To think it’s all very well all this ‘bottle feeding is a Mother’s right’

[FormulatedR]

But when it actually comes down to it, it’s actually a baby’s choice
Bottle feeding may be the ‘norm’ but what if you WANT to ff and CANT

My baby is a total bottle refuser. Short ofwalking out for a few days I can’t see he will ever take a bottle
I also feel the nhs advice about waiting to introduce a bottle is deliberately misleading saying to wait till 4-6 weeks when conveniently a baby then prefers breast. Is nipple confusion really just a myth to stop combi feeding ?
All I know is I’m knackered I stink of milk I have leaky boobs and never any time to myself. I say I’d have to leave due a few days but in reality he would prob still refuse and need iv fluids he’s so stubborn with the bottles
It has just irked me seeing this week in the news about this
It may be my right but can somebody please tell my child that

DS was a bottle refuser too, although he would take expressed milk from a teaspoon if he apsilutely HAD too and we had massive trouble weaning which basically meant he was only feeding from me till about 9 months. They’re tricksy little beggars and DS in particular has an iron clad will. I’ve got no advise but am raising a Hunger Games salute to you in solidarity.

my DM used a small sauce boat instead of a cup, just the right shape

Perhaps he doesn't like formula? My DS1 didn't - seemed to hate even the smell - formula consequetly spilt down his chin, causing a massive allergic weal. Was then advised to avoid it. He is now 25 and cow's milk intolerant.

OP, I was too lazy to persist but the advice I saw from a lactation consultant was to introduce bottle very gradually.

So, to begin with, empty bottle, no pressure, something to play with, just in the environment like a regular toy
Then add a little milk, breast milk or a mix of breast milk and formula milk so it's not too unusual. Let them continue to play with it and naturally bring it to their mouth.
Then as a feed at a time they're relaxed and not tired or stressed.

Bottle wise, something soft like a MAM is usually recommended. Like I say though, by the time I got this advice I'd just given up, my first wouldn't even take a cup but maybe it will help you. My second is keen on water from a cup, I really should try milk, just need to summon up the energy to get a pump out, but it seems such a hassle!

Oh and first DC was very slow to take to solids too, so just to warn you that can be an unexpectedly slow process too unfortunately. All those tales of babies guzzling down food were not true in our case. Hopefully not true in your case, but I know I was bitterly disappointed when there was still very little food being eaten at 12 months and a lot of breastfeeding still required.

Dd was the same, and I started leaving her to go to work meetings (freelance) at 8 weeks. She hated bottles, would rather scream herself sick than take one, and would then scream herself to exhaustion rather than sleep without suckling. She survived and grew out of it and we kept a roof over our heads. There's probably a niche here for wet-nursing childminders, which is what women used to do, or have them brought to t'mill for a feed.

Had exactly the same issue, realised months i that he was happy to drink straight from a haakaa pump weirdly - might be worth trying a cup? He got much better after weaning so fingers crossed!x

Don’t dispair OP. My DC2 was the same, I was so sad and frustrated and cross because he wouldn’t sleep either and I felt fucking TETHERED to him. Totally different to DS1.

We just kept trying. Gave it a week, then tried again. And again. And again. I suspect the introduction of solids helped. I was able to quit BFing at 11months.

Good luck xxx

My daughter point blank refused bottles from 5 months, and we tried everything. Nothing worked til I got stuck on a train for 5 hours and she was at home with dad. She caved. By now she is 2 and v stubborn, I am not surprised she was such a steadfast refuser. Good luck.

I thought I was the only one! My Dd has never had formula, tried so hard the only thing she would take is water from a sports cap at 11 months. She was EBF until she was a year old, wouldn't even entertain solids. I freaked. Couldn't return to work for the whole year, and was heartbreaking sending her to nursery. I nearly lost my marbles as couldn't do anything for that whole first year. I guess they're right as if we had used a bottle it could have gone the other way though?

I remember my first day back at uni after having DS was a long day of lectures, pretty much 9-5. He was EBF and I had pumped for ages to get enough for that day. He was in the onsite creche and refused a single drop the whole day (although I don't know why they didn't put in a call for me to go over). I had to sit on the steps for a solid hour feeding because he had cried until he was bright red. Tried mixed feeding with no success and it only improved when he was weaned onto solids. He hated everything about formula milk and ended up on full fat milk in a cup way earlier than recommended at the time.

DD wouldn't even entertain the idea of anything other than a nipple until she was 2 1/2. All dummies and teats were spat out and the lips clamped tight, and woe betide I provided a cup with anything other than water in it! I actually ended up going away for a few days to wean her off (twice ) but it didn't happen until she was ready. She still won't drink milk (unless masked by chocolate) at nearly 11, but will happily eat her weight in cream if allowed. DCs are strange beings and should come with a manual when you give birth.