Dd still won't take the bottle--advice?

st.augbride

Dd just completed her first week at daycare and she still refuses to take the bottle (is EBF). She used to take it just fine but stopped completely after 3 months old. She is there from 9am-4pm and DCP has only been able to get 1-2oz in her by spooning it in or letting the bottle with a faster flow drip into her mouth. I thought for sure she'd give in after a few days, but she is just holdin out until I get her. When I try, she lets me put the bottle in her mouth and even sucked a few times once, but then will not drink at all even when I know she's hungry. Any advice?

st.augbride

So far I've tried Dr. Brown (level 1 and level 2 nipples--though I have a very fast let down and she eats quickly, so I think #2 might be better for her), Breastflow and Tommee Tippee bottles. I think out of these she 'likes' Dr. Brown's the best, but of course that just means screams her head off less. I also bought the Tommee Tippee sippy rated at 4+ months and plan to try that tomorrow. I'm just so worried about her not getting enough fluid all day : (

pitterpatter129

The only ones our LO will use are the platex (drop in kind) with the wide "boob-like" nipple.  And I haven't given one in awhile, so I hope he'll still take it! I would have her use a medicine syringe for now - It's easier than a spoon and will get more in her.  A 4 mo old would possibly do very well with a hard spout sippy too.  A soft spout is basically a bottle and she'll probably reject it, but those cheap take and toss kind that don't require a lot of sucking might work.  Small comfort - at least she'll start solids in a few months.

 

 

 

LittleFish1

Same bottle refusal since 3 mos as well. Sorry I have no advice

dimondwind

Nothing will work but time. Both my boys went through this exact thing at 3 months when they started day care. We tried everything. Eventually they got it. Now my DS2 drinks bottles well at day care but still won't drink them at home! GL.

KathrynMD

I would try the advice of someone not you trying different nipples about halfway between feedings so she has some hunger but isn't desperate. And do it in a different location and position than how you do it. Hold her upright either facing the caregiver or leaning back on the caregivers lap or sit her upright in the boppy. In other words, feed her but don't try too hard to replicate the nursing experience with you.

st.augbride

dimondwind:

Nothing will work but time. Both my boys went through this exact thing at 3 months when they started day care. We tried everything. Eventually they got it. Now my DS2 drinks bottles well at day care but still won't drink them at home! GL.

How long did it take? 

azuremama

dimondwind:

Nothing will work but time. Both my boys went through this exact thing at 3 months when they started day care. We tried everything. Eventually they got it. Now my DS2 drinks bottles well at day care but still won't drink them at home! GL.

This is what happened with us, too. I don't think different bottles made a difference, although we did try a few. It just took time and patience. I would say it took about 2 weeks before they got it. And DS still didn't drink much and wouldn't really take a bottle at home.

dimondwind

st.augbride:

dimondwind:

Nothing will work but time. Both my boys went through this exact thing at 3 months when they started day care. We tried everything. Eventually they got it. Now my DS2 drinks bottles well at day care but still won't drink them at home! GL.

How long did it take? 

It took a good 2-3 weeks.  I know, probably not what you want to hear.  It was so hard picking up at the end of the day, hearing how he wasn't eating well.  But, he eventually he started to drink more and more.  I understand what you're going through though...not only is it hard thinking about your LO going hungry, but it's hard to dump all your pumped milk down the drain!  

Hang in there, and try not to stress about which bottle/nipple combo might work better.  Choose one that seems to be doing ok, and stick with it. 

 

 

leah2b

I went through this as well with my daughter.  SHe was taking an occasional bottle fine for the first  two months, but then started absolutly refusing.  It was almost like she forgot how to drink from a bottle!  It took me over 2 months to get her back to taking a bottle - but I was still out on maternity leave when this was happening (went back at the 5 month mark).

It's a very tough and stressful thing..and I don't know what to tell you but that it takes time..I went through every bottle imaginable.  WHat eventually worked was the platex drop-in liner bottles BUT with the MAM nipple instead of the platex nipple.