Breastfed Baby Won't Take a Bottle!

I breast fed both of my kids and introduced them to a sippie cup instead of a bottle. It worked out find with both. Just a suggestion and back then they were the Tupperware cups that would leak a little. I think there are leak proof sippies now.

Well that was my case. What ended up happening I was home for 2 years. He did not take any bottle,binky nothing but what he grew to love and call his milky. When he got to be mos the doctor told me to try the sippy cup. I did that and all he wanted to drink from that was juice no milk.

Hi,

The same thing was happening to us last week. I started giving my baby a bottle at 4 weeks and most of the time she took to it without a problem. I had been warned to make sure that she got a bottle every day or she might start to reject it. Of course we gave her a bottle almost every day, but skipped a few and at 12 weeks she started refusing it. When she gets hungry she gets very upset if she doesn't get fed right away and there was a lot of screaming while trying to get a bottle. It was most upsetting to my husband who is the one who is usually trying to give it to her.

After looking on line we have tried a variety of things. Like someone else mentioned I started with the "bait and switch". After he would try to feed her and she refused, I would wait a couple of minutes. I would feed her for a little bit (which would calm her down) and then sneak in the bottle. Sometimes she would only get in a few sucks, sometimes an ounce or two (that also meant I didn't have to throw away the milk I had pumped). Then the next day my husband tried the same thing (sort of) he would have her suck on his finger then sneak in the bottle. Last night he tried to feed her the bottle and when she started to get upset, he just stopped and swaddled her and put her down in the crib. She seemed to realize that she might not get fed and he came back and held the nipple right near her mouth - occasionally touching her lips and then she took it. He said it was like she needed to think it was her idea (we may be reading more into this than she is possible of comprehending at this point, but who knows).

When he feeds her the bottle he doesn't hold her like I hold her when breast feeding, He sits in a different location or has her in her crib or highchair. I even heard one person say that they had to feed their baby bouncing on an exercise ball! I have also heard that it can help to have something that smells like you (a tee shirt you sleep in or nursing bra). But I stay out of the way so she can't see or hear me. Hopefully you can find someone patient enough to try some of these tactics until she gets comfortable with the bottle (I think when my husband got frustrated with her it only made it worse).

I think that 12 weeks they become more aware of their surroundings and start to express preferences for things, but at least our daughter can be distracted enough to get "tricked" into taking a bottle. I think once she starts taking it I would make sure she has one every day.

I also did read a lot of comments from people online who had to go to the spoon or a sippy cup like other people mentioned. There was some debate about whether you should use a sippy cup with a valve or not, but I wasn't ready to try it so I didn't pay too much attention.

Good luck!

Try not to worry too much. The same thing happened with my son when he was 3 and a half months. It only lasted a few weeks. We eventually settled on Dr. Brown's bottles - but I suspect it had more to do with him getting to be a week older than having new bottles. In the meantime, I did what I could. Sometimes he would take breastmilk from a spoon, but a large medicine dropper worked really well. The daycare did a GREAT job of understanding and working with him. This is a very common thing, and your child care should be really patient - it happens all the time. The baby will eat when she is hungry - seriously. This will pass. Hang in there.

Oh - another thing that worked - Kyle liked to be fed while we walked him around, facing out (like a distraction). He did not like to be held when he got a bottle (except by mom).

This same request was just posted on July 2nd. You might want to find that one and read those responses too. I tried to paste the link here, but it didn't work. Sorry. Anyway, here's the response that I had posted for that request:

I had this problem myself with my youngest. To tell you the truth, I got all sorts of horrible suggetions that just made me sick to my stomach - mostly, either let her scream for hours until she was so hungry that she finally took the bottle (my instincts told me "no way") and also just let her starve all day and feed her when I got home from work - it's been done before (but when I heard of all the "real" cases, these kids were eating solid food during that time). One lactation consultant that I went to promoted these kinds of ideas - I couldn't stomach it. However, I found another wonderful lactation consultant, who told me to try things from my heart. And that if it was making me sick to try things - that was Mother Nature's way of telling me I should not be doing it. This is what I did - and I'll be honest, I actually had to take an extra month of maternity leave because it took so long - which was a financial hardship to say the least. Anyway, this is what I did. First, I shopped for nipples that looked the most like my own physical anatomy. It is different for each person. Somewhere - I think maybe One Step Ahead - even used to sell a bottle that looked like a whole breast. (These didn't work for us, but they didn't really look like me anyway). Then, this is what I would do. I would put the nipple crack cream (what is that called? I can't even remember, it was 6 years ago - but it's like Vaseline sort of) on my nipple whenever she fed - so she sort of got that initial taste and texture. After doing that for a few days, I would put it on the bottle nipple and only at those times when she got drowsy and was practically asleep when she was feeding - I would do the "quick switch" - pull my breast out and stick the bottle in FAST. If she woke up too much and got all fussy, I'd quickly switch back. In the beginning, the bottle was probably only in her mouth for five seconds, eventually we worked up to maybe a minute. I just kept switching back and forth, until she was used to the sensation of it being in her mouth. Eventually, I worked my way up to maybe the bottle staying in for 1 minute and she'd take maybe 1 or 2 sips before she realized. I think around that point, I started working with the daycare provider - she was WONDERFUL. She let me visit with the baby (and my older child) and we'd hang out until it was feeding time. Then I'd breastfeed, try the "quick switch" - then hand her over to the daycare provider (who had been previously holding her, etc.). After probably 2 weeks of trying that, one day I left the scene, to see if she could get her to take a bottle if I wasn't around. She called me so excited - to say that while it wasn't much - she had taken 1/2 ounce from the bottle. It was then I knew that she would be fine, she could at least drink enough to hold off starvation, and that she really was only being stubborn. And truth-be-told it has proven true the rest of her life. She is both extremely shy AND the most stubborn-when-she-wants-to-be child I've ever met. Previous to this whole thing happening, I had been trying to give her a bottle occasionally, maybe once per week, and she had been willing to take it. Then we went on vacation, and when we came back, she refused to take the bottle. The "good" lactation consultant said it was the baby's way of controlling things and saying she didn't like change. I think that was true.
GOOD LUCK and try things FROM YOUR HEART!
L.
Update - just wanted to say it just popped into my head what the nipple crack cream is - Lanolin (brand is Lansinoh, I think)!

