Question on getting EBF baby to take bottle

[~Jen~]

I'm trying to get DD2 to take a bottle - she has done it a few times when she was younger but the past week has flat out refused. I try and offer at least once a day but just cries now.  After it is offered/refused, should I just go on and breastfeed her? Or wait a while so she doesn't think she can refuse the bottle and get a BF?  I've read the FAQ on getting them to take a bottle but was just curious what you think would be best to do when she refuses for that feed?

[*Ali*]

Yes I would BF her if she refuses the bottle but I would offer the bottle more often. If she refused it you can stick the bottle back in the fridge and try again at the next feed.
http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/reusing-expressed-milk

[~Jen~]

I feel like she is never going to be very interested in taking the bottle if she refuses and then gets a breastfeed?? I've been BFing after as I agree that I should be doing that but I just don't see how the situation ever changes?

[*Ali*]

Different things work for different people but i know some people on my his site have offered every feed for a week or two (and then BF if refused) before baby has drank a bottle. You can have a little gap between offering the bottle and offering the breast if you prefer but I wouldn't let her cry if she is crying for a feed by that point.

What sort of teat and bottle are you using?

[~Jen~]

I definitely agree and don't want her to cry/get upset and start to create a negative association with the bottle.  I will try to offer the bottle more consistently at each feed and just be patient that it will come. 
I've been using Avent bottle/teat. I admit I've been lazy to  try a different one as I have so many of them from the other kids but probably makes sense to buy a different one and give it a try - any recommendations?

[*Ali*]

We like Medela but I have also had success with Mam and Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature.

[~Jen~]

Thanks!  I will give one of those a try tomorrow and see how we do... fingers crossed as I could definitely use a break.

[*Ali*]

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[LovelyLilyandJack]

My little boy refused the bottle for ages - I had to offer it before every single feed for almost 2 weeks before he accepted a full feed from it. I used to leave a break of a minute or two between the bottle and breast if I could / remembered, though most of the time the two were pretty close together. Now he's 2 and I can't get him off the bottle and onto a cup for his bedtime milk!  He'll accept any liquid at all in a cup, just not milk.  Stubborn boy!

[*Liz*]

I'm a huge fan if MAM for this.... The silk teats are so much smoother and more skin like. Also shorter and more like a nipple.

I did breast to bottle at 5.5mths with DS (to mix feed), and at 9 mths with a stubborn lady. That was a fullin breast to bottle out of medical necessity in a kid on solids. But it only took 2 days  .

[~Jen~]

Still no luck with any bottles over here... stressing about this now.  We are having trouble with mucous poos and reflux.  She is dropping percentiles and her paed is wanting her to do a Neocate trial for a week starting next week.  I told him that she won't take a bottle and his answer was if you don't feed her and she is hungry enough she will take it.        I started to cry in his office. 

I have one week...  help!

[*Ali*]

Have you tried an elimination diet if the paed thinks she has an intolerance?

It is ultimately up to you if you want to try other things rather than formula. You don't hve to do what the paed recommends.

What have you been doing about offering the bottle since you last posted? Offering it every feed? What happens?

My DD will take a bottle in her sleep if she refuses at BT. Have you tried when she is really sleepy?

[~Jen~]

Yes, I've been dairy/egg free for at least 2 months and as things got worse I've taken out egg/soy/gluten/nuts/shellfish for past 3 weeks.  I posted on the CRC board for some help on diet ideas.  I had to do this same ED with DD1 as well but I am finding it harder this time probably because I have so much less time all around.  My weight is also dropping so not surprising that Caia's is too. 

She had a stool tested with a Calprotectin test and it came back really high so we are retesting next week but he believes the gut inflammation is being caused food intols/sensitivity.  He wants to do Neocate trial to see if things improve if you take me out of the equation.      I don't want to stop BF her.  I managed to keep going with DD1 despite her food intols but she wasn't losing weight.  I don't want to compromise Caia's growth/development but I still think BF her is the best thing.  Once the paed saw her percentiles dropping the sirens went off.   Do you think there is something else I could do?   

We've been offering her the bottle at each feed. We've tried at least 5 different bottles.  She will push it out with her tongue and more recently with her hands/arms.  She will lick it a bit; she must know it is EBM but will not suck.  The one thing I haven't tried is giving it to her at night when she is sleepy.  We can try that next.   

 

[*Ali*]

Wow, you have tried so much. Kudos for sticking at it in such difficult circumstances. The mamas with experience in the reflux and allergy boards would be better to give advice on EDs than me so I won't even try.

Btw if you do do the trial of neocate you can always pump to keep your supply up in case you decide to go back to it. I know of someone who tried formula and it made it worse but she had stopped BFing and pumping completely and then found it difficult to get back to it. Her LO was a tad older though. Just an idea.

I hope the sleepy feeds work. I also had success tonight with walking around holding my DD in a cradle hold whilst patting her bottom with the hand I was holding her in and shushing her. I then left the tip of the teat just in the corner of her mouth while she fussed and cried. She did eventually start sucking on it and drank the whole bottle. I found if I held the whole teat in the middle of her mouth she pushed it out with her tongue or gagged. No doubt you've tried this and everything else on the FAQs but thought I would mention it JIC.

[Domestic Engineer]

I'm no expert on intolerances, but I would suggest that if you are losing weight yourself because you've cut back your diet so much, the easiest thing to try is to count calories and make sure that you're getting enough food for yourself, plus breastfeeding, every day, no matter what. Your milk might be poor quality if you're malnourished yourself. Are you eating plenty of meat? Lamb is supposed to be the most allergy-free meat - maybe you could get a couple of lamb roasts while they're on sale for Easter.

As to the bottle, my baby was so, so resistant and finally took on when I left the house before he woke up in the morning. DH was the only one home, and he only had a bottle to offer, and I was so surprised when he called me and said that he took the whole thing! Of course you don't want to be cruel and starve a baby who's already struggling with weight gain, but go out one morning and see what happens.

I've also read that some desperate mamas go on a diet where they only eat a few very safe foods for a week or two - I think I read it in a book by Dr. Sears, and I can look it up for you if you're interested. Then if that still doesn't solve the problem, you know that modifying your own diet isn't going to work. And if it does solve the problem, you can slowly add things back in.

Also, if she's not gaining enough, you might want to go back to more frequent feedings even if it throws off her routine.