Newborn Not Taking Bottle from Dad

I found that sometimes babies are used to the smell of mom so maybe try having your husband put a shirt of yours that you have worn that day between him and baby when he tries to feed him. I found this to work when I watch friends new babies that are new to the bottle and are breastfed. good Luck

I had the same problem. Someone had suggested to me to have my husband use the boppy, and it worked. Sometimes they need that extra cusion that we have...:) Also it is frustrating for your husband, but try to have him relax while giving the bottle. Your baby is probably picking up on the nerves that your husband has. Another thing that might do the trick is to have one of your shirts (not washed)used as a blanket while dad is feeding for a few times for the smell for your baby. Good luck and hope this helps..

First I would have your husband sit right next to you while you nurse/give the bottle and have him talk gently to his son with lots of eye contact and do the burpings. This way your son will associate his dad with pleasant feedings.

If there is a chair/couch/spot you do most of your feedings, have your husband sit there and show him how you hold your son during feedings. Try to replicate everything as much as possible. It might work to nurse for few minutes first (so the baby isn't extremely hungry and more relaxed), try burping and then switch to bottle with your husband. I have also heard of the person with the bottle placing one of the mother's shirts or robes with their scent on it across their chest to maybe 'fool' the baby by scent that it's the mother holding them.

I hope you find something that helps. We needs those little breaks!

Try having him wear something you have worn that has your scent on it. Maybe it is a deodorant or a scent your husband wears that doesn't make him want to eat. Just a suggestion... good luck and congratulations.

If he is taking the bottle from other people, grandma, aunt and such and not daddy, it could be the way dad is holding him. Women also tend to have more softness to them, so try laying him on a pillow on dad's lap, it could be just that simple. If dad is uncomfortable with it at all, he could be picking that up also.

Try swaddling your baby when you give him to dad. Dad's can have the tendency to freeze up when they hold their babies - the baby feels so small. Babies can sense this and are restless.

Take a receiving blanket, or even two, laying him across the long fold. Wrap up from the bottom and then right to left, so he is snuggled into his own cuccoon (sp?). This will give the baby something comfortable to rest in while he feeds. You may want to swaddle him at other times so that he gets to enjoy it even more. Swaddling a baby is great for setting them down once they fall asleep too because their arms and legs don't flop open causing them to startle and wake.

Maybe he could try holding the baby on his bear chest so that the infant can get to know him. Just holding the baby with their skin in contact with each other. It may take a few trys but don't give up. I know this type of bonding has worked for my son-in-law and daughter. Not that they had any problems but they had twins and they are close to mommy and daddy.

For the longest time my boyfriend was not able to bottle feed our daughter either. He finally was able to if he would put her in the bouncey seat with the vibrations on. It took months before he was able to hold her to feed her a bottle. Good luck.

Like the other poster said, swaddling him will help, along with dad holding him like you do when you nurse him. And just keep trying. Dad may smell like you, and if he smells like you he will want you and not a bottle.

Also, dad doesn't have to feed the baby to bond. I really don't like when people say that 'oh I bottle fed so dad could bond' when there are a million and one ways dad can bond. He can hold the baby and burp him after you nurse, he can bathe him, change his diaper, hold and talk to him, etc. If he feels he's missing out on bonding because baby won't take a bottle from him, then he needs ot realize that doing all those toher things, things he does every day anyway like holding hte little guy or bathign him, talking to him, etc, are ALL very powerful ways for him to bond. :)

I'd suggest that your husband and son lay side by side on the bed very calmly together. Have your husband really relax himself from any worries or stress, just talking gently to the baby and playing with his little hands and fingers; He can introduce the bottle after they have just lain there quietly for awhile together. Our babies really feel what we are feeling, and when we're calm they usually are too.
(ALSO-make sure your little 2 year old is not in the room or on the bed while this takes place, as he can be distracting Dad and causing some of that anxiety)
Hope it helps.

I was also going to suggest that your husband wear/hold a shirt that smells like you. My dad used to have to wear my mom's robe when feeding us!

Another thing that I would ask is: Are you in the same room while your husband is trying to feed the baby? I could not be in the same room with my first son if someone else was feeding him... I think that if he saw me or heard my voice, he would want the "real thing" instead of the bottle! Good Luck!

We had this issue too, and needless to say it's frustrating for him and you! We had several fights because I felt SO BAD and was nervous about how sensitive it would make my husband. Finally my son would take the bottle from him out of a bouncy chair, then eventually while he was holding him. If your not opposed to introducing a temporary bit of formula, it might help if it's not your milk for the first few bottles. Good luck...it will work out eventually!

Some babies like to get skin to skin time with Dad. If he's comfortable, your husband could try taking his shirt off when he gives the bottle. He could also try wearing baby in a sling during the feeding -- sometimes that helps babies to feel more comfortable. Wearing baby in a sling is also a great way for them to bond without a bottle involved. My daughter loved to have her dad wear her around, rock her, and take her for walks in the sling, and it gave me a nice break!

I agree with everyone on the piece of clothing that smells like you. I would also have your husband swaddle the baby since after he does that it shouldn't really matter how he holds him, the baby will just be happy to be swaddled. And of course, just keep at it! It took us many tries for different things to get my daughter to do something and a little perserverence pays off! Good luck.

have you tried going to the breastfeeding group at mercy hospital in iowa city? the nurse there has lots of good ideas about how to get your baby to take a bottle from dad. She suggests different ways of holding the child etc.

when he is feeding him have him put one of your shirts on his chest so that the baby smells you even though your husband is feeding him. after awhile the baby will feel comfortble with him feeding him even without the smell of your shirt on his chest.

M.
I wish I had some good advice--instead I'll just empathize!! My daughter did this for 8 months and I worked 12 hour night shifts!! My poor husband would have to deal with her crying and fussing all night while I worked--sometimes she would go 13 hours without eating rather than take a bottle from him. She wouldn't take a pacifier either. The only thing I can say is to keep trying--I think we started too late (8 weeks). Some say that if we'd tried earlier (like 5 weeks where you are) that we'd had better results. Good luck!

I to have had trouble with this in the past. What we did that worked is, take one of my shirts after I just had it on and put it over the side my husband was going to feed with. He would get my smell and eat. That is want worked best for us. Also after he would start eating I would have my husband talk with him and slowly we removed the shirt and my son was happy to take the bottle from his dad. Good luck I know what it is like not to sleep for me, I am tired all the time.

Try wearing one of your husband's shirts to bed for a night (to get your scent) and then have him wear it while feeding.

Also, it might help if you are not in the room when he feeds; sometimes the babies know the "real source" is right there so they will reject the bottle. Good luck!

HI M.,Maybe if your husband was to put a familiar smelling piece of clothing,let's say your bath robe layed across his chest while feeding your baby the scent of you may be of some help.
S.