Need Help Getting Son to Take a Bottle

As far as pumping goes...what worked for me was to have my son nurse on one side while I pumped the other. that way my body would actually let down. Otherwise I could have pumped for hours and gotten nothing but a couple of ounces and really sore nipples. :)

I wanted to also say that I know someone who's baby wouldn't take a bottle--ever. they tried but he just wouldn't take to it. She worked 40 hrs a wk and her husband took care of the kids while she worked. Her baby was perfectly healthy. He just nursed all night long. The way that I see it is that it's no difference than nursing all day long and sleeping all through the night.

I'd say that you can leave the bottle with the sitter and see how it goes. I wouldn't be gone all night long. But, he can handle a few hours without the breast. It's not like your doing this often. Not to mention...I hear that babies are less apt to take a bottle from their Mom, just because they know that they can get the real thing instead (they know what's better--they need that skin on skin contact)

Also- have you tried different types of bottles? I just looked up one that might help you...
just copy and paste.....
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

or

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I hope one of these help. good luck!

Don't give up! I know where you are coming from. I went back to work and my daughter wouldn't take a bottle for anything. There were several nights my hubby would bring her to my work so she could eat!

I finally found a nipple she liked and she did start drinking from a bottle. She still prefered the real thing, but she understood that when Daddy was feeding her, that it was the bottle or nothing.

Hi S.,

We had a difficult time getting our daughter to take a bottle as well. She was 4 months when we realized that she needed to be taking one, so it was a huge challenge. What finally worked was me leaving the house all day Sat. and Sun. and my husband trying again and again to give her the bottle. It was miserable for him, but by the end of the day on Sun. she was taking it. I did nurse her in the evenings and early morning during the weekend, but my husband did the rest. It ended up working out well because she started taking a bottle from me soon thereafter and eventually weaned herself from nursing around 6 months. I hope you'll find something that works soon!

M.

As for taking a bottle, just keep at it. If you go out for the night, and the sitter gives a bottle, your baby will probably take it. My boys owuld never take a bottle from me cuz they knew I had the good stuff right there. Haha! We used the Playtex Naturlatch nipples, in latex. Don't spend a fortune on bottles and nipples, buy a couple taht are good for breastfeedign babies (Avent, playtex, etc) and stick with those. She'll get it and trust me she won't starve. Have someone else give a bottle, and go out and enjoy your anniversary!

Now for the pumping... I couild never pump more than 2-3 oz per breast, however I did figure out how to pump while nursing. So I only pumped once a day, first thing in the morning. I'd nurse him on one side and then pump the other side, and I could get a good 4-5 oz doing that, since the baby can get your mlk to let down much easier than teh pump, and if you catch taht letdown you'll get much more milk pumping. Otherwise you'll just have to allow your body to adjust to the pump. Close your eyes and think of your baby while you pump.... imagination, even smell, is veyr powerful and you may find yoruself letting down much quicker for hte pump if your thinking of your baby or smelling something that smells like her.

Make sure you have a good pump. I could never pump more than an ounce out of the Evenflo pump.

Also, my little girl wouldn't take a bottle from me, only my husband or someone else.

I found the Advent bottles to be the best for weaning since the shape of their nipples are similiar to the breast. Also, with the amount when pumping, I only got about 2-4 ounces at a time around that age as well. You can only pump as much as you make and you only make as much as the little one eats at one sitting. So, that is probably why you are only pumping a couple ounces. When he gets older and starts eating more, the pumping will become easier. Hope I could help.