Sudden Bottle Rejection

Oh how frustrating! We had this problem with my son at 7 months of age, and my daughter was finicky about taking a bottle around 16 weeks of age, but she got used to it. I'd say it sounds like a reaction to going back to work, which is a change in routine for her. Is there anything different you have done? Ie fresh pumped milk vs. frozen, for example? I found that with my daughter introducing the bottle with very freshly pumped milk (like I'd pump an oz or two and then leave the house for my husband to give it to her) worked ok. And from there we worked up to stuff that had been stored for longer and larger quantities. Also, of course be sure you're out of the house or minimally out of sight and earshot of her when she's getting a bottle.

Ultimately we were never able to get my son to take a bottle once he want on strike, but fortunately he had started solids at that point so I just told our sitter to feed feed feed him, incorporating as much pumped milk into his food as possible.

Good luck! Going back to work is tough no matter when you do it.

Hi...my son has had a mixture of breast and bottle feedings too. I recently ran in to the same problem, where he began rejecting the bottle feedings. It continued for a week or so - it was starting to really frustrate me, however I tried at each feeding, I didn't go so far as to change bottles though, and he finally came around. I was concerned he would not have enough to eat. I have read that it is normal around this age - not that that helps you/her/the caregivers much! One article I read said to try a sippy cup, even though it is messy, but a syringe or medicine dispensing dropper sounds an excellent start. One would think they will take the bottle when they are hungry but they are stubborn little mites, even at this young age! I only cross my fingers he won't reject the bottle again. Good luck and know you aren't alone with this problem.

My son did something similar although he was strictly breastfed as he refused to drink from a bottle early on. I tried to eliminate his night feedings per his pediatrician when he was about 8 mos. since he was still waking up every couple of hours to feed. The third night whe became really upset and when he was offered milk again in the morning, he refused to drink anything for a whole weekend. The lactation specialist said he was on a "milk strike". I was so worried I decided to let him drink his milk at night although a little less often. I figured he just wasn't ready for the change and that was his way of letting me know.

This can be a normal response to your going back to work. It may be baby's way of telling you that she misses YOU! Just nurse her A LOT during the hours you are with her and through the night as well. Lots of babies cope with mom's going to work by reversing their days and nights as far as nursing goes. They nurse very frequently during the night (very doable if you co-sleep) and then they don't need to feed as often while mom is gone. They definitely prefer to just wait for mom. This may be just a passing phase as well.
Good luck.
K., RN, IBCLC

We had the same problem with my daughter at around the same age. Turns out she didn't like powdered formula. When we switched to the premixed stuff and warmed it up, she was fine with it. It's a longshot but maybe that would work?
Best of luck-I know how frustrating/upsetting it is.

Just another angle here....Have you checked her mouth for sores? She could possibly have a sore throat, thrush, or "hand foot and mouth". Any of these would cause pain. She may be more willing to nurse thru it for you, but not for a bottle.

have you tried the Haberman feeder? Supposedly closer to a breast than others.

What else helped us was when I had kept a tshirt that I slept in and had my husband or sitter just lay that over thier shoulder so it would lay by the baby's head, so they can smell your scent when they drink. It helped us alot!
it will pass.. Do not worry, and best of luck with this transition!

I'm an ex home day care provider and I had an infant that was breast fed and responded in the same manner as your child. I contacted a friend,that is a Pedatric Nurse Practitioner. She suggested that I placed the infants pumped brest milk in a medicine dropper. The infant can smell the milk snd will accept it from a dropper and not from any type of nipple. That worked for us and we had happy days from then on!

F.-F.

Hi K. I've never had this problem before. Check with your daughter pediatrican maybe she/he can give some pointers.

Neither of my kids took bottles. My caregiver squirt milk in my son's mouth using a medicine dropper. My daughter was older when I went back to work and she got very weak cereal with breastmilk. Sometimes a spoon with milk or a little cup works.

I co-slept and nursed all evening and NIGHT. Both grew very well.