Help! My breastfed dd cannot take a bottle

[Blocka]

I have been expressing all week so I could go out for my first night out in a whole year, my mother babysat and tried to feed dd (17 weeks old) with a bottle for the first time and she couldn't suck it. We have all tried to again this morning - she screams when I try and doesn't know what to do with the teat when my dh tries.

I should of know because she won't take a dummy either. I have none of these problems with my older dd.

Any suggestions??? Was thinking of putting her straight onto a cup with a free-flowing spout?

Have you tried different bottles / teets?

No, not yet SirBoobAlot, just used the tomme tippee closer to nature ones, simply because they said they were like a breast and my other daughter drank from them. I spent about £20 on different dummies but she took none of them - do you think it would be the same with bottles/teats?

Any good suggestions of ones to try?

i don't think different bottles/teats necessarily helps. they don't know what to do with the bottle because it doesn't feel anything like a breast and so they have no idea what it is for

and the other problem is that they don't only want the breast for milk, it's comfort too, and they don't get that with a bottle so often will refuse it

ds2 and ds3 refused bottles point blank until they were about 6 months old and would only then take one if they were desperate and someone else was looking after them.

personally i wouldn't waste money buying all sorts of different ones, though maybe try some others if you could borrow froma friend or something?

Thats for advice thisisyesterday, but I have another night out planned for next weekend (get me!) and I don't know what to do. I ended up bfing her last night and I had had way too much to drink .

On the plus side she slept from midnight tl 6am for the first time ever! Although she does have a hangover today

I found mam teats worked on my DC as they were much softer than the avent or tommee tippee ones

Thanks EldonAve, might try a different teat on the bottles I already have to save some money

Hi there

I was just wondering how you got on, Blocka? I've been BFing DD exclusively since she was born 3 months ago and while I love it, I would also love to be able to go out and leave her safe in the knowledge that she can feed in my absence...

We started trying to get her to take a bottle of EBM at 6 weeks and have been trying ever since - tried all sorts of teats, times of day, approaches, tried formula - she has occasionally taken about half an ounce before realising what she's doing and refusing any more. She really can't get the hang of a teat...would a cup be easier??

Any suggestions from anyone gratefully accepted! (and apologies for hijacking your thread!)

MAM teats worked for DS2 - otherwise your mum could give the milk in a free flow spout cup - or do a feed before you go out and again when you get in. Baby will be ok for a few hours without milk if need be, though your mum will probably have a rough ride of it again.

BTW, neither of my 2 DS fell for tommee tippee being like a boob - DS1 finally reluctantly agreed to drink from Avent bottles and DS2 (even more stubborn than his brother) from Avent bottles with MAM teats...

We had this problem too. My 3 month old DD refused bottles, would get hysterical when she saw it and really couldnt manage to suck from it at all. What worked in the end was trying AFTER a breastfeed. Up until this point i thought she had to be really hungry, but the opposite actually worked. They dont take much from the bottle at first but do gradually get used to it and take more. She still prefers boobs now but at least is able to take enough from a bottle so i can have a night out HTH

Blocka, I have the same problem - see thread for other tips that may not be here....
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/935990-Persuading-a-BF-baby-to-take- the-bottle

Thanks for all your comments MrsJeff dinkystink missingmevino and dizzyem. Really need a pep talk tonight because I am close to tears with it all.

Still no where near getting DD2 to drink from the bottle. Tried every bottle, teat, formula etc and nothing works. Thought we were getting somewhere last week when she stated latching onto the tommee tippee bottles and drinking about 2 to 3 oz before getting upset and wanting boob, but now she won't go anywhere near it.
Just cancelled the hen night I was supposed to be going on in a couple of weeks, which is another cancelled 'me time' and I could cry.
I've had tonsilitus twice in the last 3 weeks and I am sure it is because I am run down and feeding every 3 hours - even during the night and she is nearly 5 months old.
Please help and drag me out of this ditch I am in tonight!!

Don't have any advice but do have loads of sympathy. DD2 is eleven weeks and we have tried every bottle and teat going from week two with no luck. It's so frustrating and makes you feel so trapped.
I'm now thinking of trying a doidy cup but think she's too small at the moment.
Try to remember why you're feeding and all the good it is doing.

Heh - DS2 is 6.5 months, has just started nursery and won't take a bottle. Fortunately the staff are very understanding and just spoon it in. A bit time-consuming, but effective.

Cup worked from about 4 months for DS1 and he soon cracked and drank from the bottle soon after starting at nursery. Looks like this one is way more stubborn!

My parents are looking after them tomorrow afternoon and early evening while we go to a wedding - fingers crossed!

Hi bluechampagne, how did the wedding go? Did you mum have any luck with the bottle?

Whats a doidy cup neeko?

I've started giving DD2 baby rice already, I know she is only 5 months and most people will be disgusted at me, but I am mixing it with formula so she gets used to the taste. She loves it! So the taste is not the problem, its obviously just the fact that its not coming from my boob...

Blocka, what a pain it is! My DD is 19 weeks... and until about a month ago I was so good at giving her EBM in a bottle at least once a week to keep her used to it. And then got complacent and now we have tears and struggles and she won't go near a bottle. Damn it. Just when I feel I have a bit more energy and want to go out and Do Things. A haircut would be nice.

