Troubles with feeding from bottles

[kw]

Hi

Think I've been on every board and this is the last one I haven't been on yet! My ds is 8 weeks old and on a 3 hr schedule.  He is breastfed exclusively.

I've been trying to introduce a bottle for weeks now - mostly during the dreamfeed but he only takes about 30 ml if that which means that he wakes up an hour or so later hungry.

So I've started introducing it in the day as well - either a lunchtime bottle or a 7pm bottle.  He hates it.  He only takes about 20-40 ml at best (although one day he did take 2 x 100 ml) on average.  Do I hold off on the breast and not feed him till the next feed? Or try in an hour.  Trouble is I don't have that much time to express with a 2 year old wanting my attention so can't put 80ml or so in a bottle every hour and I don't really want to introduce formula just yet.  You can't introduce the same bottle 1 hr later and if I only put 20 ml in he's going to be hungry afterwards so I'd have to breastfeed him.

With my dd I just persevered and kept trying to feed it to her even if it took 45 mins but he's far more stubborn than she is and just won't budge! I've tried Avent nipple 1 and 2 and both don't seem to encourage his drinking.  It is so depressing when you throw away breastmilk!

What do I do?

Thanks,

Karen

[taygensmom]

When I was introducing the bottle to my LO I initially tried for just 1 feed a day, but he hated it and would only take a small amount. Then he would gobble down later when I breastfed him.

I decided to only present the bottle for multiple feeds (in a row). At the beginning he of course only took a small amount (after alot of crying) and then refused. I did not breastfeed, just waited and kept presenting every 5-10 minutes if he still appeared hungry. I pumped to keep my supply up, and then just kept providing opportunities for the bottle. Eventually he took it and after he really caught on it was alot easier to start switching back and forth between bottle and breastfeeding. If he "regressed" with the bottle I would go back to only bottle for a few feeds to get him back on track... Soon he was able to switch bac and forth without any problems.

Is there anyone who can help you with your other LO so that you can focus on this?

[* Paula *]

Have you had a look at this link?

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67858.0

Also have you considered trying a different type of bottle?  It may be that your lo does not like the shape of the Avent Teat?

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68009.0

Hope this info helps.

Paula

[kw]

Hi

Thanks for the comments.  I had reasonable success yesterday and after 45 minutes he drank 80 ml.  Today wasn't as good and he only drank 50 ml in an hr.

I have bought the Haberman bottles and will try these as soon as they arrive - it worked for my dd so I'm hoping it will work with him.

My dd will be in nursery twice a week so I could try and feed him a bottle every time on those two days but then it will be difficult on the other days. Luckily it's two days in a row so maybe this will be enough time?

Karen

[* Paula *]

Good luck with the Haberman bottles, let us know how you get on.

[kw]

Hi

I've tried the bottles at last two feeds - he took 60 ml in 30 mins ans next feed took 20ml in 30 mins.  I offer the breast after 5 mins or so in order to keep his S on track.  The BW says to try every hr but what about S?  Should I not offer breast? Don't want E and S going haywire!

Should I just stop and wait for Haberman bottkes?

Karen

[* Paula *]

It is quite common for them to take such a long time to drink a bottle.  My DS would take at least an hour to feed when he was so young, and then as he got older, he would become more proficient.

I would keep on offering him the bottle and see how you get on.  How long did they say it would take for the Haberan's to get to you?

[kw]

Hi

They didn't say!  I bought them from this site on 13th March but no sign of them yet.  I guess they are coming from America?

I hope they come soon...

My ds now has a very bad cough so I'm not giving him bottles now which will probably set him back but he's not well bless him so don't want him to get more upset than he already his about coughing his guts up!

Karen

[Luke-n-Me]

You may just want to wait for the Haberman!  I drove myself crazy for 12 weeks trying to get my lo to take a bottle (and I tried them all).  Finally when I got the Haberman, my ds took to it and we never looked back.  I understand how frustrating it is, so IMO, stop making yourself crazy  and wait for the Haberman.  I hope things get better soon and that the Haberman is delivered quickly!  Good luck!

[kw]

Hi

Yes, I think you're right - will wait and keep my fingers crossed that he takes it!  Meanwhile I'll stock up the freezer with bm!

