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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Tell me your tips for persuading a baby to take a bottle.

17 replies

BonaDea · 21/07/2013 19:48

Please help! I know this issue comes up again and again and I feel a bit stupid for falling into the trap!

DS is 4 months old and ebf. We had a series of issues establishing bf'ing - milk came in late,
poor latch, tongue tie (separated now) and worst of all thrush. The thrush was pure hell for me - agony and it took weeks to shift not just using meds but also boil washing bras, muslins, taking pro biotics and all that jazz.

I mention all that as context because for all those reasons getting bf'ing working was just so important. Everything is now working so well, I'm finding bf'ing a real pleasure the way I always wanted to.

We gave DS a bottle of ebm at about 5 weeks which he took happily. We then gave him one every now and again always with no problem. We then got really lazy and had a break of about 4 weeks or so. Fast forward to the last two weeks and he is steadfastly refusing to take anything from a bottle.

This only really matters because I have my best friend's hen weekend coming up. I am bridesmaid and have organised it. And I'm now in the dreadful position of potentially missing it. She loves my DS but think she will really struggle to understand if I pull out now. I can understand that she would be hurt and disappointed. She doesn't have DCs and won't do (she and her dp have agreed this and he has just had the snip) and she has no other close friends with babies or who have breastfed. She doesn't really get it and eg has asked when I'll switch to formula etc.

The weekend is 4 weeks away. I have tried all sorts of teats - nuk, medela calma, Avent - we have tried me giving the bottle, a friend, DH. We've tried when he's hungry and when he's just eaten. Yesterday I went out for 6 hours hoping DS would buckle but he simply didn't drink all that time. I hate doing this to him for a flaming hen do but I do want to go for my friend and I do think (selfishly) that I would at least like the option of a night away some other time with DH or whatever

I'm starting to have nightmares about the situ and it is becoming A Big Deal my own head which I'm sure doesn't help.

Any words of wisdom please?

OP posts:

Idislikemymil · 21/07/2013 19:51

Bump

I'm back at work soon and my ds will not take a bottle either. Any suggestions?

boardingschoolbaby · 21/07/2013 19:57

Have you had someone else try to offer the bottle? Ds won't take one from me, but will accept them from dh or anyone else.... With me he will hold out for breast longer than my will for him to take the bottle lasts. Good luck.

Dackyduddles · 21/07/2013 19:58

I struggle a bit too. Mainly because once bf is established its generally so much simpler to do it than a bottle. Then you get to a point you need to be away for a short period of time and it gets a pain.....

I'm doing all you are. I found it was a mixture of two things, one - just getting on with it. Working a bottle or two into set points of the day and sticking with them so they become part of the routine and not a surprise. Secondly perseverance.

Of course, saying that makes it sound easy. Doing it is a different thing. I was ecstatic today when dd took a bottle after not for two days. Whether she does tomorrow is anyone's guess.....

leedy · 22/07/2013 09:20

Have you tried a cup? DS2 had no truck with bottles but drank EBM from a Doidy cup at 4.5 months and will now drink it from a sippy (Nuk trainer cup is good as it's free flow with a soft spout).

Oh, and DS1 eventually took a bottle at about 3 months in his bouncy chair, ie in a position as unlike breastfeeding as possible. Also had to be really warm. If these conditions were satisfied :) he didn't care what bottle or teat was used and happily took an occasional one every couple of weeks.

Both didn't need the cup/bottle to be part of their routine once they got the hang of it, which is good, because really could not be bothered with the faff of it.

Original poster

BonaDea · 22/07/2013 10:43

Thanks for the suggestions all! I will try a cup- have bought the nuk one online!!

I will try making the milk warmer. Perhaps it has been a bit cool (esp as I end up trying for an hour plus!).

OP posts:

AidanTheRevengeNinja · 22/07/2013 11:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YoniBottsBumgina · 22/07/2013 11:19

They're so annoying sometimes aren't they?! It seems a common 4 month thing and occurs in some babies whether you've given them a bottle regularly, occasionally or never at all.

You say you've tried different teats but have you tried brown rubber latex teats instead of clear silicon ones? They have a different texture which is more like skin and feels warmer than silicon which can feel a bit cold.

