Baby won't take a bottle

taylorrosej · 2025-06-11T19:42:45+00:00

I'm really struggling to get my daughter to take a bottle. She is breastfeed and I tried to introduce a formula bottle just after 6 months so my husband could help with the night feeds. She just chews on it and smiles. Ive expressed milk into a bottle does the same thing. We have done this on and off and she's still doing the same thing with a bottle. I've tried 3 different types of bottles and had different people try feed her. She is now 9 months and I'm going back to work soon I'm worried. Any tips would be amazing

DappledThings · 11/06/2025 20:46

At 9 months I stopped feeding overnight at all rather than trying to move to a bottle. How soon are you going back to work? At 11 months I swapped the mid-morning feed for a snack and at 12 months the mid-afternoon one for a cup of cow's milk so I was just breastfeeding first thing and last thing and going back to work was fine.

At 9 months I'm not sure I'd go through the hassle of trying to train her to take a bottle when they are meant to stop bottles at a year anyway.

StretchyPants1988 · 12/06/2025 00:40

How is she with solids? Mine is 9.5 months and the paedetrician said i can stop BF in the day, if I want to. Pumping was extremely difficult so this was great news! He has 3 meals and 2 snacks and I breastfeed in the morning, late afternoon when I get home and evening. Bliss!!!

LegoHouse274 · 12/06/2025 00:43

Have you tried a latex teat? The only one we could get DC3 to take was the latex slow flow one by Nuk.

StretchyPants1988 · 12/06/2025 00:46

Oh and we tried giving him milk from a cup as suggested by many people (he has water from a cup already and loves water) and he was like WTF is this, gave the nanny the most pissed off look ever 😅

comfyshoes2022 · 12/06/2025 01:17

You can teach a baby that age to drink from a straw cup (with some effort), so I think that would be the best solution.

Ponderingwindow · 12/06/2025 02:40

We had much better luck with a sippy cup. We tried a bunch until we found one she actually liked.

Jollyjollyjollygoodie · 12/06/2025 02:44

Forget the bottles. Breastfeed her when you can and at other times she can have solids and a cup.

DPotter · 12/06/2025 03:15

DD never took to a bottle - she was fine with a sippy cup, not one with a valve though.

Original poster

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 07:58

she drinks water from a cup and enjoys water. She eats ok and will try most things but still looks for milk. Shes up and down all night not always for milk but still needs some in the night. This is my first time breastfeeding as my two boys would not take to it and I had to express. Tbh I would just continue as I am it's just my husband has tickets for a concert in July and really would like me to go with him as we really do need some us time so I was trying to get her to take a bottle so my mum could feed her that evening and night. Maybe it's to soon to leave her and if I can't go it's not the end of the world she comes first was just looking at options.

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stichguru · 12/06/2025 08:15

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 07:58

she drinks water from a cup and enjoys water. She eats ok and will try most things but still looks for milk. Shes up and down all night not always for milk but still needs some in the night. This is my first time breastfeeding as my two boys would not take to it and I had to express. Tbh I would just continue as I am it's just my husband has tickets for a concert in July and really would like me to go with him as we really do need some us time so I was trying to get her to take a bottle so my mum could feed her that evening and night. Maybe it's to soon to leave her and if I can't go it's not the end of the world she comes first was just looking at options.

Have you tried expressed milk from the cup she drinks water from? My son was exclusively breast feed from 2 months to 6 months and then we introduced water and solids and then cups of my milk.

Original poster

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 09:34

stichguru · 12/06/2025 08:15

Have you tried expressed milk from the cup she drinks water from? My son was exclusively breast feed from 2 months to 6 months and then we introduced water and solids and then cups of my milk.

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I'm lucky if I get an ounce out when I express. Did you do cups through the night as well?

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stichguru · 12/06/2025 10:16

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 09:34

I'm lucky if I get an ounce out when I express. Did you do cups through the night as well?

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No we have dropped night feeds before I stopped feeding.

Mulledjuice · 12/06/2025 10:26

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 07:58

she drinks water from a cup and enjoys water. She eats ok and will try most things but still looks for milk. Shes up and down all night not always for milk but still needs some in the night. This is my first time breastfeeding as my two boys would not take to it and I had to express. Tbh I would just continue as I am it's just my husband has tickets for a concert in July and really would like me to go with him as we really do need some us time so I was trying to get her to take a bottle so my mum could feed her that evening and night. Maybe it's to soon to leave her and if I can't go it's not the end of the world she comes first was just looking at options.

Mine has never taken a bottle and although he drinks water happily from a cup he never consumed enough formula or expressed milk to be a substitute for breastfeeding on the occasions i had to go away overnight for work. By all means leave some expressed milk and/or formula, and while you're away pump or hand express enough to keep yourself from getting engorged, but your baby will be fine. Whoever is looking after her can offer more solids and perhaps an extra snack pre bedtime (we found banana and Greek yoghurt good).

Jollyjollyjollygoodie · 12/06/2025 10:53

None of mine ever took a bottle. They went straight onto food and cups, from around nine months.

Original poster

taylorrosej · 12/06/2025 11:11

I have found all this very interesting and made me think trying to get her onto a bottle the wrong thing to do so thank you for all your comments I'm going to try express see what I can get off to see if she will take this in a cup and try get her off the night feeds by giving her more food in the day.

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StretchyPants1988 · 12/06/2025 12:17

I have found that my baby still wanted to feed at night even when we introduced 2 snacks,on top of the 3 massive meals he was having. Breastfeeding is comfort, not just food. I think you need to think about night weaning.

I've had to express since baby was 6 months as I had to go back to work. Honestly, at this age, I wouldn't bother with it. It's a lot of work for very little gain. Whoever is watching her, get them to give her an extra snack and a bit of extra porridge before bed. Then water at night if she wakes.

SupposesRoses · 12/06/2025 12:44

I tried very hard with my BF babies to get them to take a bottle at various ages and it never ever worked. They hated dummies too. Give a supper before she goes to bed and try to night wean her (other parent picks her up when she cries and offers water and cuddles, only offer a feed if the first doesn't work).

Original poster

taylorrosej · 13/06/2025 11:01

SupposesRoses · 12/06/2025 12:44

I tried very hard with my BF babies to get them to take a bottle at various ages and it never ever worked. They hated dummies too. Give a supper before she goes to bed and try to night wean her (other parent picks her up when she cries and offers water and cuddles, only offer a feed if the first doesn't work).

i think night weaning is something I really need to do she was up so much last night and every time she drank milk. She has never been a great sleeper and white noise doesn't work and won't take a dummy. I have tried water on and off through the night it's hard with 3 kids and lack of sleep. Will try supper see if this helps and water through the night.

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