Baby Refuses Bottle

My baby had the same problem. She is now 5 months and will take the bottle anytime and from anyone! I had always heard that it is best if the mom leaves the house when the bottle is giving to the baby so they can't hear or smell you and want the brest. I tried that but it did not work. What did work for me was I was the one who gave the bottle. I would nurse on one side and then give the bottle before she nursed my other side. She would cry each time she saw the bottle coming toward her and push it away. When she stopped fussing I would try again. I just stayed persisitent. My husband would hold a toy above her head as a distractions and that really helped. Once she began getting used to it, I would give it to her before I nursed and then nurse after she drank the ounce. I did this everyday and it didn't take long before she finally got the hang of it. Now she loves the bottle. I tried many different nipples but I suggest just settle on one and stick with it. Good Luck!

I had the same problem with my breastfed baby. Apparently if they don't learn to take a bottle when tiny, they won't do it. Friends suggested changing bottle nipples for one that was more like me, but it didn't work. They also said that if she knows you are around, she'll hold out for the good stuff. So go into another room and have someone else try.

None of that worked for me. Eventually, I found that he liked formula in a sippy cup. I was opposed to formula, but he liked it more than warmed breast milk. I guess if someone makes your favorite dish wrong, you'd rather just have something else. It had the extra benefit of me not flipping out when breast milk was wasted (too much warmed, then had to be tossed) and I gave up pumping. I'm still breastfeeding at 20 mos when he is home from daycare (morning waking and bedtime), but he drinks cows milk too.

Try using a sippy cup. The cheap kind are easier because they quickly reward putting it in the mouth.

Some soothing to sleep methods: 1) baby's head on your left shoulder/chest to hear your heartbeat, rub back in circles, or rock, or pace, 2) stroke back of head, 3) low droning humming while rubbing tummy. All of these are better if daddy does them. No mommy=no milk=go back to sleep quickly.

Hopefully you'll get a suggestion that works, but if you don't, don't worry about it. She's only a few months away from starting food, so you'll get a little space soon even if she never takes a bottle. Whoever is with her could feed her some watery food and she would be fine for a few hours.

Pretty soon she'll be a messy toddler with mashed peas on her chin and a sippy cup in her hand dribbling all over the couch....and that will be a different challenge!

Soothe at night? Daddy!!! Or partner!!!

Something to try: Pick a song that you have not sung to her before. Sing it EVERY TIME you feed her. Do this long enough for the song to become part of the feeding process in her mind. (A few weeks) During those first few weeks, do not offer the bottle. After the song has become a habbit, give her the bottle while singing the song.

I would recommend having someone else other then you try the bottle with her. If she knows you are around she will always want you. If she is hungry enough she will take the bottle. Have you tried Advent brand. I found that it worked best for my little ones. Good luck!

Hi M.,
Do you try to give her the bottle or have someone else do it? If it is you, try having her dad or another person give it to you. (If it's you, she will prefer the breast over the bottle and reject it). Also, what type of bottle are you using? I have a 4 month old as well, and he takes from the Adiri bottle which is supposed to resemble the breast more closely than other bottles. You may want to try this type if you haven't already.

Regarding putting baby back to sleep. What works for my baby is walking him up and down the hallway, lightly bouncing him in my arms, or on the yoga ball. Also, I keep the lights dim or off, low/no talking, and do things fast and gently (i.e, changing diaper).
Anyway, good luck to you! Hope you find something that works!

I've experienced this with my last two kids. I am still nursing my 6 month old. However, he drinks the Avent bottle. You should probably try some different bottles first. None of my kids took pacifier either. Are you trying to give fresh milk? Some babies don't like frozen breast milk once it's been thawed out. I would start off with a different nipple. If that doesn't work, you can try a sippy cup. A good one I'm using sometimes with my baby is Born Free training cup, the spout is soft and is BPA free. you can email me if you still have trouble, like I said we had the same exact problem and they eventually took the bottle.

If shes hungry dshe will take it just maybe not from you.

If you really need to go out that bad, just go. She won't starve in an evening. If she's hungry enough and you're not there, she'll eat from the bottle. And if you come back more happy and relaxed, that's better for everyone. My 2 kids were exclusively breastfed, no bottles, and for us there seemed to be a marked change at around 6 mos from needing to be there all the time in case they needed milk, to being able to leave the house on my own relatively easily for hours, as long as I nursed before I left.
Nursing is a great way to soothe a baby back to sleep at night (it's not just for food!) but that's probably not the answer you wanted. But it's easy and you get back to sleep in 4 minutes!

Hello M.,

I had the same problem with all of my children. (I am a mother of 5, trying for number 6.)
The ONLY way I could get any of them to accept breast milk in the bottle for a much needed "Mommy Break", was to have Dad do the deed.
It appears that if the little ones can smell Mom, they know the gig is up...
Don't worry, they won't starve.
Prepare Dad, kiss them both, and walk out the door.....
Good luck!

J.