10wk old baby refusing bottle after having taken one since 4 weeks

6 replies

kk75 · 02/02/2009 09:13

My DS has been having one bottle a day (of either expressed milk or formula) since he was 4 weeks old. He was quite happy to take the bottle, and it had no impact on his breastfeeding. However, since last week he has refused to take a bottle at all. My DH and I have tried feeding him when hungry, not hungry, with me out the room etc, etc, but it has made no difference.

I go back to work in April so am worried that he wont' be able to feed when I am away.

Has anyone ever encountered problems with a baby who has previously taken a bottle refusing one? Any advice on how to encourage him to feed from this again? My health visitor lent me a medela breastfeeding cup - he wouldn't drink from this either. Not sure whether to keep persevering or to give him a break, or would this make it worse?

Any advice would be gratefully received - before I investigate how to buy one of the fake boobs from Meet the Fockers!

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MamaG · 02/02/2009 09:23

April is quie a long way away kk

I'm not an expert by any means but I would forget the bottle for a few weeks and then try again, perhaps with a different teat. Or try the cup again.

Somebody much more knowledgeable than me will be along soon though

foxytocin · 02/02/2009 09:50

DD1 was also a bottle refusnik by 10 weeks. it is not uncommon. I also went back to work around 20 wks and she still was refusing. I agree that you can wait a few weeks and try again. (not that it worked for me) When she went to nursery she eventually took a bottle out of necessity. I chose the MAM bottles and they worked out fine in the end as she was having EBM till she was stopped drinking it out of her choice.

With DD2 now 18 wks, I haven't even bothered to offer a bottle due to faff and the possibility of refusal. When she needs to have milk from a container I am planning to use the Tommee Tippee cup - the cheapest one. The one with no valve, 2 handles, a flip spout and the lid that stays on like anything.

Original poster

kk75 · 02/02/2009 10:52

Thanks for your replies - Mama G, I agree, April is still a long way away - especially on a day like today!

I have been using the MAM bottles so I know he has taken them. I'm just at a loss as to why he's suddenly taken against it...just a phase I suppose!

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completelyconfused · 02/02/2009 11:55

KK - I was about to post the exact same problem - my DD is 10 weeks and took a 10pm bottle from my husband from 3 weeks until a week ago. Now she refuses it completely - have tried Avent and Tommee Tippee bottles, slow-flow teats only as even those seem to be a lot faster than breastfeeding - but no joy. She doesn't seem to know how to suck from them any more - just cries and tries to turn her head away. BM or formula the same thing. Help! How am I ever going to get a break if she'll never take a bottle??

Original poster

kk75 · 02/02/2009 18:56

It sounds like exactly the same scenario....we are going to give him a break for a little while, as its stressing all of us out.

Fingers crossed for you!

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Original poster

kk75 · 05/02/2009 16:27

Just another update - we managed to get him to take it. It took a lot of persistence, but eventually just holding it in his mouth worked. This took an hour and my husband did it with me out the room. Bit of a relief.

A friend of mine sent a link to the baby whisperer website which recommended a similar treatment.

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