Help! Trying to get DD 11weeks to accept a bottle.

[larks35]

Hi was wondering if anyone could help us here. I'm due back at work in 4 weeks and have been trying to get DD used to a bottle of expressed milk with absolutely zero success so far.

I started trying with daytime feeds as she eats less then, this hasn't worked. HV suggested trying on a feed when she is more hungry so we tried yesterday evening and it was a and stressful time for all 3 of us. When I finally gave up she suckled for about 2 hours bless her.

Does anyone have any advice? By the time I go back to work I need her to be accepting all day-time feeds from a bottle. I will express initially but will probably start mixing this with formula gradually.

My DD wouldn't take a bottle from me or if I was in the room with her to start with, could you try to get someone else to feed her with you in a different room? This only lasted a couple of days for me and then she happily would take a bottle from me. Good luck!

thanks Gatorade, DP is the person who will look after her initially when I go back to work. Problem is, he's a bit of a wimp and calls me in as soon as she fusses, that is why I tried yesterday evening. But, I think you're right DP will have to get her used to it initially. Out of interest how long did it take for your DD to work out how to suckle from the bottle? DD seems to push it about with her tongue and once or twice yesterday evening she seemed to suckle but then cried out.

It took her a while of pulling faces, spitting the milk out and being very grumpy. The first few times I tried and she fussed around, pushed the teat around her mouth and would not suck on it at all. I have in and fed her (I think on about 5 occasions)

My DH then tried, first two times he tried for about 20 minutes each time and stopped when she got upset. We then changed teats, to the expensive but now invaluable Medela Calma Solitaire ones (one came free with my breast pump so we thought it was worth a go), she 'played' with this teat for about 10 minutes and then suddenly started sucking. I didn't see what happened but DH thinks she coped better as the milk didn't run out into her mouth so she could take things at her own pace. She did squeal a few times but then it just seemed to click and she was happy to take that bottle.

It then took another week or so before she would let me feed her a bottle.

doiddy cup? my 11 week old wont take a bottle but we've had some success with the cup

How old was your DC when you introduced to Doidy cup feekerry, I tried a free flow beaker with my DD last week (she is 4 months old) with no success (as she now takes a bottle she tried to suck the spout like a bottle teat) but I am thinking about trying the Doidy.

We finally cracked it by heating the milk - to about as warm as we felt it was safe to give. It needed to be really quite warm.

She was 8 weeks. The packet says from 12 weeks but if you read the instructions on the back it says can be used from 8 weeks as a natural transition from breast to cup without using a bottle. Its a bit messy so I only put an ounce or so in at a time but each time we use it she's lapping more and more. At her age dont I dont think its a fail proof method and wouldn't leave her all day with dp and the cup but she gets enough from it that I can pop out without her for a few hours.

We used a silicone bottle and squeezed a bit of milk into her mouth so she knew what she could get by sucking, tried every night at the same time, eventually worked.

The Mam Ultivent size 1 teat is often quite good, it fits most wide necked bottles and also the NIP or Nuk standard size orthodontic teats.

Being consistent will help and yes milk to skin temp helps enormously.

1 family I know used this spoon bottle larger boots carry one similar.