BF baby won't take bottle

[Mrsw28]

I EBF my 4 month old but I want her to take a bottle of expressed milk every now and then, maybe once a day so that I can have a bath or go out or whatever and not worry that she's going to need feeding.

I have no problems expressing (other than finding the time and wishing I was more productive when I did!) but she's struggling to latch onto a bottle. So far I've tried a Lansinoh one and a Medela calma one. I have a tommee tippee closer to nature one to try too. At the moment, no joy, she sort of hers that when she sucks milk comes out but isn't keen on the teat in her mouth and can't seem to get a good grip. I've tried her on two different dummies too but she can't seem to keep hold of them, her tongue seems to push them out whilst trying to suck.

The only dummies and bottles that my end baby would take we're mam. Also try a size 1 or 2 teat as BF babies are used to working harder for their milk. Fwiw he bloody loves his dummy and bottle now after months are battling as a tiny baby. He's 19mo now though so really need to work on that maybe next week month year

Perhaps just keep trying different bottles. Have heard it can help if you leave room and someone else gives the bottle (to get started) so that they can't smell you?

Nuk bottles are really good, get someone else to feed her with you out of the room and keep offering before she gets hungry, be persistent and consistent. Good luck and we'll done for bf

Mine was always a bottle refuser - and I have to admit I just gave up in the end. I didn't want to spend a load of money on different bottle types for her to reject, and expressing was always a bit of a faff. As she got older she could go for longer between feeds so getting a bath/shower etc. was easy, and going out for a couple of hours at a time without her was fine once she was eating some solids after 6 months. Out and about with her was easy - just shoved a boob in her face as and when required! So, while it definitely seems worth trying different bottles as suggested by prior posters, don't despair if your DC just will not have it - you won't be stuck to the sofa forever!

I'll try and get a mam and nuk bottle to try too. I don't mind breastfeeding her at all but I want to go to a hen do in April and I'll be away from her from late afternoon to early hours. I literally never leave her longer than 20 minutes!!! She can go longer than that without a feed obviously but she's unpredictable and she's such a good girl that I'd hate it if she was crying because she was hungry.

DD2 had reflux and it was difficult to get her to take the gaviscon from a spoon so I put it in a bottle to make sure she got it all. But she refused the bottle for ages. Eventually I tried the follow on milk instead of expressed milk and I think the difference in taste/smell, and a lot of perseverance paid off and she eventually started taking it.

With DS2 I made sure I started trying him with the bottle after about 5 weeks as he too had reflux and it was much easier even with expressed milk.

It definitely helps is someone else can do it for you as they do want the cuddle and smell at the same time.

I went through this with DS now 17m. You have to persevere! I tried every brand of bottle - spent a fortune - Amazon were delivering a new bottle every week. Some he would latch on to then next time didn't, so frustrating. Ultimately it was Dr Browns bottles he took but what made the biggest difference was making sure milk is really warm...not scolding obviously but the day I made the milk a bit warmer than usual was when he took the bottle no problem. I've always gone against advice and warmed milk in microwave, so much easier, but whatever suits you. Good luck! Freedom!!

We use the avent ones, only on a 1 teet thingy.

Has your partner tried? My partner offered my DS a bottle and he took it first time without any issues, I tried one time and he refused! Little one is 13wks and EBF.

My wee one eventually took avent classic with size 3 teet after trying many, also had to be pretty warm. We did bottle to bed every night from about 5 months to get him used to it.

Have you tried a cup instead? That's what I ended up doing once my dd was about 4 months. She would never take a bottle (liptie).

www.bing.com/images/search?q=tommee+tippee+soft+spount&view=detailv2&&id=5AC09D8D67F90B167E86786C4033205C1793BA91&selectedIndex=5&ccid=b5K%2bc8lD&simid=608005007332474942&thid=OIP.M6f92be73c943b7a9adaedd337db8c21cH0&ajaxhist=0

This is the one we used. Apparently you can feed from a doidy cup also.

Hi like bosswitch says it isn't for ever -mine would never take bottles or dummies, i must hAve spent a fortune on different brands and designs so in the end I gave up. I breastfed mine for 18 months each and I found it so much easier than faffing with expressing etc. Both my kids bypassed bottles completely and went straight to a cup. When my DD got to about 11 months she should would drink follow on milk (from a carton) in a sippy cup. Although it was very inconvenient at the time it was for such a small amount of time.

My ebf baby took a bottle with a size one teat up until about 16 then refused for a while and just used to chew the teat. Have finally got round this using a variflow teat.

16 weeks!

Hi there, I'm new to mumsnet - saw your post and wondered if you'd had any luck with the bottle? My little boy is just over five months and has been exclusively breastfeeding. I've been trying to get him to take a bottle for some time but he's still refusing - I've tried all the teats and tactics going to no avail. Main worry is we are away at a wedding very soon so I desperately need him to take a bottle. Doesn't help that we discovered he had posterior tongue tie only last week which has now been sorted - explains why he's been unable to get the nack but although he now grabs the bottle and puts it in his mouth, he doesn't seem to be able to get going with the sucking motion. Any help much appreciated!

I have 12 week old baby girl. I had been combined feeding at first as she lost too much weight when born but HV and MW happy for me to EBF after gaining a lot of weight. She's been happy to take a bottle while out shopping etc but last time was a couple of weeks ago. I have a work meeting next week so need her to take a bottle so tried her a few days ago and she will not have it! She screams as soon as it's anywhere near her. Tried breast milk in it but no difference. Tried different bottles but won't have them either. I don't know what else to do. Nurse suggested leaving her until really hungry which have done today but she gets so upset and wears herself out she falls asleep!! I feel distressed, exhausted and alone - I feel horrible knowing she's hungry and that I need to feed her. I know it can't do her any harm as was nurse's suggestion but it's horrendous. Does anyone have any other suggestions??

Sounds a bit out there but have you tried a straw? My Dd happily drank from a straw - I think because she could drink fast and my let down was always fast. Bottles were too slow for her liking.

Get someone else to feed her while your not around. I have a wedding coming up in a few weeks & try most days for someone to give DS a bottle of expressed milk - it's improving slowly. The temperature needs to be just right & DH lies him back on a pillow instead of cradling him which seems to work better. We use mam bottles with size 2 teats but DS seems to throw up regularly afterwards. I've just ordered the Haberman suckle feeder on the recommendation of a friend - they're meant to closely mimic BFing

Thanks for that. Funnily enough DH jyst got back and I got him to try as she'd not been fed for 5 hours and thank goodness she gave in without a fight! I gave her breast milk after so will keep to a bit of both until I want to phase out breast completely. What a relief