To go to work on Monday when my 5mo hasn't had a bottle yet?!

[PenelopeChipShop]

I have to work next week, four days, out for ten hours. We need the money and the contact may lead of more work in future, etc (am freelance).

My DD is five months and breastfed. Over the last month or so I've done all I can to introduce her to other feeding methods and she will dip water or milk from a doidy cup or take a little bit from a spout cup (very messily). She has had a bit of very runny baby porridge from a spoon she seemed keen.

But she just can't seem to 'get ' a bottle. She isn't refusing it, she shows willing, but she isn't getting anything out of it! She looks like she's sucking but she can't be. I'm just getting a but panicky about leaving her. Has anyone else had to do this? I wanted to see her take a 'full' feed from a bottle before next week but have got 3 days now and I don't know what else to do.

[WeirdAndPissedOff]

Bit of a tangent, sorry, but have you checked the teats? DN sometimes does this - seems like he's sucking forever but doesn't seem to be taking anything, and every time we've checked we haven't been able to get anything out of the teat either.

[pocketsized]

Have you checked that the vent bits on the teat aren't stuck together? Sometimes they are and then it's almost impossible to get any milk out.

[umizoomi]

Yes check the teats. Tommee tippee are terrible for this I chucked loads away. Make sure you also have the correct flow level for a baby her age

[BarbarianMum]

My ds1 refused to take a bottle when I started work, esp from me. After 4 days of patient coaxing from my mum (and no alternative because I wasn't there) he got the hang of it. For those 4 days he existed on an ounce here and there and a bit of baby rice (plus falling on me like a starving vampire when I came in the door).

Definately check the teats but if they are OK I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[PenelopeChipShop]

I think they're OK as when I hold it upside down it drips out slowly. Is that right?

Am using Doctor Brown's and the three-month teat but I did wonder if I should try 6 months as she's closer to that age?

[Goldenvalley]

have you tried different bottles/ teats?

[frenchfancy]

Try different bottles/teats, but also different milk (unless you are using expressed).

I couldn't get my first to take a bottle then tried lots of different formulas until I found one she liked.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

I'd try faster flowing teats. Mine always seemed to need faster than their age. But if you think, teats only have one hole whereas a nipple has more output. For the sake of a few weeks there's no harm trying a faster teat. It's not like they magically turn 6 months and can suddenly do things they weren't doing an hour before.

[PenelopeChipShop]

Yes have experimented with different bottles and milk and found the formula she seems to like best (she sipped it from the cup).

I just can't seem to make the leap from her 'trying' it (and giving I and me feeding her) and get sticking with it.

So you reckon this will happen when iM not there?? I hope?

[PenelopeChipShop]

Sorry typos! I meant I keep giving in and breastfeeding her

[ParadiseCity]

OP don't panic.

I went back to work in the same predicament. DD just would not take any bottle off anyone. For the first couple of days she pretty much fed all night, so prepare yourself for lack of sleep. On about day 3 her Key Worker tried heating the EBM - obvs not scalding - but hotter than anyone had tried before. DD drank it and it was all plain sailing from then on. Clearly I have Hot Tits

10 years on I am still in touch with the wonderful Key Worker and truly eternally grateful. FWIW DD will only drink ice cold milk these days and is a total cheese addict.

Somehow all will be well [hugs]

[PenelopeChipShop]

Oh Paradise you made me giggle thank you! Always good to hear from someone with perspective when you're right in the middle of baby muddle! 🙂

[Munstermonchgirl]

Honestly she won't starve!
Probably when someone else is feeding her, she'll take to it more readily. Some babies do prefer a cup and go straight from breast to cup at a few months.

You are bound to worry but all will be well. I returned to work when my first was 3 months; luckily the clever thing could drink from anything, and would have breast, ebm in a bottle or even sips of water off a spoon if it was very hot. Dc2 was more fussy and didn't like bottles so went straight to cup

[hunnypots]

I had this exact problem and was really scared to leave dd at home. However once they realise milk isn't coming their way they do try to adapt to something else. In my case I bought 17 different bottles and none of them worked. We then moved onto a cup and that kindve worked and dd was ok but I'd rush home and feed her straight away and in the mornings still (despite working 10 hours between these 5 days a week so my milk still kept up somehow)
In the end we found the small ready made Aptimel bottles https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00LUMF6LK/ref=mpssa119ss_it/255-2028183-7849125?ie=UTF8&qid=1472751917&sr=1-9 and she had them forever after that. Although they were expensive but I was happy as nothing else seemed to work!! Good luck

[user1471443957]

I agree with warming the milk. My BFed babies would only take milk that was properly warm, not room temp. They're getting breast milk at body temp so I guess that's what they're used to.

[misspym]

Have you tried NUK bottles (if they are still available my dd is 10) She really struggled to take a bottle at around your baby's age. I tried the NUK teat and she took to it really easily.

[charlie2405]

Why don't you just scrap the bottle and try her straight on a beaker? She may find it easier? X

[Nutellas]

Try Nuk bottles with latex fast flow teats. The only thing that got my bottle-refusing DS to take a bottle. Lifesavers.

[RumbleMum]

I second (or third) the NUK suggestion. I had a bottle refuser and it saved us when my breastmilk packed up. Good luck OP.

[KathySelden]

Another thumbs up for Nuk or failing that a munchkin miracle 360 cup, they sip from them and it doesn't spill.

[mirime]

Before I went back to work I started going out for walks and leaving ds with DH or one of my parents to get him used to the bottle. He was never going accept a bottle if I was there. Could you try that?

[Stevefromstevenage]

That is the exact same age I left ds. He took bottles but he rarely took anything for cm when I was away for full days, maybe 2-3 ounces, but by god did he reverse cycle.

[FontSnob]

Another for Nuk with latex teat and Actimel if you're giving formula.

[FontSnob]

Aptimel....not the yogurty bottle drinks, that would be a disaster.

[misspym]

Yes, it was the latex teats we had success with. The wide ones. The are softer and more pliable than most others we tried.