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Infant feeding

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

HELP! bf threemonth old won't go near a bottle

13 replies

jonesy13 · 13/10/2006 00:24

have been breast feeding dd2 she is now 31/2 months and i need to get her to take ebm before i go back to work in seven weeks. dd1 was fussy with her teats and eventually took bottle ebm using latex teats dd2 won't even use these (even when i am not there). thought about trying her from a cup but is she old enough for this and will she get enough. she is also very erratic with frequency of feeds and i would love to have more than an hour away from her without feeling guilty and worrying that she is hungry.

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 13/10/2006 00:27

DS was like this. He eventually took to it when I went back to work (although he was 13 months at that point ). He had no choice really. Although i think it helped that I wasnt around at all.

jonesy13 · 13/10/2006 00:49

problem is i work shifts and do sleep ins at work and can be away from house for over 24 hrs and would not be able to do my job properly for worry that she was starving.

OP posts:
usandbump · 13/10/2006 07:26

No advice I'm afraid, just wanted to say we are in the same boat. DS is 3 months and won't take a bottle either, we have bought every bottle/teat on the market. I left him for an afternoon with dp and he still wouldn't take it. I really feel for you.
Hope someone comes along with an answer re cups.

MillyH · 13/10/2006 10:56

Hi. Just wanted to say a big DON'T WORRY! My DD is 5 and half months now and we were in exactly the same position at about 3 months. She had taken a few bottles when a few weeks old and there was no problem. So despite dire warnings from my sister that we needed to give a bottle every day we didn't bother (what an eejit!).

When we tried her again at about 3-3 1/2 months she absolutely refused a bottle. It got to the point where she wouldn't have one near her mouth and would start screaming when she even saw one. We tried every teat under the sun, all the different times of day, when she was hungry / not hungry, me going out/staying in and nothing worked. So then we spent a horrible 24hrs trying the other suggested approach - don't breastfeed and just give them a bottle - they'll drink when they're hungry. Of course she didn't! DD didn't take anything for 17hours and then about 3 ounces an ounce at a time protesting all the way. After 24hrs of this DH and I were worn ragged by her heart rending sobs and were paranoid about dehydration so we gave in and it was back to breastfeeding. I really would not reccomend this approach to anyone unless you are absolutely desperate. My LO has inherited stubborn genes from both her parents though .

Anyway, a very bright friend of mine suggested giving her a bottle to play with as they start putting things in their mouths themselves around four months. We did this, and although she ignored it most of the time it did get the odd chew. At around 4 1/2 months we noticed that her taste buds had really woken up and she was interested in different flavours - the bath water, apple juice on my fingers, dad's sweaty arm (ugh). Anyway one day when she was both cheerful and a bit peckish DH snuck up on her with a bottle and after giving the teat one chew, she wolfed five ounces without a break! We tried for next few days with varying degrees of success but she mostly wanted to just gnaw the teat (Avent). So we switched to a Mam teat, and she just looked at DH as if to say 'why didn't you give me this one before daddy?'. We had of course - but she screamed at it last time. She's now on two bottles a day a nursery with no problem.

Wow, what a long post. Sorry for rambling, but it's kinda cathartic for me as it was so depressing and worrying at the time. I still can't quite believe she is taking the bottles so happily. Good luck, and I am sure your LO's will get the hang of it.

anchovies · 13/10/2006 11:13

Hi, got to be quick as am at work but have you tried a tommee tippee closer to nature bottle? Ds2 also wouldn't take a bottle at that age but someone on here suggested one of these as they are boob shaped(!) and I could finally leave him for a couple of hours.

MiaMamma · 13/10/2006 11:14

I have exactly the same story to tell as MillyH!!! 3 month old DD didn't take any bottles, tried all of them, me going out leaving her with DH, she didn't drink anything for whole day bla-bla-bla...
Now DD is 5 months, so thought will start trying again but this time with spouted cups (Avent magic one) as she's old enough. First gave it to her to play with, she was chewing it for couple of days, then started trying sucking but still didn't get much out of it. Week later I thought to try bottle again to see if it's easier for her and it was - she drunk all of it in one go! You can't imagine how happy I was. Now another week later I've been giving her 1 or 2 feeds a day ebm.
So I also think it's a good idea first to give a bottle/cup to play with, let her get used to it, let her explore it in her own way. Just take it as slowly as you can. I know you have to go back to work soon but if you can be relaxed about it, she'll be more relaxed as well. Good luck!

LittleGlowormOfHorrors · 13/10/2006 11:18

this worked for us:
i left the room (so he couldnt smell my milk?)
dh put him in carseat (otherwise he would try to brestfeed from dh!!)
and dh fed him at a point in the day where ds was happy, not sleepy tired or grumpy, and not starving (or not full up either)

jonesy13 · 13/10/2006 19:15

have just bought tommy tippee bottle and will give it a go. starting to wish i tried her at 6 weeks as i did with dd1. thanks for the advice will be back with results of new bottle soon

OP posts:
kmcomie · 13/10/2006 22:33

Hi there,

My dd is now 14 weeks old and we have tried since she was 2 weeks to get her to take ebm from a bottle and had no sucess for 13 long painful crying weeks.

We tried everything like others have suggested and cracked it buy getting nipple guards and using them for a week then when she was relaxed, laid on her mat after a bath and waiting for a massage i snuck a bottle in (Closer to nature) and she took it fine. I also find she likes it really warm as does a friends ds who gave me that tip.

Good Luck and Please let us know how you do, but dont give up it will click into place one day.
Also the use of a cup, my dd was in special care and would use a cup with a lip on for the 1st few days as was unable to feed, but would advise you get support as it was not easy to do.

Kerrie

jonesy13 · 22/10/2006 18:54

semi good news on the tommy tippie bottle. dd2 took 3 ounces from it but only when i fed her. gets very distressed when dh tries to feed her. spoke to hv re feeding with a cup she suggested a doidy cup anyone else tried this?

OP posts:
henrysmummy06 · 23/10/2006 10:00

hi tried bottle feeding ds at 12 wks for the next 6 hrs he was asleep only waking to be really sick hv said to wean at 16 wks abd give water from doidy cup which i couldnt buy anywhere so in desperation tried juice from bottle whch ds enjoyed to my suprise, when its formula in bottle he will have the teat in his mouth but wont drink now found doidy cup and am awaiting delivery will let u know!!!! also have used cartons hv says they tend to be sweeter and ds will like them more has this worked for any one else?

hotmama · 23/10/2006 15:47

Jonesy - I had the same problem - but my dd2 will take the closer to nature bottles - I aslso left it late - dd2 is now 8 months and has a couple of bottles a week.

I bought a doidy cup from John Lewis - I think the bigger Boots do them as well. Haven't tried dd2 on it yet but it helped dd1 progress to tumblers very quickly - with no spilling!

dennya · 23/10/2006 19:48

Tried doidy cup with 15 wk old today. She loved it. Lapped milk up like a cat . Had 2 oz. Definately recommend trying one.

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