Breastfed baby won't take bottle

13 replies

Sleepymam · 16/02/2014 22:25

Any suggestions please.... My baby is 5 months old and breastfed, I have been trying to get him to take the odd bottle but he refuses. Have tried expressed milk and formula but he just won't take the bottle (doesn't take a dummy either but not too concerned about that). He's been waking every 2-3 hours a night for feeds.. Any suggestions to get him to take a bottle would be great...

OP posts:

KatieN1 · 16/02/2014 23:19

Perhaps try letting him have some water in a bottle so he gets used to it. Or try him with a cup. One of my sons steadfastly refused a bottle and eventually I gave him some milk in a "sucky" cup. He looked at me as if to say, "at last she understands" and was perfectly happy.

Iwasagnome · 16/02/2014 23:20

None of my 3 ever did--sorry if that's not very helpful

leedy · 17/02/2014 18:36

Bottle refusenik DS2 got on fine with a cup at that age as well.

kimmers13 · 17/02/2014 18:42

I went straight to a beaker instead at 5 months as DD2 refused the bottle. She will drink from this fine although has always preferred the breast!

MadameJosephine · 17/02/2014 18:44

I've tried every teat you can imagine and neither of mine have ever taken a bottle, the only thing ive ever been able to get either of them to drink from is a hard sippy cup like this one

naty1 · 17/02/2014 21:36

Sippy cup with straw

FrumiousBandersnatch · 17/02/2014 21:47

Mine has never taken a bottle but is learning to use a cup (although at six months she can't yet take a full feed from one). Make sure you get a free-flow one, or take the valve out if it's 'non-spill' - IMO a baby who won't suck on a bottle also won't suck as hard as needed on a cup. I'd recommend the Nuk soft spout cup.

leedy · 18/02/2014 11:40

Yes, the Nuk soft spout cup is great! DS2 still likes it for EBM at 15 months, though will drink water out of pretty much anything.

Madcat22 · 23/02/2014 19:43

My son did this - I think they are less likely to take a bottle from mum because they know mum has the better option close to hand (boob). DH always gave DS his bottle until I stopped BF entirely. When he decided one day to refuse it DH simply eventually persisted by offering it to him every 30 minutes until he took it - never had the same problem again. It took 8 hours!! I think the worse thing we did before that was to cave in when he refused and give him boob because he learnt that was the way to get more breast milk. As I was ill and had to stop feeding him we didn't really have a choice but to persevere.

Revdog82 · 27/02/2014 08:08

I feel your pain sleepymam mine lo is 3 months so still to young for sippy cups, I find it highly frustrating, I never would of thought when I was pregnant and had already purchased breast pump bottles etc, that babies even refused bottles. Stupid of me I know. We have tried and tested many bottle makes and again a dummy and all a no go he has only randomly taken one bottle from me when we were out and about and he seem so distracted that he didn't seem to notice but this has not happened since. I can't give you an answer as we are still failing but only to suggest trying a bottle when your out, or try in the morning when the lo is calmer, though for you it sounds like sippy cup could be option. My mum thinks it's ridiculous that I have tried all these different brands, she just keeps saying there was no choice in our day you just used a standard bottle and they baby took it - thanks mum helpful! I shall persevere. I hope you find something that works.

PastaandCheese · 27/02/2014 12:05

My DD was like this until she was weaned onto food at 6 months. By 7 months it just clicked that food could come from a source other than me.

Highly frustrating up to that point though so I do sympathise. The volume of expressed milk I threw down the sink was very sad.

FWIW I tried every cup and bottle going and when she finally caved she wasn't bothered by which cup or bottle and would have milk and water from anything.

MrsGoose0 · 27/02/2014 12:52

Am with Madcat on this one - are you the one giving the bottle? My experience is that babas can 'sniff out the good stuff' if Mum is the one offering it and outright refuse the teat. If possible try someone else offering him the bottle, he may well take it if he sees no better (boob) alternative!

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 27/02/2014 12:54

Try a cup, neither of my two would ever take a bottle - from or from anyone else!

Actually I think my Mum did manage to get about an ounce into DS1 once, but it was bloody hard work

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