Tips for getting your breastfeeding LO to take a bottle

[* Paula *]

Fantastic news.  I am so pleased that he is doing so well 

[Shelator]

Hi everyone

I am new to the boards and hope you can help!
My daughter is 16 weeks old this week, and point blank refuses a bottle.  At 2 weeks we were giving her a bottle of formula milk every night and only recently decided she'd had enough of this!

I have tried so many things to get her to take a bottle, regardless of whether it ir formula or breastmilk she won't, or can't.  She will push the teat out with her tongue, it is almost as though she has forgotten how to feed from a bottle...?

Can anyone offer any tips or advice?

[* Paula *]

Which feed are you trying to offer the bottle for?

Are you offering the bottle or is someone else offering it?

What size teat are you using? If you have a forceful let down, your lo may require a faster flow teat.

Have you tried warming the teat slightly?

What temperature are you offering the milk at?

Sorry for all the q's.

[Shelator]

I was offering Hipp but now Cow & Gate.
I have tried offering the bottle, so have others!
I have tired variations in the teat flow, have tried warming the teat and also with syrup on!
I have tired the milk very warm, as well as cooler.
 

[* Paula *]

Hugs hun 

I would pick a feed that you want to offer the bottle at and stick to it, for a few days and see how it goes.  Might be worth trying when your lo is at her hungriest, perhaps in the morning maybe?

[mummaP]

hi i am wondering if i am putting to much pressure on my LO. I am on day 1 of cold turkey and he used to fall asleep on breast. But now cries loudly when i try and hold him for comfort because he can smell milk and still has not taken to FB. He weighs a good 10kg. So i tried the pu pd method however i have a spirited 3 year old that needs tending that i find i have to leave LO sometimes cry it out. Should i stick to weaning or ditch that and start self soothing/E.A.S.Y?

[* Paula *]

Hi and welcome to the BW website.

Are you looking at weaning BF completely?

I guess if you are looking at weaning completely and introducing EASY as well, I would look at doing the weaning first as it will probably disrupt the sleeping process.

Are you offering the bottle to your lo every hour?

Is there someone that can help you while you are weaning, to offer your lo the bottle and help you comfort your lo?

[mummaP]

With my first son i tried EBM in a bottle but had a lot of trouble expressing. So he just went onto FM really easy from Cold turkey. So for this LO i thought the same could apply. However it got the better of me and i went out this morning and bought an avent electric pump. Fingers crossed I was hoping it wouldn't be a waste of money like the other express'. And sure enough I expressed One whole little avent bottle from one breast and he gulped it down. During the night i did do the Pu/pd method and it did eventually work after a good hour. This morning i continued the E.A.S.Y and instead of cradling him I gave him a dummy - he'd never set eyes on one and sucked it fine, fell asleep and spat the dummy out. Mind you it is only day two. and the Pu/Pd is still long sessions.He used to wake 2 -4 during the night for a good lolly gag and cat nap all through the day. If I was to ditch the E.A.S.Y how would i best comfort him without cradling? And yes I am on my own at the moment.

[* Paula *]

Fanastic news on your lo taking the bottle of EBM 

How old is your lo?

I would try and stick with routine as much as possible, but if your lo is not taking good feeds then you can feed more often.

If your lo is crying, I would pick him up, comfort him and as soon as he calms down, then put back down in the crib.

[NvrEnuf]

I am a mom of three and never had any difficulty switching my two girls from breast to bottle. My youngest (a boy) is now 6.5 months old and is an awesome nurser. I am scheduled to go back to work in June. Like many other moms, I tried several nipples, formulas & EBM without success. I have to be honest because I have not been consistent switching him to a bottle. I am now a little panicked since I am scheduled to work soon.

I'm so grateful to have found this site. I found it by accident while searching this particular subject. It's a great feeling to know that I'm not alone. I decided that tomorrow will be the day. I told my husband about this and he asked if I was having a terrible day or "did my son bite your nipple again?" I just told him that enough is enough. I know breastfeeding is best but with young kiddos who need my attention, I just can't multitask that well. Children do well on formula. It's not as evil as everyone may think.

I plan on doing the 'Cold Turkey Method.' I will update everyone this weekend about our journey.

[* Paula *]

Hello NvrEnuf, welcome to the BW website.

Good luck with going cold turkey, keep us posted on how you get on 

[prego08]

Hello,

I am currently in the middle of bottle-training my 12-week DS.  He took a bottle in his first week 'cuz we had to supplement for jaundice, and then at his 2-week dr. appointment, his ped recommended that we give him a bottle every few days to keep it up.  Well, we did that then started slacking, and a few weeks ago he flat out refused a bottle when I was out for the day and he was home with my DH.

So this past weekend we've dedicated to bottle training.  I haven't nursed him since Friday night (5/15), and so far, he's taken the bottle approximately every other feeding (and hunger striking the feedings in between)...so it looks like he's only taking it when he is really hungry.  For each in between feeding, he just fusses, or plays with the nipple.  It is now Sunday, and I really want to start nursing him again...the whole point of the bottle training was for me to be able to go out of town next weekend for one night and to be able to leave him at home with DH, and for him to be able to take a bottle once a day without a fuss.  Well, he is still fussing, but will eventually take it if he is hungry enough.  My question is...how long do I keep withholding the breast?  Until he doesn't fuss anymore? 

Thanks for your input and help!

ETA:  FYI...the bottles have been of expressed breast milk. 

[* Paula *]

Hi and welcome to BW website.

I would pick one feed of the day and stick with it until your lo is not fussing on the feed.

I would pick a feed where your lo is the hungriest i.e first thing in the morning or one of his night feeds, and get your DH to do the bottle feed, so that he gets used to taking the bottle from him.

You can then carry on the BF for the rest of the feeds.

Have you tried warming the teat to see if that makes any difference?

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.

[prego08]

Just wanted to let you know that "bottle bootcamp" was a success!  DH and I set aside a weekend to ride out DS's (12 weeks old) hunger strike...he ended up taking 4 bottles (4-5 oz each) on Saturday and 3 bottles on Sunday.  He would still fuss, but ended up taking it when he was hungry.  I resumed breastfeeding Sunday evening.  Then the plan is to give him one bottle every day (the rest of his feedings will be breastfeeding).  Well, so far on Monday and Tuesday (today), he has taken a bottle without ANY fussing!  I am SO relieved and SO happy. 

It was a stressful weekend, but Tracy's plan from BWSAYP book really works.  Baby won't starve, and hunger was the incentive to get him to take the bottle. 

[* Paula *]

Fantastic news, I am so pleased that you and your lo did so well.

It is a nice idea to incorporate the bottle into your routine, that way it gives you a break every day and your DH can also have some time to bond with your lo for a feed.