Trying to Transition Daughter to Bottles

How old is she?

You might be able to skip bottles all together. Try sippy cup with the spout out and a tiny amount of your milk. That way they begin to understand what the cup is for and then you can replace the spout. Or you can try cup feeding. My son was a preemie and I was trying desperately to get him off the hospital bottles and on to me but he had meds to take so I would mix them with my milk and using a tiny cup hold it to his mouth and gives him little sips at a time. This was when he was less than 3 months old so it can be done.

The other possibility of heard talk of is that some moms' milk gets a soapy (I think) flavor in a very short amount of time after being expressed from the breast and baby will reject it.

You could try Playtex nursers with the latex (brown)nipple. They were a life-saver when I was trying the transition from hospital bottle to me. They are very, very soft like the breast and with the drop in you can squirt a tiny bit of milk in baby's mouth so they know why a different nipple is there.

Just a thought--can you go right to a cup? Not sure how old she is....

she clearly knows what is best! i'd agree that continuing to breastfeed is by far the best answer. in another month or so you can add other foods gradually, so that she can go longer between nursings (she could have solids and/or water and/or breastmilk from a spoon or cup while you're away, so no need to resort to formula or bottles).

Most will not take a bottle from Mom because they love the breasts that make milk and can SMELL it and you while you are trying to give a bottle. You must try to leave the house for an hour and hav your husband try to give a bottle of breastmilk. Formula will taste nasty to her after having breastmilk - have you ever smelled or tasted formula? I recommend you do try it - so you know what you are trying to force on her. Hopefully you have a stockpile of frozen breastmilk in your freezer that will be much better accepted from your daughter.

You don't mention how old she is either... Under 5 months - I'd wait on introducing bottles and stick it out a bit longer on just breastfeeding.

Hi C.
I found when we were giving the bottle for the first time it was let to Dad to do it. I literally left the house while this was happening.
He was just two mths when I pumped breast milk for the bottle.It worked for us.
He protested for a short time but took the bottle when he realised I was not there.
You haven't said your daughters age. If she is heading towards a year you could go straight to the cup.
Best of luck
B.