EBF 14 week old trying to introduce EBM

[IShallCallYouSquishy]

Just as title says!

My 14 week DD has been EBF since day 1 and I luckily have a very good efficient feeder. I'm trying very hard to introduce a bottle of EBM and have spent a fortune on a Medela swing, bottles, accessories etc. I've had not problems expressing and can get up to 4oz within 10 minutes sometimes! The problem I've got is DD taking the bottle. She screams, goes rigid, pushes it away, spits it out, you name it she does it to avoid it. As soon as she gets a boob she will be completely happy again.

I stop trying if she gets too upset as I don't want her to have bad associations with the bottle but I really want to try and get her to take it. Theres no real need for her to take them and I love feeding her, but I'm desperate for a bit of freedom for me. I know that sounds selfish but I'd love to be able to go out and be able to leave her with DH and not have to worry about being at home for X time for a feed, or for DH and I to maybe go out and take up the babysitting offers from my mum.

Has anyone else had this? How did you get over it?

I've tried medela calma bottle/teat and TTcloser to nature 1 and 2 teats but don't think the teat is a problem as she goes mental as soon as she realises its not boob. I've tried 5 mins boob then onto bottle but still screams as soon as bottle touches her lips, tried DH giving bottle, me giving bottle, different times of day etc...

Thank you!

When DH tried the bottle, were you around? Have you read this on Kellymom.

There are also lots of threads on bottle refusing in the MN archive. Can't be much help though as both of mine were total bottle refusers.

I cannot be in the same room if the Commanderling is having a bottle or she will outright refuse.

We use the Calma and find it good as she has to latch and suck properly to get anything out. In fact that was one of the problems initially - I had/have oversupply and a spectacular let down so she has to work harder with the bottle and she was not impressed.

Have you tried a cup instead? A friend had success with that as her daughter refused any and all bottles.

Thanks ladies, I've tried not being in same room and infact purposely went out the house for one, to leave DH to try but she threw the mother of all hissy fits!

We had a little bit of success this morning. I got up a bit early to pump and gave her a very very warm bottle of EBM at 7am feed and she took the 1oz I put in. I then tried 1.5 at 10am feed, bit fussy. At 1pm feed she refused any and cried

They were all with TT closer to nature. I might try with calma tomorrow as I do have a pretty fast and furious let down and a good supply (only ever do 1 side per feed) as she might prefer that then.

DD still asks for her milk warm sometimes now IShall and we stopped bfing long ago.

It might be too late to introduce bottles, I'm afraid. Try being out of the house for a good couple of hours and leave her with DH until she's really hungry. If she still won't take a bottle then, that is probably it.

It sounds like she's doing good. Especially that first one at 7am.
Maybe 3 times in a day is pushing it as she then thinks it'll be instead of breastfeeding.

I'm trying the same at the moment (DD's 4 mths) but I'm just letting her have a little go of the bottle once a day and not when she's desperately hungry and I'm letting her play and hold it a bit.
I'm not getting far tbh, so lurking for tips - I'll maybe try a faster flow teat. I'm using Mam.

I know with my older DD she went straight onto cups at about the age your DD is and it was good to just skip the faff of bottles.

Can you use cups for a 14 week old? DD won't take a bottle at all, she's 12 weeks and we've been trying for the last 7 weeks!!! I'm due back in work next month (& can't pump, long story) so am getting worried. Have to go to work on Monday so DH has taken the day off but I'm worried about the idea of her starving and crying all day and not sure she'll take a bottle just coz she's starving (despite my mum's assurances that she will).

Cups could be the answer I'm looking for. What cups can you use at that age? Will they take as much as a bottle from a cup?

I got told a doidy cup is really good. Can be used from birth. Not very expensive and can be bought from Amazon. We also have a tommee tippee explorer one that we are trying to use. Having the same issue as you so trying the cup method now as have given up on bottles.