Reading these threads with interest, we've tried some of the ideas but will have a go with others.

Bit of a novice question... are different makes of teats interchangable with bottles? We've mostly got Tommee Tipee bottles (one avent). I'm thinking it might be worth giving the NUK teats a try (thread that dizzy linked to), but not sure if I also need to buy a bottle as well.

Blocka - no one should be disgusted with you re baby rice, I have been weaning O since she was 17weeks! She loves her food, but won't take a bottle either. I am also getting to the end of my tether. She will play with it and put teat in her mouth with water in bottle after having solids, but try milk or at feed time and it is tears and screaming all the way, which is really stressing me out. I have also had to cancel 'me' things cos of it. Grrrrrrr. Little monkeys. Maybe I will try after BF now and see how it goes....

Hi comeonbishbosh, good question about the teats! I have been merily spending a fortune on bottles and teats but never thought about just buying the teats. Anyone with any clues if this works??

Sorry to hear your troubles too hpsauci, its a nightmare isn't it. I had another cry this afternoon, I am just so exhausted and need to be on my own without either of my DDs just to pull myself together, but can't go anywhere too far or for too long because of the boob - and I am anxious the whole time anyway in case I get a phone call telling me to come home.

I have managed to get my hair done, but my DH had to bring the little blighter in half way through for a BF while I had my foils on. Lol!

Oh well, another day, another bottle of formula down the drain.....

Hi all.
A Doidy cup is a sloped cup that's completely open. Google it. I'd do a link but I'm rubbish

Mam teats fit on Avent bottles and I think Nuk do too.

My mum and aunt tried DD2 on and off for an hour last night - lots of screaming, no sucking Think it's never being able to hand over responsibility for an afternoon evening that really gets me down. Totally agree on the whole being anxious if I do go out.

Might try the spoon, though can't see me having a huge queue of babysitters to do that!

Firstly, congratulations for getting this far. It is hard, and only 12% of mothers in the uk are exclusively breastfeeding at 5 months, according to an NHS survey in 2005.

Anyway, I'm sorry I can't help, I haven't got any suggestions but I feel your pain Blocka. My little one is 5 months and I am supposed to be going on a hen weekend in two weeks. She is breast fed and feeds literally every hour (except at night) and will not take bottles. I have not had any time to myself since she was born.

I went to boots yesterday and bought a lot of teats and cups etc hopefully will try them all today and see if they work!!

Good luck, let me know what you try works

Hi Blocka - no joy with bottle but enough went down him by spoon & cup (Doidy for us too). Wedding was lovely though would have been even better without the rain. I started weaning both DCs at 5 months.

We're going to give the bottle a rest for a couple of weeks before trying again.

Hi WittyNickname and thank you for that stat! Its is hard to remember during all this anxiety why we breastfed in the first place - it is the best for our children and it is easy to forget that.

I am still no further forward, though, and am wrecked at being up every hour and half last night with either DD1 or DD2. Have moved DD2 into her own room this weekend as weel, in the vain hope she will not smell me during the night and sleep longer . Hasn't worked, and all it means is I am now freezing my arse off in a chair in her room whist feeding her, instead of tucked up warm in my bed .

Still trying everyday with the bottle - will keep you all posted!

Still trying everyday here too with little success. Today she allowed the bottle in her mouth without screaming so that's progress. I'm waiting on my doidy cup coming to try that.

Do any of your bottle refusing DCs take a dummy? Someone suggested to me that it might be easier to get DD2 to suck on the bottle if she'll suck a dummy. What do you think?

You're welcome blocka! I'm just glad I only have the one (At the mo....).

More results from the NHs survey can be found at
www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles-related-surveys/infan t-feeding-survey/infant-feeding-survey-2005

I tried my little one with a dummy neeko and she just spits it out! She likes it, but enjoys it in the sense she can keep spitting it out, randomly. No good for getting the hang of the bottle then

Woohoo! Breakthrough! My little lovely took a bottle last night and tonight from her Daddy and then went straight to sleep! Hurrah!
Have been giving her cool boiled water in bottle after solids and BF for last 5 days or so..... don't know if it was that or if she just suddenly got it. Worth a try? It certainly got her used to the bottle! DH out tomorrow night, so she will have to take it from me instead.... fingers crossed....

Congratulations hpsauci!!! There is hope after all!

Well let me tell you about my day. Went to baby clinic to get DD2 weighed, walked there only to be 2 mins late and they had packed away the scales. I said I wanted some advice as well as weighing, and as soon as I said I was having trouble getting her on the bottle I broke down in tears. Honestly, I felt like such an idiot!

They were 3 HVs all giving me sympathy and making it a whole lot worse. But they were lovly, gave lots of advice (like ditching the numerous teats and just perservering with one) and arranged for a BF advisor to call me. They clearly think I have PND!

Anyway, left there still blubing, got onto the bus, DD2 was crying for a feed so stuck the bottle in her mouth while she was staring at 3 old ladies - and she bloody well drank the whole 4 oz!!!! I couldn't believe it! Here I am, making a tit of myself crying at HVs and she just decides that now is the time to give in.

So girls, get on the bus, find a couple of old ladies and job done.

Fingers crossed she takes it tonight....x