Help - he won't take a bottle at all.

[Deemented]

My ds is three months old, and in a week or so i've to have an MRI scan. Now i know the scan itself isn't a problem, but i've to have an injection which is radioactive and have been advised not to BF for at least 24-32 hours afterwards.

Here's where the problem starts. I've been expressing to build up enough to last him, and for the past three days i've tried feeding him EBM through a bottle, just to try to get him used to it.

It's really not working. He simply won't tolerate it at all. DP has been trying to feed him, i've tried and he just screams and screams. We've tried it when we know he's not very hungry, we've tried when we know he is, and we've tried dream feeding him, but he won't take the bottle at all.

We're using the Closer to Nature bottles and can't really afford to try others.

Any advice at all?

DD would never take a bottle from me - she could smell the milk on me

the only advice i can give is to wrap him in a t-shirt which smells of you and get your DP to try, try and try again

you can also try a cup - babies can lap at this age

FWIW, my DD was a stubborn bottle refuser and NUK worked (although the only person she takes the bottle from is my MIL)

I'd try a cup. Or if you get desperate you can use a syringe although take ages.

Silly question but is the milk warm? Might be worth trying to warm if not. Also is the teat warm? Maybe run under hot water so it's not cold rubber in his mouth. Also if you're tense when trying (as you worry it won't work), try and relax as baby will pick up on it. Try holding in a different position - e.g sitting facing outward not in a breastfeeding position as he may associate being held that way with breastfeeding only.

Good luck and I hope the scan goes well.

will watch this thread, DS had FF top-ups for the first 2wks (jaundice) - also used CtoN bottles, no problem. tried a few times after with EBM but no luck (he won't take a dummy either). am tempted to make a proper go of giving him a bottle of EBM each day just to give myself a break, if we can get him to take the damn thing. he's 7mths. I'm wondering if it's worth trying a sippy cup? DD was mix fed and had an anywayup cup by 6m.

I'm assuming after the scan you'll be expressing at feed times and throwing away?

best of luck with the scan.