Desperate for help! My baby won't take a bottle!!!!

[runnergrl]

My son is an has been exclusively breastfed all along. We gave him the occasional bottle when he was a few weeks old just so I could get some sleep and my husband could feed him and give me some sleep. Once my supply regulated and he started sleepibg better, we stopped giving him a bottle.

Problem is, we need him to start taking one again! We are headed on a vacation to Hawaii for 7 days and my mother will be watching him and he needs to take a bottle. We've been trying for the past week or more with no luck.. He screams and throws a royal fit every time we try to give him expressed milk. We've tried 4 different kinds of bottles...

Anyone had this problem or had success getting a 6 month old breastfed baby to take a bottle??

Please HELP!!!

 

[Lettuce]

Hi, can they take a cup at this age? Jen wouldn't take a bottle and we use a doidy cup now, but couldnt you use a sippy cup if you wanted?

Ohhh, sounds like nice holiday btw! xx

 

[ifancy]

it might be the type of nipple your using ?

 

[runnergrl]

He won't take a sippy cup either. And I nurse him to sleep every night... Thats what I am most worried about

 

[runnergrl]

He will drink from a regular cup, but not expressed milk, only water or juice...

 

[Clo]

What bottles have u tried? Have u tried MAM or breastflow? I find those are the only bottles my Lo will take.

Also have u tried getting someone else to give him the bottle while ur not in the room, cuz sometimes they will refuse the bottle if they can see u there but are ok if they can see they don't have the boobie option.

Also u could try giving the person feeding him ur pyjama top or something soft that smells of you, to snuggle into when feeding . xxx

 

[megansmith29]

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

 

[Tor]

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

Omg thats a terrible thing to say! OP is trying to get suggestions so that he ISNT a hungry upset baby when she goes away, she is entitled to a break if she wants one!

OP have you tried a wide necked bottle like the tommee tippee closer to nature ones maybe that would be more similar to the breast for him?

 

[megansmith29]

Breastfed babies NEED their mummys! With out her there he WILL be upset! Also there is having a break and there is going away for 7 days.

What she has said is terrible I think - If she is that sure she is making the right choice my words will mean nothing.

 

[Lawhra]

ALL babies need their mummies. I do think 7 days is a long time, but the OP is clearly a good, loving mum and she is entitled to a holiday with her husband. This post was to ask for advice. I know everyone is entitled to their opinion blah blah blah. But there is nothing helpful about needlessly judging. Brady will not suffer if a solution is found.

OP - I know you tried 4 bottles but have you tried Breastflow? I hear they're good. There are some good suggestions here and I hope something works.

 

[Brieanna]

Wow, on some of the judgmental comments,I thought this forum is supposed to be mainly for support....


My baby refuses a bottle most times too as she is exclusively breastfed (good job breastfeeding this long, btw). We have been working on it recently to get her used to it for if I have to go to work and I have found a few things that SOMETIMES work.

Use a slow flow nipple. Have someone else do it, better when you aren't even in the room. Don't do it the first feed or if LO is really hungry, but don't do it the last feed either (my LO is cranky near bedtime). Have the milk be fresh (expressed that day or even a few minutes earlier) and exactly body temperature (I keep the bottle under my shirt between my boobs for 20 mins or so). Do it in a quiet, dark room and be very relaxed. These are just some ways to get him used to it. Once he is used to it you can try giving him a bottle at different times .

We have just started so I am not sure if these will work yet, but they seem to be working for us a bit. Good luck, and I will be following this thread to get new ideas too, if you don't mind.

Have fun on your well-deserved vacation!

 

[AP]

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

How judgemental are you??!!!! She never asked for your opinion on her going on a vacation. How horrid!

OP we had problems too, we had best results with MAM. x

 

[SarahP13]

Hi,

My LO first had a bottle of EBM at three months (she's now 6 months) so don't know if this will help but here is what worked for us...

We used Tommee Tippee CTN bottles and the milk was freshly pumped and very warm.
I gave her the bottle when she was neither starving or tired, generally in a happy mood.
I distracted her with a toy while I held the bottle but no other distractions (eg, other people or tv).
Gave her the bottle at about the same time every day for a week.

My little precious ignored the 'room temperature by someone when you're out of the room advice'!!

Initially she played with it and didn't take much. However, after a week she was used to it and drank properly. After a couple of weeks she started taking it from anyone, anytime, even if it's a couple of days old - although still likes it warm!

By the way she was always fed to sleep too - and still does when I'm here 99% of the time- but when I'm not she takes a bottle and settles herself.

Good luck and enjoy your break!

 

[AP]

I dont know if it will help, but the Medela calma teat fits on standard neck bottles and although pricey, it mimics the breastfeeding action.

 

[lilyanne]

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

Seriously? That comment is completely unnecessary.

Have you tried playing around with the temperature? Also, I had DH give Phoebe the bottle the first few times when I wasn't in the room; I tended to get a little anxious about her possible refusing and she seemed to pick up on it and do exactly that. Sometimes she still refuses it at first and we leave it out and try again in a little bit and then she'll take it. With the bottle she tends to like to drink one bottle in multiple sittings so don't get frustrated if LO latches on, drinks half an ounce, and then pulls off. Good luck!!! I hope you find something that works!

 

[tina3747]

Whether you agree or not on her choice to go on holiday it's not your place to say if it's right or wrong. Had the op asked for opinions on if she should go or not your comments would be relevant! Also there's far worse situations with children being left to fend for themselves while mums go out or on holiday that being cared for by a grandparent is the next best thing to mum.

 

[aliss]

Here's a great PDF:
https://www.leron-line.com/handout /Helping_a_Breastfed_Baby_Accept_a_Bottle.pdf

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

Oh boy She's leaving baby with grandmother, not the creepy hobo behind Taco Bell.

 

[tina3747]

Here's a great PDF:
https://www.leron-line.com/handout /Helping_a_Breastfed_Baby_Accept_a_Bottle.pdf

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

Oh boy She's leaving baby with grandmother, not the creepy hobo behind Taco Bell.

Does creepy guy behind taco bell do baby sitting services? Please pass on my name and number, we really struggle with cheap childcare.
Thanks x

 

[buttonnose82]

Sorry if this offends but i cant believe how selfish you are! You baby will be a very hungry upset baby if you go away they not only feed from the boob they comfort suck and this calms them. With his mummy gone and also no boob for 7 days im sure it will break his heart. Like i said sorry if this upset or offends but i had to say something!

I fail too see how this is a constructive comment at all, the opening poster asked for advice/support not to be judged

You knew a comment like this was likely too offend, may I suggest in future if you know a comment will offend then you refrain from commenting at all

 

[buttonnose82]

My son is an has been exclusively breastfed all along. We gave him the occasional bottle when he was a few weeks old just so I could get some sleep and my husband could feed him and give me some sleep. Once my supply regulated and he started sleepibg better, we stopped giving him a bottle.

Problem is, we need him to start taking one again! We are headed on a vacation to Hawaii for 7 days and my mother will be watching him and he needs to take a bottle. We've been trying for the past week or more with no luck.. He screams and throws a royal fit every time we try to give him expressed milk. We've tried 4 different kinds of bottles...

Anyone had this problem or had success getting a 6 month old breastfed baby to take a bottle??

Please HELP!!!

have you tried a doidy cup?? they can drink from it by lapping at the milk (which is a very similar tongue movement too when they breast feed), it was the only way we could get my little man too take expressed milk until he was 10 months old