Problems with Bottle Feeding!!

Our nanny had a problem getting my son to eat from a bottle when I first went back to work, even though we were able to give him one just fine (he too is nursed). We found she wasn't warming it up enough. As you know, our milk is very warm being close to our bodies, and sometimes people are scared to warm a bottle up too much for fear of burning. Just a thought...you should be able to feel the milk on your wrist.

My daughter did the same thing! She ate excusively from the breast until about 8 weeks old I tried to introduce breastmilk in a bottle. She did ok the first few times. So I went back to work and her sitter tried to give her the bottle and she refused it. She would not take a bottle from anyone...me, her father...no one. They would call me at work and tell me she had not eaten all day and I would have to come home and give her the breast. Nothing worked. I had to quit my job. To this day (she is now 9 months old) she still will not take a bottle, or a sippy cup for that matter. Breast only. I hate to tell you that nothing worked, but that is the truth in my case. I guess I waited too long to introduce the bottle. So I am kinda stuck. I can't be away from her for too long as she will only feed from me. I don't know what to tell you, just wanted to tell you my story. Good luck to you!

First, it's perfectly normal that she wants milk straight from the source. You're so warm and cozy for her to snuggle up to, and the bottle doesn't feel the same. Plus, the mechanics of a bottle are different -- she doesn't have the control over the flow that she does at the breast.

My older two both took a few bottles at an early age (2 months or so), but started refusing them completely by 4-5 months. With my youngest, we never even bothered with a bottle b/c it wasn't worth the effort.

One thing you can do is to try offering breastmilk in a sippy or regular cup. My husband got my oldest to sip from a regular cup starting around 4 months. It was a little messy, but at least she got a little milk into her.

Is your little one on solids yet? If not, she will be very soon, and you can just have the caregiver offer solids when you're not around. You can even mix them with breastmilk to help get the added calories/fat/nutrition into her. I've heard that some babies like breastmilk "slushies," so that may work for her now, too, even if she's not really on solids yet. No, feeding solids when you're gone probably won't tide her over for 24 hours, but it can work for several hours here and there.

Remember, too, that it will get better. Babies grow up so quickly, and it won't be long before she'll be eating enough solids and drinking enough from a cup for you to leave for longer periods of time as needed.

Have you tried differnet nipples? My two were both breast feed and the oldest would not eat for anyone. It didn't matter if the bottle had brest milk or not since they would just prop him up when they feed him I thought that was the troble because my youngest would take a bottle with breast milk but you had to hold him like you were feeding him from the breast. He just didn't like formula and neither did the first. With Michael too I thought it might also have something to do with the fact he had a bad strep infection and had to remain in the hospitl til he was 8 dys old. He prefered not to have a bottle with formula or breast milk.

I agree with the suggestion of offering it before she realizes she is hungry. Maybe she also wants a faster flow nipple. We did not realize that they existed until my son would stop drinking halfway through.

Is she on solida? You could always offer her some cereal when she won't drink the bottle. Yes it is not as nutricious, but it is something in her stomach. Maybe if she is not ravenous, she will drink.

IT is normal for her not to take the bottle from you. Why take a bottle when she can have the real mccoy? My husband found he had to have the breastmilk just the right temp, on the warm side. They are used to body temp, not room temp, so you might see if that's a problem. Another trick was for mom to wear a shirt the other person could wear while mom was gone. That way baby still had mom's scent while bottle feeding. I would try faster flow rate nipple, we also found we had to do that for our babies. And for my stubborn boys, my husband would have to squirt milk into their mouths until they realized food was there, they just had to take it. I think my husband was persistent, and the boys had no choice but to eat. Also, know, your baby will not starve while you are gone. She will take a little nutrition to maintain herself until you return. It may not be pleasant for those around to listen to her cry, but she will be fine.
Good luck,
R.

Neither one of my girls took bottles. They didn't seem to like the rubber nipples. I personally didn't mind because the breastfeeding stage goes by so quickly. Others can always bath her or do other things with her. So, I'd enjoy it.

But, have you tried other types of bottles or nipples? Sometimes they just can't latch on as quickly. Also, try different positions. One of my girls would only nurse if I held her football style with her body under my arm. My other one weaned herself at 9 months and then went straight to one of those sippy cups that you had to suck on.