YoniBottsBumgina · 22/07/2013 11:27

How long are you planning to be out? If he won't take it then perhaps you could go for part of it. Will he go to sleep in any other way e.g. being driven in the car or pushed in the pushchair - perhaps you could feed just before you go out and then chance it, DP could try with milk and just water if he won't take milk, you could come back after 4 or 6 hours or however long.

If you think DS won't be screaming and upset the whole time I would totally go. It is one night and he won't be harmed by being a little bit hungry or being filled up with water rather than milk as a one off. He will be 5 months by then as well - DP could perhaps give him a bit of baby rice or some other solid food? He might take it off a spoon.

I think if I thought that DS would be upset then I'd be looking at how to cut short the time but if he would be happy then just go - nutritionally he will be okay with something else for just one night.

YoniBottsBumgina · 22/07/2013 11:28

He could mix up the baby rice/mashed carrot/banana/whatever with some expressed milk or formula.

YoniBottsBumgina · 22/07/2013 11:31

Oh hen weekend... curse me for not reading properly :(

Would it be possible to go for part of it (or for DP to stay nearby with baby?) What a bummer. I get that she doesn't have children but you would have thought it would be obvious that a mother of a 4 month old might find it hard to attend a whole weekend away from their baby. (Maybe I just live in a mumsnet bubble!)

butternutforbreakfast · 22/07/2013 12:04

I had exact same thing when i needed an afternoon 'off' to buy my wedding dress. It's so sodding stressful, isn't it?

I second the Doidy cup. DS took to it easily, altho it's still a bit messy so I only use it for water or formula - can't bear to see my precious ebm thrown on floor!

My hv actually said not to bother battling with bottle as they should be weaned off teat by certain age anyway (don't ask me when) so she said not worth fighting with them over it.

Having said that you will get there with bottles if you perservere. I just didn't have the patience.

One thing I would say - you really, really, really should go to the hen do! You totally deserve it, you've done brilliantly to get this far with ebf and deserve a break.

Your LO might be a bit cross with you when you get back but you're not abandoning them, they'll be well cared for while you're away and there'll be no harm done. In fact hopefully you'll be all the better for having let yr hair down. Don't feel guilty about enjoying yourself!

Oh and don't forget to take yr pump with you or you will explode (no really, you will).

butternutforbreakfast · 22/07/2013 12:05

I had exact same thing when i needed an afternoon 'off' to buy my wedding dress. It's so sodding stressful, isn't it?

I second the Doidy cup. DS took to it easily, altho it's still a bit messy so I only use it for water or formula - can't bear to see my precious ebm thrown on floor!

My hv actually said not to bother battling with bottle as they should be weaned off teat by certain age anyway (don't ask me when) so she said not worth fighting with them over it.

Having said that you will get there with bottles if you perservere. I just didn't have the patience.

One thing I would say - you really, really, really should go to the hen do! You totally deserve it, you've done brilliantly to get this far with ebf and deserve a break.

Oh and don't forget to take yr pump with you or you will explode (no really, you will).

Original poster

BonaDea · 22/07/2013 13:29

Thanks all, for the sympathy as well as the advice!!

Now looking into having DH stay nearby the house we have rented (thankfully the weekend is just 1.5 hours drive away - not abroad or anything!) with DS so that if I need to I can nip back to feed him.

Have also decided to try the cup with water or perhaps some ready made cartons of formula because, as mentioned above, the wasted ebm is horrible to see and I'm struggling to get the freezer full enough for the weekend even if he were to accept the bottle!!

OP posts:

AidanTheRevengeNinja · 22/07/2013 14:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ragwort · 22/07/2013 14:08

I would definately try a cup, also second the idea of the ready mixed milk much easier, I used to mix feed - ie:breast feed most feeds but give at least one cup a day of ready milk - a lot easier all round.

ButteryJam · 22/07/2013 14:14

I am in a similar dilemma. My LO is 8 weeks and I have both mastitis and ductal thrush in my left breast LO has been refusing for the past two days to take a bottle and is wanting to be constantly on my right breast, which is getting sore! Any idea as to what I should do?

Original poster

BonaDea · 22/07/2013 14:49

Hi buttery - recognise you from the thrush thread! I haven't had mastitis but i did have thrush and was told that I really should keep feeding (both sides affected) as the whole situation would get worse if I stopped. I think you have enough to deal with without worrying about getting LO on a bottle as well!!

OP posts:

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