Switching Between Breast and Bottle

Updated on October 01, 2008
J.A. asks from Minneapolis, MN
9 answers

I have a 3 month old that is suddenly not taking the bottle anymore. We started giving him the bottle when he was 2 weeks old so that I could leave him with a babysitter once in awhile. We were giving him the bottle at least once a week and he took it without any problems. This last week he decided he didn't want it and screams everytime we give it to him. Only when I start to nurse him and quickly give him the bottle will he take it. Any suggestions on what type of nipple to buy or how to get him back on the bottle.

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So What Happened?

Well I tried a different bottle with my son and left him for an extended amount of time yesterday. He ended up taking 2 oz at the first feeding with a little fussing and by the second feeding he ate 4 oz right away. I think that once he realizes that I'm not there and he is really hungry he will take the bottle. We are going to continue giving him a bottle every day until he gets more used to it. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

More Answers

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E.I.

answers from Duluth on

its normal for baby to not want to take the bottle from mom... as he can smell mom and wonders why mom is making an exchange for the real thing. is he also having truoble with other people feeding him?

you should rule out any medical issues such as an ear infection. babies will frequently not nurse due to ear issues. also, consider a teething issue. its a bit early... but its also different for each baby.

my son NEVER took to a bottle, but i worked at home and didnt really want to leave him with a babysitter.. so i cant say that i have done what you are doing. i did try pumping now and then, and he took the bottle fine, but that was before he was 2 months old... i just relaxed about it, and did what i had to do.

the most important instincts you need right now are your own. remember that baby will eat when he is hungry, and if hes not, then he wont. dont force anything. of course, you obviously know he is hungry, as he will take breast but not bottle. try feeding the bottle a little sooner, when he isnt so worked up and hungry. make it fun, and happy. also, try someone else feeding him the bottle altogether, babies know the difference, and will reject the bottle when they know that nice warm breast is right there. :D

breastfeeding is the greatest. my son weaned himself at 19 months and i was so sad! LOL
but anyway, www.askdrsears.com is a great resource. also check out the la leche league near you for more help. many many moms go through this, you are not alone, and it might be great to have a mom group you can count on!

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C.M.

answers from Cedar Rapids on

I used an elan nipple from envenflo but you might try the wide mouth nuk bottles. I had the same problem with my daughter but she finally ended up with a bottle and will take any bottle even though she nursed until she was 15 months old. I hope that helps good luck I know how frustrating it can be being the only one able to feed them. Good Luck! C. SAHM of 6.

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M.P.

answers from Bismarck on

Good morning, J.! Your little guy is just deciding for himself that he likes the breast and not the bottle. It's very common and will require patience and help from someone else's help to keep him on interested in it. You need to get someone else to feed him from the bottle because he knows your smell and your voice and HE KNOWS you have something else to feed him besides that bottle! *smile* Babies grow and learn every day and he is just more aware of his surroundings, and he's making little baby decisions for himself. Keep it up if bottle-feeding is what you need. (Plus, if you're supplementing with formula, the extra iron is a good addition to his diet!) You might try silicone nipples, maybe the Nuk types, because I remember my babies didn't like the traditional nipples. Take care and have a beautiful day!!

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K.G.

answers from Omaha on

possibly just a phase. i gave my son one bottle a day from birth just in case i needed to leave him for extended time. at about 3 months he stopped taking the bottle. i nursed for 3 straight weeks. then i tried putting cereal in a bottle for his last feeding. it finally worked. it was 20 yrs ago so i don't recall how hard it was but it did work.

i always wondered since the cereal thing worked if maybe since they have a growth spurt at 3 months and also go through a dont like strangers phase if he just needed more sustanence (sp?) that they get from breast milk and more bonding for security.

enjoy your baby :)

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J.R.

answers from Davenport on

My little girl wouldn't take any bottle with the traditional "cylinder" shaped nipples, and even the few times she did, she made a BIG MESS, drooling it all out of her mouth and all over her, and spitting up lots! After tons of searching, we found the Mam Ultivent bottles at Target and Sassy online, I also found some on eBay. They are BPA Free, and they come apart into 5 pieces so they are easy to clean. They have a special vent in the bottom to prevent gassiness, it lets some bubbles out. Also, the nipple is a bit flatter, more like a real huma nipple gets when they are nursing. CJ never had gas and never missed a drop drooling with these bottles! I swear by them!

Here is the target link: http://www.target.com/Sassy-MAM-9-oz-Bottles-Colors/dp/B0...

Here is the sassy website link: http://www.sassybaby.com/category?cattype=category&ca...

They are also a popular brand of pacifier, and then the baby has the same shape for a paci as a bottle nipple! Oh, and we used their slowest flow nipple until she was 9 months old, the faster ones would make her gag. the slowest ones come on the smaller bottles, or you can order the bigger bottles which come with the stage 2 nipples, but order the slower nipples from the Sassy website.

I also agree with another poster, that once a week is too seldom, babies thrive on consistency/routine, so I would try to do one bottle a day, we did this with my daughter from 2 weeks old, and she did fine (once we started using the Mam bottles). That way, Daddy or someone else can feed the baby and you can get a break for some quiet time, or even a nice long bath or shower!

