Baby won't take a bottle

E

Erin

Registered User
My 7 month old will not take a bottle. We gave him a bottle with formula a couple of times when he was really young. We've since discovered that he has an alergy to cows milk protein (all dairy). I don't know if he hates the hypoallogenic formula, we traumatized him by giving him milk based formula when he was little, or if he's just a booby man. I'd really like him to take an occasional bottle, but I just don't know what to do! He puts it in his mouth, sucks it a couple of times then pushes it away. The most I've been able to get him to take is about 4 oz (and that was only once). I've tried the avent and avari bottles, both at different flow rate. I've only been able to find I brand of hypoallogenic formula in HK, so I can't even try a different brand. I've never been successful at storing breast milk. It tastes sour (a lactation consultant said I produce too much of a certain enzyme). Any suggestions?? Do I starve him into submission? I'm really at a loss.

Erin
 
If your milk doesn?t keep for long it is likely that you produce milk high in lipase. Lipase is the enzyme that breaks down fat in milk and this break down causes the milk to go rancid.

You can prevent this from occurring by heating your expressed milk to a scald (bubbling around the edges but not boiling) right after collecting it and then cooling and freezing it. Scalding inactivates the lipase.

Once the milk has acquired the rancid smell, however, treating the milk will not help. It is not known whether or not this milk is safe for the baby; however, most babies refuse it.

As your baby is already seven months, have you tried giving the milk in a cup or breaker instead of a bottle? Often babies who don?t want to take a bottle (it is too much like breastfeeding) are happy to use cups (they like learning a new skill).

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
hi,
sorry to hear you are having such a bad time, the boob is definitely baby heaven for bubs but mummy needs a break too! Babies can be finicky but I would suggest to just keep trying, maybe once a day at the time you may want to replace the direct feed with a bottle? even if he refuses it or just drinks a bit, soon bubs will understand the "routine" of it all......don't get too stressed out about it (as they can sense it a mile off) but do keep at it so he knows this is the routine and it's inevitable.....GOOD LUCK!
 
My baby is 11 months old and still will not take a bottle. The only thing she will take is a spoon that is attached to a bottle made by Pigeon. I figure this is better than nothing. =)
 
Trying to bottle feed too!

Just tried to get my 5 month old to take the bottle 10 mins ago. She just looked at me and laughed.
I just want to know that she is willing to take the occasional bottle (time to get my haircut would be great!)
A friend found that popping her little finger into the teat and letting the baby play with it in her mouth (get used to the feeling?) helped.
I am going to go home and try this tonight.
Also I think giving a little milk at a time (of course I have just tried to 2 full bottles. What a waste!!!)
Be really interested to hear how you are going and if you come up with any tricks.
 
Thanks for the suggestions! We've tried some water with a medicine cup, which he took quite successfully. Hopefully we can get him to do the same with formula/breastmilk.

Sarah, thank you for the information about scalding the breast milk. Do many people have too much lipase in their breastmilk? I've only ever talked to one person who had heard of such a thing and she was unaware of the scalding trick.

Thanks Again!
 
my milk would go rancid too. i also notice that if you you freeze it right away, it doesn't go rancid that easily.

re: scalding the milk, u have to stand there & watch it, cos it boils very quickly. & use very low fire.

as i mentioned in the other thread, when introducing the bottle, i find being outside or at home, but mommy out of sight helps.
 
I don?t know the percentage of mothers with a high lipase level in their milk but it is common enough to be mentioned in the Breastfeeding Answer Book. This book is one of the main text books for lactation consultants.

Lipase is not destroyed or deactivated by freezing. Usually the break down of the fat is slowed when the milk is frozen but as you usually keep frozen milk for longer it is possible that it will have turned rancid in the freezer and therefore not be suitable for the baby.

A five month old baby is usually able to use a cup with a spout instead of a bottle to drink milk and they seem to like holding it themselves.

Some tips that can be used if baby is reluctant to take the bottle:

  • Try offering the bottle before the baby is likely to be too hungry,
  • 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 different feeding positions. Some babies like to sit propped against the caregiver?s raised legs; others prefer not to look at the caregiver and will take a bottle better if they are held facing out, with their back against the caregiver?s chest,
  • Try to feed the baby while moving rhythmically ? rocking, walking or swaying from side to side ? because this may be calming to him,
  • Insert the bottle nipple into the baby?s mouth when he?s sleeping,
  • Keep trying, but remember that the baby can be fed the mother?s milk with a cup or spoon if the baby continues to refuse the bottle.


Best wisehs,
SARAH
 
I let baby play with the teat of the bottle tonight. no milk just the teat
She licked it suspiciously at first and the let me place it in her mouth
No sucking though which is interesting, since she sucks almost anything else she can get her hands on.
Obviously I was just a little optomistic about how she would take to the bottle!

interesting about the lipase.
I actually threw away a whole bottle yesterday because the frozen defrosted breastmilk smelt sour.
I thought that it had somehow become defrosted and re-frozen (though I couldnt work out how)
I have been dilligently saving milk for the big moment that we start to introduce the bottle. HOpe the rest isnt the same.
I hate to waste food. Especially when I had to work so hard to produce it!!!
 
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