Advice wanted - Baby won't take bottles..

[amydown]

Am hoping experienced mums can offer some advice. Our baby boy is now 6 weeks old and I have been exclusively breast feeding him. I have recenlty started expressing some milk so that his daddy can do some of the feeding but he really hates it!!! We're using Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles - should I try different brands or is it just a case of persevering with it?

[intexasatthe moment]

This thread is helpful and has advice on bottles/teats.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,315026,315292#msg-315292

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I am also exclusively breastfeeding. My son won't allow me to feed him from a bottle, he fusses and cries non stop if I do try.

He will let others feed him ( though he still fusses at the beginning) but despite finishing the bottle he will then want my boobs! ( I think it is a comfort thing too).

My son is fine with closer to nature teats, he is not too keen on the breast flow teats. I have a few breast flow bottles that have not been used if you want to try one of them to see if it works?

Edited to say that it is meant to be helpful not to be in the room whilst your husband is feeding him.

[amydown]

Thank you for this - HeidiHi, would love to try the breast flow bottles. Will send you a PM!

[randomv]

FYI cos I know that Breastflow bottles are not that cheap, I keep seeing them in TK Maxx so if you do find your LO takes them and you need to stock up you could do worse than take a look in there.

My LO was another bottle refuser and we did have some success with the breastflow. My advice would be to choose your weapon and stick to it, he's very young still so I'm sure he'll take it eventually, it's just a case of how determined you are (and if you want to be that determined!) Make the milk good and hot, warm the teat, and yes, persevere.

Good luck!

[snowboarder]

Breastflow didn't work for us....and I too have lots of different bottles and teats cluttering up my kitchen!! Really do persevere though whilst your baby is so young - I now have a 7 month old bottle refuser - too annoying. Occasionally he will take an ounce from a nuk bottle. Funny 'cos he's not so into breastfeeding either (but weirdly more so since weaning!?!).

[BellendenBear]

Hi Amy, you just have to keep trying, I know how frustrating it is. I did have a bag full of bottles that I tried to pass on a few months ago, I didn't get any takers so threw most of them away a couple of weeks ago, damn! In the end, playtex drop-ins were the only bottle my baby would accept (after about 2 months of trying). The teats are latex so are much softer. After a few weeks with these she would happily take any bottle and now we use the avent ones that I had bought right at the start. You are welcome to have my drop-ins, I think I have some unused teats.

Good Luck

[Claribel]

Also try offering him the bottle when he isn't too hungry. I don't know whether you are doing dream feeds at night, but sometimes in their sleepy state they don't seem to notice quite so much being offered a bottle then. And get the dad to feed him, I sometimes think the smell of my milk coming from another direction can be really distracting. Good luck!

[amydown]

Thank you everyone. We purchased a Nuk latex today and had some success (had to trick him into thinking it was my breast by switching it half way through) but was quite traumatic for all involved. Hubby did tried it first whilst I was peeking from outside the door in tears as the bub was in screaming fits!!!

Shall persevere.. BellendenBear, it's such a shame I was too late to claim your bottles!!!! Would have been perfect!

[knackered cow]

Hi! You could try breatfeeding your baby while using a nipple sheild. This could get your baby used to the silicone feel????

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Nipple-Shields_334235/

[anna_r]

Tried all sorts of bottles with my refusing baby at around 3 months I think and nothing worked until we tried MAM ultivent which she took immediately. Magic!! Have a couple of other friends who experienced exactly the same. Still using them every day at 10 months.

[lorraineliyanage]

We've been through bottle rejection around 5 months and a latex teat from the Green Baby glass bottle got my little one back onto the bottle. Now we just use the bog standard Avent ones.

[Pickle]

This is such a difficult thing, as all babies are different. My daughter was a bottle refuser, we finally had a breakthrough at 13 months (yes, THIRTEEN months) when suddenly she guzzled down a bottle of cow's milk as if she'd been doing it for months. Little sod.

We tried lots of different bottle, teats, methods (me leaving the house, dream feeding, switching from breast to bottle mid feed etc.) and none of them worked for us. In the end I decided I was fighting her for nothing as I did like breastfeeding and wasn't in a hurry to wean her, but caught a vomitting bug and asked Mr Pickle to try a bottle when she was due a feed, and we've never looked back. Standard Avent bottle, teat that had been used for 2 years previously by her brother :-$

Stick with it, the longer you leave it the harder it is in many cases, but try not to get yourself too stressed about it.

Good luck x

[ear]

The breastfeeding counsellor at Kings, came up with a very practical solution many years ago. I was told to sterilise a bottle top, add the milk and then feed using a small sterilised plastic spoon. A little messy, but it took away a different anxiety that I had.

Your partner might like to try this method to begin with. Its quite fun. You will know that the baby can have some milk, if it is wanted then gradually he could try a bottle. It might be good to hold the baby in the same position for both types of feeding so that there is eye contact.

Good luck

[fairylamb]

My 6 month old baby has just accepted his FIRST bottle in THREE MONTHS using a MAM TEAT (after trying NUK, Dr Brown, Tommee Tippe, Boots)!!!!! Thank you so, so, so much for recommending them anna_r. They are available from Boots Peckham Rye - get down there quick before I buy the rest of their stock!

[amydown]

I have now tried NUK (some success but depends on his mood), have ordered Platex dropin, and will be collecting breat flow bottles from Heidi tomorrow (weather permitting!) and if all these fail, will also be trying MAM!

Thank you for all the tips everyone.

[julia2009]

I had the same problem and my son took the bottle when I went into town one afternoon. Before this he was screaming the house down when a bottle was brought near him. When I was completely away he took 2 bottles with no problems at all....hope this helps.