I had same issue (see my request - 6-11-08). It took several days of trying and experimenting with different nipples. Unfortunately, all babies are different. Mine liked the playtex, latex (brown), orthodontic nipple. Lots of people said she wouldn't take bottle from me but I found that she took it from me better at first - I almost think it was a trust issue - she trusted me and felt comfortable with me so tried it. If you are trying slow-flow nipples you could also try medium. My daughter also is very distracted and definitely goes at her own pace so sometimes people say "she won't take it" and I tell them to wait a minute or keep trying - sometimes she plays with the nipple for a while or looks away but then will start sucking. She still sometimes only takes 2-3 ounces when anyone but me or her Dad feeds her but she is not starving and is still growing fine (she tends to make up for it at night by nursing fairly often which is not ideal but I'm going with it for now). I also find that for me, its easier to feed her when she is sitting in her little rocking/bouncy chair (if I hold her she thinks I'm going to breastfeed her). So, my advice - be flexible, try different things, be patient and try not to panic about it. Good luck.

It does take a couple of weeks. Did you try a fast flow nipple? It took two weeks for my son to take more than a couple of ounces and now he drinks a full bottle. Just give it more time and make sure she is hungry. My son liked the playtex latex nipples, fast flow, the best. Good luck.

I am not sure if someone already mentioned this or not, I didn't have time to read through all the answers you have received, but a friend of mine used "Adiri Natural Nurser" with her daughter, I was the first one to try the bottle with this friends daughter and she drank about 6 oz from it, it was 3 times more that both of us expected. The bottle is soft and the most like the breast that I have seen. So I just thought I would suggest this. I hope you find what works for you.

I had the same problem. I thought my baby was all set because she took 2-3 bottles when she was 4 to 5 weeks old. Then we didn't give her one for a while and the next time we tried, she absolutely refused it. I think it was because she wasn't consistently getting one.
In any case, I did find the Adiri bottle to be a very good alternative... I gave her water in it when she first started cereal at about 5 months and then found she would take breastmilk as well. The bottle is sort of shaped like a breast. Check it out at http://www.adiri.com/index.asp. Got it at Wholefoods. Good luck!

At 4 weeks, I introduced the bottle and my little one took it well. At 8 weeks, she started to refuse her daily bottle. It was then that I knew there was going to be trouble. I called daycare to ask for advice. They told me to use the playtex nurser with the laytex nipple and to make he milk slightly warmenr than it is coming from me. That still didn't work for me, but I had to go back to work - there were no options.

I went through the same thing you're going through now 5 short weeks ago. This is my fifth week back at work. It's difficult, but it gets better. Your daycare provider will need to have the dedication to stick with it. The first day was the toughest for them and my little one, but by the 4th bottle of the day, my little girl drank 2 ounces from the bottle.

I only work 3 minutes down the road, but I avoided going there (which was hard, but daycare said it would only prolong the process. The next day she drank 2 ounces from 3 bottles. That amount continued for quite some time, then she started waking up every 2 hours at night to eat. I'm pretty sure she figured out when she could get milk from the source and stuck with it.

I had hoped to continue to nurse her in the evenings, but that didn't work (she seems to be an all or nothing kid). Last week, I stopped nursing her altogher. She now gets bottles in the evening and in the middle of the night. Switching made all the difference. Now she drinks her whole bottle each time; it's like there was never a problem.

Good luck. Please know it gets easier.

My son, who is now just over 2.5 years did the same thing when I first went back to work. It did not last that long when he figured out the bottle was the only place he was going to get something to eat. I think after the 3rd time I worked he was sucking down the bottle just like it was my breast. Just be patient - it is hard to see them cry but if she is already a healthy baby it won't be long until she understands that the bottle is the only food source during the times that you are not home.

