Bottles...love/hate relationship

skirby · September 2011

I'm going back to work in three weeks, and trying to get Addie comfortable with a bottle. My husband started feeding her a few weeks ago, just once every day or so, and it was working...pretty well.

We got busy (and it's so much easier to BF then get the bottles out of the fridge and warm the milk) so we took a few days off from the bottle. Last night my husband tried again, and she refused the bottle - same thing tonight. Sigh.

Since the Dr. Brown bottles were working before, it doesn't seem like I need to buy different bottles...what advice do you have for getting your LO comfortable with bottles? If you took a break from bottles, did you notice your LO having trouble with them when you started up again?

Addie also uses breastfeeding as a way to soothe...so, we're trying to get her to use a paci when she's tired (trying is the key word). My poor husband, he is going to be with her when I'm away and he's trying SO hard, but she just wants me. It's making the thought of going back to work even harder.

ladipale · September 2011

Oh man, I'm so sorry. Transitioning back to work is tough! I will say, that E took the bottle like a champ until a week before I went back to work.. then it was a struggle. One thing we did that worked was to upgrade the nipples, we moved up to the level 2 bottle nipples. This worked for us because I have a fast letdown and flow, E has always been able to nurse in about 5 mins.

I will say, I was surprised that E was able to transition pretty well when I returned to work. I think once Addie realizes that you are not there and won't be there she will figure it out. She will find a new way to soothe herself and figure out how to eat. E won't take a paci from me, but does at daycare and with my husband.

To get E to take the bottle, caregivers tried a number of things, including feeding her in the bouncy chair (she liked that). Some babies like bottle feeding to resemble nursing but some don't. So DH can try facing her out and bouncing her, or standing outside, etc.

skirby · September 2011

Thank you so much for your advice! As you suggested, my husband tried some different ways of feeding her earlier, and she took 2oz from the bottle. It took awhile, but it worked. I'm hopeful it will start to get easier, and she'll take the bottle from others, too.

We're going to do a trial at daycare in two weeks, just having her spend a few hours, so hopefully we can ease her in. Luckily, she only has to go one day a week for now, the rest of the time will be with my husband. Hopefully they will each be able to have success with the paci....or, other form of soothing.

I can't believe how anxious I am about returning to work - so many emotions.

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Bottles...love/hate relationship

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