Baby won't take bottle - any ideas?

[charlottekb]

Hi all - it is with much desperation that I write this. My 8 week-old is having none of the bottle. She is an excellent breast feeder and seems adamant that this will be her only source of fodder. I like a good girl, waited til b/feeding was established til I started to express as I really wanted her and dad to be able to have a nice cuddle of an evening. Plus I now want to bs able to do such fancy things as get a hair cut safe in the knowledge that she is not howling with hunger at home. The annoying thing us that the first few bottles she accepted gladly. Then it all went downhill and now she howls with anger and spits the milk out. It's bloody awful to be honest. With my first baby I wasnt able to feed for long and stopped when he was 5 weeks old. I've really loved feeding her and have felt proud of myself for sticking to it especially as she is a lovely big girl. Those fat chubby legs were created by me! It's an ace feeling. And maybe I need to accept that it's nor for long and just to give up on it. I would just really love a break of only a few hours sometimes. My hubby is a hands on dad and happy to do a night of feeds but it's just nor gonna happen. I did get a full bottle down her in the afternoon last week and it was when she was pretty happy and I thought we had turned a corner! Aaaaahhhhhh - so frustrating. Ive tried breast flow bottles but want to stick to Tommee Tippees for convenience. Anyway! Any advice much appreciated forumites!

[Fidgetsmum]

Firstly, well done for persevering a bit longer this time with bf. I've got two kids - one is 3.5 (exclusively breastfed and my son is 5 months old and the same - however, this time I've introduced a bottle of expressed milk every now and again for the same reasons you discuss - one night a week I get to have a life! hurraaaay! and my husband gets some fantastic one to one time with my son)

Anyway, I know you want to stick with Tommee Tippee, but I found that we had best success with the Playtex system and teats (pm if you want supplier information - it's easy peasy). A lot less winding is required. Also, try slighter cooler milk in the bottle. The times my son has struggled is when the milk has been a tiny bit warmer than usual - and I mean a tiiiiiiiny bit warmer - not too hot, just a bit warmer than usual.

Also, I assume your partner/hubby is doing the feeds and you're not any where near as that can confuse her. And finally, there's some really good websites about positioning for bottle feeding. It's second nature once you've grasped it to get a good breastfeeding latch, but the same amount of focus and work is required to get a good 'latch' for the bottle, one that will ensure a good bottle feed as well as a desire to still feed at the breast.

And finally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with mixed feeding in the end. If you can't get her to take an expressed bottle, you may find it's worthwhile trying her on formula for bottles, and then you at other times. Perhaps she will realise it's a 'different' meal and accept the bottle more readily.

Good luck - whatever you choose will be the right thing!

[KateW]

I know you say you want to stick with tommee tippee but maybe try MAM teats; I've leant my bottles to 3 friends who all struggled to get their babies to take from a bottle and they all got on brilliantly with the MAM ones.

[DaisyDoo]

EXACTLY the sam ething happened to me even though I introduced bottle at 3 weeks & he took it very well. You could just leave the bottle for now, introduce cup driking at 4 months as is the government guideline & have a break whislt she drinks from cup from your partner frm 4 months old? That's what I'm doing as my very content & happy baby was crying for up to 2 hours whilst we tried getting just 2oz down him through the bottle & now he is a happy baby for the whole day again :)

I kno wits a very different advice to what you may have been looking for! But 4 months of age comes round SO quick.............

[charlottekb]

Well thanks ladies. I have since ordered a mam bottle and a friend of a friend able to lend me some playtex ones. And you're right Daisydoo - 4 months will be around in no time. Thanks again. This has all been very helpful 

[supergolden88]

Try feeding baby in a bouncy chair - worked for me. But I kept giving a bottle once a day even if baby rejected it. Eventually he started taking miniscule amounts and now he is ok with it for the most part (he is 6 1/2m). But I think he started being better at around 4/5 months. Initially the only time we had any success with a bottle was during dreamfeed when he was quite sleepy.

[Tamla]

I think every breastfeeding mum goes through this when they decide its time to start doing things for themselves. Its not the feeding thats the issue here (if she is hungry enough she will take the bottle) its the fact that baby wants the comfort and closeness you have given her for the last 8 weeks.

If you are only going out for a couple of hours to get a haircut or have lunch with friends etc its unlikely she will starve! So give hubby a bottle and go. They will be fine/work it out.

My son was the same he is now 8 months old and has never had a bottle (or pacifier)... despite my cupboard full of every bottle design, teat shape and brand on the market.

He now takes milk from a sippy cup as part of his weaning.

Good luck, you sound like a brilliant mum (tu)

Tam