ds wont take a bottle, help!

[beansmum]

have been stressing about this for ages and putting it off for as long as possible but finally tried ds on a bottle today. He just wouldn't take it, was getting really upset and i felt terrible.

He's 15wks and is starting nursery full time in 2 wks so i really have to find some way of feeding him. I will try again with the bottle but my HV mentioned something about some kind of cup that might be easier than a bottle. anyone know what she was thinking of, she didn't know the make or anything useful like that!

any advice would be great, don't know what to do!

Beansmum - Don't give up yet! It can take a while. Did you try when he was hungry, or after a feed? It's best when he doesn't feel hungry, because he doesn't yet know that sucking on this strange new object will bring him the food he wants - he just sees it as a nuisance, an infuriating interruption into his demand for food, or a pleasant enough thing to toy with - but why would he bother sucking it?

(That's what Tik Tok explained to me after I had the most horrendous experience, anyway).

Are you using EBM or formula in the bottle?

Just keep trying a little very day....I don't know about cups, I'm afraid - but I have to admit that DS never did take a bottle, but did eventually use those Avent beaker spout things.

I had a 'mare with this too with dd2. Tried different teats and spouts - she took a soft latex brown teat in the end. HV probably meant a soft spouted cup, maybe the Heinz one, I think.

i tried with EBM between his usual feeds so he wasn't starving but not completely full.

The HV said that the cup didn't have a spout, ds would kind of lap the milk up. Not really sure what she meant and unfortunately she's gone on holiday now so i can't ask her for more details.

doidy cup?

beansmum, don't worry too much, 2 weeks gives you lots of time to try different things. I have found success with the Dr Browns bottles, availbale from mothercare and john lewis (but not Boots )

The silicone of their teats is a lot softer than any others I've tried and I think DD finds them more "nipple-like" as a result.

Other people have loved something called the Haberman feeder, bot sure what this is though. Also the Playtex system is supposed to be v gd for BF babies, though again, I'm not actually sure what this is. Sorry.

One main thing is, get someone else to try giving your DS his bottle. They can definitely smell your milk and get v agitated if you try and give them a bottle. All of my friends have found that when starting out bottle feeding, it's much easier to get your DH or someone else to give the bottle while you are out of sight. If you try this, when you know your baby is hungry, hopefully it'll work much better. Good luck.

i would love someone else to give him a bottle, i get really upset and that can't help either. unfortunately there isn't anyone else around.

i've heard of the Dr Browns bottles , maybe give them a go if he still refuses. annoyed that i spent so much money on avent bottles though, will try and persevere a bit longer before i give up on them.

really i just wish i didn't have to do this at all poor beanie

the haberman feeder looks really weird! sounds quite good though. lots of options anyway, will try not to worry too much just yet

Dr Browns - fantastic, ideal, the best thing ever and saved my life and sanity. Check out E bay, they have some on at the moment. Hope things improve for you