Breastfed Baby Won't Take Bottle

Try breastfeeding him for a few minutes then slip in a bottle of breast milk when the edge of his hunger is taken away. I would not try this on the first feeding or the last feeding of the day. When he has started taking the bottle with the breast milk without fussing, only give him the bottle at that feeding time so he gets used to only using a bottle. Once that is established then start introducing formula. The easiest way to introduce formula is to mix it with breast milk first and then evently no breast milk. Eventully he will understand what you want him to do. Good Luck

This is totally normal. You may want to try giving the breastmilk to him in a cup. I wouldn't supplement with formula if you're worried about growth, breastmilk is MUCH fattier, with none of the 'extra' ingredients and chemicals that makes formula so difficult to digest. There are specific cups made for breastfed babies (La Leche League may have some/know the name) but I always used the sippy cups or taught all of mine to drink the breastmilk out of a regular cup which worked well when bottles became an issue with us. Good luck!

Unfortunately I never was able to breastfeed my daughters due to medication I was on at the time for PPD. However, When a close friend of mine went through the same thing her Pedi told her that when her daughter got hungry enough, she'd take the bottle. It sounded a little cruel at first, and my friend had a few horrible days of a crying baby but it really did work. Keep offering the bottle! Being a mommy is hard. Just when I think I've got my oldest figured out and that my youngest will do the same things, she goes and throws a curve ball my way.

Pat,
I understand your concerns and frustration! My daughter did the same thing when I went back to work at 10 weeks. It's very common for breastfed babies to refuse the bottle...they are used to mom. Have you tried feeding more frequently??? Also, make sure when your baby feeds that he empties the first breast before switching...that way he'll get the fat-rich hindmilk which is necessary for weight gain. If you do need to resort to bottles (formula or pumped milk) sometimes holding him facing out from you or having someone else feed him might work. Also, the la leche league website has some great information and lots of helpful people. Good luck and congratulations on your decision to breastfeed!

J.
(Newborn nurse and lactation consultant-to-be!)

Well, I agree with the moms who say keep up the breastfeeding. Don't let anyone tell you to stop and just force him to take a bottle. Breastmilk is always best. He will fatten up, or at least be a healthy little guy with all that good milk, even if he is small. One suggestion I have, if you're really worried about supplementing with formula, is to use a breastfeeding supplementer. It's a pouch or bottle that you hang from your neck and it has a long, thin, soft straw coming out of it that you tape to your nipple. When he latches on, he begins sucking from the straw, as well as the breast and you can give him the extra formula that way. That way he's still nursing (so your supply should stay good), but he's getting the extra. I have the "Lact-Aid", but there's also the Medela"SNS". Hope this helps!

I had a very similar problem with my son - he also refused a bottle even when it had my breastmilk in it. He wanted the real thing. So, it was far easier for me (and healthier for him overall) just to continue nursing. If you have problems with your supply, just increasing the frequency of feedings (for a short period of time) will naturally increase the supply (it's a supply and demand thing). You might want to contact a local La Leche League group (or use their online resources) as those moms know all the tricks and they might have something that you haven't tried: http://www.lalecheleague.org/resources/assistance.html?m=0,0
They might also have suggestions to increase your milk supply (dietary suggestions, b-vitamins, getting your thyroid checked, etc.).

In my situation, I just decided that I had a smart little guy, who instinctively knew what was best and in the end, it worked out very well. I was even working part-time at the time and had a pager that the babysitter used to page me when he was hungry. And, yes, it is very inconvenient when these guys won't take bottles, but in hindsight, it's such a short period of time to have to deal with the issue. It also may be that he is getting distracted when he eats, so he's not eating enough. I also had that problem with my son and found that I had to go to a quiet place without Dad and big brother around. At that age, they are becoming very interested in the world and might well forgo a meal just to stay involved. My little guy is now 11 and is still a smart, nosey little guy that still has really good instincts about thing. This wasn't the last situation where I've had to adjust my expectations about a situation with him.

Personally, I could never withhold food and I would think that if you were to try that suggestion, you would need to be out of the house to ensure that he knows that that food source is not available. Have you tried this in terms of getting him to take the bottle from someone else? (Note: that didn't work for us - he went all day on his first day with the babysitter without eating, but might be worth a try for you).

Pat,

Before supplementing, which will affect your milk supply, I suggest calling a lactation consultant. I have gotten a lot of help from Linda Worzer and Sharon Mattes with Natural Beginnings. You can reach Linda at ###-###-#### and Sharon at ###-###-####. If you can't reach one right away, try the other. They will work with you and your pediatrician to help your baby thrive. Their website is www.naturalbeginningsonline.com. I hope this helps. I can't stress enough how wonderful they have been. I'm now successfully nursing my third baby after having quite a time with my first.

J.

