Should I just give up? Help with combo feeding

[enna77]

I first tried DD2 on a bottle at 4 weeks & she took it fine, but then was a bit hit or miss, prob my fault for not doing it regularly enough + she isn't a dummy baby either despite best efforts to get her to take one, I think shes just one of those babies thats not a big fan of dummies or bottles.

Shes now 11 weeks & I've been consistently trying almost every day, she just plays with it, pushes it out of her mouth & doesn't take much at all. I can only ever get about 30 mls into her from squeezing in her mouth & her playing with it. Unless she is sleepy ie get her out of the cot asleep & put it straight in her mouth she will drink well, also if I do a DF she will take it for the same reason, but if she wakes up and becomes 'aware' during either of these times she stops 

So every day I'm sterlising, expressing etc, but don't really feel like I'm getting anywhere, (luckily I can express really easily) I've read all the tips under FAQ re taking bottles.

Do you think there is any point continuing? my concern is obviously lack of freedom now, my first DD took one fine & was having one every day so I feel very trapped not to mention neither of us really enjoys the trying every day, my second concern is I want to stop BFing at 6 mo anyway so is it just going to be worse the longer I leave it? I feel like I could force it now but then I don't want to give up BFing so it will just be confusing, it almost makes me feel like giving up BFing now just so I could get a bit of freedom!

[*Kara*]

Moving you over to BFing hun... I have never BF'd a baby so have no clue how to get a BF baby to take a bottle (I had the opposite issue!)

[Roseii]

Hi hun, have you tried different teats, flows, or dad or someone else bottle feeding her? X

[Fiver]

I found I needed to try consistently at every feed for about a fortnight with DS.  I remember being near the end of my rope when one day he just took it.

If you're offering EBM, I'd try with small amounts each time, but if she doesn't take it, you can pop it back in the fridge and try again at the next feed.  If you try with formula, you can't do this - it has to be a new bottle each time.

[enna77]

thanks yes its EBM. Have tried 2 different bottles & teats, an Avent one & tommee tippee close to nature one. Have tried DH but not consistently as its tricky with his work hours. So do you reckon the best approach is to keep trying at each feed? At the moment I'm usually trying once a day and will persist with her for about 30 mins off and on before giving up. She can sometimes get quite worked up that in the end its hard for me to get her to take the breast.

Do you think I should swap to maybe trying 5-10 mins at the beginning of each feed? Also if you heat EBM I know it usually needs to be used within the hour but are you saying you can heat then put back in fridge? I only try a couple of ounces a time & I can express a whole bottle in a couple of mins so wasting isn't too much of a problem just more frustrating than anything!

[Fiver]

Not sure about the reheating.

I'd probably just put maybe an ounce in the bottle and offer at each feed for a short time.  If she doesn't take it, give the feed as normal and try again at the next one.  Have you tried the milk at different temperatures?

[enna77]

yes I think she likes it best quite warm. How many mins would you try the bottle for? do you think I should have a break in between her declining bottle before offering her boob?

[Fiver]

I don't think I'd tie myself to a certain number of minutes.  You'll know when she's had enough of trying, so I would stop once she was giving signs that she'd had enough, but before she was frustrated and irate.  As for waiting before offering the breast, mmm, not sure.  Maybe a little, but not for so long that she's cross and too agitated to feed.  Does that make sense?

[Erin M]

When I offered before all feeds to get my LO to take the bottle, I would basically try until she got tired of me trying (if that makes sense) -- I never got to the point where she was getting upset.  I would take a break basically for as long as it would take for me to walk to the kitchen, drop the bottle in the sink, and get back to the other room to nurse, so not much of a break. 

[enna77]

ok thanks