Good luck to you!

Hi, M.! It's frustrating when our babies make changes that are difficult to deal with. I feel for you! I would try giving it to her in a sippy cup. My kids were well into the sippy cup at the age of your daughter. Who knows, she might like it! If not, then I would try not to stress too much. I know how we moms get when our kids don't eat, but I really think she will eat when she's hungry enough. I wish you the best of luck!

I had the same problem with my son. The first thing I did was up the nipple size. I think he was getting board of the bottle because it took so long for the milk to come out. That helped a little. What really ended up working, however, was giving him bottles with formula instead of pumped milk. He then took the bottle no problem. As much as I wanted to give him breast milk exclusively, he realized that he should not get breast milk in a bottle. Hope this helps.

I had two children who wouldn't take a bottle. With my son who is now 12, we tried to introduce the bottle at 3 weeks. He would clamp his mouth shut and refuse to open it and this was a baby that loved to eat. My second child was a preemie and got plenty of bottles in neonatal ICU but also refused them 3 weeks after coming home from the hospital. He just turned 9 yesterday. Each of them nursed for over a year and the youngest had to be fed every 2 hours for the first four months.

I know it feels like this will never end, but believe me, someday you will look back and realize what a special bond you created with your breastfeeding, and within a few months it will be over and your precious little one will be on to a cup. Good luck!

I had trouble with my daughter not wanting a bottle when I went back to work. I introduced her to the bottle at about 8 weeks and she did fine when my husband gave it to her. Then I went to work and she stayed with my mother and mother-in-law and she refused to take a bottle from either of them. I talked to my local lactation consultant and she told me to have them try offering it to her 15 min before she was suppose to eat. She said this way she wouldn't be as hungry and wanting me as much. It seemed to work. She's 6 months now and doing fine! Good Luck! I hope everything works out!

I breastfed my daughter until she was 9 months, but she never took a bottle. At 5 months, we introduced a sippy cup (one made for an infant - about 6 months) with the soft silicone nipple and she did great with that. Just a thought, but may be worth a try.

What type of nipple are you using? There are several types out there, I would switch nipples and see if that doesn't help.

My sons basically never took bottles. My husband was a little upset at first, but got over it. You can't force an infant to eat the way YOU want her to.
I don't know what your situation is or why you are leaving such a young infant overnight, but I wouldn't do it unless it was totally unavoidable. Of course she would rather have the real thing, there's more to breastfeeding than just eating. She wants to be close to you and not have a fake, plastic nipple feed her.
If you can't be there to nurse, then have whoever it is try wrapping her and the bottle in one of your under shirts so it smells like you.

Bottles aren't one size fits all. Some babies are very sensitive to what kind of nipple they will choose to us. My guess is your best bet would be to try different bottles until you get your match. My son liked the playtex nurser for the one bottle a day he received but I know of babies who have preferred avent or evenflo or dr.brown's. It just depends.

M.,
First of all, kudos to you for breastfeeding your child! You are doing the best thing for your baby. I applaud your perseverance even in the difficulties. Secondly, the most important thing in your absense is for your daughter to receive the nutrition. You don't HAVE to use a bottle. Try a dropper, or even a cup. You can use one of those little medicine cups and do a few drops @ a time until she gets the hang of a bigger cup. Perhaps you could go to a LeLeche League meeting and see what some of the other moms do. That is a big source of support. Then you can still try the bottle here & there to see if she'll change her mind. If she'll take it from the cup tho, you wouldn't really NEED to.
Blessings to you, hope it helps,
D. Easthon CD(DONA), LCCE, ELCS, CHBE,
Waterbirth Credentialed
www.heart2heartbirthmatters.com

With my first daughter, when we had baby showers, I didn't care what sort of bottles we got. Little did I know that was going to be a bad move!!!

We got a few different types of bottles, and when we got home from the hospital, she wouldn't drink from ANY of them! We went to the store and got "Dr. Brown's Bottles", and she took right to them without any fussing or carrying on or anything!

They're a little more expensive, but SO very worth it.

Good luck!