Bottle Feed Fail

FyreFlyeRush

So, the court has more or less ordered me to make a best effort to get LO to take a bottle for visits with SD. My lawyer thought it would be best to volunteer to do this. At the hospital, they gave him a paci and he ended up with a pretty icky case of nipple confusion. Super scared of it happening again, I wouldn't give him a paci or try the bottle. Until my lawyer told me, "Get him on a bottle, so we can say you're not using breastfeeding to block access." Our court order isn't even official yet, but I did what he said.

But...I missed the window. We're going on 4w now. I've tried everything: different nipples, different bottles, hot milk, cold milk, freshly squeezed milk, my dad, my daughter, his whole family, slipping the bottle nipple over my own that was a super funny face... Still refusing.

Today, I read about the switcheroo. Sneak the bottle into their mouth while they're rooting for the breast. I decided to try it. Just as he was about to latch, I popped the bottle in. Lol, his face crumpled and he started crying in pure anger. I can just imagine what he was thinking, "What? I know it was here! It's always here! Et tu, Brute?"

Meh. I told my lawyer and SD from the beginning, "You can force me to give him a bottle, but you can't force him to take it. And, I will NOT starve him into submission." I think after next week, I'm stopping. 31 days is pretty good testimony to best efforts. I've journaled it and recorded several 30 second clips of it.

urbanflowerpot

Ugh, frustrating. I hope this won't be an issue for you. DS was nipple confused and it took four months to get him onto the breast and he won't turn back for anything (though now having water from straw cups, too) but when it was bottle or breast? Heck no bottle. My LC said that LO's will often choose never to go back to bottle after they're onto breast and was I ready? Yup. So sorry this private matter is in talks with lawyers.

FyreFlyeRush

Ehhh. It doesn't bother me. That no one in the court system seems to think it's a big deal or a violation of my or LO's rights kind of irks me. You'd think people would encourage my choice to breastfeed him. It is undeniably the best thing for him. There's no arguing. Instead, ppl start harping Fathers' rights. What happened to child's best interests come first? It always seems that it's actually "what's best for the child as long as it doesn't interfere with what I want." Errrr sorry, I'm always cranky on visitation day.

benniferbaby

Ugh, so annoying! I didn't even realize you were still dealing with SD. Can they not just let him do visitation WITH you (not the optimum solution I'm sure, but at least then it's not a matter of starving poor baby)? I would be mortified if this was an issue before the court, so kudos to you for being strong about it.

robynlesley

That really sucks.  I don't know your backstory, but I get the jist of things. I hope that either a) your baby will take an occasional bottle if there is a court issue happening or b) they court and the baby's father gets past this while your LO is so young. You can't force a child to eat at any age.

stever

Crap! That sucks, and is worrying as I contemplate indroducing a bottle to my H.

I hope you guys break this impasse soon - either SD sees the light or DS takes a bottle.

Good luck and hugs.

Elocin

I'm sorry you're having a tough time getting your LO to take a bottle (or am I, as I don't know your backstory). Anyway, DD had a ridiculous time taking the bottle. We'd try every week or so, and had no luck. I was getting ready to go back to work, and she was going to HAVE to take a bottle if she wanted to eat. Guess what? She got hungry enough and took the bottle. Was it a miserable day? Yes, yes it was. She was 10 weeks old and we decided to have Operation Baby Takes a Bottle Day. She fussed at what was normally her early morning feeding, and at her mid morning feeding but at 1PM, she ate. We also tried every bottle under sun. Anything that was marketed for breast fed babies, we tried. Turns out, the cheap plastic Gerber bottles with latex nipples worked as well at the Playtex drop ins with latex nipples. I think the key was the latex nipples for us.  

FyreFlyeRush

Elocin:

I'm sorry you're having a tough time getting your LO to take a bottle or am I, as I don't know your backstory. Anyway, DD had a ridiculous time taking the bottle. We'd try every week or so, and had no luck. I was getting ready to go back to work, and she was going to HAVE to take a bottle if she wanted to eat. Guess what? She got hungry enough and took the bottle. Was it a miserable day? Yes, yes it was. She was 10 weeks old and we decided to have Operation Baby Takes a Bottle Day. She fussed at what was normally her early morning feeding, and at her mid morning feeding but at 1PM, she ate.nbsp;We also tried every bottle under sun. Anything that was marketed for breast fed babies, we tried. Turns out, the cheap plastic Gerber bottles with latex nipples worked as well at the Playtex drop ins withnbsp;latex nipples. I think the key was the latex nipples for us. nbsp;

Yeah...I just can't bring myself to do that yet. I'm debating going to work part time near the day care.