3 Month Old Refusing Bottle

My daughter made it through 4 weeks of daycare at 3 months old without drinking from a bottle - stubborn kid :-) On the Monday of week 5, she drank.

Heat the bottle very warm - body temp, not room temp.
I wouldn't buy new bottles or nipples, this one worked before.
Relax and just keep offering, a baby will not starve herself!

My son was the same way. Try Playtex drop in bottles, you can find a bundle pack with all sorts of nipples for about $15. Four bottles are 8 ounces and four are 4 ounces. If they are out at Walmart then try Target. You of course want the slow flow irregardless of the type or brand. If there's a certain type of nipple she likes you can buy more of the same separately packaged down the same isle. Test out the brown nipples and then the clear. Also you want to make her root for it, make her work for it by rubbing the nipple on her lips and attaching herself. Make sure the nipple goes into the roof of her mouth like your actual nipple does. This saves time, money at your patience.

I was told by our LC that at 12 weeks or so, they start to have an opinion vs just taking whatever is in their mouths. I would keep trying and have someone like your husband or friend feed her while you are not around. Go for a drive. Hang in there. My DD did just fine at daycare even though the week prior I worried she'd starve.

My friend likes Tommy Tippee (or however they spell it) for her baby. We used Medela. DD wasn't picky.

I'd try the milk a little warmer and remember not to heat it in the microwave. My DD liked really warm milk.

This exact thing happened with my daughter, and I also provide childcare for an infant who is breastfed and had never taken a bottle prior to coming to my home, so I have some experience with this. My dd was about 3 months old too, and out of nowhere she stopped taking a bottle at all. When we would try she would cry/choke/turn her head and it was a very dramatic scene. We fought it and fought it, but what finally worked for her was taking a month off totally from trying the bottle (I'm a SAHM). She had developed such an aversion to it that it just wasn't going anywhere, and I was getting worried that we were creating issues around eating. After taking a month off, and then trying again, she now will take a bottle (a little bit-when she feels like it lol :)). On the other hand, with the baby I take care of in my home, we didn't have the luxury of time, because she is here for 10+ hour days. We tried about a million different nipples and finally found one that worked-it's actually a cheap, disposible nipple (Enfamil) like they give out in the hospital. For whatever reason, it's the only one that she will take. I also, in the beginning, had to hold her in a different position than her nursing position, because when I would hold her in the traditional "baby hold" she wanted to nurse. Sometimes I will still actually have to feed her in a bouncy seat, or facing me in a boppy, to get her to take the bottle. One final tip-heat the bottle up very warm, much warmer than room temperature. Both my dd and the baby I care for will only drink it very warm. Good luck!

If you're not opposed to formula, see if she will take formula from a bottle or mix it half and half with breastmilk. My son would NOT take breastmilk from a bottle at all after a few months. I was able to get him to take formula mixed with some breastmilk when he went to daycare. He only wanted breastmilk straight from the source! Depending on when she will go to daycare, she might be old enough to start drinking enough from a sippy cup to hold her over. I suspect if she is at daycare outside of your home, then she would more willingly take a bottle. Have husband or nanny tried in unfamiliar settings, on an outing alone with baby?

I'm wondering if there is a big temperature difference between the milk directly from the breast and the bottled breast milk you're trying to give her. I think I would try warming the breast milk more before going out and buying a bunch of new bottles and nipples. Good luck :)

try aventi- make sure the flow of the nipple is adequate for her age too.

also, give her gas drops at night (mylicon) and burp her (I would often forget to do so with my youngest)

good luck

My son is almost a year old and has always refused the bottle. I eventually gave up. Don't give up! I am a SAHM so I can take him with me almost everywhere but you have to work so just keep offering her whatever bottles you have. You can also contact your lactation consultant and see if she has any advice, Good luck I feel for you

I was just coming on here to ask the same question about my 4 month old! Let me know what works for you, I'm looking forward to seeing all your responses.

Thankfully, I did not have this problem. My son didn't care where the food came from, just as long as he got to eat. Almost 9 years down the road and he's still an eater!

I'm wondering in your case if it has anything to do with teething. Has she shown any signs of teeth getting ready to come in? Maybe the nipple is not comfortable on her gums. She may be a little too young yet for teething problems, but you never know.

How about her ears. Has she had any problems with ear infections? The nipple could make her have to suck harder and this could be hurting her ears if she has an infection.

Try a different speed of nipple or kind.

Try different nipples - all with very low/slow flows - and try to find those that are more like your nipples.

Your 3 months seems to be simply telling you she loves her Mommy and me time and isn't willing to give it up when she knows you are home. Personally I don't blame her.

Start only giving her bottles when you are completely gone from her vicinity for over 3 hours - that way when you are there, she gets you and when you are away she'll know she has to take the bottle.

You should be happy you know - many Moms are still having latching issues or giving up breastfeeding from lack of education, support or thinking they cannot work and breastfeed - around the 3 month mark.