Baby refusing bottle after breastfeeding

J

joyofliving

Registered User
Hi there,
Has anyone experienced this, my baby has been breastfeeding for about 3 months now and she refuses to take the bottle completely. How do I re- introduce the bottle?
Thanks.
 
I had this problem with my children, and I tried everything I could think of and everything I read on teh internet, and eventaully gave up, so I am of no help, but just wanted to say if it doesn't work out for you, one year of being joined at the hip may feel really long, but it actually is very short, the year goes by so fast, and when they are older, the second half of the year you can get out for a little longer by yourself as they can eat solids, take a cup.
 
my 7 month is exactly the same and i'm pulling my hair out. i'm hoping that she starts taking her daytime feeds from a cup. try the avent magic spout with the anti-spill piece removed. it's a cross between a teat and a cup. the magic spout also fits onto a bottle. there's also some good advice on this site posted from someone from the lalecheleague.
 
This is actually a very common problem. Every often babies of three to four months will start to refuse bottle even when they have been taking them every day with no problems before. I think it is because at around this age the baby is able to show you their preference.

The thing that seems to work best for older babies is to try to make bottle feeding as different from breastfeeding as possible. So face the baby outwards instead of in a cradle position or maybe propped against your knees or a pillow or even in the high chair and encourage your little one to hold the bottle themselves.

And remember that really young babies can master using a cup if in the extreme they won?t take a bottle.

Some other tips that can be used to encourage a baby who is reluctant to take the bottle:
? Try offering the bottle before the baby is likely to be too hungry,
? Wrap the baby in a piece of the mother?s clothing (blouse or nightgown, for example) while offering the bottle (works better for younger babies),
? Instead of pushing the bottle nipple into the baby?s mouth, try laying it near his mouth and allowing him to pull it in himself,
? Try running warm water over the bottle nipple to bring it up to body temperature,
? Try different types of bottle nipples to find a shape, a substance (rubber or silicone), and a hole size the baby will accept,
? Try different feeding positions. Some babies like to sit propped against your raised legs; others prefer not to look at you and will take a bottle better if they are held facing out, with their back against your chest,
? Try to feed the baby while moving rhythmically ? rocking, walking or swaying from side to side ? because this may be calming to her,
? Insert the bottle nipple into the baby?s mouth when she?s sleeping,
? Keep trying, but remember that the baby can be fed with a cup, spoon or syringe if the baby continues to refuse the bottle. Medela even sell a special soft cup feeder which I find very easy to use when supplementing babies,http://www.celki.com/php/shop/shop.php?locat_id=72 (but by three months a regular small cup can be used)

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
Hi- my breastfed son also refused to drink from a bottle...we tried everything and nothing worked. He would rather go hungry and then scream and scream, rather than take a bottle.

However from 5 mnths he would drink milk/water from an Avent magic cup, one of the ones with handles, and he use to enjoy using that himself. The Avent cups can be used from 3 mnths.

Now at 20 mnths he will drink from any cup.....and I'm quite glad that I don't have to wean him from a bottle!!
 
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Some friends tried spoon feeding their baby and eventually teaching them to drink from a cup.

Others have introduced the straw early on (around 6 months) and it seemed to work for them.

I have friends in the US who have used Adiri natural nursers as the baby find these the most similar to the breast. I remember from my LLL class that breastfeeding for a baby is like sucking on the 2nd joint of the finger whilst bottle is like sucking on the first joint only, so breastfeeding feels very different from bottle. The adiri actually gives the same feeling as the 2nd finger sucking thereby making it easier for the baby to adapt.

Hope that helps, I can imagine that it is always nice for hubby to be able to feed and also give us a break!
 
I've only been in HK a couple of weeks so the only place i've seen the avent magic cup is in the mothercare shop at Harbour City. the spout fits on avent bottles too.
 
Another brand you might like to try is Combi. You can get the cup and change the lids as your baby grows. I only used the final stage which is the straw but it's really good too.
 
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