Bottle refusers come in!

MamaFantastic · September 2014

There was a lot of discussion a few months ago about babies refusing bottles, but I feel like our four and five-month-old babies are a totally different breed now that they're older and bigger, so I'm opening up the discussion again. T will not take a bottle no matter how many times we try, how many different nipples we offer, or any other extraneous factors like who gives it to her or what temperature it's at. Fresh versus frozen doesn't matter either. She rejects them all.

There was talk in the food thread about offering breast milk or formula in sippy cups. Who has had any success with this tactic? Any other suggestions to offer?

RedDawnsRevenge · September 2014

She's taken a Nuk once, only once. I'm wanting to go back to work so we may try the tommy tippy sippy we used with DD1.

Rrrrrachel · September 2014

My sisters baby was a hard core rejector and after about a week or two at day care I think she finally started taking one.

mbethmcgill · September 2014

My second was like this. I EBF but couldn't go anywhere for long when he was little because he refused all bottles from everyone who tried. Once we started solids, I would try a little breast milk or formula in a sippy cup. It took a bit but it worked for us. I think I had a couple of different cups but I can't remember which ones. All I can say is hang in there and good luck.

yellowflower15 · September 2014

I was going to post about this today. We haven't tried too hard since I'm still at home, but I would like a little more freedom! LO will take a bottle from me, but not my husband. Kind of defeats the purpose! I'm thinking of just trying to get him used to a bottle first and then working on it coming from someone other than me. Any tips would be appreciated. My parents will be in town soon and are offering to babysit - I really want to go on a date!

avidkeo · September 2014

When DD was refusing the bottle I tried a gentle introduction. I would have her nursing, then after a few minutes take her off and give her the bottle. When she refused i put her back on to nurse and repeat a few minutes later. I made aure I stayed calm, and relaxed. The idea is to teach her the bottle was just as good as the breast. It only took one session of doing this for her to take the bottle from then on, and she will take it from anyone, including me!

MamaFantastic · September 2014

^^ That's an interesting idea!

avidkeo · September 2014

@MamaFantastic, Ill be honest, I only tried because DH was panicking - it was about 2 weeks before I was due to go back to work and he was getting really stressed about being able to feed her. Part of me thinks it was a coincidence, mostly because how easy it was, but hey when you are desperate, anything is worth trying

UnofficiallyLO · September 2014

I'm just here to take notes! Since I stay home with DS I hardly ever pump and when I do I don't get much so bottle practice around here is slim to none. Sometimes he takes one, mostly he refuses. We've tried Medela and TT and I never give him the bottle it's always SO, MIL, etc. I've only been out twice without him now for this reason, once he ate while I was gone and once he refused and melted down.

Teresa1896 · September 2014

Granted, DS was a couple months younger, but he resisted for 2 months before he finally gave in. I tried every bottle/nipple combo I could find, and no dice. Finally I just decided to have him get used to the bottle that I wanted him to take (the glass ones I had) and consistently gave one to him twice a day for a month. I would not give in; he would not get to nurse until he drank from the bottle. It was a lot of screaming (an hour+ the first day, falling asleep and waking back up), but he gave in eventually, and each day it got easier and he fought me less. It just took him a long time to figure out what to do with the nipple (he won't take a pacifier, either!).

A couple tips:

I only put an ounce of milk in each bottle so he wouldn't waste it.

Try to stay relaxed and keep it "fun." If LO starts to get pissy, take a break, sing a song, calm her down, and then try again.

Try different milk temps (although DS fought me for so long at first, the warm bottle cooled off).

Try from different directions, in different places; in the boppy, on the bouncer, from the side/front/back, etc. My DD only took it at first if she couldn't see me (even if I was the one giving the bottle to her- I just had to reach around from behind the bouncer and feed her a bottle!). Once she gets used to the bottle you can get her into a specific routine/location (or none).

Try to distract her while you give her the bottle; having DS lie on the floor with the TV above him helped give him something to look at besides me. When he wasn't focused on me or what was going into his mouth, he took it a little easier because he didn't immediately realize it wasn't me.

MamaFantastic · September 2014

this is really great advice, teresa!! thank you so much!

Teresa1896 · September 2014

MamaFantastic said:
this is really great advice, teresa!! thank you so much!

You're very welcome. I hope it works for you! My lo's refusal to take a bottle stressed me out so much because I knew he HAD to take it when I went back to work. I actually cried tears of joy when he took it!

MamaFantastic · September 2014

i just literally C&Ped this advice and printed it out. it's good for me to remember, but it's going to be GREAT for my husband (who sometimes needs things written down... ha!) as we both work toward independence from the boob

yellowflower15 · September 2014

avidkeo said:
When DD was refusing the bottle I tried a gentle introduction. I would have her nursing, then after a few minutes take her off and give her the bottle. When she refused i put her back on to nurse and repeat a few minutes later. I made aure I stayed calm, and relaxed. The idea is to teach her the bottle was just as good as the breast. It only took one session of doing this for her to take the bottle from then on, and she will take it from anyone, including me!

Thanks for this - I think this might work for us since he will take a bottle from me; he just is kind if clueless as to what to do with it at first. Maybe once he's more comfortable, he'll take the bottle from someone else...

Andrewsgal · September 2014

I have tried every single ounce of advice you find here and on the internet. We have tried every bottle, formula, and BM. Every time, temp etc he will not take a bottle. We tried sippy cups he is awesome at them but will only drink water from one. He will take formula/BM from a clear glass cup and only from. DH and only an ounce or two. Not much help at all. This kid is as stubborn as they come. I need a break so badly.

babayRFL · September 2014

I don't post often, but we went through a bottle refusal phase a few weeks ago (just in time for me to go back to work. It was awesome). It stressed me out to the max, so thought I'd share what worked for us!
I left the shirt I slept in for to drape over DH's shoulder while feeding. DS has to be held like he is nursing (kinda on his side I guess). And the nipple has to be wet (just dipped in warm water). As a last resort one day my mom dipped the nipple in sugar water and he gobbled the whole bottle down. The shirt scent, position, and wet nipple combo was a winner at our house. Worked with DH, my mom, and our daycare lady. Now he's less picky and will take it pretty easy without our "tricks."

MamaFantastic · September 2014

Tessa doesn't ever suck on the bottle... she only chews on it and pushes it to the side of her mouth. Any advice for teaching how to suck? She has not taken a pacifier since maybe 2 weeks old either. Just spits them all out.

Teresa1896 · September 2014

MF, my DS did that too. I had to press and hold it (gently) into his top lip, so the base of the nipple it rubbed against the base of his nose. And it really took a lot of practice for him to get it. I had to put it where it needed to be in his mouth before he could figure it out- he couldn't figure out how to draw it into his mouth.

Lindss1209 · September 2014

LO has never taken a pacifier and since about 5 weeks has completely refused a bottle. I went back to work last week so I was stressed however, our pedi recommended starting puréed food so we went to that and loves it. So he's at least eating something. But, still no bottle. My mom watches him and has had no luck. Different bottles, nipples...tried it all. He does take a sippy...a real sippy, not a "transition sippy". He takes about an ounce from that. Between puréed and an ounce of milk, he makes it 8-9 hours til I get home.

Want a personalized experience?

Bottle refusers come in!

Re: Bottle refusers come in!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards