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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

How to get BF baby to take a bottle?

32 replies

NoseyHelen · 18/02/2009 20:09

My son is 6 months old and still won't take a bottle.
It doesn't matter if its EBM or formula nor if it's me, DH or granny that tries. The most he has ever taken in 10ml.
We use Tomme Tippee closer to nature. We've gone from slow to fast flow teats because my own flow is super fast (sprays every where speed)!

Can anyone help?

OP posts:
bearhug · 18/02/2009 20:30

We tried Tommee Tippee and our DS (nearly 5 months) refused point blank to take the teat in his mouth. We persevered as recommended and got no-where.

It would appear he just doesn't like silicone teats, as he now will accept NUK latex teats. Not with any level of enthusiasm, but still...

My advice would be to try different teats until you find one that he'll take to.

Divineintervention · 18/02/2009 20:30

What about a cup instead?

runnervt · 18/02/2009 20:31

What worked for my ds1 was to express a wee bit (1oz) and try him with a bottle each day. We eventually got there. I hand expressed so it meant there wasn't too much washing up. I thought ds2 was happy with the bottle but I've just resigned myself to taking the same approach with him!

Supercherry · 18/02/2009 20:32

I had this problem when my DS was 10wks old- it just took perserverance I am afraid. Just offering it on a regular basis- or whenever I had managed to express some. In the end it was my MIL who managed to get him to take it when I wasn't there and he was fine after that. My friend had the same issue with her DS, but it took her until he was about 8mths I think. I used same bottles as you. Good luck.

popsycal · 18/02/2009 20:35

ds2 - this worked aged 5 months

avent bottle. MAM teat, warmed milked, held by dh facing outwards when not especially humngry

ds3 - 5 months - this workled 2 days ago after not working so far: morning feed, expressed an ounce or so whilst he fed. Had bottles on sterilising while he fed. Sat him in bouncy chair, milk still warm from boobs, bottle and teat still warm from steriliser. Sat in bouncy chair so not associating it with cuddles. Already fed so not dead hungry and niggly. Avent teat this time

popsycal · 18/02/2009 20:36

just to add - ds2 was dreadful - only took a bottle the day before i went bak to work. Lotys of people on here swear by the MAM teat...MAM ultivent

Lotster · 18/02/2009 21:01

The no nonsense approach would be to (as long as he is healthy) offer him nothing but a bottle for a whole day.

If you just try for a bit then give in to boob, he just learns how long he has to refuse it for.

My friend has a terrible time trying to get her LO to take a bottle, she did eventually take a cup. But to be fair, she never persevered with the above test and always gave in!

Another, softer method is to do half a feed of boob, then when they are satisfied and a bit less anxious, do the second half in a bottle. Sort of like a top-off I suppose.

neveronamonday · 18/02/2009 21:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
NoseyHelen · 20/02/2009 23:38

Thanks for all your help. Perhaps I'll try the MAM teat - thanks again.

OP posts:
lilolilmanchester · 20/02/2009 23:53

My DS wouldn't take a bottle so I put him straight on to a cup when I went back to work (he was 7 months). Didn't even try DD on a bottle, just straight onto cup because it was no more difficult than getting them on to a bottle and no bottle to wean off later. I continued BF'ing first feed and last feed of day til they were about 1.

Original poster
NoseyHelen · 21/02/2009 22:57

Well, I went to Mother(don't)care today - how I hate that shop. They only had the MAM ultivent bottles in packs of 3 (£10.99) and I'd have to buy the fast flow teats seperately (another £3-4). I was reluctant to shell out £15 because I'm unsure it's going to work. My son doesn't have a wind problem so I opted for a single standard MAM bottle that I had to buy extra teats for and I think I can buy a spout for it when we progress to cups - fingers crossed it will work.

lilolilmanchester - what sort of cup did you go for. I wanted to have a good look at cups but there was a couple there arguing over what they should buy so I couldn't get close enough to the cups to check them out.

OP posts:
lilolilmanchester · 22/02/2009 02:42

NoseyHelen, my youngest is 11 so really can't remember precise details . But I think Avent had a spout for their bottle which I started with, then just went on to "any old feeder cup" but with a slow flow spout. Not sure what's around now like that

Original poster
NoseyHelen · 23/02/2009 22:59

Some progress made - DS will play with bottle, put it in his mouth and even suck, as long as we don't hold him. I'm going to try it every day when he is not hungry and see where it gets us.

OP posts:
Dalrymps · 23/02/2009 23:10

The baby whisperer recommends this bottle as the best for breastfed babies as the milk only comes out when they suck, instead of a constant flow iyswim.

CaptainCaveman · 24/02/2009 09:57

noseyhelen I think my ds2 must be reading the same books as yours! He is also 6mo and refuses ebm or formula no matter who is offering it, no matter what the vessel. Oddly ds1 was exactly the same so it must be down to something I'm doing/not doing.

I think I basically refused to feed ds1 overnight and in the morning he took his first ff from an avent cup with one of those soft spouts. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that I will have to do the same for ds2.

How are your nights btw? Ds2 waking up at least twice still.

arthymum · 24/02/2009 10:12

My DS is also six months and a bottle-hater. Also won't take a cup if he has to suck. But we have had some success with removing the anti-spill valve from a beaker spout - so that it is free-flowing. It's a bit messy and i have to help him at the moment but he's happy to drink from it.

Nights getting a bit better for us - but only if I manage to get plenty of milk down him in the day - which isn't always easy as he's the nosiest baby in the world, I think!

thomasina1 · 24/02/2009 14:04

Hi, we've just cracked this at 13 wks - tried mam teat with very warm milk just as baby was waking up in carseat. I think it was a combination of factors that did it but certainly trying it while she was sleepy and therefore not totally on the ball helped I think!

CaptainCaveman · 24/02/2009 20:28

oooohhh success! Tried the MAM today with cracking result - he downed 3oz and was sucking away for me. I can't tell you the relief I am feeling now . Long may it continue!

popsycal · 25/02/2009 09:31

that mam teat is a miracle

CaptainDJ · 25/02/2009 21:42

Been watching this thread with interest as have been trying to get DD2 (nearly 4 months) to start taking a bottle of EBM for over a month. Finally had success last night at 11pm feed with a very sleepy baby!! Took a good 80ml in record time. Still won't be fooled in the daytime yet! Had just ordered my MAM teats online as well!

Sophie27 · 26/02/2009 16:09

Hi everyone!
I'm new on this site but really enjoy reading all the advice you have been giving each other. I'm in need of help today as I'm going crazy!!! I'm trying to get my 5 month old breastfed son to take a bottle and he refuses. Nothing new there as I've been trying since he was 2 months old. I've tried the "cold turkey" before but gave in when it got to late afternoon and he had only drank 4oz since the morning. I am trying again today, following the advice of Baby Whisperer who says that he will not starve himself for long. He last breastfed at 6am. Then took bottle around 11am, with a lot of screaming! it's now 4pm and he refuses to drink from bottle, whether it's breastmilk or formula. He is crying more and more and I'm getting really upset myself. I'm back at work in 2 weeks and he NEEDS to be able to drink from bottle. Help!!!

Lotster · 26/02/2009 16:58

Hi Sophie, just thought of another tip I tried when my son had a bottle-strike (he started off fine with them), it was at this point I switched to the Closer to Nature bottle by Tommee Tippee, which are great, but I also put him in a bouncer chair/carseat for the feed as opposed to holding him and reminding him of my boobs. Seemed to help along with the bottle...

Worth a try anyway!

Homebird8 · 26/02/2009 17:17

Failing all this great advice - try a syringe!

Sophie27 · 26/02/2009 17:40

Thanks for your advice. I'll try to feed him in his bouncer. He's finally having a nap. I don't think I can carry on "starving" him for much longer. I feel so guilty and like such a bad mother. But there is so much pressure to get him to drink somehow. I would feel terrible leaving him with the childminder in 2 weeks, knowing that he would starve himself all day. I don't know what's worse: for him to be upset now but MAYBE give in to the bottle tonight, or for him to be left with the childminder and starve all day? Thanks for your help. I'll let you know how it goes!

jocie · 26/02/2009 21:09

not sure how good they are but in the new mothercare catologue they're selling a new bottle its called First years Breastflow bottles and the blurb says ' 2 part teat system to assist combined breast and bottle feeding. Teat encourages same tongue position as bf. Inner teat allows baby to control milk flow.' It's like a small inner teat with a dombed teat around it. 1 140ml botle packis £5.49 and 1 210ml bottle is £5.99. Ive not got any personal experience with them but they caught my eye as i was flicking through the catologue(anything to delay housework!!!)