Need to get baby to take bottle of formula

[Rach000]

I need some help getting my baby to take bottles of formula. She is nearly 6 months old and I am breastfeeding. But I am so tired some days as I haven't had a good night's sleep for a very long time. As I have a 3 year old who doesn't sleep great either so even when pregnant i was up with her most nights. My baby wakes at about half 5 each morning. This morning it was 5.10. I am just getting very short tempered with lack of sleep and it's not good for anyone. I feel we would all be happier if I could just bottle feed and my husband could do some feeds it I could have a night off.
Not really sure what I am asking but just need to get it out. I have tried lots of bottles. Tried making it fun at different times. Tried breast milk in the bottle which she has sometimes taken a couple of oz of but bit every time.
Has anyone tried just not letting them breastfeed and waiting for them to take the bottle. As think I need a more dramatic approach as I keep just trying then after she had refused and cried a bit I out a feed her so not getting anywhere really.

Both of mine were total bottle registers too so you have ,y sympathy. Could DH take her downstairs when she wakes in the morning and give her some breakfast instead?

He does take her downstairs sometimes on a weekend but can't really do during the week very often. I do lie in bed for a bit after she wakes as she is happy just kicking about and doesn't want feeding straight away. Then my 3 year old wakes not long after so hard to get much sleep then.

Just would be easier if she would have a bottle, so I could sometimes go out on my own or get on with jobs that need doing easily.

Could you try introducing a sippy cup soon and put formula in that? I have a 5 month old bottle refuser too and I think I’m just going to wait it out until weaning and hope that as he gets used to eating he’ll start to accept drinking from things other than me. No idea if this is likely to work though but I just don’t have the time or energy to work on getting him to take a bottle. Sorry that’s not helpful but hopefully someone else will give us both advice

I've had this battle! Key for us was timing the feed to when baby is just stirring from a good sleep - hungry but not starving, and sleepy enough to suck almost on autopilot. Don't try to force it when baby is already wide awake and showing hunger signs, as they are more likely to refuse and then want to breastfeed as much for the comfort factor as the milk! Avoid feeding in cradle hold (or even holding baby yourself) as I think they associate this with BF.
What worked for us was gently sticking the bottle in DS mouth, while still in his cot, at the end of a good sleep. He just sucked with his eyes closed like a dream feed. We kept at this until the teat wasn't alien. Took about 10 days for him to fully switch, and he will take a bottle anytime, anywhere now.
Also, do ensure milk is lovely and warm. DS likes it borderline hot!
We were prepared to try the cold turkey method but fortunately it didn't come to that! Hope this helps

OP I remember this well. I was absolutely exhausted, couldn't express much and nothing anyone could do to help. SIL saved me by getting me bottles and formula and asking me to at least try it. DS wouldn't under any circumstances take a bottle from me and to begin with wouldn't even take a bottle from someone else if I was in the same room. Make the bottle up and get someone else to try feeding. I ended up being able to feed him a bottle after a couple of days, then started alternating bottle and breast and he took either or whenever. Good luck

We tried doing it as a dream feed at night when she was asleep around the time she normally wakes for milk but she wouldn't even have it then and ended up just crying!! Will give it another go.
I have found it best when she is awake and happy and if I distract her she sometimes has a bit. But I agree the timing has to be just right which isn't easy.

Key step in the solution for me was realising that her whole life, my baby had been held in a specific position facing my breasts whenever she fed and when I was trying to get her to take a bottle I was holding her in a completely different and unfamiliar way. Finding a way to get a bottle to her mouth in a hold similar to a bf hold created enough familiarity that she realised that this was basically lunch and not something to fight over. This meant a very odd setup with the bottle in my armpit but this was unnecessary after a few days once she had the hang of it.

I think sushinelove offers the same advice we were given.

My daughter kept getting mastitis and breastfeeding became unbearable. We were told to let someone else try to feed the baby from the bottle at least three times a day to start off with away from Mum in a different room.

We had to sit her in a slightly different position so she didn’t ‘root’ and to do this just before the time baby would be due a feed so she wasn’t majorly hungry and wouldn’t get too distressed. Baby got the hang of it in a few days and eventually Mum was then able to bottle feed and BF without baby getting confused. It took a little perseverance and also we realised baby preferred the milk room temp.

I'm really sorry to jump on this, but I'm in a similar position, only my DS is nine months now and just bites a bottle as if it's a toy. Has anyone had any success introducing a bottle at this late stage?
I only want to as he feeds to sleep and starts nursery next month. My first son cried all day, every day for about three months when he started nursery and I'm dreading it and hoping a bottle might provide some comfort for DS2. I should probably try to sleep train too.

@witheringnights
Could you try your little one on the MAM fun to drink cup? This is meant to be really good for transition from breast or bottle to training cup. It’s for 8 months +
She might not bite it as it’s totally different to a bottle teat.

Thanks @Mellow I'll try that! As well as just praying for a miracle 😂

I have tried different positions. Such as laying down near the boob. Or sat up instead so it's different. I have tried slipping it in during breast feeding and it's not worked.
Going to get the PILs to look after her at the weekend and see if she will take it if I am no where near. So fingers crossed.
I have not tried the mam cup. Will have a look. I have loads of mam bottles....
She won't even have a dummy so just think she hates the feel of a bottle/ teat.

You could also try the doidy cup which is theoretically feasible from 3 months?

Have you tried latex teats rather than silicone?