Father needs Help

[PapaJon]

This isn't what I excepted ie: me doing this
I need advice for my daughter, she is 11 weeks old today almost 3 months, my wife is back to work and left me in charge
My problem is after almost 3 weeks of trying to get her to feed from a bottle we have not succeed, she is currently breastfeed and my wife has to keep coming home from work during her lunch, my daughters 1st feed is about 7/7-30am and her next feed is about 12-30pm then a quick top up about 2-30pm then 7-30pm.
We have tried 7 different makes off bottles and teats, with Breastmilk and also 4 different types of formula milk in all the bottles, but still no luck.
Friends have said try a very milky Farley's Rusk either in breastmilk or formula milk, which I wont do as she is almost 3 months way to young.
We have also tried spoon and drops but she spits it out one side of her mouth then smiles.
The crying in-between feeds is heart breaking for me cos all I can do is cuddle her.
Is there any advice anyone can please give me.
Thanks in advance xxx

 

[Shortstuff88]

Have you tried using a sterile syringe? I know it would take your a long time but she would still be able to suck on the syringe while you give her some milk.
And keep persevering with the bottles as she will get the hang of it eventually although it may not seem like it at the moment.

 

[noon_child]

Maybe try quickly unlatching LO from your wife midfeed (while she is still enthusiastically feeding) and substituting a bottle? She may not notice the difference, start sucking and realise she gets milk from a bottle too!!

Or dream feeding her? In a sleepy state she may feed more automatically??

You could look at cup feeding maybe - you don't pour it in to their mouth but let them take the lead with lapping it. I'm sure there are instructions online.

 

[PapaJon]

Hi tried that a few times but she spits it out all the time

 

[PapaJon]

Maybe try quickly unlatching LO from your wife midfeed (while she is still enthusiastically feeding) and substituting a bottle? She may not notice the difference, start sucking and realise she gets milk from a bottle too!!

Or dream feeding her? In a sleepy state she may feed more automatically??

You could look at cup feeding maybe - you don't pour it in to their mouth but let them take the lead with lapping it. I'm sure there are instructions online.

thanks for your reply, tried that also, just went out and got some baby rice, no joy there and also a sippy cup, i really dont know what to do next

 

[noon_child]

Here are a few replies for a similar post on babycentre.com

" found an unusual solution for this common problem. My son is 4 months old and refused the bottle when I started going back to school. He had had bottles before, even formula, so I never thought this could be a problem. It had been a while, though, so maybe he just got old enough to know the difference and care. I was gone 10 hours the first day and he didn't eat a drop! My doctor said it was okay, so we started a battle of wills. I refused to breastfeed, only offering the bottle. As soon as the nipple touched his mouth, he'd scream. He even refused a bottle of breastmilk. Finally, after 15 hours, he took the bottle. My weird little trick was that I held the bottle from underneath and put my pinky in his mouth with the bottle nipple. I have no idea why this worked or what made me think to try it, but hey, whatever works! It sometimes takes a few tries, but once he's eating I can take my pinky out after a few seconds and he'll continue to drink the bottle. That was a few days ago and now he'll sometimes take it without the pinky trick. Even if he still needs that, he resists a lot less. My problem now is that I'm too afraid to go back to breastfeeding. I'd love to breastfeed when I'm home and have him take the bottle when I'm gone, but I'm afraid if I give him the breast he'll refuse the bottle again. I can't do another 15 hour war! Does anybody have any advice?"
posted 06/16/2007 by goddessfromkansas



"My son wouldn't take a bottle for a while either. He's six months old now and although he still prefers the breast, he will take a bottle if necessary. I found that the easiest way to get him to try the bottle was when he was not really hungry. If I tried to give it to him when he was screaming for the boob, he just got angrier. After the first breast if he still wanted to eat I would try the bottle, but not force him. If he didn't want it I just gave him the second breast. Eventually he became accustomed to the bottle enough that it doesn't upset him. A big thing that you have to remember is if your little one is upset in the first place, then he or she is gonna want comfort, and a big part of breastfeeding is exactly that. So try it when the baby is in a good mood and just wants to suck on something, not when she's hungry, I can't guarantee it but it seemed to work really well for me. Good luck!"

 

[missk1989]

Here are a few replies for a similar post on babycentre.com

" found an unusual solution for this common problem. My son is 4 months old and refused the bottle when I started going back to school. He had had bottles before, even formula, so I never thought this could be a problem. It had been a while, though, so maybe he just got old enough to know the difference and care. I was gone 10 hours the first day and he didn't eat a drop! My doctor said it was okay, so we started a battle of wills. I refused to breastfeed, only offering the bottle. As soon as the nipple touched his mouth, he'd scream. He even refused a bottle of breastmilk. Finally, after 15 hours, he took the bottle. My weird little trick was that I held the bottle from underneath and put my pinky in his mouth with the bottle nipple. I have no idea why this worked or what made me think to try it, but hey, whatever works! It sometimes takes a few tries, but once he's eating I can take my pinky out after a few seconds and he'll continue to drink the bottle. That was a few days ago and now he'll sometimes take it without the pinky trick. Even if he still needs that, he resists a lot less. My problem now is that I'm too afraid to go back to breastfeeding. I'd love to breastfeed when I'm home and have him take the bottle when I'm gone, but I'm afraid if I give him the breast he'll refuse the bottle again. I can't do another 15 hour war! Does anybody have any advice?"
posted 06/16/2007 by goddessfromkansas



"My son wouldn't take a bottle for a while either. He's six months old now and although he still prefers the breast, he will take a bottle if necessary. I found that the easiest way to get him to try the bottle was when he was not really hungry. If I tried to give it to him when he was screaming for the boob, he just got angrier. After the first breast if he still wanted to eat I would try the bottle, but not force him. If he didn't want it I just gave him the second breast. Eventually he became accustomed to the bottle enough that it doesn't upset him. A big thing that you have to remember is if your little one is upset in the first place, then he or she is gonna want comfort, and a big part of breastfeeding is exactly that. So try it when the baby is in a good mood and just wants to suck on something, not when she's hungry, I can't guarantee it but it seemed to work really well for me. Good luck!"

This is what I would suggest as well. When we tried to feed a hungry baby he refused the bottle but would take a few oz at a time as a "top up". Also he wouldnt feed if i was around. Are you offering fresh milk or is it a freezer stash? Some times women get excess lispase and when milk is frozen and then defrosted it tastes soapy and smells funny. This could be another thing to consider.

 

[Rachel_C]

Have you tried different temps of milk? She might like it at body temperature or a bit warmer, or even quite cold.

You could also try some weird and wonderful feeding positions. If you're trying the 'classic' baby being fed in your arms, it might just remind her that she wants the boob, so instead you could try sitting her in a bouncy chair and holding the bottle straight in front of her, lying her down your knees (so her feet are by your tummy, head at your knees), anything different really.

I would try feeding her when she's not really hungry, just see if she'll swallow a little and hopefully she'll realise that it's still milk next time she's hungry!

Also, if you haven't already try both powdered and ready made formula as they taste different, even the same brand.

Does she (or would she) take a dummy at all? Perhaps an option to get her used to the different taste would be one of those medicine dummies.