Working Moms

Bottle refusal please help!! Advice needed

Hi all, I have been giving LO a bottle a day since week 9 and he is now 14 weeks. It was a struggle at first but eventually he was ok with it. Just last week he started to completely refuse the bottle. Our feeding attempts have become a crying and screaming event! I'm getting so stressed and nervous and I'm returning to work in 2 weeks. Have any of you ladies encounter this problem before returning to work? And how did your LO do with their caregiver while you were gone? I guess I'm venting as well as looking for advice, reinforcement, and encouragement. He's been getting so upset at each bottle feeding that I'm wondering if I need to try different approaches? I'm just lost...

Re: Bottle refusal please help!! Advice needed

  • I can't offer much help except for some 'right there with ya' support. My LO took a bottle from 36 weeks then just quit. She also screams and pitches a huge fit now when we try a bottle. I've come to realize that it's not that she doesn't know how, she just won't. I go back to work tomorrow ahhh! and despite 4 weeks of 'practice runs' with family, she's not changing her mind. She's gone on 8 hr hunger strikes waiting until Iget back to nurse. When she does take a bottle some things that have worked for us: me giving the bottle, walking with her facing out, feeding in the bounce seat, and letting her watch/focus on TV. We stopped 'pushing' the bottle b/c she gets angry beyond consoling so if she starts to get pissed, we just stop and let her skip a meal. I'll try to circle back and let you know how our first week of day care goes and if they find success or if we find anything that works. Two words of advice I know it's practically impossible, but try not to stress about it. I wasted a good two weeks of my leave not enjoying my time with my baby because I was so worried about the bottle. They'll all figure it out eventually so enjoy these last weeks while you can!
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  • Not 36 weeks sorry.....3 to 6 weeks. My LO will be 12 weeks when we start daycare tomorrow....
  • We went through this and I'll tell you my DD NEVER took a bottle at home, ever, not from me, not from DH. But she did at daycare. It took her about a week or two to adjust but she did not starve. We also experimented with different bottle brands, nipple speeds, milk temperatures, pumped milk and even formula. But the daycare teachers are equipped to deal with this. After the first day, I thought she'd be kicked out of daycare, but she did catch on! Good luck and I hope all goes smoothly.
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  • Had the same issue.  My pediatrician said the when he was hungry enough he will take it.  And he was right, but we had three weeks of trying and refusing.  I had a friend try at her house and he did it for her then would do it for DH after that. 
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  • Both my kids hated the bottle until they started daycare.  I would probably back off on the giving the bottle at this point if he's getting so upset.  Once he starts with a caretaker, it may take a few days or a week, but he'll either figure it out or start reverse cycling and eating more when he's with you.  He will not starve.  It's totally stressful, but I think it just takes time. 

    You could also try having someone else give him the bottle.  A lot of babies won't take it from their moms.

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