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Austin Babies
So this bottle strike thing...
He took zero ounces (zip-zero-zilch-nada) the entire day on Friday and then again yesterday. None. So today I did what LL suggested (big fat smoochies for a leveled-headed LL!) and split my morning pump. I pumped at 9 (instead of 11) and then went and fed him at noon (of course he wanted nothing to do with his morning bottle at.all.). While trying to figure out what to do if he refuses his afternoon bottle, I realized I could be back to feed him by 4:15ish.
So theoretically, I can feed him twice a day. Noon and 4:15 (and obvs in the morning and night and such). Thus negating the need for a bottle at all.
Please tell me, level-headed bumpies, is this brilliance or insanity?
I mean, brilliance b/c my kid will be eating. Insanity because I won't have a lunch break or be able to stay late at work for the next five months.
Should we keep attempting the bottles?
And more importantly, if he refuses to take a bottle ever again, WTF is the point of my 500-ounce stash of frozen breast milk in my deep freezer?
Dear Bump: You suck.
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Re: So this bottle strike thing...
Well, DS was only a boob man as well, so I feel your pain (sort of--I decided not to go back to WOtH and that was part of the reason).
I think if you can negate the need for bottles and go nurse him, brilliance!! It take the stress off of you of having to worry if he's eating, if he's getting enough, weight gain---all of that. Five months--sounds like a long time, but you also know how fast that will go. I would happily give up a lunch break or staying late to be able to go nurse, but that's also just my perspective--someone else might think it's totally taxing. It sounds like this is something you're up for though (?)
Plus side is that you won't have to pump during the day, right?
I would keep attempting bottles, because maybe he'll come around--DS did around 9 months old he would take one bottle for his late afternoon snack/feeding but only if he was entertained by something else (the only time he's watched TV in his life! Ha!).
As far as your milk stash (I had a huge one, too), you might find that he'll take it in a sippy when he's older. I used my milk to dilute pureed foods that I'd made, to add to oatmeal, etc. I also donated about 400 oz to a friend/co-worker that needed it for her baby.
Oh man. Have you tried introducing a sippy yet? Would that be an option? Could you start working with him on that so maybe you don't have to be there everyday, 2x a day to keep him from starving.
Man - that's rough. A only flat out refused bottles twice. Otherwise she'd drink the bare minimum she could to not be thirsty until she saw me. I'd keep trying the bottle. I'm sure you've tried different bottles too - different nipples. I'm not sure what else to do if he flat out won't drink at all. Is he too distracted? Could they feed him in a different location?
You could always donate the milk. I know there are babies that could use it.
last week, i only sent 2 2oz bottles (and went there to feed at lunch) so that if DS didn't eat anything from it, they wouldn't be dumping a full 4 oz bottle. they have milk in the freezer too, so in case he ate by some miracle and was still hungry, they could heat up more. maybe you could try that if you want to keep going with the bottle. kid HAS to come around in some way at some point, right?
your DS is older than mine, so i don't have many other suggestions from experience. i've heard of trying sippy cups and straw cups and mixing milk with solids if the bottle just isn't happening.
good luck!!!
We've tried different bottles, different nipples, sippy cups, straw cups, etc. It doesn't matter what bottle/nipple it is, b/c he won't even let the thing near his mouth.
I thought maybe there was something going on with my milk, but when I picked him up yesterday, he had his afternoon bottle sitting there, untouched, warm, so I picked it up and he opened his mouth and took about 2.5 ounces in about 45 seconds. His teachers were shocked (and a little mad, haha). But then he started fighting me on it, too. So I really think he just is waiting for me. Which is flattering and all, but QUIT STRESSING ME OUT, LITTLE MAN.
Oh, andplusalso, he's back to waking up multiple times a night b/c he's hungry (understandably). I'm fricking tired.
Will he take water from a bottle or any kind of cup?
Would it be alright to start off with mostly water and add a little milk to the bottle.cup and then slowly increase the amount of milk until he's basically tricked into drinking it?
Otherwise, I don't think you're crazy. I would for SURE drop pumping, though, and start using that stash. That might help save your sanity some.
haha! this made me think about sending a shirt or something with your scent on it that they could have near his face when they try to feed him.
Or maybe one of these?
Seriously though, if it's not too taxing I like august0808's idea along with continuing to offer bottles.
Neither of my kids were ever keen on the bottle. I understand how stressful it can be! I hated pumping and was very resentful about pumping for Finn when I knew he wouldn't drink the milk anyway. Grrrr.
My DCP allowed me to keep frozen milk there so I only ever sent one 2oz bottle each day. My milk was frozen in 2 or 3 oz increments and on the off chance either kid drank the milk I sent in the morning they could defrost a bag and try another feed.
I would go over and nurse at lunch time - I kept that up until 12-13 months. Both kids reverse cycled which sucked but at least I didn't have to worry about them being hungry. I was anxiety filled the whole time with Audrey but with Finn I was able to let go of a lot of that. He wasn't fussy. He didn't get upset unless his teacher was really persistent with the bottle. He just didn't want it and would rather wait for me to get there. I stopped pumping when he was between 9 - 10 months - I had a pretty substantial freezer stash and hated pumping. My supply regulated and we're still nursing now so it obviously didn't have an adverse affect on him.
Finn did drop percentiles pretty quickly but I don't know how much of that was due to his bottle strike and how much of that was due to him being more mobile. Regardless, he was healthy, meeting his milestones and just a genuinely happy baby. He started his daycare career in the 90% and was down to the 50% by the time he was one. Our ped said that's not unusual for breastfed babies.
In your shoes I would go and nurse him if you're able to but have them continue to offer a bottle or sippy cup. I wouldn't go crazy trying out different bottles or nipples at this point - it's probably just confusing, especially if he did at one point take the bottle. He knows how it works, he just doesn't want it. I'd ask if you can keep frozen milk there and continue to send a small bottle for them to try daily.
((hugs)) to a fellow bottle strike sufferer. I think you should keep attempting the bottles, and if my LO were as old as yours I would go ahead and try a sippy too. It won't hurt anything. The idea of just sending 2oz serving size is good too.
We haven't gotten to the nursing at noon point yet, but I had the same thoughts about losing my lunches (my only social time at this point). But I came to the conclusion that it's not THAT long in the grand scheme of things so I will be OK with it if we need to go there. And if you miss a day here or there it will be fine too. Our pediatrician was very reassuring about that (baby won't starve, baby will make up for it at night and on the weekends). She recommended watching for dehydration signs and getting periodic weight checks, but told me not to stress about it.
Oh, and call the Mother's Milk Bank of Austin about your stash! I donated milk with my last kiddo and I still feel like it's one of the best things I've ever done.
So I say brilliance!!
Thanks, ladies. It's nice to hear from others who have been here!
This describes my guy to a T. I've never met a happier baby, and he's not fussy even when he's not eating. Thanks for the reminder that I need to relax and trust that he knows what he's doing.
If only it was that easy!