EBF to Bottle...help!

Pink_Alicia

I've been home with my lo since birth, she will be 3mos next week.  We had her accepting the bottle during weeks 3, 4, and 5 and then I slacked off.  She is now very resistant to the bottle.  I've been trying at least twice a day for the last 4 days and she bounces from smiling and tonguing the nipple or getting really po'd at it.  I've tried most of the easily googled help ideas (putting the nipple in my bra before attaching to the bottle, trying the bottle at different times of day, hungry vs. not so hungry, having father do it rather than me) I feel like nothing is working.  I had someone tell me to keep doing what I'm doing and it may take a week or two before she finally accepts it.  I'm fine with this but wanted to know if anyone had any other suggestions...aside from going back in time and remembering to do the bottle like I should have.  Ugh!

honeydew01

My DD is 11 weeks old this Sunday. She started refusing the bottle when she was 8 weeks 3 days. She has had bottles from day one. I've tried everything suggested since the day she started refusing it and nothing has worked for us yet. I'll watch this post to see if I get any new ideas. I posted about this a few days ago but didn't get many responses. I understand your frustration. I don't know how often your LO feeds but mine has a huge appetite, she goes 1.5 to 2 hours day or night and pretty much constantly in the evenings so I feel like all I do is breastfeed day and night.

ClandestineX

I assume you've tried different nipples?

Pink_Alicia

Thank you for responding!  My lo feeds about every 2-3hrs during the day but will go 6-8 at night - I definitely feel like I breastfeed and change diapers exclusively during the day though.  I guess I'm just at a loss, like you are, about what to do!  I even tried putting a little drop of her gas drops on the nipple because she likes the taste of the drops and it didn't work.  The milk is warm, so is the nipple and I've tried breast feeding then pulling her off fairly quickly and sneaking the nipple in - that doesn't work, I've tried different bottle/nipple combos to see if perhaps it's the feel of the particular brand that I'm using and that doesn't work either.  It's so hard to see them get so frustrated and crying so much over it when they don't understand what is happening.  I'm trying to stay positive and persistent and I know it's only been a few days but it's still really hard!

Pink_Alicia

I have tried Avent nipples in the #1 and #2 (just to see if perhaps the flow was frustrating her, my milk supply is huge so milk typically squirts out everywhere when she's BF'ing), I've also tried the Similac Simply Smart bottle/nipple because it's got the broader surface and thought that may be better but she hates them all.  Someone suggested the Tommy Tippee Closer to Nature which I have NOT yet tried and I was also given the suggestion of the old school Evenflo nipples to see if those worked but I have NOT tried those yet either.  I worried that running out and buying several different kinds might confuse her even more but I'm not sure if that's possible?

honeydew01

I tried the Tommy Tippee ones as well, DD was not a fan. We've tried pretty much every bottle/nipple that's out there...

ClandestineX

To Pink: I suggest trying Doctor Brown's Preemie nipples. They are the slowest flow and perhaps that is why your little one is getting frustrated at bottles... it might be too fast of a flow.

To Honeydew: All I can suggest is to keep trying, if your little one seems particularly hungry sometime, give the bottle instead first. If it works give a few ounces then breastfeed afterwards.

lmilab

My first one has refused the bottle sometime after he turned 2 months old. And not bottle combo could help, then we gave up but when he refused breast @ 7 months and did not drink any milk for few weeks, I forced him to take a bottle. When he would wake up in the middle of the night hungry I gave him the bottle, after 1-2 weeks he eventually took the bottle.

My recommendation would be to offer her bottle and only bottle when she's the hungriest or at night.

flummadiddle85

DS did this too.... he was kinda taking MAM pacis sometimes, so I tried MAM nipples too. Still no go. Then I went back to work PT, and Grandma watched him,and got him to take the bottle again on that first day. I don't think there's been a problem since, although he still prefers BF, not the bottle.

 Grandmas work magic I guess. 

knguyen75

You can try colder formula bottle???

Pink_Alicia

I haven't tried a colder formula bottle yet, that's an idea.  Maybe I'll do that tonight!  Thanks!

I also read that you could try a sippy cup without the stopper so maybe I'll do that as well...