Bottle issue with EBF baby

lalena

Hi guys, I need some advice. DS will be 7mths next Tuesday and has been EBF when it comes to liquids (he eats solid baby food as well now). I am a SAHM, so it's usually not an issue for me to be at home most of the day. My husband and I have a wedding to go to this August and were hoping to leave our kids with my mom for a night or two. So, in preparation, I decided to try bottlefeeding DS once a day (some pear juice or pumped milk). I've tried 4 different kinds: Gerber, Nuk, Nuby and Avent. He used to take Avent when he was a newborn but he honestly hasn't had a bottle feed in months. So far, he just plays with the bottle nipple and hardly sucks and then just complains. He is also teething, and finally cut his first tooth yesterday (thank goodness), so I'm wondering if that's why he's being so reluctant, but I'm not sure. Anybody else having this issue? Anyone have any suggestions? My daughter was bottlefed her whole life and we never had an issue, in fact she preferred the cheaper Gerber bottles over everything else. Thanks!

ERININSYDNEY

Are you using the appropriate nipple flow size for his age? If he's still sucking on the same Avent nipple you gave him as a NB, that could make him frustrated and make him complain...

ERININSYDNEY

I have a slightly different issue with DS - I EBF him and he will take a bottle of breastmilk from his dad, but he won't let anyone else (Nana, Grandpa) bottle feed him. I know he's hungry because when I hold the bottle, he'll drink. I give the bottle back to someone other than dad, he fusses and refuses... 

lalena

Yes, I have been using age appropriate nipple flow, but he still just plays with the bottle nipple in his mouth. I read somewhere about trying a sippy cup, and surprisingly, he's taken to that better than the bottle! I had two ounces of milk in a bottle yesterday during his morning cereal feed, just to try to take it happily, and a no go. Poured the milk into a sippy cup, and he drank it. Lol I guess if he skips the bottle all together, that's not a bad thing. I BF last night fine too, so it's a win-win I guess. 

Littlehummingbird

I would have someone else try the bottle. When I first introduced the bottle DH did it. Since they associate us with BF it can be more confusing than if someone else does it.

momma2char

My daughter hated bottles (probably 8 different brands, different temperatures, positions, people feeding) and started on a sippy cup at 4 months. We use Playtex trainer sippy cups and she took to them right away! 

lalena

@Littlehummingbird yes, I tried having my husband and my mom feed him from the bottle with me out of sight in another room per my pediatrician. Still didn't work. Idk if it's particularly bad because of the teething, but he finally had cut the two teeth he's been working on forever, one last week and one this morning. Yay! But he was even having issues BFing the both nights he got the teeth.

So far, he does seem to like the cup better. I'm OK with that as long as he's consistent. It's been crazy that I can only be out for so long because he hated the bottle. 

oceanlove13

I've had this issue with both babies.   We went to a soft spout sippy cup around 7 months with my oldest and never looked back.  I breast fed him until 14 months, he ate table food and took milk from a sippy when I wasn't around.  My 6 month old now doesn't take a bottle either.  Our nanny tries every day because I work and some days he will take a couple of ounces but more so just plays with the nipple.  We have tried so many bottles and nipples...I won't leave him for more than 4 hours.  We are getting ready to go the sippy cup route in a week or so.    

lalena

Well he started hating the sippy cup we had as soon as the teeth were in. However, it's not a soft spout. But, he DID take an Avent Natural Touch bottle the past 2 nights! Yay! My mom was able to give him a bottle while I had a cocktail during the Kentucky Derby yesterday! I know they make a bottle/sippy cup combo pack that just has different nipples but use the same bottle, so I'll be getting those tomorrow.