My lo, 2nd ds is 4 months today. I am trying to get him to take formula from a bottle, with little success! 2 weeks ago I gave him his first bottle of Aptamil formula using a TT bottle, which he drank from with no probs, drank 4oz without batting an eyelid. I made the difficult decision to top up with formula as I felt he was hungry in between feeds and that my milk just wasn't enough to satisfy him, which if I'm honest to myself has been the case with him since about 4 weeks. To note this was reflected in his slow weight gain, coming down through the centiles on his weight chart thingy.
Anyway the next day he drank 2oz. Since then he has completely refused bottles, and last week he was weighed by the hv and she was concerned that he had actually lost weight from his last weigh in 3 weeks prior. Basically we were referred to the gp and then to hospital where long story short we are now under the care of a dietician. She sent us away with high calorie formula but of course it's trying to get the stuff into him! Oh I did mange to get 2oz down him when we came home from hosp, and same again the day after (this was with NUK bottles latex teats). But since then, nearly a week now he has screamed whenever a bottle has come near!!

The good news is he seems to be feeding quite well from me again these last few days, and when weighed on weds he had actually put the weight back on that he had lost from before.... not much but in the right direction at least. Finally I am going back to work in a couple of months and so really need him to take a bottle for this reason too, aswell as to gain that weight back up! Thoughts/ideas/advice would be much appreciated thanks!!

Update... tried with a Breastflow (The first years) bottle with size 2 teat yesterday, wouldn't let me go anywhere near his mouth with it. Today tried Avent with 3month+ Thicker Liquid teat.... same again. Really does seem that the issue is the bottle full stop, as he hasn't even tried to latch on to the bottles for me to know if they suit him or not. Today have sterilised a pile of bottles and will just keep trying and trying, hubby is also going to have another go... wish us luck! In meantime, is anyone else going through this, or indeed has anyone gone through this and come out of the other side with a baby that feeds from both breast and bottle happily???

Can't offer much advice except that my baby didn't like faster teats whilst I was breastfeeding and I found after going back to slow flow she was happier taking a bottle.

At this age you could try a cup, the only reason some of them say from 6 months+ now is because the manufacturers don't want to be seen to be promoting giving anything other than milk to younger babies, but cups are fine to give milk in and some babies get on with them much better. My eldest had a severe tongue tie and consequently couldn't latch onto any bottle well but got on ok with a sippy cup so we switched him to those at 3 months whenever we sent expressed milk with him to caregivers xx

Please please let us know if you solve this problem. I have EXACTLY the same problem. DS won't let us anywhere near him with a bottle, for any reason, with anything in it, even fresh EBM. I have spent $$$ on bottles/teats including importing ones that are not available in my country and DS just screams and screams. We have tried diff people offering it when I am out and about and he just cries til he goes to sleep. He went 10 hours without food one day because he refused bottle feeds for a whole day. I felt like a terrible mum. So EBF we are. But I am going back to work soon..........

Ironically though, OH and I drink fizzy from cans frequently and DS is obsessed with trying to drink from cans!! Maybe I need to start drinking from baby bottles

Awww Maxy1, here's hoping we both get it sorted before going back to work! It's incredibly stressful, and wouldn't be half as bad if I wasn't going back, but needs must. We are still ongoing, but I tried lo with a cup a couple of days ago and this may be worth doing. Just a bit more of a pain as more to wash and sterilise as you need to make a bottle first then transfer, to ensure it's accurately measured. But lo took to the cup a bit better... will try again today and keep you posted xxx

My daughter took bottles of EBM as well as breastfeeds from birth-2 months and then refused a bottle again until 7 months! I tried and tried and tried. One day, she just decided to drink from the bottle of EBM and take a soother LOL...

That's encouraging for me Eve. DS was mixed fed FF/EBM/BF for his first 7 weeks and then decided not to take the bottle anymore and now I am in this predicament where he won't take it when I need him to. So your experience gives me hope!! Thanks

well hun it sounds like you are doing the right thing on getting him to try. Heres a crazy thought. What if you put like the bottle under your arm pit or somewhere near your breast and hold lo like if your about to feed him but instead try to latch in onto the bottle. Also have you tried to let someone else feed him? As you have been the one feeding him he know exactly who and where his food comes from. Also you might of mentioned this but do you give your lo the formula warmed or room temp? When i first started giveing my lo formula from breast milk he would only take it warmed up alittle warmer then room temp. Also try the bottle that you have had the best luck with if you deside to try to do the underarmthing. lol Its sounds crazy maybe but it really works for some people. Good luck hun and keep me updated