Struggling with Someone Else Bottle Feeding Baby Because I Am Returning to Work

My husband stayed with my daughter for three months after I returned to work and the bottle feeding was a struggle for them as well. He had to try different positions (sometimes they like to be held like they are when they are nursing, sometimes not), he had to try different bottles and nipples, and it also helped that he try when I was not there (if she knew that her "num nums" were nearby she did not want the bottle. The first week was horrible, but got better by the end, then Mondays were hard for a bit, but finally she got used to it and switches back and forth like a champ (she is 14 months and still nursing).

have you tried warming up the formula?? or giving him breast milk in the bottle?? that worked pretty good with several kids i know.. mine wouldt take the formula if it wasnt warm..

S.,
I remember being DEVASTED when my son wouldn't take to the bottle at first! After one week though we had it down pat! A few suggestions (some are repeats) don't offer him the bottle when he is really hungry! Leave the room, he can smell your milk. Have his Grandman try different positions. The one that finally worked for us was to have my son sit in his daddys lap and lean back against him facing away from daddy. For some reason my son would take the bottle sitting this way but not cradled in his arms (I think maybe that was too much like breastfeeding.) And of course relax! He will learn to eat without you there. It might just take alittle time and patience.
I like kellymom.com as well, and also the book The Nursing Moms Guide.
Good Luck with your little boy, and with getting back to work as well!
K. M.

Hi S., the first thing I wont to say to you is, thatthe bible says that in the last days knowledge would increase, therefore the babies that are born are more wise than ever before. The problem that you are running into with this child is not complicated at all. The child is resisting the bottle because it doesn't have warmth, it doesn't have a heart beat. also make sure you tell grandma don't take it personal. He also knows when he is not in his mothers arms. first of all , mother carrys a sent from the start, and than second of all, when a mother breast feed, she really carry a sent. And he has grown accustom to it. The only remedy you could possibly come up with. It's going to help a little. Mom when you breast feed the baby, place a breast feeding bottle nipple over your breast, make sure the whole the in the nipple is big enough. In the process of weaning him from the bottle you are programing him to adjust to the bottle. When ever he gets the bottle after a while, he'll began to pschologically connect the two. In his member bank will be a mom close to me with a heart beat when ever he drinks his bottle. And the whole process will be accomplished through something as simple as a nipple.

I wish you the best
P. your mamsource sister.

S., congrats on the baby boy. You are wondering how to encourage your baby to take a feeding from Grandma. How lucky he is that it is Grandma who will be loving him to pieces and caring for him while you are at work.

Something for you to try is to nurse him, be sure he is content, and then let her 'play' with him and his bottle. No power struggles, just a relaxed positive time of play for him. He won't be hungry, she won't be stressed out. Also, do not just stick the bottle in his mouth. He is a boy who wants a choice. Just have her pffer it to him, and let him decide. Do not worry if you can't get him to take a bottle, she can always feed him with a spoon if she is desparate. But, mostly, she can try to feed him before he wakes up. Once he is awake, he knows his momma is missing and he may cry for you...not the feeding...you the momma. It will help if she spends oodles of time with him now. Snuggling, cuddling, with no pressure to take a bottle. Just enjoying each other. Then, trying again with no stress and just let him play with it.

If you are going to be able to pump when you are away and he will be allowed to continue breastfeeding, you really should not do the bottles. Actually, ideally, he associates Grandma with a bottle and a cuddle and Momma with the breast and all the wonderful parts of being Momma. He will continue to breasteed and choose his Momma ovee the bottle every time then! And still take the bottle when he must becuase Mommma is not there.

There is a great website to check out for more information:
www.kellymom.com just put 'working' in the search browser.

Best,
P.

S.,

I came across the same problem when I went back to work when my daughter was 4 months. It took a few weeks before my daughter would take a bottle, being exclusively breastfed up until that point. It was helpful that I was not in the room at the same time that my mother fed her. I also tried a couple different bottle styles and nipples before we found one that worked. Playtex bottles tend to work best on babies that are breastfed from what I have expirenced. Pumping also helps because of the taste differences b/w formula and breastmilk. Keep at it, if you want to try a soft tip sippy cup this might help as well.

God Bless,
S.