baby wont take bottle

[rainbowtreacle]

Hello there,just wondering if anyone can suggest how i can get my five month old to take the bottle?? hes been breast fed up to now but milk suply is low and would like to replace 10 pm feed with formula.Hes also started weaning, going well ( just started fruit and a little baby rice) ive tried putting him in his chair and giving it to him as he cried in my arms when i held him in the feeding position (probably because i didnt give him the boob!) but he just plays with the teat and doesnt suck the milk. help! Should mention ive got the tommee tippee bottles as i thought they would make the transition easier..
Im quite desperate for a solution as he started waking frequently for a feed and im utterly exhausted.
Help please!

Just a few suggestions. See if he will take it off someone else? Try him at a time he is hungry and possibly sleepy (such as first thing). You can always then change it to a 10pm feed.
If you are able to express (even if only a bit) see if he will get used to the bottle with ebm first?
Ime (which is limited) they type of bottle may not make a lot of difference.
Also your supply may seem lower as he starts to adjust to taking a small amount of solids. my dds were both more unsettled at night between 4-6 months, I think that it is just a developmental stage possibly rather than your milk being low.

DD2 would only take the tommee tippee bottles. I didn;t offer her a bottle until she was 4 or 5mo - tried every other bottle I could find with no success. I am using them for DS who is 6mo (just trying to get him to take a bottle for the first time too). I do rate then very highly but it is down to the individual I guess.

I would suggest you try to find a time during the day where he is a little hungry but not too much and when he isn't too tired. If he is too hungry or too tired he won't be happy trying out a new experience IME.

It is definitely worth trying to get him to take a bottle from someone else - be warned if he knows you are about he'll likely refuse a bottle. If you can go out for an hour and leave him with someone else when you think he might be receptive to trying a bottle then you might have more success. DD2 and DS refused a bottle if they knew I was nearby.

Also agree you should try ebm instead of formula - makes the transition more gradual. Once he recognises food comes from a bottle too half the battle is won. DD2 didn't like formula at all at first.

Try not to make a big thing about it though, choose a time of day when things are relatively relaxed and expect a fair bit of faffing about before he gets the message. If yu have no luck one day just try again the next.

Good luck - I know what you are going through - it doesn't last but when you are tired from frequent feeding it is tough

Neither of my 2 ds would take a bottle until I laid them on a v-cushion on my knee. Basically they lay back on the cushion in splendid comfort, with the 'v' on my knee and their feet on my tummy. Went from messing with the teat to downing whole bottles. I had tried everything but for some reason this worked a treat. DS2 now 9 months and have just stopped using the cushion as he does not need it anymore. Good luck.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions, will give them a go! pardon my ignorance ( im new) what does DD2 and DS stand for?

DS = darling son (never understood the darling bit

DD = darling daughter

DD2 / DS2 second son / daughter etc

There is a list of acronyms at the top of the page (look next to 'useful stuff') - although I think it is more fun to spend months trying to work them out for yourself .

Welcome to MN

rainbow scroll to the top and click on "acronym list" in the useful stuff section. dd=darling daughter, ds=darling son.

The number refers to which order (if you have more than one daughter/son) e.g. my dd1 is 4 years old, my dd2 is younger. hth (hope this helps)

You will soon get used to us, welcome by the way. (also it may help you to know that unlike some other parenting sites we tend to avoid text speak and stick mainly to the list of abbreviations/acronyms)

Welcome! I did not know about Mumsnet until DS1 was 3 and struggled to work it all out for myself... The chances are that someone will have dealt with the same issue and it has been a serious sanity saver. Some of the threads are also seriously funny. Have only just worked out the PMSL ancronym tonight (see the list).