Help! Breastfed baby starting daycare won't take bottle

lauleger · December 2015

I'm going back to work in a couple weeks and my son will be going to daycare. He's taken breast milk from a bottle before, but now refuses. I'm getting worried we won't resolve it before I go back to work and the daycare won't take him if he can't eat from a bottle. Since he had taken it fine before we thought he would be fine. Anyone else have to deal with this? What finally worked?

tracij12 · December 2015

Have you tried giving the bottle when you are not there?

usmcrenegde01 · December 2015

For my LO it was finding the right nipple/flow...have u tried Latch brand or
madela brand wide base slow flow nipple? She really liked that one. The regular nipples over whelmed her with milk and didn't simulate my breast two well. Warm the formula or breastmilk to room temp/To help simulate the real thing. If LO doesn't like formula u could try mixing breast and formula...the first two days at daycare were rough. She didn't drink to much. 3 weeks in now she is drinking like a champ.

dramaphile · December 2015

Agreed with having your SO try giving him the bottle, he may smell your milk and be confused why he is getting the bottle instead of the breast.

Kfraz3 · December 2015

I plan to send syringes to daycare at first. Just to make sure he does eat if he is too stressed to take a bottle. Trying to get him used to it now but it feels better not to have a deadline for him drinking a whole meal from a bottle.

SmrBrd2012 · December 2015

How long do you wait in between feedings to give LO the bottle? My feeling is that he will eventually take it if he's hungry enough. Obviously don't starve him, but if he normally goes 4 hours without feeding, maybe try waiting until 5?

OliveBaby · December 2015

Some babies are super stubborn about this. We've been giving DS2 a bottle once a day for the last few weeks. He's done well with the medela nipples, but we've got a stash of Avent and Breastflow leftover from DS1.

Try having your H/SO give a bottle while you're not at home (or at the very least, in another room), and do it once a day consistently until you have to go back to work. Good luck!

mjames003 · December 2015

Have you tried different bottles/nipples? Mine had a heck of a time taking a bottle, then my sitter suggested latex nipples - the cheap gerber ones with the cheap gerber bottles- and LO takes it just fine! This was after trying the $$ bottles, lol. We haven't had any nipple confusion or breast aversion either! Good luck, I know how stressful it is.

sharonholck28 · January 2016

I second trying different bottles. My LO likes Mam and Medela bottles the best. Maybe start training your LO to go back and forth between breast and bottle while you're still home so they can get used to it.

apinkpelican · January 2016

I had this issue with DD. I had to leave the house and haveDH give the bottle. Even then she wouldn't take it right away. You just have to keep trying this. Also make sure the bottle is warm enough. Baby is used to it being pretty warm out of the breast. Good luck and keep on trying. Baby will get it eventually!!

llbne · January 2016

It took forever for us but my daughter eventually took a Mimijumi bottle.

Help! Breastfed baby starting daycare won't take bottle

Re: Help! Breastfed baby starting daycare won't take bottle

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