18wk old refusing his one-a-day bottle

[berri]

Title says it all really, I've been giving 18wk old ds one bottle last thing at night recently, and sometimes when I am out and can't bf him (only perhaps once a fortnight) and he has always taken it fine from birth.

However the last 3 nights he's completely refused it, getting angry and crying when we try it. Dh tries first with me downstairs, then I tried it, then eventually I just bf him as he wouldn't have any from the bottle.

It's strange how he's always been fine - is it worth me changing the bottle, or formula or teats?? Which first?!

I'm using Aptimil at the mo, can anyone recommend another one I could try? Or perhaps I should defrost some EBM first...just don't want to waste it if it's going to go down the sink like the formula has been....

I'm worried as I'm going out on my first girls night out on Tuesday and I don't want to have to come home at 9pm as ds is having a meltdown - help!!

Hi Berri

Hmm, 18wks, around the magic 4 months when a whole load of things kick in for babies. It's a notoriously 'fussy' period for many (although, as always, not all) when all that you thought you knew goes out the window!

The brain goes through big changes around this time, and it can throw little ones a bit. And when things change dramatically for babies, they want their mummy. A lot. Or at least, a lot more than they did a couple of weeks before. It does usually pass!

I'd say EMB is definitely worth a try before spending a load on new equipment or formula. Have you noticed any changes in his breastfeeding behaviour? If he seems to be getting frustrated at the breast too, maybe he is ready for a faster flow teat, but still, I'd try the EMB first.

Tuesday does sound like a bit of a deadline, but if he's with your DH, who can give him as much cuddling as required, and has milk available, they'll probably muddle through for just the one evening! You could also try a dry-run with you out of the house for just an hour. I know my DD could just sense if I was lurking in the house somewhere, and wouldn't have a bottle of anything until she was absolutely sure I wasn't available.

HTHs

berri - have you changed anything recently eg teats, formula?? Is he BF OK otherwise? Instead of bottle feeding you could try giving him his feed on a spoon? It is a method for bf babies - I've never tried it but it is meant to work. Is he teething and maybe the teat is hurting him??

Thanks Mij, will try to go out this afternoon and dh can try some EBM to see if that works. Divedaisy no, i've not changed anything which is the strange thing about it all. He's bf fine as well, so if I wasn't trying to get a little more independence at home then I wouldn't have even noticed as I don't really give him many bottles!

Thanks for your tips, will keep trying with ebm perhaps before I start with new formula.

If that fails though, is there a particular formula which is supposed to be 'preferred' by babies over another one? Or are they all much the same?

When I used formulas after stopping bf I bought whichever one was in Tescos! I used SMA or Cow & Gate.

How did your dh get on with ebm? Maybe this site might help give you some alternative optiions...

Hi, the only thing I want to add to what the others have said is that this may change very very quickly again without you doing anything at all! Like Mij said, around 4 months is a fussy / interesting / lots-of-changes period, so probably this is just a phase. My own breastfed DS at some point refused the bottle (EBM) for over 2 months (not saying this will happen to you, as in my case I simply didn't persist) & then at another point he went on a nursing strike & ONLY took bottles for about 10 days. What I'm saying is, these are phases, they pass, just continue with your 1 bottle a day & it really will be fine.

Thank you - we tried another bottle of ebm this morning when he was starving, used a no.2 teat so he got a bit less frustrated, and he took about 150ml before he refused it - so progress I think!

That's good news Berri. And to hold in mind when he's driving you up the wall - "this too shall pass, this too shall pass..."! Any time between now and when he's, ooooh, 25?

Mij I like the 'this too will pass'! I am struggling with a similar prob, 2 month old has been having ebm daily by bottle for a moth and has just stopped taking it in the last few days.

No clues as to what has changed for her - we are trying faster flow teats to see if that is the issue as my breasts (like the penny has dropped re bf) have changed a lot - in a good way - in the last week or two so I wondered if there was a connection?

I really value the 'time off' it gives me once a day and dh loves giving it so I am really hoping we can get her back on track aagin. Any suggestions? They are downstairs now trying and I can hear her screaming so am guessing the 3 teat isn't working - tried number 2 last night to no avail. Sigh.

Screams stopped so fingers crossed for me....??!