Going back to work soon, baby hates the bottle

enjaye316 · August 2014

I breastfeed my 10-week old, but we have been giving DD a bottle of pumped milk every now and then to get her used to it before she's in day care. I go back to work in two weeks, and she still refuses the bottle. The most my husband has been able to get her to drink is an ounce and a half, and that took over an hour, amid much screaming. She'll just be ravenous and attack my breast at her next feeding. Have others been through this, and how did it turn out? Does LO eventually give in and take it because s/he is hungry enough? I'm starting to panic.
Thanks!!

jaime52005 · August 2014

Have u tried letting someone feed your LO without u being around? I have heard a few girls say it made a difference

enjaye316 · August 2014

Yeah, we've tried it with me around and without… no difference.

jaime52005 · August 2014

Different type bottles or nipple sizes?

Lhageme85 · August 2014

We had similar issues. My DD went 15 hours and only took a 1/2 ounce twice when I was working a few night shifts. Once she started daycare she eventually figured it out. The first week she took minimal amounts but now is taking 3 full bottles a day! Try different bottles as PP said, try swaying or walking while feeding, white noise, etc. We landed on the Lansinoh mOmma bottles but we also found making the milk quite warm (we even used a thermometer for a few days to get it close to 98 degrees F) AND warming the nipple up was our trick. She doesn't need that much hoopla now but still definitely prefers mama and will refuse a bottle if I'm around. Good luck and hugs! Going back to work is stressful enough without worrying that your baby isn't going to eat!!

Meg&Austin · August 2014

We had the same problem with my dd and come to find she liked her bottles a lil Warmer than you'd think. She's also picky enough to like it heated more sometimes after a middle of the bottle burp lol.

We have then at home before returning to work and one she went to daycare she kind of threw a fit. Only eating 4-6 ounces the whole 8.5 hours. After two weeks she got used to it and is a champ now

I know its stressful worrying about your baby eaTing but it will come! She still to this day wont take a bottle if im around or she hears my voice

TheBorg7of9 · August 2014

My second baby also didn't like the bottle. We worked on it everyday and finally tried a bottle with a similar nipple to pacifier. That worked. After a few days at work, he was taking 3 bottles a day no problem at all. Good luck! If the baby is going to daycare, believe that they've seen it all before and know what to do.

enjaye316 · August 2014

Thank you all for the suggestions and support! It's definitely reassuring to hear from people who have been through it and have had everything turn out okay. We'll try making the bottles a little warmer than we have been, walking while feeding… and yeah, she's going to a great daycare, so they must've gone through it before… it's just hard not to get panicky and emotional.

QOTR · August 2014

My LO had always taken practice bottles from family ok but then refused it from our new nanny. We bumped up to a medium flow nipple and the nanny started feeding him in his bouncy chair instead of holding him and that seemed to do the trick. Good luck!

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