bf baby reluctant to take more than an ounce or two by bottle!

[lu9months]

I am trying to introduce a bottle to my 3 month old baby, in a bid to very gradually stop breast feeding. however, he only takes an ounce or two then wont take any more - and is hungry again an hour later - when he will take another ounce or two... any advice??

[singsong]

bump

[nailpolish]

what teat are you using? sometimes if its a slow teat they can get fed up sucking, take what they need to make the hunger go away then give up. my 12 wk old dd is now on no. 3 teat (medium flow)

[emz31]

i had this probelm with my DS - i spent an absolute fortune on bottles etc and he still just wanted boob. he's now 6MO and this weekend decided enough was enough and i wanted my boobs back, so bought the MAM anti colic bottle with soft flow teat (number 2) and left him with his dad for the afternoon so i wasn't tempted to whip out a boob! i came back and he's taken 9ozs with no fuss and has taken to it now no probs. i think it also helped that he's on 3 meals a day now so has lots of other new sensations and tastes in his mouth and also psychologically i was ready to give up BF. try those teats though and go out shopping for the afternoon whilst dad gives it a go.
HTH

[beansprout]

It is suggested that we don't try to feed our dbs as they can "sniff the milk" and can be more reluctant to feed from the bottle. Another reason to go shopping and ask dh to have a go then!!!

[lu9months]

I have tried all sorts of teats! now he wont take more than an ounce, and cries and cries if I keep offering the bottle... He drops off to sleep, but doesnt have his usual lunch time nap cos wakes up hungry... and I end up feeding him extra boob in the afternoon to make up for lack of a mid morning feed. do you think I have to go cold turkey and stop bf altogether? I'd rather not yet.

[nailpolish]

agree with emz - make up the bottle give it to dp and GO OUT. then you wont know whats going on and be tempted to intervene, and baby will be less confused as to why she's getting a bottle from mummy.

[Newbarnsleygirl]

There's the haberman feeder that the baby whisperer recommended. It is meant to be just the same as breast feeding. I don't know where you can get them though and I would imagine they would be quite exspensive.

[Bozza]

Had same problem with my DS at this age - was returning to work. Would not take it despite it being ebm and various teats and DH was not enough help. In the end I devoted a day to it. Gave him a breastfeed at about 10 and then after that wouldn't breast feed him and he kept refusing the bottle and then I'd be pasing the floor with him and he'd fall asleep briefly. Then DH got home about 5 and took him and decided to give it another go (he was crouched on the floor and in his work suit LOL) and he took all the bottle. And was OK from then on. Was mixed fed until 6 months.

I had to be tough though - but in the end it was only part of one day.

[egypt]

same prob with my 7 month old. i went away for the weekend (not that i am suggesting you do that!) and my mum gave her a bottle and she had no choice but to take it. honestly. when you're not there - out of sight out of mind, they take it if they are hungry enough. at least you know he knows what to do with it. perhaps leave longer after his last feed and he may take more. are you using ebm? tends to be easier with that

[lu9months]

thanks for the tips! ! when I go back to work, I think I will have to do what you suggest and go out and leave someone else to do battle..

[emz31]

you def. need to go out, otherwise, like i did, i ended up pacing the floor, hovering etc and then after an hour of screaming got the boob out - it also helped that DS saw me go out the door with my coat on, so he realised i wan't there to give in. agree with bozza and be prepared for a hard day. realise now my DS has a very stubborn streak! don't bother with the haberman feeder. i thought it was the answer to my prayers when i saw it on the baby whisperer - spent £20 on one from the net and i think DS hated that more than anything!! - seriously - just go shopping, get your hair done etc and you may be pleasently surprised when you return!!

[californiagirl]

When I went back to work I asked DD's nursery what to do about the fact that she wasn't taking a bottle for anybody but me. They said they had babies arrive not taking bottles all the time, and it was no big deal, and not to worry about it, she would either take bottles from them within two days or find another way to get by, and either way, she'd be fine, and it wasn't worth spoiling our time together fighting about it, it wasn't going to reduce her total amount of trauma. Sure enough, by day 2, she was taking bottles for them just fine, and she was not miserable on day 1. Ask your nursery before adding extra stress to your precious last days before working...