!

Many babies will not take a bottle if Mom is near.

It helps if mommas no where near baby when trying to give her a bottle. Babies have the amazing sense of smell when it comes to breast milk...if they can smell you in the room they will pass on the bottle and wait for mommy. Leave the house and let daddy do it. She'll probably cry for awhile but once shes really hungry she'll take the bottle!

i did. my middle son. i had to take him everywhere with me till i weaned him. if youre not weaning her dont sweat it. i know it seems hard now but the attachment will dwindle soon enough. in the meantime keep trying to bottle feed even if shes refusing. be consistent a specific time of day for instance when shes the hungriest. shell accept it soon enough try for 10 minutes then go ahead and nurse her after a while shell get used to the feel of the nipple and will suckle. try it and see.

I know that situation can be frustrating. That's one of the reasons one of my twins stayed in the hospital longer than the other. There are different nipples out there that mimic the shape of the breast. You may want to try those. Also, the nurses in the hospital would help my daughter with her sucking motion by squeezing her cheeks a little. They said this created a sucking motion for the babies. I hope this helps. Good luck...

My son was like that. Turns out that he never did take a bottle, and boy did we try. It had nothing to do with nipple shape and everything to do with texture. He did not like the feel of plastic in his mouth. He also refused to use teethers.

Have you tried alternate ways to feed? Will she suck on some one's finger? If so, maybe try a supplemental nursing system taped to a clean finger.

And don't worry about emergencies. She will not starve herself. She might refuse for a little bit, but eventually she will eat.

I found a lot of help with a bottle from "the First Years"...it's similar to the "Dr Browns", though I never tried that one. The only place I have ever found it is at Babies R'Us. I've attached the link, though if the link doesn't work its called the "Breastflow".
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=244956...
good luck!

My daughter, who is almost 10 months and ebf, never took to a bottle. My husband tried spoon feeding, dropper feeding and using a sippy with no flow control to get her to take milk. I must say it worked best when I wasn't in the house at all. He was typically able to get her to eat enough if he caught her before she was really hungry so she wasn't hysterical. Keep pumping so they, your daughter and husband, can practice so she has the chance to learn that the good milk can come from someplace other than mommy.

ok well give her the ounce and keep doing that until she wants more. but also try a different nipple. the playtex nursers have different types of nipples, they have the natura latch which are the funny looking ones, the they have the regular. also try it in silicone and in latex. lots of babies have preferences, if that doesnt work try a smaller nipple such as an evenflo or an avent bottle. it will take time you wont be able to switch over night. so be patient. i know what you mean i was trying to wean my daughter, but she kept wanting the breast milk. basically you have to go thru alot to find what your baby wants. my daughter loved the natura latch nipple by playtex and wont use anything but it. good luck hope you find something that works.

B.,

I have found that my son enjoys the Avent bottles more than the others. Some things to think about is do you have the right flow nipple for the baby. Maybe a faster flow (a 3 onthe avents) would be good for her. Plus the shape of the avents is larger than most and is shaped much like our nipples.
Another solution is try the Nubbies. Yes... i know. It is a sippy but it has the soft nipple for the "sippy" part. So it is very similiar to a bottles nipple. My niece refused the bottle, my bro tried everything to get his little girl to drink out of a bottle. And she was not one of those "they will eat if they get hungry enough" children. She would cry and cry and cry till she got the boob. So one day they said hell with it and figured to try a Nubbie cup, and whadda ya know! IT WORKED! Mom got a break and those Nubbies are good through out their childhood! Try em out and let me know if it works!

Try a Gerber Nuk nipple. My daughter refused the regular nipples so I had buy the Nuk nipples and she took straight to them without hesitation. I started bottle feeding her at 8 weeks with breast milk. Let me know how it goes for you!

I know others have said this as well but I thought I would put my 2 cents in. My younger brother who is 22 now had the same issue and I remember buying one of every bottle nipple on the shelf and he would only take the Nuk bottle nipple. I think Gerber makes Nuk now but back then Nuk was the brand name. My son who is 4 now also had a prob going from breast to bottle and he would only use the Nuk nipple, it took me a few weeks to remember that it had worked with my little bro. I also told a friend who was at her wits end to try the Nuk nipple and it was the only nipple any of her 3 babies would take. I am not familiar with the "New" just like nursing systems but this one is tried and true, and may be more cost effective because they fit on any bottle, they even make them for the playtex style bottles.

My daughter would take any bottle you wanted to give her. My son, on the other hand would only drink from Avant bottles. I think because the nipple part is so much bigger - maybe it seems more like mom. I would recommend trying those.

Good luck!
J.

Aftan will only take the Avent bottles. We started her on those when she was about 8 weeks (she is almost 9 months now) and we've never had a problem with them. Maybe you could give those a try. Also, you may already know this b/c you have another little one but have your husband give her the bottle and you leave the room. My daughter will still not drink from a bottle if I am in the room and she certainly won't take it from me (I had an extra bottle once and I tried to give it to her and she would have none of it).