If your BF baby didn't want to take a bottle...

cjswife2007 · November 2010

which ones did you try and which one did they eventually end up taking?

DS was taking a bottle occassionally for the 1st 3 months of his life but we started to slack on giving it to him and now at 5 months he flat out refuses it. Won't take it from my husband or my mom - even when I am not home. I go back to work in 2 months and he needs to take a bottle!! Not to mention the fact we'd love to be able to go out for an evening w/o me having to nurse him at bedtime.

What worked for you??? TIA!

emmavenus77 · November 2010

I found that the reason she wouldn't take a bottle was my flow is much faster than the recommended flow for her age (slow). So I switched to the fastest flow and she does better. She's still not great but at least she takes enough to let me go to work. We settled on the Playtex Drop Ins after trying many different bottles. The nipples are softer. Good luck.

stef_38474 · November 2010

I could have written this post word for word. My DS is the exact same way. He flat out refuses to take a bottle. I left him with my mom last night and he would not take it. We ended up having to come home. I have several different nipples and nothing is working. I also, am going back to work in January and need help. I hope we get some good advise!

cjswife2007 · November 2010

stef_38474:
I could have written this post word for word. My DS is the exact same way. He flat out refuses to take a bottle. I left him with my mom last night and he would not take it. We ended up having to come home. I have several different nipples and nothing is working. I also, am going back to work in January and need help. I hope we get some good advise!

Seriously!! Love him to pieces, but a break would be nice My DD would go back and forth bottle to breast no problem. I don't know what's up with him!!

close2it · November 2010

We could have run a small bottle store by the time we were through "trying" bottles. After all the expensive, specialty bottles, she ended up taking the Playtex Drop Ins.

mkanderson85 · November 2010

My friend's baby will not take a bottle. She tried everything. She is back at work and he still won't take it. She nurses before she leaves and she nurses when she gets back. He will take a spoon, so the sitter can give veggies and such, but he won't take a bottle. It is a huge source of frustration for her. She tried every bottle on the market. I'm sure most babies will take one eventually, but in her case, it was a no go.

flippy1234 · November 2010

Breastflow are the only ones my LO will take

miss.jess · November 2010

We gave her the Nuk bottles [what we used with B] and we had to mess with other things first. She will only take the slow flow nipple, and we had to start with RTE formula. Once she was used to that, she switched to powder. She gets one bottle of formula a day right now and I nurse her the rest. If you are planning on putting the BM in the bottle it hopefully will go smoother!

teamsweet · November 2010

DS used to take the medela nipples but then decided he didn't like them. We went through a bunch of different nipple types and flows. During this, daycare gave him a latex nipple - so that's all he'll take now - the generic latex nipple.

myluckypig · November 2010

We have tried every bottle on the market or so it seems. DD will take the tommee tippee bottle on occasion. It is extremely frustrating because some days she takes it with no problems and others so refuses it. I had planned on weaning to a bottle only around 6 months...but its not looking that way anymore..

MichelleJean · November 2010

Try Breastflow!!! My DS refused so many types, till I found Breastflow bottles. Now no problem going between breast and bottle. THE BEST!!!

RachieSLP · November 2010

We had the same problem with DD. We just use a standard, slow flow Playtex nipple. PP mentioned that the flow might be too slow - I have heard that BF babies might be used to a faster let down, and that a faster flow nipple might be better. DD would gag and cough with a faster flow, though. Practice, practice, practice was the key for us. Initially, I had more luck if I fed her side-lying. Also, when she refused the bottle, I stopped "giving in" and nursing her. I would wait a little while and then try the bottle again.

Eventually, she would take a bottle from me but not from anyone else. Finally, I just left her alone and hungry with MIL. She cried and cried, but she eventually took the bottle. MIL had to hold her in a "new" position because she associated a typical feeding position with me I guess. Ever since then, she has taken a bottle like a champ. Oh yeah, I also had to make sure the milk was warmed to at least body temperature. I understand your frustration!! I would cry and cry because I was so worried about her going to daycare and being hungry all day. GL to you!!

bancbev · November 2010

If your baby is going to be 7 months when you go back to work I would try going straight to a sippy cup and skipping the bottle all together. They now make sippies for babies as early as 4 months.

My baby will only take Avent bottles and the breastmilk has to be at least body temp or she will have nothing to do with it.

paxilchyk · November 2010

bancbev:
If your baby is going to be 7 months when you go back to work I would try going straight to a sippy cup and skipping the bottle all together. They now make sippies for babies as early as 4 months.

This! DS loves his sippy cup!

mfaris89 · November 2010

We were in the EXACT same situation just a few weeks ago! We literally bought at least one of each kind of bottle you can get at BRU, nothing worked. Yesterday, DH and I decided to leave her with my parents with some bottles(just in case) and solids for if she didn't take the bottles. She took them no problems! So, you may be able to just wait it out a bit and see if he'll take one in a bit.