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? For those who have experience w/ babies who refused bottles

ElinJElinJ member
in Breastfeeding

I'm not even looking for tips on how to get the baby to take a bottle, or suggestions for which brand to try. We're past that. I just want to know, when you sent the baby to daycare, how long before he/she finally accepted the bottle?

 We introduced the bottle at 5 weeks. It was kind of like this: hit, miss, hit, hit, miss, hit, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss.... After so many failed attempts & a discussion w/ LC we took a break. Well, we tried again, and all he did was scream & refuse. My H even tried when I was 5 miles away, so definitely out of the house. I'm hoping we fall into the "baby won't take bottle from Mom or Dad, but will take it at daycare" camp. I go back to work Monday, when he's 12 weeks old. I'm just SO worried about how he will fare. Will he refuse to eat all day? All week? Will he scream & cry from hunger? I can't stand the idea of him going through that, but I know he HAS to learn to eat from a bottle. I HAVE to work. I carry all the benefits! 

Please tell me your experience with sending a baby who refuses the bottle to daycare. 

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Re: ? For those who have experience w/ babies who refused bottles

  • MrsNash37212MrsNash37212 member

    My LO doesn't go to daycare, but I was able to successfully introduce a sippy cup a little after 3 months. I've known of several other bottle refusers who went that route and it worked for them. Might be worth a try.



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  • JWSchwarzJWSchwarz member

    For the first month he only ate 2 or 3 ounces a day, then was up all night hungry. I had to feed him in the night because he wasn't getting the calories in the day. Despite that, his weight gain just stopped for about a month.

    He started warming up to it a little more each day, and got to about 5-8oz a day by month two.

    Now, 4 months after starting daycare,  he downs 15oz a day easily (well he will only eat in a bouncer, but whatever at this point...) 

    Your baby will be ok. If you are close, think about stopping on at lunch for a few weeks. 

    Get sone extra support in the evening beause you might be nursing non stop!

     

     

     

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  • VABride2008VABride2008 member

    My DD refused the bottle from weeks 6-14.  I returned to work at 12 weeks and she basically went 2 weeks of me back at work before she would take the bottle.  She would go 8-9 hours on 1-2 ounces being force fed to her.  She pretty much cried and slept the whole day then she was up all night to make up for her missed feedings (so she basically reversed her days and nights). 

    Then, one Saturday morning we were sitting on the couch and I attempted to give her one last bottle before I quit my job.  She guzzled down 5 ounces like a pro.  I cried happy tears and she never had a problem after that.  It was like it just clicked one day.  Everyone said she wouldn't take a bottle from me, but I was the first person she did take it from.

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  • aglennaglenn member
    I've been there twice.  DD refused almost all bottles for her first month of day care and after that took 9-12 oz most days, which I was OK with. She reverse cycled and was gaining weight fine, was a happy baby at day care, but just hated the bottle.  DS would never take one at home and refused the first bottle on his first day at day care but has been sucking them down like a champ ever since.  Good luck!  I know how stressful it is.  Just know that no matter what, your LO will be OK.  Some babies STTN (or so I hear; mine do not) and go 12 hours without eating.  Hang in there. 
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  • kel716kel716 member
    imageVABride2008:

    Then, one Saturday morning we were sitting on the couch and I attempted to give her one last bottle before I quit my job.  She guzzled down 5 ounces like a pro.  I cried happy tears and she never had a problem after that.  It was like it just clicked one day.  Everyone said she wouldn't take a bottle from me, but I was the first person she did take it from.

    Thank you for this!

    I had a workshop the last 2 days, and I know she didn't eat enough.  I too HAVE to work as I also carry our benefits and a steady paycheck.  DH is self-employed.  I go back to work full time in a few weeks when school starts.  I keep thinking that she WILL take a bottle, but she doesn't like it much.  But at least she'll eat something.  I'm hopeful that she continues to wake up at 9, and I can be home around 3, so it's about 6 hours that I'm gone where she'll need to take a bottle.  However, some days are longer. 

     Anyway, is it wrong of me to think that over time, she'll get better???  This is just going to take practice on her part?  Does that make sense? 

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  • el_twirpoel_twirpo member
    It took about 3 weeks before ds was fully taking bottles. The first 2 weeks at daycare was the hardest. He cried only when they tried but happy otherwise. We did. Lot of catching up at night, and I went there at lunch for the 2nd week to feed him. By the 3rd week, he was getting the new routine and was fine even if I fed him with a bottle.
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  • ElinJElinJ member
    Thank you all so much! I find this encouraging! I think we have a very hard week in front of us, but hopefully it will improve with time. 
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