Thanks

Karen

[kw]

Hi

Managed to find a few bits of the Haberman I used with dd and so have ben trying that.  It's seems better but not perfect.  He drank 60 mls at 10am, 140ml at 1pm, 70 ml at 4pm and 80ml at 7pm (then breastfed) and then 80ml at 11pm (in 8 mins!).  I thought it was getting better but then took an hour of crying to get him to drink 50 ml this morning. He latches onto it and takes a few gulps then cries and then it takes a few minutes to calm him down to try again.  I've tried all three lines - the middle one seems the best...

Do I keep trying at every feed or can I just do it once a day - I'm running out of breastmilk!

Did you try every feed?  It's wearing me out and really makes the day far less enjoyable...

Karen

[kw]

Just a quick update... He's 10 weeks old so normally do 3 hr, but today he slept for 40 mins was up for 30 and then went to sleep again so in the end it was a four hour gap between feeds so when I fed him he was hungry!  In fact so hungry that he took 70 ml in 10 minutes!  So he can take it I just don't think he was hungry enough to want the bottle.  Might change to 3.5 hrs to see if this helps...

Hopefully this trend will continue as I don't want to bottle feed ebm at the 10,1,4 feed and would like to go back to breastfeeding again!

Karen

[* Paula *]

That is great news that he has taken from the bottle.

Definitely worth trying a 3.5 hour EASY to see how that goes.

Keep us posted on how you get on.

Paula

[kw]

Last night was better - he drank 90 ml in 15 mins at 7pm and then drank another 90 ml in 10 mins for his df at 10:30! Have stopped bottle feeding at every feed now and will stick to these to times and hope that tonight is as good as last night...

The Haberman bottles do seem to make a difference. 

Haven't moved to 3.5 hrs as he seems tired after an hour - 1.25 hrs then when he wakes up he cries with hunger so will stick to three hrs in the day and perhaps leave it until 7:30 for evening feed.

thanks for support!

Karen

[* Paula *]

I am so pleased that things seem to be falling into place.

I am glad that the haberman is working so well.

Please keep us posted.

Paula

[kw]

Hi

Latest update - he takes the Haberman bottles well now - it only took 2 days (6 attempts) to get him used to it after trying him with AVENT bottles for over 5 weeks! I only tried the AVENT once a day but he hated them.  Now, after 2 days of feeding him with the Haberman bottles three times a day he is now sorted! 

He drinks from the Habermans with no problems now whatsover - just need to get him to drink more now!

For anyone reading this - buy the bottles!  Saying that though I've ordered some more from this site and it's been over two weeks and no email and no bottles!

Hope they come soon...

Karen

[Luke-n-Me]

Glad things are going better!  How much is he drinking per feed?

[nike]

Hi there.  I'm new to the whole bottle feeding/formula feeding thing too, after weaning DS2 at 10 weeks.  He is now 15 weeks old, but 10 weeks corrected.  I have been reading your thread with interest and am glad that you're finding some success with the Haberman bottles.  I'm by no means an expert, like I said am just a novice myself, but it seems to me your DS is doing okay with respect to his fluid intake.  I understand your concern over some of the smaller bottles he's consuming, but if you added up all those mls over a 24 hour period, you might be surprised as to how much he's actually getting.  My DS is also like yours and takes fairly smallish amounts during the day.  I am so frustrated with all that formula he's leaving in his bottles going down the sink!  He is on a 4 hour EASY - his A time is an hour and then he's generally down for 3, so I know the formula is filling him up enough for good daytime naps.  He goes down for the night anywhere between 6 and 6.30 (can't stretch him out any longer than this) and will wake at about midnight for a feed (this is his biggest bottle, about 200 ml) and then go straight back to sleep until about 6.30 a.m.  He is quite fussy with his feeding during the day and I think during the night he's obviously more calm and relaxed, hence the good feed.  My DS1 was also a very fussy feeder and he was breastfed, so I think it's just the temperament of my little men   Anyway, adding up all those bottles (about 6), DS drinks anywhere from 6 to 800 ml in a 24 hour period.  He weighs 6 kilos, so I think that's quite a way under the "recommended" amount of formula.  But I think the true test is not how much he's drinking but (1) does he have nice, clear, bright eyes and (2) is he having lots of good, wet nappies?  If the answer is yes then maybe your little man is just like mine, not a huge formula drinker.