Baby Not Taking Bottle

I had much the same problem with my now 1 yr old. I started work with a paper route in the middle of the night the baby somehow knew when I left and would wake her dad up to eat. But refused anything I tried many different things and the one that she seemed to like was the playtex bottle with the brown nippe kinda square looking. It most felt like breastfeeding to her. Also her dad had to hold her snug and she totally felt he was breastfeeding her. Because the nipple was so similar to breast. It worked wonders. Also the drop ins that they use are always nice. You can buy the cheap drop ins at wal mart and they fit.

One thing might be that it's him and not you so she thinks it's going to be something different. Maybe try feeding her with it a few times until she gets used to it.

There are some nipples that have a little bit of an angle and are for babies that are nursing. They are more like the breast. I think I got mine at the pharmacy where I got my pump that I rented but they might have them with the pumps in other store too. The drop in bottles also have a rubber, really squatty nipple "Natural Action Infant Nipple" would look and feel more like you. I was able to find them at a local store but here's a pic: http://www.babiestravellite.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Sc...

There is also a nurser called the Breastbottle Nurser that is shaped like a breast from One Step Ahead. I don't know, they might have them at Babies R Us too. Here's a link:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

Best Wishes,
J.

Hi K.,

I know you probably are looking for help, not empathy, but my son won't take a bottle either. I am lucky that I stay home, but have now given up on trying to get him to take one (he is 4 months). He too has a gag reflex and everytime we tried to get him to take a bottle or pacifier he would gag and scream. At first he even gagged on my nipples, but he has out grown that.

I hope you get some good advice! I'll be watching to see what people suggest.

J.

Hi K.,

THis is my suggestion from personal experience with 3 kids. Buying different bottle nipples and bottles work some times but if you put a little sugar water on the nipple of the bottle that will your babies interest and hopefully get her started with the bottle. I know that it is frusterateing but she will eventually come around. Good Luck! M.

Hi -

I assume your husband is offering the bottle to her when you are not in the house? I know, from a similar experience, that they really do sense when the mom is still in the house. So, my first suggestion would be to leave the house if she is refusing the bottle from your husband.

If this is happening when you are at work, I would say that you should check the flow of the nipple. Make sure that it is fast enough that she isn't getting frustrated because it is coming out too slowly. You may also want to try a different bottle/nipple all together.

If this doesn't solve the problem, just know that if she is really hungry, she will eat from the bottle. It may take a few missed feedings, but she WILL get desperate eventually. It seems hard to let her go without eating if she refuses it, but normally this will only happen for one feeding, and then by the next one she is so hungry that she will take what she is given. This happened to my daughter around the same age (even though we introduced the bottle around 6 weeks), and she came around by the next feeding.

Good luck.

We too had an offended baby that didn't take to the bottle at first, a couple of things that worked for us;
1.) Try Switching the nipple to a slow, nuk/pacifier shaped one.
2.) Use a sling to comfort her (and daddy) in between feedings, the swaying motion and warmth will keep her calm.

Since your working part time, I assume you are still breastfeeding part time as well? Maybe baby knows you will be home soon and would rather put up a fight and wait for you?
Maybe try going cold turkey? (you could still pump and freeze)
Also, keep trying the pacifier; baby finds comfort in this and you can get rid of it down the road.

Good Luck!

i had that same problem! we tried sippy cups around 4 months, the brand nuby makes one that she could suck out of easier. or playex bottles with the ridge on the nipple. we went to a sippy cup bypassing the bottle all together. maybe give a couple of those a try.

Have you tried the bottles that they use for premature babies. I have never used one but maybe they are smaller. Maybe you have already tried but the Platex bottle that you but the disposable bags in I think they have a nipple that is called the nurser. That may work or go online to www.onestepahead.com they have a bottle that is called something like the Breast bottle it looks just like the breast an maybe that would be shorter and would not gag her. Babies R Us has a bottle by Podee it is called the Hands Free Baby Bottle it is $8.99 maybe she is just have a problem with how fast the milk flow from the bottle is and with the hands free she is just sucking on it and its not tilted upside down to keep flowing out. Have you talked to her pediatrition yet and have they had any suggestions? Those are all the ideas that I have but I hope you find something that works for you and your daughter and your husband. Good Luck

I had the same problem with both of my children. I ended up purchasing the Gerber premie bottles. You can get them at Target or Walmart. The nipple is shorter and a slower flow. I tried the other premie bottles, but the nipples were to long. Good Luck!