giving bottle for good of EBM - WON't take it........

[crazycanuck]

i feel as though we have tried everything with Jayna and she still refuses
my last effort today will be to offer breast and then try and switch to bottle midway.......but.......i feel like this is almost more cruel??

she has not taken bottle all day - i have just given her little bits of rice cereal with EBM in it - she is just so stubborn and won't take it
i am so sad for her but i have no choice..............

anythoughts??

[NoelleChristine]

Just wanted to send a little {{{{hug}}}}.  I'm sorry for you   It's hard I'm sure.  I'm sure you've read the tips on getting your lo to take a bottle but I'll post it here just in case.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64926.0

You may find this interesting too.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67768.0

Hang in there...she will take the bottle.  It may be rough at first but she'll get it.

[Tobysmum]

I am not sure of your situation etc, age of child etc.  I think you are saying that you are breastfeeding but your LO won't take a bottle?
If that's correct, my 11 week old won't taken one either.  I did try a different bottle yesterday (a Nuk with a latex nipple) and he did take 1 ounce from it which is progress.  Have you tried a latex nipple - I hear that a lot of people have more success with that one.  I am not sure where you live, but a lot of people recommended the Nuk brand to me.
I am certainly not out of the woods yet and am still doubtful that he'll ever take a full feed from a bottle (also expressed breast milk for me), but certainly alot better than any of the silicone nipples I've used.

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi, sending some bottle feeding ~~~~~~~~~~~ vibes for you.

Have you tried the breastflow bottle heres the link  http://www.breastflow.co.uk/  I use them and there great but it may not be for you. I know *nicola* had a lot of troubles with getting her lo to take bottle so i will pm her and see if she has any advice for you.

Kate x

[*Nicola*]

Hi Sarah

Sorry that things are still going this way with the bottle.  Awel usually keeps me up to date on things, but I've not chatted with her in a while. 

First of all I can totally and utterly sympathise with you.  I have definitley worn that T-shirt with born girls What have you tried so far? We tried a couple of different teats although not many as I personally think it just confuses them more and the issue is the bottle rather than matching the nipple (JMO!), fast flow and slow flow, heating the milk really warm, different positions, different people offering bottle etc ... all to no avail.

I really don't have a magic answer for you, I honestly don't think that there is one.  Ciara refused the bottle and suddenly one day she took it of her own accord and I could do mixed feeding but Callie was absolutely determined not to take it and we ended up moving totally to bottles (result of her feeding issues/refusal of breast and then refusal of bottle).

I did try the method you describe with Ciara and it was met with lots of screaming! Saying that, one of the girls on my BC has used it with success, so it might be worth a try.

Sarah, I did find the cold turkey approach really very stressful but she did take bottles fine in the end.  There are lots of success stories and other mums have been able to then combine breast and bottle but it just wasn't going to work for us.  I think Callie is an all or nothing kinda girl.  I haven't read of another baby refusing bottles for quite so long as Callie managed to, she was really hardcore!! If nothing else is working and you need her to take the bottle then maybe this is the route?  Not sure if that is where you are now?

Anyway, I have a HUGE post of our journey if you want to have a read through.  Please PM me if you want to chat.

Will keep checking back xxx

(Thanks Kate for PMing me x)

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

 

[crazycanuck]