[Marty]

My son never took a bottle or a soother despite trying several types. I breastfed him exclusively for 5 1/2 months which was posibly a contributing factor. He did not like the feel and seemed to have a delayed gag reflex and difficulty co-ordinating sucking, breathing and swallowing. That's my Speech & Language Therapy background talking. They have to re-learn to do the same action using different means. I am not sure if a 'magic' bottle does exist but one is bound to work. Too bad I did not come across the MAM ones. At 11 months he was happy with a sipping cup and even a straw - prior to that it was small tea cups and spoons that were getting liquids in him. He is still brestfeeding at 1 1/2 yrs. We skipped the bottle all together and now it is the comforting aspect that keeps us going. It is also really convenient as we travel a lot and it is one of the few things he manages to keep down when ill.

Starting early, using different kinds of bottles and disappearing while someone else offers the bottle (they know they can get something else form you and they smell you) seems to be the formula. Still every baby is different.

I have kept some glass feeding bottles and have several unused teats if anyone will like them. And a barely used bottle steriliser.

Best of luck,

M

[Marty]

My son never took a bottle or a soother despite trying several types. I breastfed him exclusively for 5 1/2 months which was posibly a contributing factor. He did not like the feel and seemed to have a delayed gag reflex and difficulty co-ordinating sucking, breathing and swallowing. That's my Speech & Language Therapy background talking. They have to re-learn to do the same action using different means. I am not sure if a 'magic' bottle does exist but one is bound to work. Too bad I did not come across the MAM ones. At 11 months he was happy with a sipping cup and even a straw - prior to that it was small tea cups and spoons that were getting liquids in him. He is still brestfeeding at 1 1/2 yrs. We skipped the bottle all together and now it is the comforting aspect that keeps us going. It is also really convenient as we travel a lot and it is one of the few things he manages to keep down when ill.

Starting early, using different kinds of bottles and disappearing while someone else offers the bottle (they know they can get something else form you and they smell you) seems to be the formula. Still every baby is different.

I have kept some glass feeding bottles and have several unused teats if anyone will like them. And a barely used bottle steriliser.

Best of luck,

M

[sleepy bunny]

Hi amydown

Hope you are getting somewhere since your post. Babys are definitely all different, my first one took to the bottle easily, and I could never understand (and probably gave little sympathy to) friends who had problems introducing the bottle. Second child- hello complete bottle refuser! We had additional problems as my second daughter also had reflux, and tried everything including the playtex drop ins. In the end from the recommendation of a friend it was the MAM teats and strange bottles that won (they have a flatter rather than a round teat). You can also buy them from the Vale chemist- near the roundabout on lordship lane, goose green end. I cannot recommend highly enough! Your little one is very young though, so I would say try a couple of things and then hand over to hubby, your mum (anyone else!),and get them to persevere with one teat/bottle, it will happen!

[sleepy bunny]

Hi amydown

Hope you are getting somewhere since your post. Babys are definitely all different, my first one took to the bottle easily, and I could never understand (and probably gave little sympathy to) friends who had problems introducing the bottle. Second child- hello complete bottle refuser! We had additional problems as my second daughter also had reflux, and tried everything including the playtex drop ins. In the end from the recommendation of a friend it was the MAM teats and strange bottles that won (they have a flatter rather than a round teat). You can also buy them from the Vale chemist- near the roundabout on lordship lane, goose green end. I cannot recommend highly enough! Your little one is very young though, so I would say try a couple of things and then hand over to hubby, your mum (anyone else!),and get them to persevere with one teat/bottle, it will happen!

[amydown]

Thank you everyone! We seem to have found the one for us - Breast Flow! Tried the Playtex drop-ins which he flatly refused but he's now had two full bottles on Breast Flow with my hubby whilst I was out of the room.

It's taken just over 10 days of me switching between breast and the bottle and I'm sure he'll continue to show some signs of resistance (stubborn little thing!) but hopefully he'll get completely happy with it soon.

The advice and help on here has been a lifesaver!

If any mum is experiencing the same problem and wants to try different bottles, feel free to contact me!!!!

[amydown]

Thank you everyone! We seem to have found the one for us - Breast Flow! Tried the Playtex drop-ins which he flatly refused but he's now had two full bottles on Breast Flow with my hubby whilst I was out of the room.

It's taken just over 10 days of me switching between breast and the bottle and I'm sure he'll continue to show some signs of resistance (stubborn little thing!) but hopefully he'll get completely happy with it soon.

The advice and help on here has been a lifesaver!

If any mum is experiencing the same problem and wants to try different bottles, feel free to contact me!!!!

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Well done Amy! I am so pleased with you, hopefully he will get completely used to it and you will be able to switch between bottle and breast with ease and without any resistance. I am told it is better to try and introduce a bottle of expressed milk from birth in order for baby to take easily to both bottle and breast but alas, I was too busy trying to get the hang of breastfeeding never mind trying to express also!

I start my mission today with the MAM bottles since he refused the breastflow, kind of tolerates the tommee tippee but with tears, so lets' hope I fare better with the MAM.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Well done Amy! I am so pleased with you, hopefully he will get completely used to it and you will be able to switch between bottle and breast with ease and without any resistance. I am told it is better to try and introduce a bottle of expressed milk from birth in order for baby to take easily to both bottle and breast but alas, I was too busy trying to get the hang of breastfeeding never mind trying to express also!

I start my mission today with the MAM bottles since he refused the breastflow, kind of tolerates the tommee tippee but with tears, so lets' hope I fare better with the MAM.