help! trying to introduce the bottle to my bf 15 week old

[hollyjones]

Hi

I have a 15 week old who has been exclusively bf and never had any issues with her latching etc. However I'm wanting to introduce the bottle (with expressed milk) just so I can have a bit more of a life (I'm happy with just a couple of hours). However she really isn't taking to the bottle, which is really frustrating as she is usually such a greedy little thing and loves her food. She doesn't cry or scream when the bottle is in her mouth, so she isn't too stressed about it. She just kind of plays around with the teat in her mouth and you think she's drinking the milk and when she's spat the teat out you look and hardly any milk has gone!! She's also such a wriggler that The teat constantly slides out of her mouth as she's moving her head so much.

We're currently using tommee tippee bottles (teat number 1). I didn't know if anyone knew of any that were either more like the nipple or had a faster flow so she didn't have to work so hard?

any tips on positions, bottles etc would be hugely grateful.

I realise we probably should have introduced it much sooner and I know the key is to be persistent but I think I just need some advice and encouragement that it can be done!

I love bf but I just need a bit of a break every now and again.

Thanks in advance for any help

Really know what you mean about needing a break, I felt that so, so many times.

Unfortunately mine just wouldn't take a bottle regularly (not any kind) BUT if I really needed to go out (and on occasion I just did!) he would take some milk from one when he really needed it. His sucking was always awkward though and he'd never have a full feed. Oh, and it only worked if I wasn't there, he was never, ever going to take a bottle if I was around - I guess he just didn't see the point.

Don't beat yourself up about not introducing a bottle earlier, some babies just really struggle with any kind of artificial teat. I tried a dummy when my DS was a few days old but he never took to one, I tried a bottle on and off for from about 6 weeks but he was never happy with one - only the finest human flesh was good enough for him

If she does continue to refuse bottles know two things - 1) if you do leave her with someone else for an evening, she'll take some when she's hungry enough, even if it's not much and even if she makes up for it with more night-feeing (don't they love to punish us?) 2) She's getting to the age where (with the exception of the odd growth spurt time) she's going to start spacing her feeds further apart, giving you more time to do what you need to do.

Breastfeeding is so bittersweet. My DS is only fed before bed now and he's starting to drop even those. I always thought I'd be so glad when he decided that he was done, instead I'm quite tearful about it being over because it means that my baby... isn't a baby anymore... It's a good job we're having another

Even though I might be feeling a bit nostalgic at the moment I really, really do remember that 'I just need some time to myself!' feeling so I really hope that you get it. You certainly deserve it.

We used Mothercare's own brand (Innosense ?) ones but I'm sure we were on the second teat after 12 weeks so maybe try a faster teat? Agree with pp- can someone else give the bottle feed? It must be weird for baby seeing the boob just there and getting a bottle!

Watching with interest as we are just doing the same with 16 week old DD. I just want to be able to leave her for a longer stretch maybe once a week at most. And is my 30th bday in a few weeks so want to be able to have a meal out with DH.

I've been trying formula as I'm rubbish at expressing. Using Avent bottles.

I've been trying a bottle at the start and end of feed times, just for a couple of mins. Although not if she's tired or crying.

She just took a good few ounces from DH this morning, and I'm breast feeding her now. I wanted her to know that a bottle doesn't mean no more boob! But equally I don't want her to associate a bottle with ALSO having a boob, so I'm going to stop the boob I think now she's taken a decent amount from a bottle.

bagofsnakes baby wont automatically take a bottle because you go out and they are hungry. I know this because I hav been in this situation. baby just screamed himself to sleep but did not take the bottle!

OP I sympathise as I am in same situation except mine did take a bottle but then stopped!

you could try a latex teat. we hav just tried a Nuk latex teat and had small success but he tends to accept things once or twice then decide not to so time will tell!

Good luck.

After trying loads of bottles and teats for my ebf bottle-refuser I found breast flow bottles. They have a funny double teat so the baby has to compress and suck in order to get the milk which is much more like the action they would use to breast feed. They worked for us. After months of refusing any kind of bottle ds took 4oz from the breast flow the first time we tried it and we never looked back. They were quite expensive but actually once ds had got used to the fact that milk could come from a bottle we were able to introduce standard tt bottles.

The only thing I would say is that they are quite leaky but for me that was a small price to pay and I just used to wrap a muslin cloth around the bottle when feeding to catch any drips.

I am just trying with my 5 week old but as a PP said "innocence " from mother care is soft and has a one sided teat so the baby can lie as if breastfeeding - mine prefers this to Avent and tommy tippee.