R.J.
Very rarely...a baby will NEVER take a bottle...no matter how many nipples/formulas are tried.
So...step one...try different nipples & different formulas.
Also...in the beginning...try the non-powdered kind. The powder always comes out slightly gritty, while the pricier premixed is smoother and creamier. (From someone who made it a point to always squirt some of "whatever" into her mouth first)
Here are a couple alternatives, if you've got a hard case:
- SNS ...the tube you tape to your breast
- You can try spooning it.
- You can actually try a regular cup/straw cup/or sippy cup
- You can make a "milk bladder". This is oldschool, before rubber nipples, much less silicone & latex nipples.
Step 1) Empty a waterbottle
Step 2) Fill it with lukewarm formula
Step 3) Take a folded, sterilized cloth, and attach it over the bottle opening. The rubberbands used for braces are great for this BTW.
Step 4) The infant sucks/licks the formula from the cloth "nipple"