Baby only takes bottle from Mum

[Lakey]

Our 5 month old has been having a bottle of expressed every day for most of her life. It was hard initially but she has been fine for ages. Now I think she's teething (although nothing through yet - just green poo, dribbles, biting, nappy rash, waking more blah blah) and refuses to take the bottle from anyone besides me (slightly defeating the object as I have my own vessel!). Have tried Dad, G&G and there is no way (screams bl murder and beats it away). She takes it from me so it's not the bottle.

I know it's not that bad, it just means I am tied which isnt the end of the world and know people are going through allot worse. I just wondered if this has happened to anyone else and how they solved it. Should I persevere daily or should we give her a break and not test her, and let her get over it? I dont want this still to be a problem when we get to nursery so would prefer to nip in the bud!

Thanks!

[sylviamaria]

I breastfed my LO till she was 7 months old and only gave her a bottle of expressed milk once a week or so. At 7 months I started introducing a bottle feed a day to slowly get her ready for the childminder. This went well until someone else (Dad, Grandma, Granny etc) tried to give it to her. She refused it, pushed the bottle away and wouldn't have any of it. A month later we went away ovenight. While we were away she ate all her food, drank water, but no milk (we were only away for 12 hours, so she didnt miss out on too much...). When she was 9 months old she started at the childminders. After a couple of days of refusing milk she decided to start having some, and now she takes the bottle better from others than from me... I think it was partly separation anxiety, partly a phase... It went on its own, once she decided she was ready.

Hope this helps. x

[MrsLL2b]

Hi Lakey,

We had exactly the same,introduced a bottle around 4.5 months but she would only take it from me (once she actually took it which was a challenge!).

Once I had her taking a bottle regularly and she got more used to it she then did take it from other people. My husband just used to try it every now and again and eventually it worked. You will get there don't worry.

I have to admit I was really interfering when he would give it to her (tilt the bottle more,lean her back etc etc!) so in the end he took her out for the day to his parents house and I went out and had a nice day and let him get on with it. She refused bottles all day and he just tried every hour or so eventually she caved and took a full bottle and things improved after that.

The worst bit is throwing away expressed milk they don't drink but then I gradually mixed in formula and changed the ratios until she would take a bottle of formula.

Good luck!

[esme]

Good advice above, I had same problem and it was a phase thankfully tho do think generally obviously mums have a gentler touch... Someone advised me to give my hubby something which the baby would smell my milk on, e.g. a muslin or something familiar like that, and that worked a treat. Give it a whirl and persevere, most things are habitual with babies.

[Lakey]

Thanks so much ladies. Tonight I drove away from the house and she took the bottle from Daddy (a different teat - we have a large array :0). So I hope that things are changing. Its completely true that my presence only hinders and does not help! Esme like you say - nothing lasts forever with bambinos!

Thanks once again x