Refusing breast after bottle at DC

chocolatechippy

This was my first week back at work and DD is almost 5 months.  She gets 3 or 4 bottles at DC and I BF her right before bed when I get home. However, she is starting to refuse my breast when she is obviously hungry and will then take 4 oz from the bottle.  Any suggestions?

yodacadillac

Have you tried a nipple shield? It makes baby feel like shes drinking from a bottle and you can then wean her from it after you feel she's ready or you can continue to use it if its what she prefers. My daughter refused to nurse at around a week old so I pump and she drinks from a bottle...and she is now 4months old. For me the pros of breast milk outweigh the worry of bottle feeding. With the bottle I know exactly how much she's eating and I have the satisfaction of knowing she's eating what was made just for her...mommy milk! Good luck!

yodacadillac

I forgot to mention u can try feeding her some milk from the bottle then switch to the breast. That way she isn't so hungry when she's trying to latch and she is a little more content to just finish her meal...I tried everything to nurse my daughter but in the end she prefers the bottle so that's what she gets a bottle full of mommy milk.

Cheerio B

Is she using a slow flow nipple in her bottle at DC? If not, you could try switching to that. She may prefer the ease of the bottle.

 My DS is a lazy nurser, he prefers the bottle. He will nurse but he gets really cranky at the beginning because he wants instant milk and doesn't want to wait for me to let down. It's frustrating but I just keep offering and he eventually latch on.

chocolatechippy

Thanks for the advice. DD even refused the breast tonight even though she was with me all day and nursed fine. I tried giving her some of the bottle and then tried to get her to latch, but she would just scream :

I will have to try a nipple shield. Now I have to pull more from my frozen stash and at this rate it will be gone in a week! Ugh!!!

singingirl96

I disagree with yoda's suggestions.  This happened to us as well during the first week. This happens because he's lazy and doesn't want to work hard for the milk out of the breast when it comes so easy from the bottle. 

1. like the pp said, make sure you have a slow flow bottle. 

2. tell your daycare provider to do little breaks every 1/2 once or so.  Because he's getting the milk too fast with no breaks, it doesn't mimic the breast.  

There is an article on kelly mom that talks about bottle feeding breastfed babies and you should look for it on there, then take a print out for your daycare provider to read. 

Once they started feeding my LO with breaks, he returned to taking the breast just fine.  Do not get a nipple shield.  It will hurt your supply and you may have a really hard time getting your baby to want to stop using it. 

Have a great day and good luck.