Baby won't take bottle

[Molly72]

Hi ladies,

Have just discovered this site and have a question that I drastically need help with.

I have currently returned to work after maternity leave, my new baby is 4 months old, when i first went into work a month before returning they told me that I could leave during my shift and feed her at the nearby daycare. This worked for the first day, at the end of the day after onyl leaving once during the shift for an hour they have now decided that I can no longer do this as the government pay me for 8 hours work and I need at stay at work for that length of time.

As you can imagine I was extremely angry, but what do you expect out of men bosses! That caused so much stress that I am now on 2 weeks sick leave to try to get her onto the bottle whilst I'm at work. They are ok about me expressing at work (at the moment) but are forcing my hand in other area. They are basically trying to get me to stop breast feeding and have even asked when I am planning to stop.

Anyway soory for the rant, but does anyone have any advice as she is refusing, refusing to take the bottle, as soon as the teat touches her lip, she screams the place down and goes all stiff.

We have tried all different types of bottles (7 at last count) 2 types of formula as well as expressing, nipples shields ( so she got used to plastic) tried feeding all times during the day, waiting till she's extremely hungry (bad time that time), got husband, mother and day care have all tried and all have given up, We even have spooned the formula into her which she accepts but is time consuming.

Is there something I haven't tried. I had no trouble with my other 2 children with going onto the bottle but I returned to work later so they got a couple of more months of it. I really just hate that men are influencing my decision to breastfeed, I want to continue but they are making it very difficult, but if I can't breast feed and she won't take the bottle she's gonna be a very hungry little vegemite.

Open to any ideas.

Thank you

Molly

 

[sam's mum]

Men just don't get it, do they? Would they rather have you stressed at work than going out for an hour to feed your baby?

We haven't had any problems with bottles, but I know a few people on here have, and have successfully managed to get their babies to bottle feed, so I'm sure you'll have some more useful replies soon (you might want to talk to TashaAndBump as I think she had problems with it too). Not that you should have to, but is there any way you could stay a bit later at work to make up for the time you're away if they won't accept things the way they are now? Or can they pay you for the hours that you are there instead? Surely you're entitled to a break for lunch (or just a break if you're working different hours) in an 8 hour shift though? It might be worth speaking to someone higher up in the company?

Hope you manage to work something out soon x

And welcome to BnB!

 

[Molly72]

Stress, well i have that and now I'm worried about losing my milk, they'll love that.

In the job that I do, we don't really have a lunch break, we pretty much eat as we need (grazing) and as we are so busy we can't have a designated lunch break as we might be needed, so we have to be ready to go.

Nope and can't stay later as I wouldn't be covered insurance wise unless it is overtime, roastering nightmare they reakon. I even discussed split shift and got the same answer.

I'm on a salary basically, so that's why when they say the government pays me for 8 hours, I have to be there for 8 hours.

Spoke to someone (man)higher up...got same answer, just said in nicer way.

Soooooo restrictive.

Thanks for your reply, its great when people respond in the same night.

Molly

 

[leeanne]

Weaning was always a stressful time for me. My daughter was terrible and it took me over a month to get her on the bottle. My son never really did wean and I breastfed him longer than I should have.

Some kids are so stubborn. I tried different nipples, different formulas, etc. The one thing my daughter took in the end was liquid formula that was soya based.

I truly don't know what to suggest hon.

Gosh, I feel for you and it's tough to try and wean when you are stressed.

 

[Holldoll]

It took 10 weeks for Bella to take a bottle. We finally found success with the Adiri bottle. My sister gave it to her when I wasn't anywhere near the house and she would squeeze the milk from the bottle so she would be forced to swallow and put her lips on the bottle. She would suck to about two swallows and then freak out. She would do this again and again until she finished the bottle. Finally after about 5 bottles like this she takes them just fine. Good luck!

Sorry about your job situation, I guess that's a good thing about being in the U.S. They have laws about allowing you to breastfeed.

 

[Molly72]

Thanks for that ladies,

Was cruising around the net looking at other sites and came across one that thought the medela soft feeding cup might work. It like a long tube with a silicon spoon like end to it. It cost a lot in Australian dollars $70. Hubby had a fit but at this point I see no other option but to try everything, I told him its either this or you syringe the formula into her and still be there 2 hours later with a cranky baby. At this point I'll try anything and bugger the cost.

Will let you know how it goes, feel positive about it as it is specially designed for 'special needs' with babies who have nipple confusion and are not taking the bottle. I have given up even attempting to put her on the bottle, the trauma it causes her upsets me and then I worry about losing my milk and she would go hungry.

So basically I had to rationalise it, it is only 1 bottle perhaps 2 when i'm at work, I'll have weekends, days off and others to fully feed her, my concern was that if we got her on the bottle, then I fully fed her on days off were we going to have the same drama when I went back to work after the days off, I need to find something that she will take without a fight, so its the cup or the syringe feeding. I feel alot better coming to that conclusion, and the bosses can go jump.

Thanks for your help.

Molly

 

[1st_baby]

I got max ontgo the palytex drop-ins with the natural latch nipple as it resembles the mother nipple and he cant tell the diffrence .

plus side to those is the drop in bags NO AIR = NO GAS

 

[tinytoes]

i was told by my midwife that if I cant breast feed one day that baby could be fed from a cup, even though he's only 5 weeks..? Could be an option for you?

 

[1st_baby]

i was told by my midwife that if I cant breast feed one day that baby could be fed from a cup, even though he's only 5 weeks..? Could be an option for you?

You can also use the lil syringe you have to give a baby meds ..i gave max his colustrum like that cause it was to thick for him to suck out
Either one would be good