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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Help - 3 month DD refusing bottle - success stories and advice please!

20 replies

crabby · 20/11/2008 12:57

DD is 3 months old, born 5 weeks early. We introduced some bottles at 5 weeks corrected age. She took these OK, but then we got lazy and didn't give her any for a few weeks.

Tried again last night and she said no thanks .

Is there anyone whose baby refused and then started to take bottles again? Tips and heartwarming stories please!!

OP posts:

lovelymama · 20/11/2008 15:12

Here's some hope for you. We did exactly the same as you 'oh he takes a bottle at 2 weeks, we don't need to give it to him again' then by 4 weeks, he refused the bottle. he actually screamed when we gave it to him and even thought he was starving, he just wouldn't drink from it. Tried a few more times over the following weeks, then all of a sudden when he was about 18 weeks, he just took it. I stopped exclusively BF when DS was about 5 months old as he was getting too distracted to have a full feed. Now he loves his bottle and sticks his tongue out like an excited dog when he sees it. and he holds his own bottle when feeding. i can't believe this is the same boy who didn't allow me to leave him for more than 3 hours due to feeding! keep trying with the bottle, but don't force it and I'm sure she'll come round to your way of thinking soon enough!

Jenbot · 20/11/2008 15:23

I'm in exactly the same position, mine was born 8 weeks early, and is almost 4 months old now. She had bottles perfectly happily, we didn't give her any for a while and now she HATES them, have tried warmer milk, cooler milk, formula, ebm, different teats, different people, when she's hungry, when she's not hungry....
Next we're trying a cup!

It's only really because I need to take a driving test. Failed my last one because I went into labour!

mum2oneloudbaby · 20/11/2008 15:45

We had same problem and it wasn't till I started to wean to solids at 6 months that she really took a bottle successfully and only if I wasn't there and she could see no alternative. She was better with a free flow cup from about 5 months.

I would say unless it's absolutely necessary don't stress it. If you need her to take a bottle try all the things Jenbot tried but do expect it not to work until she is ready unfortunately.

On the upside I didn't have to wean from a bottle only the breast to a cup which went very smoothly.

Original poster

crabby · 20/11/2008 16:36

thanks for the advice! I suppose I was secretly hoping that she would maybe decide taking a bottle tomorrow would be a good idea but looks as though that may not occur.

I kind of suspect that the buying multiple bottle/teat thing is a red herring, but I am tempted to try a nuk. Can't think this will all of a sudden make her think it is the best ever thing!!

Keep me posted if you have any luck, jenbot - glad we are not the only people who have forgotten to give them a bottle and had this result! How is the cup going?

What kind of cups are you using and where do you get them? Can they really drink the volume they need - she had one in hospital after she was born, but most ended up down her chin...!!

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mum2oneloudbaby · 21/11/2008 18:10

best i found was the tommee tippee free flow which you can get from Tesco, Asda etc. as it has a fold down spout to stop it leaking in transit and when she decides to throw it about. I think I paid about £1.60 to £2 each and I have a selection

Jenbot · 25/11/2008 16:39

Hello again crabby, no real luck with the cup I'm afraid, it all just seems to spill out and I don't feel that I could leave her with someone else to feed her yet... Oh and we got the Tommee Tippee one mentioned above! It says suitable from 4 months but they used cups in the hospital from birth so I'm sure it's OK. Most others seem to say suitable from 6 months.

Hope you're having better luck! We're going to try again tonight.

Original poster

crabby · 25/11/2008 21:40

I'm trying the cup feeding approach where they sip/lap from an open cup. In credit crunch times I'm using the upturned teat protector from her bottles - had to find some use for the bottles!!!

I think she took some ebm, but only tried a tiny bit. There are some good youtube video clips of babies sipping! As you say, the prospect of leaving her with someone else to do it is... interesting!

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RinkyDinkyPinky · 26/11/2008 11:18

Hello All,
I'm also losing the battle to introduce a bottle to DD2 (now 5 months). She took a bottle a couple of weeks ago and since then has vehemently refused and just screams.
I am exhausted with BF. I keep getting colds and have a poor supply and am really looking forward to weaning. Trying baby rice today. Will give the cup a go too.

Original poster

crabby · 27/11/2008 23:41

Trying to choose a cup in tescos and a mum came up and recommended - yes, you guessed it, the tommee tippee first cup. about £1.50 - cheapest one there! (the TT website is offering 4 for a fiver).

