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Bottle Refusal - WWYD?

FyreFlyeRushFyreFlyeRush member
in Single Parents

Our temporary orders say that I have to make an effort to get LO to take a bottle. Anyone who's tried to give a bottle to a breast fed baby knows it's not uncommon for them to refuse. I've been trying to get him to take one for nearly 3w, and with each attempt, he gets more stubborn about it. I've been documenting my attempts so if questioned I can show I have been trying. He just HATES his bottle. On good days, he chews on the nipple and spits out milk. On bad days, he turns his head and starts to cry. Even taking the bottle away doesn't get him to calm. He screams until you give him a breast. I'm not going to starve him into submission or try to have a battle of wills with a two month old. So, my question is when can I say I gave it my best effort, and he won't take it? 

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Re: Bottle Refusal - WWYD?

  • FyreFlyeRushFyreFlyeRush member
    My dad has tried, HIS whole family has tried, my daughter has tried. Nothing.
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  • Mysterious_wifeMysterious_wife member
    Try other bottles. He may not care for the nipples.
    image
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  • Bennett714Bennett714

    imageMysterious_wife:
    Try other bottles. He may not care for the nipples.

    This. Plus, then you can document the brands you tried. Does he take a paci? If so, you could try that brand of bottle. Is it a slow flow nipple?

    If it's really not working, send SD an email and tell him you want to respect his parenting time and meet the baby's needs. Didn't you say SD's parents are there for the exchange? Maybe you could meet for a quick nursing session during his parenting time. Not ideal, but I'm sure he would rather deal have a baby with a full belly.  

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  • FyreFlyeRushFyreFlyeRush member
    imageBennett714:

    imageMysterious_wife:
    Try other bottles. He may not care for the nipples.

    This. Plus, then you can document the brands you tried. Does he take a paci? If so, you could try that brand of bottle. Is it a slow flow nipple?

    If it's really not working, send SD an email and tell him you want to respect his parenting time and meet the baby's needs. Didn't you say SD's parents are there for the exchange? Maybe you could meet for a quick nursing session during his parenting time. Not ideal, but I'm sure he would rather deal have a baby with a full belly.  

    Hot, cold, room temp milk. I've done NUK and Avent, both slow flow. We had a nasty case of nipple confusion, so I held off on the paci and bottle until 7w, and now he refuses both. Right now, he goes on a hunger strike for the 3 hours he's there. I feed him in the car for drop off, and when I get home for pick up. I'm more concerned with accusations than anything else. There are ppl in this world who question a woman's motives for breastfeeding. Some believe women do it to shut men out.

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  • Mysterious_wifeMysterious_wife member
    Try Dr. Brown's or Playtex. The Playtex drop-ins were the only bottle DD would take. I also second giving him a paci. It may help him.
    image
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  • Bennett714Bennett714
    imageFyreFlyeRush:
    imageBennett714:

    imageMysterious_wife:
    Try other bottles. He may not care for the nipples.

    This. Plus, then you can document the brands you tried. Does he take a paci? If so, you could try that brand of bottle. Is it a slow flow nipple?

    If it's really not working, send SD an email and tell him you want to respect his parenting time and meet the baby's needs. Didn't you say SD's parents are there for the exchange? Maybe you could meet for a quick nursing session during his parenting time. Not ideal, but I'm sure he would rather deal have a baby with a full belly.  

    Hot, cold, room temp milk. I've done NUK and Avent, both slow flow. We had a nasty case of nipple confusion, so I held off on the paci and bottle until 7w, and now he refuses both. Right now, he goes on a hunger strike for the 3 hours he's there. I feed him in the car for drop off, and when I get home for pick up. I'm more concerned with accusations than anything else. There are ppl in this world who question a woman's motives for breastfeeding. Some believe women do it to shut men out.

    It sounds like you are trying all the reasonable options to solve this issue. The only thing you can do about those accusations is to document all the attempts you have made to solve the problem. You cant make a baby take a bottle. Some hold out for the boob even if they are super hungry. Mine did. Even if you switched to FF now, you would still have the bottle issue and would be trying to encourage your little man to take formula on top of the bottle.  

    Let his "accusations" roll off you like water off a ducks back. Since he has been petty in the past, I'm betting he's just jealous that you are doing something with your son that he can't. 

    *  you could try starting a sippy at 4 mos. I know you aren't there yet, but just an idea for the future. 

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  • supermansmommysupermansmommy
    I would try one more brand of bottle and then stop trying different brands. That sh*t gets expensive.
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  • Mysterious_wifeMysterious_wife member

    imagesupermansmommy:
    I would try one more brand of bottle and then stop trying different brands. That sh*t gets expensive.

    Right...either he goes on a bottle now or he goes in a few weeks when she returns to work. So buying bottles until she finds the right one is going to happen. 

    image
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  • supermansmommysupermansmommy
    imageFyreFlyeRush:

    Our temporary orders say that I have to make an effort to get LO to take a bottle. Anyone who's tried to give a bottle to a breast fed baby knows it's not uncommon for them to refuse. I've been trying to get him to take one for nearly 3w, and with each attempt, he gets more stubborn about it. I've been documenting my attempts so if questioned I can show I have been trying. He just HATES his bottle. On good days, he chews on the nipple and spits out milk. On bad days, he turns his head and starts to cry. Even taking the bottle away doesn't get him to calm. He screams until you give him a breast. I'm not going to starve him into submission or try to have a battle of wills with a two month old. So, my question is when can I say I gave it my best effort, and he won't take it? 

     

    My point is that she's tried numerous types to no avail. She asked when to call it quits and I said try one more kind and then call it a day. I don't see what the issue is. Her concern is that her orders say to encourage bottle feeding, which she's doing. Is she supposed to try every single kind of bottle on the market? What if none of them work? I would just focus on the kind she's already purchased. Offer them again and see, try a binkie. But trying every effing nipple available might not be the way to go.

    I'd check kellymom.com and see what they say to do in your situation. Most babies will adapt and either hold out until mom is back and can BF, or will figure out how to take a bottle when they get hungry.

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