Some babies just won't take a bottle. My son wouldn't right off the bat, but I got some great advice that worked for us: don't try to feed him when he is hungry, try to start before he gets to that point & also start in the day time, never at night when he is starting to get sleepy. If this doesn't work you might try a cup (with a no spill tip or just an open cup) or you might try to spoon feed him the milk. Hopefully something will work for you asap.

Pat,

this can be such a tough situation, I really applaud your efforts in breastfeeding however and giving your baby the best nutrition especially when you were not feeling well. I have spoken to many moms facing the same dilemna after only 10 weeks, let alone 5 months. Usually what we do is begin to offer a sippy cup. They have transitional nipples that are between a hard sippy nipple and a soft silicone nipple. I have seen many babies that we ended up feeding with a small cup, which is time consuming and messy because they simply won't transition. Please feel free to call for advice re cup feeding or call your pediatrician's nurse to teach you the technique. Actually it really isn't any different than any other child except your little guy isn't used to it yet and needs to be taught.
There is a nipple/bottle for breastfeeding babies that you can try. It is a large nipple, much like a breast, which is also a milk container called an adiri. Your baby may like that. If you decide to try it only buy one until you know for sure. You can find it online at www.adiri.com
good luck,
K.@ The Nestingplace

Sorry to hear about the troubles you're having with your baby. What did his pediatrician say about trying to get him to take a bottle and his weight?

My daughter was mostly breastfed (we had latch and supply issues). She refused a bottle from 2 months to 4 months. It was awful. I don't know why it finally worked, but we had to use Dr. Brown's bottles, and she just finally took it one day at 4 months old.

My lactation consultant had us use a supplemental feeding system, which was a bottle with a tiny tube attached. You would tape the tiny tube to your breast so that the baby would get breast milk in addition to what's in the bottle (formula). That might be an interim solution to get your baby's weight up until he will take a bottle again.

Good luck!

C.

I think 5 1/2 months was the toughest time for me when I was breastfeeding... because my son wanted to nurse ALL THE TIME!! As far as him being in the zero percentile... did he drop a lot, or has he always been low. My son has always been in the 5th percentile, since he was about 3 months old. He's perfectly healthy, just a bit smaller than most babies.

So I wouldn't supplement at all unless you think it's completely necessary. If it's a milk supply problem, be sure you're drinking enough water, and be sure to nurse him often. If you begin supplementing now, your milk supply will reduce even more... so unless you're ready to wean, it's not a good idea.

If he's driving you absolutely bananas, wanting to nurse all the time, then start him on some veggies. I think I had to do this with my son at about 5 or 5 1/2 months... just because I felt like all I was doing was nursing him!

Good luck, and I hope it all works out for you!

I can empathize with you. I know it is difficult. My 5 month old will not take a bottle either... or rather after hours of trying she gave in then went on a week long feeding strike... after this happened several times I got the hint.

It may not be convenient for me all the time, but I only breast feed her now. It does prevent me from doing lots of things I'd like to do, but I realize that she will only be nursing for a short period when you look at the big picture and it is a sweet loving time to spend with her. It forces me to slow down and allow her needs to be first to my wants.

It has taken me awhile to come to this conclusion, but I am grateful of this gift of time with her... it is so short.

I would try a nipple protector. It's for mother with inverted nipples that want to try to nurse. Put some of your breast milk on the outside and place it over your nipple, then try to nurse him with it on. That may get him use to the feel of something different "bottle nipple" but still get the breast milk and your comfort. Breast milk is the best for him and it will fatten him up. I wouldn't try to supplement. Most people think Doctors know best but there's a reason you produce the healthiest, most Nutritious thing for your little one. I'd be afraid formula would cause a snowball effect and it would be more trouble then its worth.
As long as you are eating health, protein packed meals with iron and vitamins, your breast milk should stick to his bones!! In a couple of months he'll be a little chunk.

Hi! I'm sorry you're going through this. One suggestion I have is that you cup-feed him rather than bottle-feed him. At his age, you can probably give him sips from a cup as quickly as from a bottle.

Are you breastfeeding him frequently throughout the day rather than on a schedule? If I were in your position, I'd increase the amount of breastfeedings rather than supplement with formula. Breastmilk is more calorie and nutrient rich than formula anyway. If you need suggestions on how to boost your supply, try this website: www.kellymom.com

Pat,

I don't have advice for getting your little guy to take a bottle,but I thought maybe you could increase the fat content in your milk. Have you tried vitamins,fish oil,eating lots of walnuts,avacadoes....? That might help, I notice a lot more cream on top of my pumped milk if I do this.

My daughter was the same way! Try a sippy cup with breast milk, and if absolutely necessary change to formula. It will be an easier transition to change the method first then the substand your feeding him than doing it all together. My first daughter, now 3, never took one single bottle. She mostly breastfed until she was 1, but she started using the sippy cup at 3 months when I wasn't there. Also, try to get someone other than you give it to him and he may take it better. Hope this helps - it worked for mine but every kid is sooooo different.

YOu need to try someone alse to feed him and don't let him see you, because if he sees you close he will know that doesn't need to drink the bottle.