nicola
the ladies on my facebook thread suggested i speak with you as well
what ended up happening is we started tues am - i fed her first feed from boob and then we switched to bottle for good - she did not take one all day - i did manage some into her via a soft spout sippy cup though......at 10:30 at night i breastfed her and in hindsight i prob shouldn't have but felt i needed to.......she slept all night and we started bottles right from the get go again the next day......stuck with one nipple that day and just kept persevering - finally at 6pm yesterday she took one - we are using playtex drop ins with the silicone naturalatch nipple (fast flow since i have overactive letdown) so DH just jammed his finger up on the bag so it would spray in her mouth and that got her going.........she took another from him at bedtime and then today she took one from him am and the rest from me - not to say without some fussing mind you............so we are through it - so took her two full days to take one but i had one breastfeed in there - i think she may be like callie and be an all or nothing but i would like to after she is WELL established introduce one feed to keep up my supply as i plan to pump until my milk dries up or i get tired of it................
for us i could never see an end in sight with just trying one bottle a day - i KNOW in me she would have NEVER taken one and waited always to the next feed.....i think cold turkey had to be the way for us -unless i planned to go several months - which was not an option for me
i have had mastitis three times now and thrush as well as some oversupply issues - so enough was enough for me - with logan still not being 100% well i finally allowed myself to say "its ok"
still VERY hard for me though - esp tonight at bedtime - i was so used to letting her nurse and she LOVED to comfort nurse esp at bedtime - i could tell bottle just wasn't soothing her as i was......sad but a new stage i suppose.............

thanks so much for taking the time to write for me

sarah

[*Nicola*]

Sarah,

I just sneaked on really quickly this morning to check in on you.  Sending big (((Hugs))) for now and will be back in a bit.  Glad she is eating

Back ...

Big, big ((((Hugs)))) so glad that she is accepting the bottle.  At least you are past that hurdle.  It is very difficult.  Refusing to BF Callie is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. 

I pm'd some other mums who used the cold turkey approach and who were able to transition to combined feeding with no problems.  Hopefully once she is settled on the bottle she will be able to take some breastfeeds until you decide to make the move to bottles fully.

Finally, I just wanted to say that I agonised over the whole bottles/breast thing.  It has been 110% the right move for us.  For Callie, for me and for the family as a whole. 

Keeping you in my thoughts, give me a shout anytime xx

[crazycanuck]

thanks nicola - i so feel the same way...........
i want her to take some breastfeeds as well..........
i am going ot vancouver for a week at end of june and coming back after a week - i thought i might try and introduce boob back after that..........do u think that will be too long on bottle??
yes i am pumping to keep up supply when i am gone - i know i am crazy but the  bm is important to me......with logan being unwell esp

what do you think

hugs to you - its so hard

[*Nicola*]

Sarah,

I know that the theory is that babies will always accept their original method of feeding but I do wonder if you could realistically maintain your supply over such a long period of time, without any bfing.  If you could, I would imagine you are looking to be pumping very regularly.  Someone with more experience than I have will be able to give you more information. 

I actually stored quite a bit of BM whilst we were going cold turkey.  I think I had about 100oz in freezer so it was good to be able to add some of that to her formula feeds.

x

[crazycanuck]

i am pumping 4 times a day and have oversupply
so far no worries although i am adding a small amount of form to each bottle to get her tummy used to it and help out with the amount of bm i can freeze for when i am away - so far able to keep one ahead of her and she gets fresh milk from fridge - i put in isomil advance soy form with dha and ara - since i don't want her having dairy for a LONG time..................
i was think ing about nursing just in the overnight
do u think that will botch things?

[*Nicola*]

You are doing a great job Sarah!! (((Hugs))) my lovely And whilst I remember ... Jayna is adorable! LOL @ I think my cheeks ate my face.  I think Callie's are in the process of doing something similar.

Overnight nursing sounds like a good idea as nursing at that time sends some great 'make milk' signals.  I know some mums who don't do day feeds due to work etc, but nurse baby overnight so I am guessing that technically it is possible.

My only thought would be whether you might end up with some reverse cycling ... where baby takes most feeds at night.  Would Jayna hold out for the breast at night do you think? And would it be an issue if she did?  Of course, she might adapt just fine to the bottle during the day and breast at night. 

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi Sarah, sorry i can't quite understand what your saying.

Are you just feeding at night at the mo and pumping in the day?
When are you going away and for how long?
And are you saying you want to start Bfing full time again when you return from trip?

Kate x

[*Nicola*]

How are things going?

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi, im just checking in too.