Help! Baby won't take a bottle.

[maryberryslayers]

Just after some advice. DS was BF from birth, I couldn't express well and found it stressful (2 hours for half an ounce if I was lucky!) so he just fed from the breast. I had a tough time at first, multiple mastitis, very painful etc but around 3-4 months we cracked it and I found it easy and convenient so I just carried on.
He's 7 months now and eats well. 2/3 small meals per day a mixture of spoon fed and baby led (not much goes in on the latter). He loves sipping from a water beaker but mainly spits it out, like a bit of a game.
I'm happy to breastfeed him for as long as he wants but I'd like to introduce a bit of formula as I have to leave him for a day soon and am really worried as he absolutely will not take a bottle, he either screams and gags or just chews on it and spits what goes on out.
I've tried tommee tippee and minbie bottles, both with little success. I've also tried milk in the water beaker but he was wise to my to tricks!
He usually breastfeeds morning and night, before each nap and once or twice in between. He's fed on demand so no set schedule.
Any advice on how to get him to accept a bottle would be much appreciated.

He'll be fine with just water and food for the day.

I've heard good things about those super cheap supermarket bottles for refusers. I'll find a link. But really I wonder if all the stress and expensive trials of different bottles is worth it?

BBL

this style

We went straight to a cup with a rubber spout with my DD as she never accepted a bottle. Much preferred the beaker and was happy drinking milk or water from it from about 5 months on.

Philips Avent Easy Sip Spout Cup with Handle, 200 ml, Pink/Purple - SCF551/13 www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N3P9EXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_w.IWCbDD2X9P5?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Mine never took a bottle either. I promise you he’ll be fine without formula or breast milk for a day, but if you have some on hand just in case, then use a cup like the one linked above.

By 8 months I was back and work and only breastfeeding at night, he never had formula or cows milk, just water and food. I did use to stress that he wasn’t drinking enough water but he definitely was!

I do think he'll be ok for a day on food and water at his age but Dr Brown's were the best for my little bottle refuser. They're still the only ones she'll take

With my first one, the bottle was introduced by MIL, who was helping us at the time. DD refused it from me as she could probably notice I had a better option! With DS it was the same. He wouldn’t take it at first (around the same age as your daughter) and then only when DH or, again, MIL gave it to him. By the way, with both, we used expressed milk so no formula (DD developed an allergy to formula milk so we stayed away). You could try getting someone else to introduce it in your place and also use expressed milk in case this could help Introducing the bottle. Good luck!

I put my DD on the nipple for a few secs, then slid the bottle in from the side once her mouth was open. It worked for me

Others probably know much more than me, but I wonder how you're placing it in his mouth? It really surprised me how far back the teat needs to go, despite knowing the nipple has to aim so far back.

If you are being a bit tentative and slipping it between his lips/into his mouth, he will likely spit it out, because he wants it to hit the same place as the nipple - ie., quite far up and backwards.

Have you tried softer latex teats?

Like these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NUK-Choice-Bottle-Months-Anti-Colic/dp/B0013NFOS6/ref=ascdff_B0013NFOS6/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310843171112&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3109603865500156457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046990&hvtargid=pla-406644755655&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Modern silicon teats are quite stiff and hard to suck for bf babies.

Also as per pps you simply being present is reason enough to refuse as they know the breast is there.

Better for dad or gran or a friend to try without you there.

Also experiment with different bottles and formula - they don't all taste the same.

I'm sorry to say neither of mine ever took a bottle. I didn't leave them until they were eating solids and drinking water sorry.

I know the struggle. Mine has only just started taking a bottle and she's almost 8 months. What changed for us was that she could hold the bottle so had more control over it. Also I cut the teat hole so the flow would be faster. This made a massive difference. We practised with water in the bottle and then after some time added some formula.

Good luck.

Thanks all, lots of great advice and things to try.
He won't take it from MIL or his dad so far, but I'll get them to keep trying.

One of mine never took a bottle.

If he drinks water from a cup, there's no reason he can't drink milk from a cup.