My daughter is 4 months old and is exclusively breastfed. I will be going out of town in a couple of weeks and leaving her overnight (for one night) with my mother. I'm looking forward to some time away with my husband, but am stressing out because she does not like to take a bottle. We have tried a handful of times when I left her for a couple of hours with my husband or mom, but every time she becomes incredibly fussy (which she never is) - screaming and crying. She refuses to eat and eventually just falls asleep after 20 or 30 minutes of crying and then when I get back she wants to nurse for a really long time. I always feel so bad leaving her, but know that I have to - especially in a couple of weeks when we will be out of town. I have plenty of breastmilk stored in the freezer, so that won't be an issue, but I know I will spend the entire time away from her stressing out about her not eating from a bottle. Help!
Any advice on how to get her to take a bottle more easily? I have tried the Soothie bottles (because she loves her Soothie pacifiers and thought the similar nipple would help) and the Dr. Brown's bottles - neither of which she has liked. Has anyone had this issue? How did you ease the transition? I want to continue nursing her until she is at least a year, but also need her to be able to take a bottle for the times that I need to leave her with someone else.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Hi there, I have the same tisky task.. Well at Babiesrus they have these really cool bottles that look and feel like a breast! The one that we have is orange in color I think they cost like 10 bucks but hey whateva it takes!! I really wish I had mo advice but I do know its very tricky!! Good luck and have a great trip!! xo
Hi! I had to leave my daughter at an older age...8 months, for 2 nights and I was scared that she would not eat/drink. She actually did quite well. The first thing she did when I got back was fuss to be breastfed. First...make sure you take your breast pump!!
You won't be sorry if you do. Second, I had the same problem with the bottle thing. There is no right or wrong way, but, you just may have to leave the breast milk in the bottles and she will eventually take it. Especially because it is NOT YOU who is offering it. When you offer it, she knows that you have the "real bottles" that she prefers and she will refuse the fake bottle. Just make sure you feed her well before you leave, and your mom will be able to handle the rest. She might fuss and cry, but eventually hunger will take control, and she'll take the bottle. Don't fret. Relax, and enjoy the day to yourselves. You deserve it. You've done a big job so far, and I'm sure can use ONE night away with out worry. Don't guilt yourself. You need to bond with your husband too. Remember...in the long run...the kids leave when they grow up, and you have only your husband left at home! hehehe. So in the mean time, don't lose getting to know him. You both need to do things together so that your relationship grows stronger. Taking care of babies sometimes can put a wedge between spouses which is not healthy. Take time to renew your relationship every so often, it will pay off in the end, and the wee one will be a happier baby to see that she has two happy parents that get along.
My little guy had a definite preference for latex nipples, not the silicon nipples. Something about the texture? He prefers nurse directly, but will now take a bottle if I am not around to feed him.
I was also given the advice to have someone, not mom, try giving the bottle. If mom is close by, then baby will hold out for the real thing. :)
Good luck with this, I know it is frustrating.
I don't want to be discouraging, but both of my girls were that way. They wouldn't take anything but me, which was very annoying, but that first year does pass quickly.
When my oldest was only 6 weeks old (and still needing to feed often), I had to go to the hospital and stay over night for a severe allergic reaction. Because of the epinephrine they gave me, I wasn't allowed to keep her with me or nurse her. Everyone thought that she would give up and take either the breastmilk or formula that she was offered by my mom (at home). But she didn't; she just cried until she fell asleep and then would wake up and cry for me again. She never would take a bottle, no matter how many different kinds we tried or how many people tried to give her one. She would just cry and/or sleep until I got back and fed her. It was very frustrating. Thankfully, once she started solids at about 6 months, I could start her on a cup. She couldn't necessarily take a full feeding from a cup, but between the solids and what she did drink she could be kept fairly satisfied for longer periods.
So, I guess my point is that not all breastfed babies will take bottles even when they are very hungry. I don't know if they just can't figure out the bottles (the tongue motions needed to nurse versus bottle feeding are very different), or what?
My second daughter had the same issue. When we had to go out of town for a wedding, we wound up asking my aunt to go with us to keep the baby at the hotel, so that I could just go up and feed her when it was time. It would have been too stressful for me, otherwise.
Try a free flow sippy cup (where she won't have to suck). It will take practice for her to swallow with her lips around it, but she'll get it.
Just know she won't starve. She'll get desperate and eventually eat.
So, this may seem totally opposite of what "normal" advice is, but it worked for my son, so I thought I would throw it out to you...
Have to tried giving her the bottle the same way you nurse? My son did much better with the bottle when I gave it to him (I know, most people say mom shouldn't even be in the room) anyways, he did better if I gave it to him, in his room in his rocking chair where it was common for me to nurse him. Obviously, when you mom has her this won't be possible, but it might help her to realize a bottle isn't so bad.
Good luck. I just got back from a night away from my son with my husband, so worth it, yes, you will worry, but it is so worth it! Have fun.
If you have someone else to help you, I would try getting that person to give her one bottle a day starting out with you out of the room or not immediately available, then increase the # of bottles as you go along. Easier said than done though! I'm sure others will have more advice. Good luck!
I am waiting to here what others say :). I can't get my little one to take a bottle either, even an adiri natural nurser, regardless of how hungry she is. She never gets hungry enough to!
I have to agree with the others who said that it dosn't matter how hungry a child is, some WILL hold out. My son was this way, I didn't practice with a bottle with him at all early enough.
Some suggestions...maybe the Adiri Natural Nurser or a cup, or even an eye dropper can help. Cup and eyedroppers are what I did with my son. He didn't like it, but he did get some of my milk while he was gone and I just minimized the times that I was gone. Also too, have her get to know the alternate caregiver, have that person practice with a dropper or cup as well. It will be difficult...books say to start earlier with a bottle for practice and by this age most refuse it. She MAY start taking it if she is hungry enough, but not necessarily....which is why the cup or eyedropper (or even a medicine dropper) can help.
I had this problem with my now 3 month old who is breastfed but I am back at work and it turns out after many different bottles and talking to a lactation consultant, the Playtex LATEX nipple/bottle (not the clear silicone nipple but the brown latex one) is more like the breast than any other, and sure enough within 2 days she had no trouble taking a bottle at all.
Hope this helps, and enjoy your vacation!
J.
This has been discussed a few times here. Check these out:
http://www.mamasource.com/request/1929190306884878337
http://www.mamasource.com/request/18204150406412500993
I'm sure there are more, too, if you're able to search. Also, your profile mentions gaining confidence and parenting and there's a great local resource to help you do that:
http://www.inspiredabq.com
Good luck!
