Introducing bottle

eswany1 · February 2016

to all you bf moms. We r struggling with the bottle. She just screams and cries when u put it in her mouth we have tried 4 diff bottles. I don't give her the bottle and I get out of the room so she can't see me. I've also put milk on the nipple of the bottle and still won't take it. Should I wrap her in my shirt and have them feed her to see if that will calm her better to smell my sent? What worked for u guys ?

thatgirlree24 · February 2016

What brand are you using? They have ones that feel like a nipple. I think there's another thread on here that discusses bottle brands and what works well for the other moms. I use breast flow and my LO takes that one fine although he prefers the boob right after

Mizuiro007 · February 2016

What works for me is to tickle DD's lip with my fingertip until she tries to latch then I slip her the bottle instead. I also find skin to skin helpful as breastfed babies are used to that contact while they're feeding.

JackJacktheCat · February 2016

We started giving LO a bottle very early (3-4w) and we just KEPT TRYING. She didn't like any of them at first but once we got a slow flow nipple (preemie nipple on dr. Brown's bottle) she was ok. (We are trying MAM today at the suggestion of another mom, to reduce the leaking from the sides of her mouth. No report on those yet though) We tried once a week at first, then every few days, and now we offer a bottle for a feeding once a day. She almost always takes it, although there have been times when she wont have it no matter what we try. If she's really tired, or fussy it's usually a no go. I think persistence is key for us. I also think timing is important. We offer a bottle when she is in a good mood at the first sign of any hunger cues. I've found that timing is more important than who gives her the bottle or which bottle it is.

EmmyMommy123 · February 2016

I agree with pp about timing - we're just in the beginning stages of introducing but he definitely takes the bottle more easily when he's just starting to be hungry (like immediately after a nap).

For us it actually worked well to have me help with the bottle rather than be out of the room (strange, I know). My husband and I would take turns giving him the bottle in a feed when he'd start to resist - it was like it reassured him that I was close and then he'd calm down and drink. My husband has also found distraction to work well - changing rooms or positions or offering the soother when he starts to fuss or doing babe's favourite calming activity: bouncing on an exercise ball.

I agree to keep trying and don't put too much pressure on the whole situation. I know it's hard when milk is liquid gold, but just take an attitude of "it's ok if it doesn't work this time, we'll just try again another time" and the whole thing should be less stressful for everyone!

laurabwalker · February 2016

Yes we have been trying for almost 3 weeks, every few days but have had no luck yet. I have bought 5 different bottles but she just rolls them in her mouth, and milk leaks out the side. Trying again today!

andreaAL11 · February 2016

I'm having the same issue. I want to go back to work but I'm EBF. But I read in another thread about paced bottle feeding and it works awesome. i usually feed her until she's not really hungry and then give her the bottle towards the end of the feeding. But you should look it up, the paced bottle feeding, because it helps breastfed babies get used to the bottle because it imitates how the let down is.
I have a pump called bellema, and it came with a bottle with the SOFTEST silicone nipple. That's the only one she will take. When she was smaller she liked the NUK bottle but then she decided to hate it one day.

Overall! Bellema silicone nipples work for her and paced bottle feeding is awesome!

blended10 · February 2016

Ok I posted the "what bottle" thread but the struggle is real. Dd doesn't give a flying leap what bottle- she wants draft. Ughhhhh ds was the same way & it basically meant I couldn't leave him for any length of time. I'm going to just keep trying but starting to feel really discouraged.

laurabwalker · February 2016

blended10 said:

Ok I posted the "what bottle" thread but the struggle is real. Dd doesn't give a flying leap what bottle- she wants draft. Ughhhhh ds was the same way & it basically meant I couldn't leave him for any length of time. I'm going to just keep trying but starting to feel really discouraged.

I feel the same, they must take a bottle!

breezypip · February 2016

DH has been giving DD a small bottle each night to get her used to taking one since I go back to work in a week and a half. She will take the bottle but fusses through it. Sometimes she's satisfied and sometimes I still have to nurse her after.

But it last night she quietly drank 1 oz and it seemed to be going very well, but when DH stopped to burp her she flipped out, refused to take the rest of the bottle, and was rooting on him like she wanted the breast. She didn't calm down until I BF her.... This makes me nervous. I hope she gets used to the bottle because I won't be there to pop a boob in during the day.

chewie5990 · February 2016

We have been struggling with bottle feeding and it's been about a month since we first introduced the bottle. We try and give DS one bottle every evening when DH gets home from work. After trying 4 brands I think Dr Browns has had the most success but it's still a work in progress. As others have said timing is absolutely key. If DS is fussy or already really hungry than there's no chance in hell hes taking a bottle he will just scream his head off until he gets the breast. He also likes to be sitting up straight if you lay him at an incline he gets pissed. We were doing the preemie nipples for a while and I thought it was working better but then he seemed to be getting upset and was sucking really hard so we just recently switched to size 1 and I think it's going better. he also doesn't want the bottle again after burping and screams for the breast but some nights he does awesome and some nights he wants nothing to do with it. We have also tried running the bottle under warm water before feeding but that didn't seem to make any difference for us. It's all just trial and error...I go back to work in 3 weeks and I just keep telling myself that he will adjust..

JulieK79 · February 2016

Have you tried to warm it up? I turned into the crazy bottle lady with my son trying every kind out there. Finally realized if I warmed it up, he would take it.

Mizuiro007 · February 2016

I wanted to add to what I said previously. I'm actually the one thatfirst introduced bottles with both babies and didn't have much issue at all. The best thing I found is to use a different position from how you breastfeed. If you use a cradle or cross cradle hold and put them in a similar hold for a bottle it seems like they won't accept the bottle as well and just want breast. I ended up reclining back with them sitting up, their back to my belly (and it's so easy to do skin to skin this way). It eems to remove any expectation of getting boob. Once they get used to bottles and a routine and can recognize those cues that it's coming, like with breastfeeding, it gets easier.

As far as getting upset with burping, I always thought it made sense. They're bloated and uncomfortable and food is comfort but just went away suddenly just when the getting was good. With DS we would put something on TV he'd focus on and the distraction seemed to work to keep him relaxed to burp. DD is completely different. The best I've managed with her is to give her a pacifier and do very gentle burping. I usually hold her to my chest or shoulder and lightly bounce or rock.

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