Anyway, some degree of success tonight - DD did some gulping with the small amount of precious EBM I put in it. Be warned though, the spout means that they cannot drink the last 10mls or so in the cup, so don't expect the whole thing downed. As we only put in about 20 mls, hard to say how much went in, but will try again tomorrow and report back.

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Mum2OliverJames · 27/11/2008 23:57

I cant believe no one has come and pointed you in the direction of NUK bottles, i couldnt get DS to take any bottles at all, i bought and tried soo many different kinds, but he finally took these NUK ones.

His cousin was exactly the same and i am sure there will be amny other mums which can vouch for them too, i used the latex wide necked bottles and DS didnt even struggle, they are shaped so differently to other bottles and even though they are a bit more expensive than other bottles if i had known about them beforehand i would have saved sooo much not having to try lots of different bottles.

although i would advise getting the training cups and just getting the extra teats because then they can be used for longer and you get more for your money IYSWIM.

And also after introducing these bottles to him he pretty soon afterwards would drink out of anything, he is 11 months now and drinks out of one of the Nuk training cups with a sippy cup lid.

Mum2OliverJames · 28/11/2008 00:00

oh have just read your last post properly, just skim read before posting.

I wish you success.

chipmonkey · 28/11/2008 01:38

Other ones to try:
Playtex disposables with Nauralatch latex teat, which worked for our very stubborn ds3 also born 8 weeks prem ( what does that do to them to make them so stubborn!}
The Adiri natural nurser which looks more like a breast than anything else
The Haberman special needs feeder which was, I think invented for babies with cleft palate but apparently is quite good for the refuseniks as well.
Can you tell I researched this a lot?
I have a fond memory of ds2 aged 6 asking me, "Mammy, you know all those bottles in that cupboard? Ds1 says they're all the bottles ds3 wouldn't drink!" and on being told that this time his big brother wasn't spinning a yarn, "Wow!" It was a sizeable number of bottles.

Original poster

crabby · 01/12/2008 11:07

How are you guys getting on? Having modest success with the TT cup, but only with fresh milk - frozen and reheated milk is apparently unacceptable to my DD! Will continue to persevere before trying all of the other bottle option.

C
x

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RinkyDinkyPinky · 01/12/2008 20:35

We tried TT First Cup today and DD took about 50 ml, although a lot came out again. (DD is 5 1/2 months) More successful than any bottle so far. I have ordered some NUK bottles so will let you know how it goes...

Original poster

crabby · 02/12/2008 16:30

I keep thinking that I might order NUK bottles, but with the bottle collection that we have in the cupboard, I think it may be throwing good money after bad...

Do let me know how you get on!

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RinkyDinkyPinky · 02/12/2008 21:59

No success with the NUK I'm afraid.
DD reacts badly to any bottle teat in her mouth. I think we're going to go straight to cups. I bet my bottle collection would rival yours now Crabby!

Original poster

crabby · 03/12/2008 10:10

Although we has some success one night with the TT cup, since then it has all gone really down hill and DP is getting depressed as it is his "nice feeding time" - also known as screaming spitting baby time.

Is the NUK teat different enough for us to even bother trying it? Also there is something called bottle to cup in the TT range to help wean onto a cup. But again, it is a teat ish ting that goes in their mouths...

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RinkyDinkyPinky · 03/12/2008 10:21

the NUK teats are flattened and have a definite up and down side. You can see them at mothercare,com. I have a friend who says they're the only teats her DD would accept and they do seem a better design than most. However I think my DD just isn't going to let any teat (expt boob) into her mouth. She's so definite in her rejection of them that I'm worried about traumatising her if we continue to try. I'm going to stick with the sippy cups before she rejects then too!

Original poster

crabby · 03/12/2008 17:01

Good luck with the sippy cups! I have ordered the nuk teats. Fingers very tightly crossed. DD will accept a teat in her mouth unless v tired or hungry, its just confusing for her!! Like giving her chop sticks and asking her to eat soup. Maybe NUK will be the answer, but like you I fear not...

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flowerygarden · 04/12/2008 01:45

I have a similar problem, I have a DD who turned 9 months yesterday. She used to nurse exclusively, but from fourth month I started her solid food. She ate well for a month and stopped eating and I stopped expressing milk as much as I used to and now, now whatever she takes from me is not enough for her, I am trying to introduce formula and she's not drinking that, she wants me to nurse her. What to do????

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