Help with bottle refusal!

[mhope]

My 6mo has been EBF since she was born, and we initially wanted to combination feed but were put off by the midwives who scared us into thinking she would be put off the breast if we gave her a bottle too early. Unfortunately, by 8 weeks old when we tried introducing a bottle she was already refusing it - she got so upset we were put off for a while. But now with the sleep regressions hitting us hard and little one will only go to sleep breastfeeding I am exhausted and burnt out and she's now biting too 🥴 we want to introduce a bottle/sippy cup/ANYTHING but she is refusing absolutely everything. We have tried different bottles, tried persisting with the same bottle for a while, tried a sippy cup, tried an open cup, tried breast milk and tried formula and she won't take anything. She's also never taken to a dummy. We've tried my husband giving her the milk and tried my mum and she won't take it from anybody, even if I leave the house she still won't! She drinks water from a sippy cup absolutely fine but when it's milk she won't have it - we are at our wits end, does anyone have any words of wisdom?!

You have my sympathy, I had two bottle refusers too.

First thing to taken is the sleep. Have you tried The No Cry Sleep Solution?

Then first the biting, I'd give one of the BFing Helplines a call. DC1 started biting at a similar age and with the advice of a helpful BFC on one of the helplines we managed to stop it fairly quickly.

One thing that did work for us was giving a doidy cup of milk in the bath. I think it was the novelty. It had the added benefit of having no mess if they spilled it.

Most bf will drink from a cup, mine had doidy cups.

Also, are you serving the milk at body temperature?

Hey thank you so much for these tips! I've not heard of the no cry sleep solution that is super helpful, and the helpline too I had no idea that was even a thing that's amazing!

Giving milk in the bath is a genius idea, little one absolutely loves the bath so is happy in there so definitely a good time to try it - thank you!

I had never heard of a doidy cup before this thread! we've tried just a normal open cup and a sippy cup and she's refused milk from both of those but the doidy cup looks like a good option for helping her learn how to use an open cup!

We've been warming it up but I was wondering whether it was still too cold so this is also a good reminder, will try and get it closer to body temp and see if that helps 🤞

I just hope that some of it helps. Have you manage to speak to a BFC about the biting yet?

I had exactly the same situation. It took around 4 weeks to get both my children to have a bottle. What I ended up doing is everyday walking with them in my arms around the dining table humming and trying to gently get them to put it in their mouths which eventually worked. I did it the same time everyday or a couple of times. I don’t think this is a particularly special method or anything but it just meant I did it everyday, it was quite relaxed for both them and me and eventually both of them gave in! Then it took them ages to say goodbye to their bottles 😂

This is super helpful thank you so much! I hadn't thought of moving with them while trying to feed them - she loves dancing around the kitchen so this might be a good one to try thank you! It's nice to hear I'm not alone too 😅 it's reassuring to hear how long it took for you as well, i think I've heard too many stories of people whose bottle refusers took to it after a few days or a week and feeling deflated.

I hope the doidy cup works. I used to leave them with a cup and some EBM and go out for the evening. I wouldn't say they were entirely happy but they did drink some and usually ended up on the sofa with DH watching tv for a bit until I got home. Not every night obviously but it's nice to know that you can go out.

Similar situation to you but this is my second. Sometimes they will try different ones. We have some ‘limited’ success with one that I’ll link below.

And with the night weaning - I very slowly get slower and slower at bf when she wakes with the idea that in time she does back to sleep before the feed. Slow but works. Mostly.

Sorry I didn’t manage to link it but it’s a Nuby sippy cup. I’m guessing she won’t have a dummy?

I also do that think where when I do bf I make the same noise like ssssh or do a bum pat or whatever so she associates it with comfort and falling asleep, then in time just do that. It’s a slow road though.