Breastfeeding
valeriej6
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XP from Aug 2012: Yes, another desperate 'won't take bottle' post
valeriej6
member
I know this topic has been discussed, so I apologize for the repetition. I go back to work in 3 weeks and DD still doesn't take a bottle. I always have DH or my mom try and give it to her. He'll wear something of mine, the milk is freshly pumped, I warm the nipple of the bottle and he always makes sure she's sitting up. We've tried 4-5 different bottles with slow flow nipples. We try and give it to her when she's not too hungry so she's willing to try and I leave the house. My LC said to try and give it to her 2 times a week. Would it be too much to try daily? Multiple times daily? Anything I'm missing in terms of techniques? I'm posting this on the BFing board too. Thanks so so much!
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Re: XP from Aug 2012: Yes, another desperate 'won't take bottle' post
I would try daily to start with and then if that didn't work, offer multi times. Maybe get her in the right mood? I also remember hearing that you should try it when she's not hungry. Maybe an hour after you've just fed her. Try putting the bottle up under your arm right next to your boob and see if she'll feed that way.
Good luck girl! I was one of the lucky ones with a baby who doesn't care what we give him as long as it has milk in it! ;o)
DS was a bottle refuser from about 8 weeks to 5 or 6 months old. He finally started 'giving in' around 5 months but it took until he was 6 months old before he was consistently drinking his bottles at daycare. He is 9 months old now, and he is doing great and LOVES bottles! So there is hope.
Sorry for the novel below. But, I know how horrible this is to go through so I thought I would just share everything I could think of.
Here are a few things that I think helped us:
- Be persistent and consistent - offer it every day. Since you are returning to work soon, you might as well try a few times a day every day.
- Try the bait and switch. Put a 1/2 or 1 oz in a bottle but then start out breastfeeding. A couple of minutes in, gently unlatch your LO and slip the bottle in. She might take it and then start to freak out when she realizes what happened. Then, go back to breast, then bottle etc. I think this helped LO associate the bottle with something he loved and trusted (mommy) and helped him warm up to the idea. (NOTE: Just burp her extra as she'll probably get more air = tummy ache doing this)
- Try distracting her by walking around while feeding her, or put her in a swing or a bouncer.
- Just stick with one bottle. I heard Playtex nursers work, but we went with Dr. Browns.
- Google excess lipase and rule that out
- Does your LO have reflux by chance? DS did and he started taking bottles around the time we finally got his medication right. Maybe a coincidence.
Once I did the bait and switch and got DS to warm up to me giving it, he started taking it better from my husband, then slowly he warmed up to the daycare ladies.
For Work: You might need to plan to be flexible at work for a couple of weeks. DS wouldn't eat all day at daycare for the first week, so I went and fed him at lunch or picked him up early. The second or third week he would take 2 or 3 oz, then eventually it turned into 8 oz, etc. She will probably reverse cycle and keep you up all night:) So, that was hard to be up all night and go to work the next day, but I got through it.
For Daycare: Instead of sending pre measured bottles, I sent one big 8oz bottle of milk, then a few empty smaller bottles. Then, they measured out an ounce or two each time they tried to feed him. They would also reheat it at least once. This helped reduce waste. Daycare was amazing and so patient. They tried all day every day and never ran out of patience. I would give your daycare a call and give them a heads up and see what they say about it (maybe they have some suggestions too).
Also, your LO might do just fine at daycare, I have heard some babies do that. Just think positively. WHEN you get your LO to love bottles, not IF:)
Thanks! You've given me hope she'll someday take a bottle!
We just went through this. Started offering bottle at 8 or 9 weeks and he did ok then outright refused at 3 months just a few weeks before I had to go back to work. At 4 months we still sometimes struggle. He takes the bottles but have to be hungry and doesn't like to be held. I know how frustrating and stressful it was during that time. But I started exclusively pumping and wanted to be really consistent and persistent about it. It was hard in the beginning because he would only take 2 oz at each feeding, enough to be not hungry I suspect. And would wake up more in the middle of the night to feed to make up for loss calories. We also did bottles at these feedings to be consistent.
Even now, he's not a big eater and is barely getting the minimum ounces of daily intake.
Oh and DS does eat way better at daycare too. He will finish his 4.5 oz bottles sometime with or without a fuss. Daycare providers are super patient and so experienced!!
Oh and I know with bottle refusal they say never to have the mom give the bottle but since I was home with DS alone all day I didn't have a choice. H would try when he got from work and it didn't work either.
It is frustrating. I've been there... and actually still am, unfortunately. What I will tell you is that my daughter is (reluctantly) taking a sippy cup (3.5 months old) but she still won't take a bottle. In fact, just getting a bottle close to her causes a massive meltdown. So, if you cannot get a bottle to work, maybe try a sippy? We have the Tommee Tippee cup without the valve.