refuses breast demands bottle

[QueenFrost]

My baby is all breastfed. I went back to work at 6 weeks and I pump. I have an oversupply so there's plenty of milk in the freezer. For now.

He is 4 months now and very gradually since he started taking expressed milk from a bottle and pacifiers he prefers them to the breast. His dad is a stay at home dad. It started during the day and on my days off with him he'd refuse the breast. I co sleep with him to breastfeed at night but for the past few nights he won't even do that. He might latch for a few seconds at night but pulls away. During the day and after work if I fry to breastfeed he cries if I even try t lay him down next to my breasts.

I'm devastated. I want to continue til he is a year old. I can only pump 3x a day.

 

[ClairAye]

I had the same issue from combi-feeding and had to stop feeding at 3 months, I was devastated too! I took her to the midwives who tried to help with nipple shields and it did work but I couldn't do it myself. I hope you can find a way around this!

 

[smawfl]

I had a similar issue around 4-5 months, it was when she became more aware of everything and distracted by everything!

I had to pump and give the milk in the bottle. It was hard work, but I wanted to keep going, and it only lasted a couple of weeks, at which point she point blank refused the bottle and demanded the breast again. Just as quickly as she refused, she wanted it back again.

Hopefully he will return to the breast. Good your supply is plentiful.

 

[QueenFrost]

It is getting so frustrating. He is constantly turning and moving his head while feeding even from the bottle. He acts like he's so hungry, latches for a few seconds, then moves his head all around and the bottle falls out. If we can, we follow his head but its like feeding a moving target. If the nipple falls out, he screams like why did you take my milk away? I'm so hungry!

He does tis for almost every feeding.

He does it during the day, at night, when there is no distraction, when there is entertainment, while soothing music is playing, white noise, total darkness, with a nightlight, 3 sizes of bottle nipples.

It makes breastfeeding nearly impossible. I used to think it was forceful letdown. Then I thought it was slow letdown. I tried every possible combination of positions, atmosphere, everything. For now I am still producing enough through pumping 3x a day to keep him 100% bf. But I'm worried.

He weighs 20.5 lbs and is 27" long so he is growing! He's only 4.5 months and is the size of a toddler. I just can't figure out why he fusses and moves so much while feeding. It is driving us both nuts.

 

[luna_19]

The moving and fussing is very typical for.this age. Make.sure you are using very slow flow bottles so he doesn't develop a preference for a faster flow. Also making sure your hubby is doing paced bottle feeding (Google it there are great videos) to closely mimic bf

 

[QueenFrost]

A tooth. He's getting a tooth on the bottom I can feel it. This explains some.

 

[QueenFrost]

He now has 2 teeth. I quit my job and became a stay at home mom now, so trying g to wean him off bottle. My supply really drooped in the last few weeks we are going thru the freezer stash like wildfire. Past few days have been successful. I figured out if I lay him down and get him actively sucking pacifier, I quickly remove it and replace it with my nopple. If I don't, he either refuses to latch or bites me. We are going to get this right. Also, he is 5.5 months and obsessed with our food. I feel guilty eating in front of him. He stares, begs, cries, yells, grabs...he wamts to eat! I think were going to try some baby food with him today to get a taste.