Help they won't take bottles!

[apple84]

I'm not sure whether this question belongs in here or the breastfeeding forum

I have 7 month old twins and am happy to have breastfed them BUT I'm not happy that they refuse bottles! I've tried breastmilk, formula (low iron - apparently tastes better to breastfed babies ) and a mx of the two. I've tried first time in the morning and other times when they should be hungry. I've tried slow and fast nipples, different shaped nipples, brown and clear nipples, me feeding them, someone else feeding them, they holding the bottles themselves, supply cups, straw cups. Nothing seems to work! Sometimes they'll fiddle and chew on the nipple enough to get a little milk, but overall they'll barely take an ounce.

Help me! Anything else I can try? I enjoy breastfeeding, but I need a break once and a while! Plus one of my twins (Clara) is getting pickier and pickier about nursing in public or even in my living room if it's too busy. Also we're going on a family vacation in October and it would be really handy to be able to easily give them a bottle in their stroller while walking around.

 

[Emzy1]

I have just gone through this ive been desperate to get Logan on a bottle feeding in public is a nightmare now so i want to give bottles when we are out in public places. I tried so many bottles and teats and in the end he took tommee tippee closer to nature with fast flow, i started him on my boob then quickly pulled him off after a minuet and put the bottle there and he took 5oz i couldn't believe it (i had tried this before but kept going and it worked eventually) It took me a month of trying to get him to take a bottle i tried everything he has only had about 7 or 8 bottles now as im happy to breast feed but like you its nice to have a break. He now will take a bottle with out going on me first but he is still fussy with it and he has refused it still so i cant rely on it but im sure he would eventually if i wasnt there.

Some tips you haven't mentioned
Logan takes it better when he is not tired or i think he likes the comfort on the boob.
He will only take it if its really warm
Hold baby in the same way you would to BF them.
Let them play with a bottle to get used to it empty or with water
Squirt BM on the nipple or some formula so they know what it is and get a little taste.
Walk about with them in you arms with the bottle in the mouths and hope they suck.
Im sure with Logan he just didn't know what to do with the bottle and once he had a suck and milk came out he worked out it would feed him.
Good luck and keep trying hope you get there in the end

 

[Bumblebee117]

I had the same problem with Ella, Finn took to the bottle straight away but she just gagged and refused to even try it. If breastmilk or formula or a mix - nothing worked! lots of money spent on different bottles and teats and nothing worked so I just tried once in a while until suddenly 2 weeks ago she decided she is ready and took it! great success!

I guess whenever they are ready they will take it... keep trying! the bottle mine took in the end was a tommee tippie.

xx

 

[HellBunny]

I'm not sure hun since we switched after 1 week but have you tried giving them milk in cups?x

 

[apple84]

Well it was bottle bootcamp here today and I think we've made some progress. They aren't refusing the bottle anymore and seem to view it as a toy. They want to hold it themselves, which is fine by me. I offered a bottle to each baby three times today and while they never drank more than 1 ounce (usually 1/2 ounce), by the third time they were excited to see the bottle and reached for it.

I guess I'll keep trying this and maybe eventually they'll actually drink a significant amount