Good Luck,

Jessie

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B.B.

answers from Davenport on

This happened with all three of my kids. I have found that the MAM slow flow nipples work best, my son also has the MAM silicone binks too and they are the same shape and material as the nipple. We just fixed this problem last week. You have to give him a bottle everyday. I usually only made 2 oz of formula or expressed a small amount of breastmilk because it wasn't going ot get drank anyway....but you have to give him the bottle. He's going to scream and cry like you're trying to choke him but eventually he will get it. I always tried at the same time of day and tried to do it when he wasn't starving so that he wouldn't get as frustrated as easily.I think it was the fifth or sixth day before he started actually drinking some of it. It takes a few days after that to get used to it again. You really just have to be on top of it and not give in. He'll do it evenutally. Good luck.

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

J.,

He needs the bottle more frequently or he will eventually reject it all together. Make sure he is getting a bottle every day until he accepts it better, then give him one multiple times per week.

He may still reject the bottle early - all my kids did - but by 6 months they could take a sippy cup, so we were okay.

Good luck,
S.

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J.A.

answers from Omaha on

Ask Dr Sears Web site is great! Dr. Sears has never failed me! Here is what is says about supplementing with bottles.
SUPPLEMENTAL BOTTLES
My one-month-old doesn't seem satisfied after feeding. Should I give her a bottle?
Babies who latch on and suck well, and who breastfeed frequently throughout the day and night will get all the nourishment they need from the breast. Checking the signs listed under Getting Enough Milk? can reassure you that you have enough milk and baby is well-fed. Even during the first days of breastfeeding, when your milk has not yet come in and your baby is receiving colostrum, there is usually no need to offer supplements of water, sugar water, or formula.

Supplemental bottles of water and formula are not only unnecessary, they can sabotage breastfeeding. Here's why breastfed babies should not get routine supplementary bottles:

Interferes with supply and demand. Water and formula quench babies' thirst and fill their tummies, so that giving babies bottles containing either one will make them want to nurse less. While it seems as if a bottle might be "insurance" that baby is getting enough milk, giving formula supplements interferes with the balance between mother's milk supply and baby's demand. Baby may fill up on formula and therefore not nurse as well at the next feeding. Mother's breasts get the message that they should make less milk. Soon baby is getting two or three bottles a day, either because mother doesn't feel she has enough milk or because she's off doing other things instead of focusing on her baby. The trend continues. Mother's milk supply fades, along with her confidence, and baby soon is completely weaned to bottles and formula.
Risks nipple confusion. In the first weeks after birth, offering artificial nipples may cause nipple confusion. Getting milk from a bottle requires different movements of the mouth and tongue. When baby is offered the breast, he may have difficulty latching-on and sucking correctly. Nipple confusion is less of a problem after 4-6 weeks of age, but even older babies may protest when put to the breast if they have become accustomed to the faster milk flow of the bottle.
Affects long-term breastfeeding. Studies have shown that supplementation, especially in the first few days after birth, negatively influences the duration of breastfeeding. Frequent feeding during the first few weeks postpartum is crucial to having a plentiful milk supply down the road.
Messes with mother's mind. The words "in case you don't have enough milk" plant the seeds of doubt in mother's mind, and one way or another, they can keep a mother from making enough milk. When people suggest that your milk supply is inadequate, you may be quick to conclude that baby's fussiness, wakefulness or sleepiness (or anything else your baby is doing) means baby is not getting enough milk. Doubt produces confusion about how to interpret baby's cues and worries about him being hungry. Supplementary bottles look like the solution to your dilemma, but depending on supplements will make it impossible for you to learn to read your baby's breastfeeding cues. You'll nurse your baby less, and eventually, you won't have enough milk.
Keeps you from trying better solutions. If you have concerns about your milk supply, clicking into the bottle mindset keeps you from experimenting with techniques that will help your body make more milk. Go to Increasing Your Milk Supply for options that work with your biology, not against it.
Occasionally, because of medical complications or because baby is having difficulty learning to latch on and suck efficiently, supplements are necessary. This is usually a temporary situation. Supplements can be given using alternatives to bottles. The best supplement is mother's own milk, obtained with a breast pump or by hand expression.

Good luck and enjoy this fleeting time with your baby!
J.

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J.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi J.,
I have a stubborn little guy too, he is 9 months old now and he didn't starve to death to my suprise. I started the same with intermitant bottles and all of a sudden he refused screaming and would gag on them. I bought 10 different bottles, tried different people feeding him, bringing him to the daycare for feedings and everyting. Still refused. Only when I returned to work did he figure out 'hey, I'm hungry I better eat.' I am convinced he was just stuborn. We ended up with the playtex drop in bottles and a slow flow nipple. I asked on this web site too, I was really fustrated and irritated when people told me to just relax, he'll eat when he is hungry but I guess they were right. We just kept offering the bottle consistantly and wouldn't breast feed immideatley after a bottle refusal. One thing I did find is when he was sleepy (woke in the middle of the night) it was like he wasn't awake enough to realize it was the bottle. Best of luck, J.

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