March 2015 Moms
onnie46
member
Bottle Issues Hindering My Return to Work
onnie46
member
for the last month and a half we have been trying to get our daughter to take a bottle. she can't latch right on any of the MANY nipples we have tried. she is 10 weeks old now and i was supposed to return to full time work in a week and a half. i made the decision yeserday that this is just not going to happen. she is still feeding every 2.5 to 3 hrs during the day and will go a little longer at night. obviously i have to feed her. she has no problems breastfeeding at all and has been perfect with breastfeeding since day 1. she doesn't latch in the exact 'correct' way and did initially have blisters on her lips from feeding but does not have tongue tie.
has anyone else dealt with a baby simply not able to take a bottle? she tries and tries and gags (on every nipple, not the milk). we have tried all shapes and flows. we have even tried feeders specially made for babies with mouth deformities which she did take better to but not good enough for me to leave her. just looking for advice from other moms who may have gone thru similar issue. she is a healthy, happy, easy going baby who rarely cries for any reason. she is the opposite of fussy. her pediatrician, my mom and other parents cant believe how calm and 'perfect' she is which makes it worse when she is absolutely beside herself attempting to use bottle. its like i can see her confidence shattering each time we do bottle practice, she becomes unsure of herself and much more clingy. that is of course upsetting for me. so it isnt that she is a difficult baby... her pediatrician thinks i am making the right choice not to push forward with returning to work full time. he says although it is uncommon, some babies just cannot make the transition from breast to bottle. she doesnt have any clear cut misformation or deformity of her mouth but does have a narrow pallet and a very intense gag reflex. imsorry for rambling and thanks for any advice or experience you can offer.
has anyone else dealt with a baby simply not able to take a bottle? she tries and tries and gags (on every nipple, not the milk). we have tried all shapes and flows. we have even tried feeders specially made for babies with mouth deformities which she did take better to but not good enough for me to leave her. just looking for advice from other moms who may have gone thru similar issue. she is a healthy, happy, easy going baby who rarely cries for any reason. she is the opposite of fussy. her pediatrician, my mom and other parents cant believe how calm and 'perfect' she is which makes it worse when she is absolutely beside herself attempting to use bottle. its like i can see her confidence shattering each time we do bottle practice, she becomes unsure of herself and much more clingy. that is of course upsetting for me. so it isnt that she is a difficult baby... her pediatrician thinks i am making the right choice not to push forward with returning to work full time. he says although it is uncommon, some babies just cannot make the transition from breast to bottle. she doesnt have any clear cut misformation or deformity of her mouth but does have a narrow pallet and a very intense gag reflex. imsorry for rambling and thanks for any advice or experience you can offer.
Re: Bottle Issues Hindering My Return to Work
The speech therapist had us start with the doctor brown ultra preemie. We would hold one cheek close to the nipple and give his chin support. It was super awkward to do that and hold the bottle. If he tried to stop feeding we tickle his cheek.
Another thing they told us is to only try to feed him for about s half hour. After that they are expending too much energy. We would then try again about an hour later. Eventually he got it. Now we use tommy tippee. Number one nipple. It is supposed to be closest to breast. We still have to give him support at times but he is doing much better.