3 Month Old Won't Take Bottle

I think that it is very normal for babies to refuse the bottle, especially after being used to breastfeeding. I am a big breastfeeding advocate and commend you for doing it! I've heard that in this case, you can skip the bottle and put the milk into a sippy cup. She may not be able to hold it yet, but will eventually. If someone else would be feeding her, they could use the cup instead of a bottle. Also, I've heard that you should take the little plastic insert out of the lid that would force her to suck on it to get the milk out. Instead, it will drip into her mouth and she may find this a preferrable method when you can't be there to breastfeed her. Good luck!

I had this problem with most of my breastfed babies! For me it was less stressful to just accept that I would have to nurse them regardless of where I was. Then I waited until they were taking a little food before leaving them for very long. It is a small price to pay to help ensure the good health of your baby, and this to shall pass! ;)

try having your husband give her the bottle without you being in the room or in sight. with some of my kids I couldn't they wouldn't let me give them a bottle but they would other people and I usually had to be out of sight.

With a baby this young don't know if my advice will help but one of my daughters has twins and she went back to work only weekends and they were so hard to get on any bottle and only one would finally take the Avent bottle. The other one would not take that one so what good did that do her since there are two babies. She even tried sippy cups. Finally I thought if he used a NUK binky then maybe that cup would work so we tried it and he will drink out of the NUK sippy cup. It only holds 5 oz. and they are almost 8 months old so I have to fill it twice for a feeding and so I just bought the NUK bottle to see if that will work but haven't tried it yet. If your baby takes a nuk binky it might work or is at least something to try. If you don't work or have to be out I'd breast feed. SO much easier and SO much more enjoyable for baby and mother.

have your tried to have someone else give her the bottle? My son was a preemie so he actually started on a bottle (of breastmilk, so they could measure how uch he was eating), and the only nipple he would take afternusing started was the brown playtex nipples and he would only take them from daddy and i would usually have to leave the room. There is also really nice nursing covers these days that are much more descret and still allows you to see your babys face.

Hope this helps and good luck :)

I do not remember what the system is called, but there is a bottle that can be drank from an upright posistion, it has a tube that goes all the way to the bottom, I am sure it is unbelievably expensive, I have seen it at Babys R Us...other than that I don't know what to tell you...unless you want to try and offer her a straw cup at this age and see if she does better...she is so young, too young I would think to give up the bottle. I think if I were in your shoes I would be talking to her Ped and making sure she didn't have an inner ear infection.
Lots of luck
B.

have u tried a smaller nipple on her bottle? she may not be ready to give up the bond between u and her. but if u are that worried about it. then the best thing for u to do. is try a smaller nipple if that does not work then try one of the nipples they have at the stores that are like the nipple of the mothers breast. if u are using a stright nipple then she just may not like it. there are many different types of nipples. so if u have not tried a different type then do. she may just not like the type u are giving her. i hope i helped u out.

-R.

Hi L.!

I feel your pain. My daughter is 2 now, but she refused every bottle and nipple we tried - and we tried every single one on the shelf! I tried every "trick" too - warming the nipple, having someone else not me give it, giving it to her sleepy, when she was so hungry she should have taken it - nothing worked. I was taking my last college class and she had to either take a bottle or go hungry for 4-5 hours. She chose to be hungry.

I have heard from lots of other moms in similar situations that there are just some babies that won't take a bottle. So my advice to you is to just save yourself the hassle and stress and give up with it now. If there isn't some real need for her to take a bottle don't worry about it.

If you are concerned about nursing in public you can practice nursing at home in front of a mirror and find ways of being so discreet that no one will be able to tell what you are doing. Or, you can go to your local baby store and purchase a nursing cover, they make some really pretty and lightweight ones. I used to be so uncomfortable nursing in public until I realized that most people really don't care and the ones that do are in the minority. Whenever I go out I always make sure I eat at a table (cause booths are hard to nurse in). There are also baby carriers you can nurse in if you are on the go. (Just google "nursing in a baby carrier" you'll get some good ideas)

I just hope to save you the stress and worries - give it up now and enjoy a wonderful breastfeeding relationship :)
A.

I had the same problem with #2. The first one took a bottle just fine and I was determined to get the second to take a bottle as well. I started trying fairly early but she never would take it. That was probably my fault though. One of the first times I tried to give it to her, the nipple had a whole in it and I didn't know it. Obviously not a good experience for her so that might have been part of our problem.

Hi L., I have a baby boy that did exactly what you are describing when he was 3 mos also. It is very common for babies that have been exclusively breastfed up to 3 mos. to have difficulty taking the bottle. Many people advised me to try all different brands of nipples and I did that. Unfortunately my baby never would take a bottle and he is 7mos now. I even ordered a special bottle online that was closely designed like the breast and that did not work either. I finally tried a sippy cup instead at 5mos and he has taken that ever since, it is the nuk brand. That is the only brand of sippy cup he will take! My advice would be to try every different nipple possible and maybe your daughter will take one, I hope for your sake! If not you could always try the sippy cup when she gets a little older. Hang in there, I feel your frustration and I have been there for sure. Eventually you will want a break!!!

You might have to bite the bullet and buy a whole load of nipples and see what baby likes...our little one only did the born-free nipples. If you gave her anything else, she'd refuse. Sometimes they like the advent rubber ones or even the playtex...just keep trying. I was told by my doctor to wait until she's hungry, put a little milk on the nipple then pop it in her mouth. Worked for us.