Did YOU try and give her a bottle? It was what worked with my little one. Also, check out the bottles most like breastfeeding - MAM's bottles are great!

Have you played around with the temperature of the bottle at all? My daughter, too, refused the bottle and it was so frustrating. The only way she'll take it is if it's SUPER warm. We heat up water in a mug for 2 minutes in the microwave and just let the bottle sit in there for a long time before she gets it. It's strange since it's warmer than when it comes directly from the breast, but it works. Best of luck to you!

My breastfed daughter also didn't like artificial nipples. You can keep trying different ones, but it could be that she wants the 'real' thing. My babysitter ended up going to a sippy cup that had very small holes (so that the milk wouldn't come out too fast).

There's nothing that says a baby has to take milk from a bottle with a fake nipple. I think the expectation is that babies are better at sucking and are naturally used to the size / shape of a nipple. However, the more important thing is getting her to eat - in whatever way she wants to - not forcing her to use a bottle. I'd recommend trying other options like sippy cups.

Hi C.,
I had a similar problem with daughter , however I had plenty of time to play with I found a great online,catalog store that specialize in baby stuff,(a little expensive sometimes)and I found the perfect real breast like baby bottle, it helped me a lot when I was not around to breastfeed her, if you want to take a look and try it, since she don't want a bottle, this may help.
oops sorry the website is www.onestepahead.com

Hi C.,
My daughter did the exactly the same thing, took the bottle before I went back to work and then went on what I called a hunger strike for a week. She would hold out 7-8 hours without drinking. I visited her a couple of times during that first week and fed her. I was feeling completely stressed and worried, although I did admire her determination ;-) What seemed to help was that on the first weekend after returning to work I gave her the bottle, she took it from me and when she finished it she cried and cried, but on Monday she took the bottle. Since then there have been no problems.
Hope you can a solution that works. It is so hard to go back to work, and far too early.
Good luck!
F.

Hey C.,
I hear your pain! My dd refused a bottle for many many months. We tried all sorts of bottles and nipples, and many different strategies. She simply reversed her feeding cycles- she would sleep and only take a couple of ounces during the day, and nurse all night. Co-sleeping saved my sanity and kept her filled up and reconnected for the next day. (She was a high needs baby as well.). You could try the Adiri natural nurser (adiri.com) or a small cup if she still refuses. Instead of trying to pour milk down her throat with the cup, simply tip it to her lips and allow her to lap it.
Blessings!
H.

This is a very normal issue to have; please don't think that it's anything you did. Are you feeding her breastmilk exclusively, or are you trying to move her over to formula? If you're pumping and bottle-feeding, try to make sure that there's a little of the breastmilk on the nipple before introducing it into her mouth. Also, just as you probably tried when you were learning how to breastfeed, try holding her a few different ways. Sometimes just a change of position can make a baby feel more comfortable, and hopefully more apt to take the bottle. I'm a working mom as well who went back to work in a trauma unit ten weeks after my daughter was born, so I know what you're going through (it was a trip when we'd have babies come into the ER, and my milk would come in when they'd cry... LOL). Keep trying, and you'll both adjust in a little while. Good luck!! :o)

I had the same problem with my son when he first went off to daycare (at 4 months). The first week he refused - the second week a woman at the daycare with simular coloring as mine was able to get him to take the bottle by holding the bottle at breast - for about two weeks she was the only one who could feed him until he fully settled into the whole thing. Ultimately the desire for food (he is also fairly robust in size and enjoyed nursing every 1.5 to 2 hours). I use the evenflow glass bottles with standard silicon nipples. I did not give him a bottle at all prior to daycare (this was not the plan, it just sort of worked out that way).

The long and the short of my rather windy response is that your are in the early days of it - I am sure she will come around. The fact that she is a good sized baby will help. I think my nursing him at the daycare help setup the area as a place where he would regulary get fed - which help him settle in.

Good luck and enjoy! You have some very fun days ahead!

My son had that problem as well. The first couple of days back at work were a weekend and luckily my husband was able to bring him in to feed but that gets old quick. We ended up haveing my husband feed him while i was home but not in the room to see how he did. It took a few days of fussing but he ended up taking a bottle from him. It works better if the baby is not so hungary that he can't settle down, crying just makes them tired and more irritable so start just before the usual feeding time. Also, he may take a cup better than a nipple. Some breast fed babies early on have a problem with switching from breast to bottle. The suck is totally different and they have to learn how to stop the flow of milk from the bottle by pressing up with the tongue so they can swallow and breath. At the breast they use the tongue to make the milk flow by moving it along the nipple and pulling it to the back of the mouth. Some can do this without a hitch and others well...you know. It will take some patience.Cup feeding is an option, you can use a small medicine cup and hold it up to the lower lip and the baby will lap it out or sip at it. We use it in newborns all the time. We also use a crooked syringe filled with breast milk and our finger and the baby will suck on the finger as we push the plunger on the syringe. Hope this helps, You may get many more ideas but these are the ones we use in the newborn nursery. Good luck, J. P.s. My kids liked the playtex nursers the best.