Getting baby to take a bottle...

[CFM]

Any tips on getting a breastfed baby to consistently take a bottle? My son refuses - I have never had this problem with 2 previous babies, and am starting to panic! Won't take it when hungry, when not, formula, breastmilk... nothing seems to work.

[Polly73]

A few ideas of things people suggested to us that we tried. The first is the one that worked best.

Warm milk (not too warm, obvs) but warmer than body temp

First feed of the day, when he/she is *most* hungry

Let the baby play with the bottle, empty, to get used to it

Try a sippy cup instead - the kind with the valve that's v slow flow

Try other bottles - ours liked the nuk ones best

Good luck!

[etta166]

You could also see if someone else can do it, who is not currently breast feeding.

My second was a nightmare to get on the bottle, but we did get there in the end.

I found that I needed to start off BF, then break the latch with the teat of a bottle of body temperature EBM. The Tommee Tippee closer to nature worked best for us.

[carebear]

I would echo that - mine wouldn't take any bottle from me but was happy to from his dad, especially if I wasn't in the room - we concluded that he wanted the breastfeed if he thought it was available but was happy to switch to bottle if he thought there was no other option!

[AnMKing]

Can second the recommendation for the NUK bottles, they come with latex teats which are supposedly more lifelike. They're also a lot cheaper than most of the "anti-colic" bottles we'd tried before.

[CocoC]

Distraction worked a treat for us, so here's a few things we tried:

- Sneaking the bottle round the side of her bouncy chair when she was sitting in it 'the disembodied arm!'

- Feeding her a bottle while cradling her and walking round the house

- Feeding her when on her playmat or change mat

Once she'd accepted it we soon reverted to more 'traditional' ways of bottle feeding! Good luck

[esme]

Try different teats - some have long ones other short/flatter... I would also say get someone else to do it as baby can smell milk on you so bound to want the real thing :)

[CFM]

Just to say that we succeeded in the end, but thanks to the help of a troubleshooting nanny from Night Nannies. After one visit, four hours, he was sorted. Completely worth it, and would REALLY recommend!

[Lindsey<3]

My little girl never took a bottle no matter how much I tried, she had to have it straight from breast lol. Just gave her cows milk in a beaker from 12 months and slowly weaned her off breastmilk altogether by 15 months xx

[zone2lege]

Medela calma bottles are awesome. The baby has to use the same technique as when on the boob so is not having to learn a new way to suck. You can mix bottle and breast easily then as they switch between the two with same technique....well hopefully ;p) x x