9 Week Old Will Not Take Bottle from Daddy...

Updated on February 25, 2008
L.V. asks from Cleveland, OH
4 answers

My daughter is 9 weeks old and I breastfeed. Around 4 weeks of age we began giving her a formula supplement at bedtime(she tended to sleep longer and better!). Both mommy and daddy would switch off giving her the bottle and she would take it with no problem from both of us, which was great. Recently she has been throwing a fit when daddy gives her the bottle at bedtime and she will not take it. He usually begins to get pretty frustrated with all of the crying and I am sure she senses that he his ready to rip his hair out and she gets even more pissed. I am usually sitting in the room resting, pumping or doing something when he is feeding her. Typically after 5 minutes of him trying I begin to feel bad for him and her and I will offer to take her to try to feed her. As soon as I try she is fine and eats with no problem. I want her to be comfortable eating with daddy so he has those bonding moments with her and plus it gives mommy a break. I am unsure how to solve this problem. Am I making things worse by being in the room when they are trying to eat? should I not offer to take her from him? I feel that if I dont take her she will not eat and she will just continue crying until who knows when.

Any suggestions on helping baby feel comfortable eating with daddy?? Thanks!

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M.T.

answers from Cleveland on

We had the same problem with our daughter around that time. I would remove yourself from the situation. Take a walk - go get a coffee - but leave the house if you can. I couldn't stand to hear my daughter cry and after 5 minutes I would run and feed her myself. The other thing, is to try to help your husband calm down and not get frustrated. My husband would get upset with himself thinking he "was doing something wrong" -- and I told him it's just her - she's a baby and doesn't know any better. Babies can sense when someone is frustrated and it just gets worse.
Will she eat from anyone else? I had to have my dad come over for a week for her 6 pm feeding so that she would learn to take from people other than me. Keep with it - they go through phases with food - and this one will pass! Good Luck!

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M.N.

answers from Cleveland on

We also experienced the same thing with our daughter. And like the other two women before me wrote, you have to remove yourself from the area so that she can't hear, smell or see you. And just let your husband know that it is nothing personal and to just keep trying. We actually had a hard time with my daughter taking a bottle at all the first few times, but after a bit she got used to it. They just get comfortable with you and it is easier to nurse then drink from a bottle! Keep working at it and keep encouraging your husband to keep trying... it will happen!

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N.P.

answers from Cleveland on

We actually went thru the same thing! The best thing you can do is be as FAR AWAY from her when he is feeding as possible! She is more aware of you now, can smell and sense you, and prefers you. Even if I was in the dining room and my husband was in the family room, my son would not take the bottle. If he heard me talk, sneeze, anything. My suggestion would be to go upstairs, downstairs,whatever while he feeds. That way, there is not sense of smell of you, the milk, etc. Also, tell him when he is getting frustrated to take a minute and try and relax. Think about golf, basketball, whatever. It's okay if she cries a minute or two. The best thing is that he needs to relax so that she relaxes. Your right, she does sense his tension, and that will make things worse. And ya know, it doesn't get much easier with her crying and so forth. So he has to learn to breathe, relax, let her cry and know he can fix it in a minute or two. It's nothing personal on him, just let him know she is learning him as much as he is learning and loving her. Hope this helps.

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K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Yes, like the other mommies said, get out of the room and let your husband and baby struggle on their own until they figure it out.

A couple things to suggest to him is to make sure he's focused on her when feeding instead of watching TV (this was the main issue with my husband). And if she starts to get really worked up, have him put the bottle down and play with her or rock her until she calms down, then try again.

Good luck!

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