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Breast pumps

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Original poster

Trying to get my exclusivity breastfed baby on a bottle

12 replies

SHTTC2024 · 04/02/2025 13:04

Hi, has anyone got any advice on trying to get my exclusively breastfed baby to take a bottle?
I have tried everything I can think of…
breast milk from 2 different bottles
formula from 2 different bottles
my partner trying to feed her without me in the room
a friend who has kids to try feed her
she is 4 months old and I’m going to a girls night Friday and to a hen do in April so I really need to get her used to them ASAP. we have tried 4 times a day for the last 3 days so far.
Sometimes she will scream when the bottle goes near her.
Sometimes she will just chew the teat and spit the milk out
she can’t latch on to the bottle at all and gets frustrated with it.
after I try the bottle I then give her the boob but she will only be on for a minute or 2 because she’s been so worked up and then give up so I’m not sure she’s getting enough milk.
any advice would be amazing!!!
a very tired mentally exhausted mum and baby at the minute

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

TuesdayRubies · 04/02/2025 13:28

Tbh some just won't take bottles. Most EBF mums I know (myself included) didn't manage to go on nights out till baby was onto solid foods! It's tricky. Tbh you'll probably be fine for April if you work on it gradually but if she's developed a bottle aversion you are unlikely to persuade her by Friday night. It would be better to avoid bottles completely until she forgets the negative association she's developed by having the bottles pushed on her.

I would probably forget Friday unless it's truly vital and work on it for April!

Original poster

SHTTC2024 · 04/02/2025 13:34

It’s so hard. She still feeds every hour throughout the day and the night so I am exhausted and was excited for her to take a bottle so I could have a relaxing long bath and dry my hair without worrying she wants a feed. I will forget about Friday and maybe give her a couple of days. She’s a really fussy baby anyway (always crying) and never wants to be put down bless her. Thanks for the advice x

OP posts:

TuesdayRubies · 04/02/2025 13:39

My baby fed a LOT but jeez, but every hour is quite a lot at 4 months, you poor thing! No sign of allergies or anything? Sometimes constant feeding can signal physical discomfort at play?
Or as you say she may just be a fussy baby.

I think some people have success with toddler style cups or those bottles shaped like a breast... or by putting a bit of breast milk on the teat. Sorry to sound negative I just personally found it impossible to get mine on a bottle but had more freedom once she started solids and drinking water from a cup at 6 months with meals.

Original poster

SHTTC2024 · 04/02/2025 14:30

i mentioned allergies to the health visitor because she has eczema and always has a rash but they didn’t seem concerned by it. She is a very fussy baby haha! I want to start weaning her a bit early because she is always hungry so I think she wants more than what I can give her. I know it’s not recommended but I don’t know how much longer I can do the every hour. Thank you again x

OP posts:

Haroldwilson · 04/02/2025 14:35

I'd try pushing the feeds a bit longer, feed every hour and ten, then hour and twenty etc. feeding every hour through the clock at 4 months is too much, that's for comfort not for food and she'd find a different form of comfort if you stretch it out a bit.

I'd expect a baby could go for 3-4 hours at that age.

Do you know about foremilk and hindmilk? The foremilk at the start of a feed is for hydration, as the feed goes on the milk gets creamier and fattier and more filling.

If she's having lots of short feeds she might not get the more filling milk, which is maybe why she wants to feed often? Bit of a vicious cycle. Could also be making her grumpy if it's less filling.

AngeloMysterioso · 04/02/2025 14:40

You might just have to go through a few bottles before you find the right one. My eldest 2 got on fine with the standard
Tommee Tippee but my youngest prefers the Mam ones with a smaller teat. Nuk ones are really good too- the ones with the teat angled up. You could try an anti-colic style so she doesn't have to work as hard to get the milk out.

Don't worry about fore milk and hind milk, most lactation consultants now agree that it isn't really a thing.

It might be a bit easier if your DH does it when you aren't around- after all, why would any bf baby want a bottle when she knows you and your lovely boobs are right there? 😁

Hadalifeonce · 04/02/2025 14:41

Our DD totally refused a bottle, eventually at 8 months I told DH I couldn't do it any longer. He took her at every feed time for 3 days, she only ever took about 1/2 ounce at any time, after that she only ever had milk on cereal and in sauces. Even now, 22 years later she will never have a drink of milk, only on/in food.

Haroldwilson · 04/02/2025 14:41

Weaning isn't an overnight solution, their gut takes time to develop the bacteria to break down solids so it just passes straight through to begin with! And you want to be sure they can sit well.

Tbh I'd fill the bath, let dh take her out in pram, feed her when you're done whether she's happy about it or not. An extra half hour or so won't do her harm.

Parenting is not a one way street, it's a push-pull and sometimes baby habits need a bit of a nudge to go the way we want them to. Space the feeds out a bit more and I bet it would make a big difference.

The penny dropped for me when I realised baby crying isn't always the same as baby distressed, yes it works that way with newborns but as they get older, they're sometimes pissed off or tired and crying but that's different to distress. Waiting a bit longer to feed won't traumatise her!

TuesdayRubies · 04/02/2025 18:30

Honestly OP- very fussy baby PLUS eczema? HVs aren't experts in allergies. I highly recommend cutting out dairy and soya from your own diet and seeing what happens. You may just find you have a much less fussy baby...

TheTresMarias · 24/02/2025 23:15

That must be very frustrating and mentally draining, not just for you but your baby as well. Keep trying though—try a few more bottle brands, different teat shapes, and also test a slower or faster flow. I remember going through soooo many bottles with my eldest daughter before she finally accepted one. She settled on a Pigeon baby bottle—I think it must be because of it's soft, flexible teat!

Also, try changing feeding position when bottle feeding, in the same position as when they breastfeed. And if she’s getting too upset, it can help to take a break for a day and try again when she’s calmer. In my experience, a fussy and frustrated baby rarely feeds well, so a little reset might make a difference. 🙂

Phonicshaskilledmeoff · 24/02/2025 23:30

when your friend tried to feed her where was she? we had a similar issue, but my mum managed to save the day.

I would recommend feeding her in entirely different house, you weren’t there at all and probably make the milk slightly hotter than she’d get it from the breast.

if you try make it like normal - they know you’re tricking them haha.

MyrtleLion · 24/02/2025 23:36

If she has eczema and is hungry she might have a milk allergy. If you try and cut out milk and dairy from your diet for a couple of weeks you might see an improvement. After two weeks, have some milk and you should see a deterioration in her digestion very quickly if it's that.

If she does have a milk allergy then her food is going straight through her without much of the nutrients getting to her, which will make her hungry. Is she a thin baby?

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