9 weeks and it seems I’ve left it too late to introduce a bottle?!

[AwkwardAsAllGetout]

My 9 week old dd is doing really well with bfing after a tricky start for me where I had split, agonising nipples in the first three weeks or so. She’s my 4th and I’ve fed all the others with no problems. I’m beginning to find it a bit overwhelming though and would like dh to be able to give her a bottle of expressed milk if needed. But she won’t take to a bottle. With my first I had to go back to work very very early so introduced a bottle immmediately, against all advice, and she took to it with no problem, and still breastfed fine. With my next 2 I didn’t try to introduce a bottle til much later and neither would take one. And now it seems I’ve left it too late again! Dc1 got on very well with the MAM teats so those are what I’ve tried so far but she doesnt seem to know what to do with it in her mouth. Is it worth trying a different brand, and if so what? Any other advice? I really do want to keep breastfeeding, but I want the option to know she’s ok with a bottle if needs be.

[RogersVideo]

Yeah I had difficulty with this too. With DC1, she did learn to take a bottle after I introduced a dummy at 3 months. It took a few days of practice for both.

With DC2 I tried to introduce a dummy early on, and he absolutely refused. I tried to introduce a bottle and he refused. We tried a few different bottles, with DH or nana feeding, but it was getting to quite a bit of effort for no reward so we gave up.

[roundligament]

Have you tried to find bottles with teats similar to your nipples
What about nipple guards x

[AwkwardAsAllGetout]

Thanks, I don’t need nippe guards anymore as I’m all healed and doing well, it’s more that I want to be able to leave her with dh if I need to and know she’ll be ok and fed! She won’t take a dummy either so I’m thinking we have a real struggle on our hands to get anything other than a boob in her mouth! I seem to have a very quick let down, if not a real oversupply so she doesn’t have to work hard to be fed and I’m wondering if that’s the problem? Maybe I should try a faster flowing teat?

[roundligament]

Sorry I was thinking the nipple guards to try get her used to having a bit of silicone in her mouth x

[AwkwardAsAllGetout]

Sorry I totally misunderstood you! But that’s a great idea, thank you

[ShortyShortLegs]

DS was exclusively breastfed and when I tried him with a bottle, he didn't have enough power in his sucking to get the milk out. But he drank from a cup really well. I used the spouted Tommy Tippee ones without a valve (going back a few years, not sure what's available now ) He drank water and expressed milk just fine and never used a bottle at all.

[Anothertempusername]

Watching and bumping as am in the same situation, DS 8 weeks and hates the bottle. Have spent so much money on different brands; nipple guards next as I am completely desperate for a haircut / hour to myself!

[BakedBeeeen]

I wouldn't bother keeping on trying different brands, just keep persevering! My DD used to kick up a fuss, but then eventually take a bottle. The thing that worked for us for was giving her a bottle every day - sometimes only with only a tiny bit of expressed milk in, but offering it regularly.

[Candycats]

I totally sympathise! We tried introducing the bottle at about 6 weeks with DS and he's really only properly taken to it in the last few weeks (he's almost 16 weeks now). We started off only trying it a couple of times a week but that wasn't working so we upped it to once every day. We got so much conflicting advice on when to give it: 'give it when he's really hungry', 'give it when he's not hungry'! For us, it seemed to work best when he was just starting to get hungry. I also have fast letdown and oversupply and we use the Medela Calma teats as they're supposed to be good for breastfed babies - they have to suck like they do at the boob. A few other tips that worked for us - warming the teat a bit so it's more like a boob, walking around while giving the bottle to distract baby, tickling baby's lips with the teat to encourage them to take it in like a nipple. Good luck - I know how frustrating it can be but fingers crossed you'll get there soon!

[sirmione16]

Try different teats and shapes 100%. My boy would take tommee tippee fine but only the number 1 flow, no others. And other shapes teats he couldn't latch on. Maybe see if people would lend you a bottle to try so you don't need to spend money buying them and discovering they don't work

[roundligament]

See how the nipple guards go and if she can tolerate that it might convince her to have milk from a bottle
Just wanted to say how great you're doing and it's lovely to see the support other people are also offering you to get a solution for you all xx