Still trying to introduce bottle - Update P2

[nona]

my DD prefers to hold and give herself the bottle. she does not like other people to give it to her.

my MIL would just put it on the ground and she would get interested and of course put in her mouth and figured out milk came out of it. anyway, kinda quirky but it worked!

DD also likes to put her own paci in her mouth.

 have you tried to let someone else give him the bottle?

[ashley10]

Hi Nona yes have had dh, friends and mil try. Funnily enough it is worse for them than me. I got him to take about 70mls today and he took about 50mls yesterday. Have started keeping a diary so I can track progress and see if improving. I also looked back to when I started the new formula and playtex bottle 3 weeks ago and since then he has had a temperature virus, teething and major reflux flare. So going to keep offering at every feed and see. Have moved my goal time to have him on a bottle to dec. so as not to stress to much and also give us lots of time so I can eat what I want at Christmas! Fingers crossed.

[Lolly]

Are you offering the bottle first at feeds? I'm sure you are! Have you tried a straw cup, breastfed babies often seem to do better with straw cups than bottles.

How much solids is he eating?

Can you post your routine with times and amounts so we can see if a bit of tweaking may help?

Laura

[nona]

my DD can also drink milk out of an open cup and also sippy cup...worth trying...

[ashley10]

Hi Lolly, yes I am offering the bottle first at feeds and then I wait at least 10 mins to give breast if it is refused. TBH I think it is the taste of formula he doesn't like as he will take water from a bottle or sippy no problem - loves water. Is there much I can do about the taste? I have tried different formulas we are currently using Aptamil which I have found is the sweetest. Here is our current routine:

6.00am - wake up
7.00am - Feed (try bottle first)
8.00am - Solids multigrain cereal
9.00am - Nap
11am - Wake up Feed (try bottle first this is the most successful time of day)
12pm - Lunch veggies and some fruit
1.30/2pm - Nap
3/3.30pm Awake Feed (try bottle first)
5.00pm - Dinner Veggies and some custard
5.45pm - Bath time (takes time with 3 haha)
6.15pm - Into bedroom and final feed I don't offer a bottle here as this is the feed he uses for comfort the most. I have tried with a very upset baby.
6.45/7 - Into bed

Nona - I might give a straw cup a go. Willing to try anything right now!

Thanks ladies - really appreciate it.

[ashley10]

Quick question for you - can I ask if any of you did a morning feed and then with held breast feeds the rest of the day and just offered the bottle till they took it. He consistently will take about 20-50mls (over a period of time) is not unhappy with the bottle but just pushes it away or will just hold it in his mouth and not suck. So with some support from MIL or a friend do I just bite the bullet and do this one day?

[Erin M]

I've never done it.  Some babies are notoriously stubborn about things like that and end up dehydrated.  Not sure about the taste, never did formula with mine. 

[Fiver]

The taste could certainly be an issue.  When we were mixed feeding DS just the smell of formula used to turn my stomach

[Erin M]

Can't remember if we discussed this -- do you pump at all?  You could try mixing formula and breast milk at first.

[ashley10]

So I think we are doing better. He will now accept the bottle when given 90% of the time. Will generally take about 20-40mls with no fighting or hitting the bottle. No longer gets upset with it when he is finished just refuses but no crying. He has also taken twice 80mls!!!! This was in the morning and I was so excited. So I think it is going to be a long road but by Xmas hopefully we should be there - haha! thanks ladies for all your support. xxx

[Fiver]

Hoorah!  Good new, indeed!

[Erin M]

Good news!  Well done for your persistence. 

[ashley10]

So quick question - I have just given him his morning bottle and he has taken 60/70mls which is great. When do I take it to be a success and not need to offer the breast anymore? He only takes one side per feed anyway and is off within minutes. He has milk in his cereal and in a cheese sauce which I add to his lunch and dinner and then he has milk in his custard too. I just can't remember how much the other two used to take initially. They never took a full bottle until they were much much older and then it was about a 180 and then around 1 they took a full 240 when they were on 2 feeds.

[Fiver]

I'm so sorry, I really don't know the answer to that.

[Erin M]

Why don't you try not offering the breast after one day and see how long he's happy for?