oh blast... have I left it too late to introduce a bottle to ebf dd? and questions re putting her to bed...

[legallyblond]

DD is 7 weeks and 2 days and is ebf... I folled the nhs advice re not expressing/introducing a bottle until 6 weeks. However, DD had a cold last week and feeding was tricky because of her blocked nose, so I started expressing this week. I tried DD with her first ever bottle of ebm last night (7 weeks and 1 day old) and..... she totally refused it! Had no idea really what to do with it and spat it out/ wouldn't latch or suck. Annoyingly, the bottle had 4oz of my milk in, all of which I had to chuck!

Is it too late now to introduce a bottle of ebm? TBH, I have no need to give her ebm in a bottle (I am not going back to work for a year), I just wanted to for ease for going out/babysitting etc and in case I am ever on antibiotic etc. Any tips on introducing a bottle at this age?

The other reason I wanted to try it is that generally, DD is a dream to feed and not bad at sleeping (she'll do 3 or 4 (or even 5!) hour stints of sleep at night and wakes, feeds and goes back to sleep within 15 mins) BUT, putting her to bed is a NIGHTMARE. Basically, she feeds at 9pm ish, falls asleep after 1 side, then wakes 20 mins later for the other side (by which time its about 9.30 ish) then... won't fall asleep again until about 11pm or later. I have tried to just leave her in her moses basket but the problem is that she doesn't fall asleep because she is in pain from reflux, I think (she does have reflux but silent and mild, and this is the only time of day it really bothers her) and she wants to be held upright over my shoulder. Its frustrating because I feel like time between feeds when she and I could be sleeping is being wasted. If not over my shoulder, she is simply awake... She then wakes up again at 2.30ish, 5.30ish and 8.30ish.

So... I thought she might go down quicker with a bottle of ebm...

Any tips? Is all of this normal? No-one I know is still bf, they've all moved to ff, so all advice appreciated!

Oh and just to add - DD feeds every 2/3 hours (occasionally more often, like 1 amd a half hours) during the day and has gained like a trooper - she was born on and has stayed on 75th centile. So I have no need at all to get more into her via a bottle or even up my milk supply by expressing... I just fancy a bit of time out of the house on my own!!!

I think it is quite normal for them not to go down in the evening at this age, my DD (12 weeks) won't go down before 10pm, usually more like 11. She was also prone to evening fussiness and wanted to be held up for hours but this has now passed.

You might just need to persevere with the bottle if you really want her to take it. Try letting DH do it and don't be in the room at the same time. DD won't take a bottle from me but will from grandparents and DP - understandably I think as she will prefer to be breastfed if possible. Try it at a time when you know she is hungry and not too tired. Good luck!

Legally blonde - I recognise a pattern here re feeding in the evening with my 5 week old DD, this is exactly what she does, She has a bath at 7.30pm, then feeds and naps continually until 10pm when she (hopefully) goes down for the night. I was under the impression that this feeding frenzy was 'cluster feeding' - something I had never heard of pre Mumsnet!
I used to resist feeding in the early days when I was sore, thinking 'you simply cannot be hungry again' but now I know it's normal, I go along with it and feed/swap sides until she falls fast asleep.
I've only just introduced a bottle of ebm (she's only had one so far)and didn't have any problems - I'm not sure if a bedtime bottle would make any difference to the evening fussing because I think that would happen anyway.
When DD had her bottle, DH gave it to her and I stood in the doorway watching, out of sight. If anything I thought I'd warmed it up too much but she loved it, so maybe try it a bit warmer than usual?
Big post- Hope some of it is helpful!

Oooh, that sounds wrong-I just want to add that I didn't 'refuse' to feed her because of being sore, just that I thought she couldn't possibly be crying through hunger so cuddled her and walked her round for hours thinking that more milk wasn't what she needed, even though it was. xx

My 13 week old won't take a bottle at all either - tried 1st time at 8 weeks and Dad has tried 5 times since - flatly refuses it just won't suck at all. Again no intention to stop BF (feeds well and has gained really well) but would just like to go out for a couple of hours without babe over Xmas! Also worried about what I'll do in the coming month's if won't even take EBF in bottle.

Does anyone have any advice re different types of teat perhaps?

I'm thinking maybe I'll just have to accept that BF is the only option (and no Xmas outings for me!)

i'm having a similar prob and am watching with interest. my 9 wk old DS sounds just like your little one legallyblond...

... i would like the option to be out for a couple of hours... also worrying about return to work at 7 months at this rate

I read on another thread that NUK latex teats are worth a try... so I might order a couple. KarenB and KSal, let me know if you have any success or find the miracle answer....

Trying to get a baby to take a bottle -

Put the teat in your bra for an hour, it will smell 'right' to baby and they are more likely to out it in their mouths

Try different temps of milk - some babies like it cold, hot, body temperature. Try the teat at different temps too

Beg, borrow, steal as many different types of bottle as possible to try

If a bottle fails, try something else! My DD2 drank ebm out of a straw from 3 months (don't tell my HV!) as she refuses bottles and I needed to be away from her for a day

Hide and let someone else try the bottle

Wrap bottle in a worn nightie - again bottle smells 'right'

I should add that my DD1 refused anything but my boob and as I've said DD2 (now 10 months) had ebm through a straw from 3 months as she wouldn't drink from anything else but these were the suggestions I was given. Good luck