BF baby refusing bottle

[Tabitha1983]

Hi...looking for some help/tips!
My 10 week old baby is EBF, however I would like him to be able to take a bottle occasionally when required, or even once a day if needs be to maintain the skill. I've been expressing milk and trying to get him to take a bottle for the last few weeks...with no joy at all!
Tried Dr Brown, NUK and medela pump teats.
Tried hungry, not hungry, tired, just woke up from nap etc but nothing seems to make a difference! He either screams and screams (if tired or hungry) or just smiles at me letting milk dribble everywhere out of his mouth!
It's been suggested if I can get him on a dummy it mimics the same sucking action?? Not opposed to dummy just not really needed it...yet!

Have you tried letting someone else give the bottle with you nowhere in sight? I went back to work when ds was ten weeks and dh managed to get him to have a bottle a day when I wasnt around. .

No advice as my daughter is the same. I've given up trying after several tears and bottles. I bought several expensive bottles apparently made for bottle refusing babies but she still refused. She gags on a dummy so she can't take that either.

Wishing you more luck!

My advice, as per pp is, try having someone else attempt to feed baby, when you aren't even in the same building and your milk can't be smelled. I promise, I tried every brand name and some generic supermarket teats (and dummies - literally spent a couple of hundred $ in the end) and eventually, the two of my four dss' who did take a bottle/dummy only took to maam products.

Your baby probably doesn't understand why you're giving a bottle when you have boobs... as pp said, try getting someone else to do use the bottle. Maybe go for a short walk while they try.

We never managed to get DD to take a bottle, I'm afraid some babies just won't. If i tried to leave so DH coukd feed her a bottle i just got back to a very distressed baby. You could try giving it on a spoon, though progress will not be fast... and there are some sippy cups which are OK to use from 4 months. These may also be more effective than a fake nipple once he's a little bit older good luck!

Some ebf babies just won't take a bottle no matter how you try tongue it or who tries to give it. My baby never did take a bottle even if I went out of the house leaving him
With DH and he was hungry. I just had to persevere with ebf in the end but when he started solids at six
Months or for much easier as at least he would eat something if he was hungry which meant I could go out and leave baby with dad for a few hours and not worry about him being hungry. At 10 months he decided he would drink from a free flowing beaker - heaven.

Hiya, i know exactly how you feel. My son is nearly 15 weeks, and refuses to take a bottle. He has taken from it before, but now refuses. Have tried getting someone else to give him it with me not there, but just return to a distressed baby. Persevere, try him with a bottle at least once a day. Hope this helps x

Sorry no advice as no experience but... just smiles at me letting milk dribble everywhere out of his mouth! 😍😍😍😍😍

The latch bottle is great - the year is really soft and they can latch onto the entire teat just like a breast. May be worth a try

I tried everything under the sun with DD1 who eventually took a mam bottle at 9 months!
I went straight for Mam with DS and DD2 who thankfully has taken a bottle every day since 7 weeks (now 6.5m).

Hi ladies...thank you for all the replies and advise...so I'm not alone with this one! Don't get me wrong I'm so happy I've managed to BF as didnt manage with DD1...however I'm slightly freaking out at the thought of never being able to leave him!!
So maybe I need to go and walk the dog and get DH to persevere...I've let him 'have a go' a few times when I'm there but I interfere thinking i know best lol!! Hope I haven't missed the boat as he's nearly 10 weeks now! He's getting the hang of sucking his dummy a bit better this week so I'm hoping that might help?!

OP, just a thought - is the milk freshly expressed or frozen/defrosted? Freezing milk can change the taste and some babies don't like it. May also be worth your DH getting a bit of milk on baby's lips/ tongue so he realises it's milk when you're not there.

Hi ChipIn...I've read that about frozen breast milk! Strange isn't it?! But no I've mostly been expressing and attempting to give it him straight away (so I know temp isn't an issue) or it's refrigerated milk I'm warming in a jug. Tried with some formula today too but no joy 😕

OP I can't advise as my BF DD at 10 months has always refused a bottle (and cup); but just wanted to say that she has always taken a dummy fine so no guarantee that'll help - if you're managing ok without dummy I wouldn't introduce it for this purpose. Good luck.

Have u tried the tommee tippee ulta teats? They are more shaped like a nipple. I am going to buy some and try tomorrow to see if that improves anything. Currently trying my son again and hes taken an oz out of 6! So patience does pay off (im hoping) 🤗

..just ordered a Minbie bottle!...ill update once it's arrived and I've tried it?! Sounds too good to be true on the website 😂

Did the mimbie bottles work? My ebf dd has happily taken a bottle since a week old and suddenly at 5 months is refusing. Panicking now!

Lansinoh momma bottles (slow flow teat, amazon). We tried EVERY bottle on the market then found this after a recommendation. It worked.

My daughter went straight from boob to sippy cup at 4 months as she never accepted a bottle. I think she was too impatient with the slower flow from a bottle! Saves having to transition from bottles to sippy cups in the future too.