Part time bottle refuser

[LouisaJF]

We are currently trying to wean 20 week DS off the breast and onto formula but he's not keen. Some days he does ok but others we can only get 3/4 oz down him per feed. Occasionally he gets very worked up and tries to reach for the breast. If I offer it to him he then has a good feed.

He's a 20lb beast so I'm conscious of making sure he gets the amount of milk he needs.

What should I do? Should I just cut out the breast entirely or do I let him have what he wants?

[VeryLittleGravitasIndeed]

Is someone else around who can give him the bottles until he gets used to them? DD still won't take a bottle from me at nearly 8 months but happily takes one from DH (she's mixed fed).

[LouisaJF]

He can take some from DH but I'm the one at home with him most of the time. DH gets less down him than I do.

[VeryLittleGravitasIndeed]

It did take DD a while to get used to the idea. We found it worked best when she wasn't starving, and was in a good mood. Also try different positions - DD won't take a bottle when cradled, she likes being in her bouncer or on DH's lap.

[LouisaJF]

He has now taken to clamping his mouth shut to reject the bottle. Ivan only get a decent feed down him if he is starving and hasn't fed for hours. This can't be right can it?

[VeryLittleGravitasIndeed]

I wouldn't force the issue if I were you. He will take it eventually, you don't want him to pick up on your stress. At 20 weeks he's far to young to have anything but the most basic associations so try offering the bottle in lots of different locations and positions (and when you're feeling calm) - at his age he'll see each new location as a different situation so you can see what works.

[hollie84]

Can he not just have 4oz bottles?

[LouisaJF]

I don't mind giving him 4oz bottles but he doesn't drink enough of them. I have found that when he takes a break from the bottle he will then drink more if I sit him in the rocker, so the different locations might work.

[LittleBearPad]

When you say he doesn't take enough 4oz bottles whst do you mean?

If it's because he's hungry and wanting more shortly after one bottle then it's ok to have a break.

If it's because it doesn't look enough versus the guidelines on the tin don't worry and try to feed on demand. You didn't know how much BM he was taking so try not to get too hung up on measurements.

Good luck.

[LouisaJF]

He has less feeds than when he was breast feeding and is currently having 2/3 oz per feed.

We recently changed the teats to the next flow but I'm going to change them back as he seems to be gulping down milk and getting distressed.

[LittleBearPad]

So how many does he have a day?

[LouisaJF]

At the moment he's having 3 or 4 of those a day, with top ups from the breast.

[LouisaJF]

I've changed the teats back to the slower flow and started feeding him in his rocker in front of the TV (he's a telly addict) and he's taking regular 6oz bottles.

It's such a relief. Thank you MNetters!