Baby takes bottle with mum, not dad...what the hell!

[Iwannabail]

So I have been ebf, but want to introduce one bottle at night so my husband can feed her. She is 7 weeks old. We have been trying for over 2 weeks.
So why oh why does baby not take the bloody bottle when my DP tries to give it her, but twice now when I have tried instead she takes it!
Kind of defeats the bloody point! Wise mumsnetters any advice?
for context we always try at the same time every night after my DP has had her for a few hours (sleeping in baby carrier)

I think feeding is about so much more than just food. Perhaps baby associates the smell and closeness of you with being comforted and satisfied?

DP could try putting a T-shirt you've worn over his shoulder while he feeds LO. The smell of you might work

I don’t have any helpful advice but my DD did the same when we started combination feeding. I thought it’d be easier to get her to take formula from DH and BF with me but she wasn’t having any of it and would only have a bottle with me as well: I think she just associated me with feeding. Keep trying though; maybe a blanket with your smell on it when he tries to feed?

My daughter was the same, she was bottle fed but wouldn't let oh do it at all. Every feed I'd have to, we even tried other females (my sisters and sil's) but no every feed had to be me! She's a proper daddy's girl now thou!!!

Thanks! We are going to try the smelly clothing route and see if that helps!

i also came to suggest dad wearing something of mums also let him approach first, mum needs to go for a bath/nap/walk, its no use mum being close or baby will know your there with boobs lol, they will come to trust that dad can also provide food.

Might sound a bit silly but if you're trying to do it at the same time every day, are you always in the room?

I would suggest you leaving the room, letting them cuddle and play together alone and then him trying to feed her, a more smooth transition :)

We are going to try the smelly clothing route and see if that helps! let us know how you get on

It's a myth that bottle fed babies will take milk from anyone. Some do, some don't. Bi mostly (then fully) ff my baby, but there was a point where she refused to take milk from the childminder (6 months ish) but only from me or her dad. It was a pain in the neck, and it took weeks before it was suddenly 'ok' to take milk from her.

Perseverance, making sure that you aren't near and her being hungry should eventually do it, but it may take a while.

So the clothing route worked one night but not the next. DP is always on his own with her when he tries and has been carrying her in baby carrier for previous hours. Will just have to keep persevering as you say!

She's still very tiny. If she's been with Dad for a while, it's perfectly normal for her to want a feed and cuddle with you