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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Help - how can I get my 5 month old to drink from a bottle (ebf until now)

2 replies

Bartiimaeus · 04/03/2012 17:46

The dreaded moment has arrived - I have to go back to work! So we're starting to phase in bottles during the day (I want to continue to bf morning and evening).

We've bought a Nuk 1st choice bottle which is supposed to imitate breast-feeding, but DS doesn't seem to know how to drink from it and is getting very frustrated.

He's happy to open his mouth to take the bottle, but starts whining when he doesn't get much milk out. He tries to chew the teat but I reposition it when he does. I eventually managed to get him to drink today by alternating breast and bottle and also squeezing the teat to help him, but again, I think the milk was coming out too slowly from the bottle so he'd get frustrated and cry.

Originally DH was supposed to give him the bottle but he didn't have time today (it took DS 45 minutes to drink 80ml) so I took over. DS doesn't seem to mind taking the bottle from me but did root for the breast a few times.

Any ideas? I was thinking we need to get an easier-flowing bottle, although I'm afraid it might get too easy and he'll give up breast-feeding, but on the other hand I don't want him to starve!

OP posts:
lucidlady · 04/03/2012 17:53

I'm trying to get my 4mo EBF baby onto bottles too. She won't take a slow flow teat so I've had to go buy some faster ones! I've bought Tommee Tippee anti colic bottles and the teat for 3+ months. Hopefully it will work!

UntamedShrew · 04/03/2012 19:10

What Nuk teat are you using? I find their packaging quite unclear. The number 1 ones for 0-6 months come in S, M & L so there are actually 3 kinds of no1 IYSWIM. Make sure you've got L at least or maybe even a no2.

If that doesn't work I'd try going straight to cups or beakers. We started giving them to DTs at 6 months for water with meals (nuk ones) so when I stopped BF a few months later just switched to those. They were always fine with them just a bit messier than a bottle.

Also then you will save another weaning hurdle (off bottles) in future Wink

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