4 month old suddenly refusing bottle

[McGill]

Need help so I can have the occassional few hours away from my son! He is mainly breast fed but does have occassional bottles, wth both expressed milk and formula. He was taking a bottle fine, but in the last week has begun to refuse - just playing with teat, pushing it away, or screamimg....but still breast feeding easily. Any ideas?

Hi McGill, have had exactly the same problem with my 4.5 month old daughter and think i we have finally cracked it. It was hideous, but we just persevered. tried every bottle going, every variation on milk and teat temperature, numerous feeding positions and timing - from starving to not that fussed. She will still howl if we try and give her a bottle if she's not hungry though, and then 10 mins later drain it and look at me as if to say, 'what's your problem!' Little minx. Keep trying, but stay cool about it, in no time you'll have it sussed and you'll be making that break for freedom. Not before you've sterilised and made up the bottles though - what a ball ache that is!

A baby doesn't need to take a bottle every day for you to get time away.

I worked 2/3 shifts a week when breastfeeding and only gave a bottle of EBM when I wasn't there.

Keep relaxed over it and don't force the issue. Leave it a few days then try again. Perhaps baby is teething and the teat is irritating his gums where the breast doesn't.

Meant to say - even if he doesn't take the bottle and you need time away - just go. He will not starve

Thanks guys - will persevere - I have managed to get a couple of ounces into him while he was distracted by the TV...but will perhaps try a different teat as well. I would just hate to ever leave him if I was away longer than his next feed and he refused a bottle with whoever he was with, getting himself all upset and the babysitter!