Why won't my LO take a bottle...?

[bebespain]

Have been breastfeeding exclusively for 7 wks but for various reasons decided to try giving last feed as formula in a bottle. I tried this two nights ago and my little boy just screamed and screamed. Tried again last night and got more of the same. It was my dh who did this as I had read lo might smell milk etc if I gave it to him.
Now I wonder if I should just forget it altogether as I hated seeing my lo so traumatised.
Any advice will be gratefully recieved....

[henrybaba]

Hi there - I posted a thread about the same topic a while ago so I can sympathise completely. I had exactly the same problem...and to be honest I just decided to leave it until he was older and I think it was the right decision...if you have that option.

I started trying with expressed milk when DS was about 6 weeks old. 1st few attempts were fine but then he took a strong dislike to the bottle so we decided to leave it.

Started trying again at 3 months with formula and he hated it - screaming the place down every time. The reason I was keen to do it was that I am going back to work in March so wanted DS to be used to the bottle for when he was at nursery. In the end I decided to give up as it was becoming too traumatic for us all and I hated to see DS so distressed.

So that I could be sure it was the bottle and not the formula itself that he didnt like, I tried feeding him formula off a spoon and he was happy to take that so I could be satisfied that the problem lay with the bottle.

HOWEVER, on Monday (DS now aged 5.5 months) I just thought I would try it and see and, hey presto, he took it no quibbles. He only had about 1.5 oz but it was a start...and he took the same amount again yesterday.

I think the turning point has been that I have started weaning him so he is getting used to having a spoon in his mouth and suddenly a bottle doesn't seem so alien. I had also started to give him a Tommee Tippee cup to play with so he had been chewing on the spout of that for a couple of weeks too.

Also, I used to always try in the evening and in hindsight he was tired and not in a very patient mood then. Perhaps I would have had more luck in the afternoon...

I was also advised on MN to use to the Tommee bottles as I had only used the Avent ones up til then - not sure if that has made a difference or not but I am not going to risk going back to the Avent ones now.

Best of luck - I know how stressful it can be, especially if you have a reason why you need to bottle feed. All you want is for your baby to have a good feed and to be satisfied by it, not upset.

If you are able I would just suggest taking your time and enjoy the BF while you can.

[henrybaba]

This may help - it helped me \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=8&threadid=9287}

[Olihan]

Bebe, what sort of bottles are you using? Tommee Tippee do some called Closer to Nature which have wider teats made out of very thin silicone. They also have creases in the teats so they flex in and out like a nipple does, iyswim!

I know other people have had success with NUK bottles and teats which also have funny shaped teats and they're made out of rubber which is supposed to be more skin like than silicone.

If you can't get either of them in Spain I'll happily post you some. Just shout on here or on the postnatal thread.