How the hell do you get them to take a bottle?

[boba82]

DS is 8 weeks & EBF. DH been trying to give him an EBM bottle at bedtime for weeks but he just sits with teat in his mouth like he doesn't know what to do with it. We've tried all the advice. Waited until he's starving, not waiting, all feeding positions, skin to skin, different bottles & teats! Got my first night out on Fri - somebody please help!!!

Hmmm.... I ended up having to feed my DS milk on a spoon as he point blank refused to drink from a bottle... Does take rather a long time tho! You could try using a doidy cup! They're quite good. Or a pippette! Good luck!

I'm afraid I don't have any words of wisdom - like you, I tried everything to get DD2 to take a bottle on and off, and eventually at 8 months I had to shut the shop and have a battle of wills - I didn't really want to stop feeding but was finding the demands of still 3 feeds to sleep a night too much! I didn't go out much during the BF stage, but did a bit, and went locally and if she woke up and cried for a feed, sitter (usually DH, my mum or MIL) would phone me and I just accepted that I had to leave right then. I only went out with friends who I knew would understand my need to run off. Good luck and enjoy your night out. x

Thanks ladies. agatha the spoon idea had crossed my mind but does it satisfy them the same?

Well I think it probably staves off disaster... Probably not as much milk will go in, but at least you know that your baby is getting some sustenance. My DS was such a naughty with regards to taking a bottle, but when I actually wasn't physically there, and someone else took over, he did eventually take one. I remember thinking it would never happen. Good luck with it!

I had this last week, mad panic as I was actually getting a night out
Dream feeding was what cracked it for me
Before that DD was howling everytime a teat went anywhere near her mouth.

Good luck

When we were getting DD to take a bottle we started of by putting it in her mouth while she was sleeping and she would wake up and have a bit. Then we did it when she was sleepy. And gradually she got the idea. The first few times we tried to give her a bottle (when she was awake) she refused and then screamed for half an hour, it did get better just had to persevere a bit.

He took a bottle last night!! Woo hoo!!